Guilly d'Herbemont facts for kids

Guilly d'Herbemont (born June 25, 1888 – died February 28, 1980) was a very important inventor. She created the white cane, which helps blind people move around safely. Guilly was born in Brussels, a city in Belgium. Her mother was Belgian and her father was Frenchman. As a child, she lived in both Brussels and Paris. Later, she moved to Paris to work as a musician and writer.

Guilly noticed that blind people in Paris were in more danger because of all the new cars. The police in France used white sticks to direct traffic. Mrs. d'Herbemont had a great idea. She thought that if blind people carried white sticks, drivers would see them better. This would help keep them safe.

In 1930, Guilly d'Herbemont wrote a letter to a big newspaper called L'Écho de Paris. The newspaper published her letter, and it caused a lot of discussion. After her letter was published, the World Blind Union suggested that governments around the world use this new idea. Soon, the white cane officially became a symbol for blind people everywhere.

On February 7, 1931, Guilly d'Herbemont gave out the first two white canes. Many important government officials were there. One cane went to a blind soldier, and the other went to a blind civilian. After this, 5,000 more white canes were given to French soldiers who were blinded in World War I and to other blind people.

How the White Cane Idea Began

Before inventing the white cane, Guilly d’Herbemont often helped blind people. She would walk with them across busy streets in Paris. One time, while helping a group of blind people cross a big road, a car almost hit them all. This scary moment gave her the idea for a tool that blind people could use to be safer in traffic.

Not everyone liked her idea at first. Some groups thought that a special white stick would make blind people feel like they were showing off their disability. But even with some doubts, the white cane became a huge help. Guilly d’Herbemont's name is not always remembered when we think of great inventors, especially women inventors. But her idea changed lives.

The White Cane's Journey

After World War I, many soldiers in France became blind. Cars in Paris often did not have headlights, making it hard for drivers to see blind people. Guilly d'Herbemont saw this problem. She worked hard to make the white cane widely used by everyone who was blind. Because of her efforts, drivers found it easier to stop for people with visual impairments.

After Guilly's invention, another important step happened. This was the "Hoover Method." Towards the end of World War II, Richard Hoover, an army sergeant and former teacher, worked at a hospital for blinded soldiers in the United States. He spent a week walking around blindfolded with a white cane. He swung the cane back and forth in front of him to find obstacles. This technique, called the Hoover method, is now taught to visually impaired people worldwide. It helps them travel on their own.

Even though new technologies have been added to the white cane, Guilly's basic idea has stayed the same. It continues to be a simple and powerful tool for independence.

Honors and Awards

Guilly d'Herbemont received several important awards for her work:

• Knight of the Legion of Honour (1947)
• Officer of the Legion of Honour
• Medal of the City of Paris (1976)