Dorothy Harrison Eustis
Founder of the Seeing Eye – Service Dogs for the Blind
1886 – 1946

Recently I saw an online news story with a headline that described how youngsters with autism greatly improved by use of service dogs. According to one mother of an autistic son, the dog brought “incredible” physical and emotional benefits to her child. Just like such service animals (usually dogs) have assisted people with other types of issues, something we see all around us today.

Born in May, 1886 in Philadelphia, Dorothy Harrison was the daughter of a wealthy businessman and grew up in a prosperous home associating with many important personages of the time. She was the descendent of major American figures—her father was the grandson of an important early manufacturer and his company operated a successful sugar refinery worth some 10 million dollars. In addition, as provost at his alma mater the University of Pennsylvania he raised many millions for the school.

On her mother’s side she was descended from Robert Morris, the wealthy man who had funded the American Revolution.

Dorothy attended a private girls’ school in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1903 and also attended an English school. In 1906 she married Walter Abbott Wood Jr., the son of a wealthy manufacturer and they settled in upstate New York. There on their farm they developed an experimental cattle breeding program and had two children. They were to have two children.

Then in 1914 on a visit to Europe, Dorothy was introduced to the German shepherd dog breed and became enthusiastic for their intelligence, versatility and trainability. The dog she acquired, Hans, continued to impress her in many ways as he and his fellow shepherds represented the earliest breed used to guide the blind.

The couple lived for a time in Switzerland where Dorothy began breeding and training German shepherd dogs to work in law enforcement. To do this they employed Elliot “Jack” Humphrey who was a self taught geneticist and dog trainer. He would be important in the eventual efforts in preparing dogs to assist the blind.

A tragic but very important issue of the time in Germany was how many veterans from the late World War I had been blinded by the use of mustard gas. Then in November, 1926 “The Saturday Evening Post”, a popular and important family magazine, published Dorothy’s article related to this issue. Titled “The Seeing Eye,” in the article she described several schools in Germany that were testing the idea of using trained dogs to guide these blind men to lead normal lives. After publication, Dorothy’s article brought a tremendous reader response in the form of letters, including many from blind people seeking information on how they might obtain such a dog.

In Nashville, the article was read to Morris Frank, a 19 year old man who was familiar with the issue since his mother had been visually impaired. Frank himself then was blinded in one eye by being struck by an overhanging branch while riding horseback, and at age 16 he lost the sight in his other eye after a boxing incident. After hearing Dorothy’s article, Frank realized that with such a dog he might possibly be able to live an independent life.

Frank wrote to Mrs. Eustis: “Is what you say really true? If so I want one of those dogs! And I’m not alone. Thousands of blind like me abhor being dependent on others. Help me and I will help them. Train me and I will bring my dog and show people here how a blind man can be absolutely on his own. We can then set up an instruction center in this country to give all those here who want it a chance at a new life.”

Mrs. Eustis’ first response to Frank was to explain that at that time the dogs she worked with were not trained to work with the blind but she became interested in the possibility. Probably seeing it as a genuine need, Mrs. Eustis and her training director Jack Humphrey began to research and modify their training methods to teaching dogs to guide the blind. In 1928 Morris Frank traveled to Mrs. Eustis’ Fortunate Fields kennel and there met his first guide dog a German shepherd named Kiss. However, Frank changed her name to Buddy. After several months of training there formed a close bond between Buddy and Frank, as they learned to (according to one source) “as a team to navigate busy streets, dangerous obstacles, stairways, crowded shops and anything that was a danger for Frank.”

When Frank and Buddy returned to the U.S. he followed up on his intention to find blind people who could benefit from using a dog. Then in 1928 he got a bit of publicity when he and Buddy traveled to New York City to demonstrate to reporters how with Buddy he could navigate city traffic. With the press as a witness Morris tried to cross busy Broadway with Buddy but she would not advance until the traffic noise had subsided. He wired Mrs. Eustis “Success.”

Of course this publicity brought more public attention – as Frank continued his actively seek other blind people who could use a dog. Later Mrs. Eustis moved back to the U.S. and in January, 1929 she and Frank established the Seeing Eye organization in Nashville. Then in 1931 Dorothy purchased a 10 bedroom mansion in Whippany, New Jersey, to house the growing number of trainers and potential dog owners. The headquarters eventually relocated to their current location in Morristown, New Jersey in 1966.

Ultimately over the years as the original Buddy passed away, Frank partnered with other dogs – all named Buddy after his original guide. In 2005 there was erected on Morristown Green a bronze statue of Frank and Buddy. Interestingly, the Seeing Eye organization was an important proponent of legislation making it a criminal offense to harm a service dog. It was inspired when a pit bull dog mauled Dusty, a puppy in training in 2014. The law was signed in 2014 as Dusty’s Law by then Governor Christ Christie. Morris Frank retired from working with The Seeing Eye at age 48 to establish a local insurance agency. He died in 1980.

Mrs. Eustis remained active with The Seeing Eye until 1940 when she retired as president and became honorary president as she continued to serve on the board of trustees. She died in New York in 1946 at the age of 60.

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Anne Adams is a retired church staffer. She lives in East Texas and has an historical column for a local newspaper. She has published in Christian and secular publications for more than 40 years.
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References:
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Stories of Strong Women
Mary Baker Edder Library