of the main entrance and the children piled out eagerly.
“Welcome!” called Jason, who’d been watching for the Aldens. He took the suitcases from Violet and Benny’s hands. “I’ll take you up to your rooms.”
“I have to get to work,” Mr. Alden said, getting back in the car. “I’ll pick you up in a week! Be on your best behavior for Mrs. Carter. She’s going to look after you.”
“We will, Grandfather. Good-bye!” the children called as he drove off.
Jason led the children across the wide, sunny lobby and into the elevator. He pressed the button for the fourth floor. The children noticed that along with the number, each button had small bumps on it.
“Those bumps say the number in braille,” Jason explained. “Blind people feel the bumps to know which button to push.” As they passed each floor, a bell rang. “If you want to know what floor you’re on, you don’t have to see the number. You can just count how many times the bell rings,” Jason told them.
At the fourth floor, they got off the elevator and walked down a hall lined with doors, like a hotel.
“What are all these rooms for?” asked Jessie.
“Remember I told you that I teach dogs?” Jason replied. “Well, I also teach people. When someone gets a guide dog, they have to learn how to work with the dog. So they stay here for a few weeks while they’re learning. We had a couple of extra rooms for you.”
Jason brought them to two small but comfortable rooms, side by side. One was for Henry and Benny, the other for Violet and Jessie. Each room had two beds, dressers, desks, and chairs. They dropped off their suitcases, and then Jason continued their tour.
“This building is shaped like a U,” he told them. “If you ever need me, my room is on this floor, on the other side of the U.”
“You live here?” Violet asked.
“Yes,” Jason explained, “because I’m responsible for the dogs day and night. It’s easier to live on the campus.”
The third floor held offices, including Mrs. Carter’s. The dining room and lounge were on the second floor.
“But where are the dogs?” asked Benny.
“Don’t worry, that’s where we’re headed right now!” Jason answered, as he led the children out the back door of the main lobby.
Behind the main building, surrounded by dense woods, was a smaller building with a fenced-in yard. The yard was filled with dogs: German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Labrador retrievers. Some of the dogs were sniffing about; others ran back and forth barking.
“The dogs get their exercise out here,” Jason explained. “Inside there’s a separate area for each dog, with the dog’s food, water, and a place to sleep.”
“All of these dogs are going to be guide dogs?” asked Benny.
“Most of them will,” Jason said. “We start with very special puppies, who are raised by local families. In their first year, the puppies get used to being around people, traffic, and things like that. They also learn to be obedient, to follow simple commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay.’ When they’re a little over a year old, the families bring them back to the school to be trained.”
“You mean they have to give the dogs back?” asked Violet. “How sad! I know I couldn’t give Watch up.”
“It is hard, but the families know the dogs are being trained for important jobs,” Jason said.
Jason walked over to the gate. “How about if I show you one of the dogs I’m working with now?” He slipped into the yard, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He took a black Labrador by the collar and led him out to greet the Aldens.
“This is Zach,” Jason said. The children sat down on the grass and stroked Zach’s sleek coat. The dog rolled about on the grass playfully.
“The training takes a few months,” Jason continued. “Our instructors decide whether the dogs are fit to be guide dogs. They have to be friendly, smart, obedient, and hardworking. The ones that pass the final exam, as
“Welcome!” called Jason, who’d been watching for the Aldens. He took the suitcases from Violet and Benny’s hands. “I’ll take you up to your rooms.”
“I have to get to work,” Mr. Alden said, getting back in the car. “I’ll pick you up in a week! Be on your best behavior for Mrs. Carter. She’s going to look after you.”
“We will, Grandfather. Good-bye!” the children called as he drove off.
Jason led the children across the wide, sunny lobby and into the elevator. He pressed the button for the fourth floor. The children noticed that along with the number, each button had small bumps on it.
“Those bumps say the number in braille,” Jason explained. “Blind people feel the bumps to know which button to push.” As they passed each floor, a bell rang. “If you want to know what floor you’re on, you don’t have to see the number. You can just count how many times the bell rings,” Jason told them.
At the fourth floor, they got off the elevator and walked down a hall lined with doors, like a hotel.
“What are all these rooms for?” asked Jessie.
“Remember I told you that I teach dogs?” Jason replied. “Well, I also teach people. When someone gets a guide dog, they have to learn how to work with the dog. So they stay here for a few weeks while they’re learning. We had a couple of extra rooms for you.”
Jason brought them to two small but comfortable rooms, side by side. One was for Henry and Benny, the other for Violet and Jessie. Each room had two beds, dressers, desks, and chairs. They dropped off their suitcases, and then Jason continued their tour.
“This building is shaped like a U,” he told them. “If you ever need me, my room is on this floor, on the other side of the U.”
“You live here?” Violet asked.
“Yes,” Jason explained, “because I’m responsible for the dogs day and night. It’s easier to live on the campus.”
The third floor held offices, including Mrs. Carter’s. The dining room and lounge were on the second floor.
“But where are the dogs?” asked Benny.
“Don’t worry, that’s where we’re headed right now!” Jason answered, as he led the children out the back door of the main lobby.
Behind the main building, surrounded by dense woods, was a smaller building with a fenced-in yard. The yard was filled with dogs: German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Labrador retrievers. Some of the dogs were sniffing about; others ran back and forth barking.
“The dogs get their exercise out here,” Jason explained. “Inside there’s a separate area for each dog, with the dog’s food, water, and a place to sleep.”
“All of these dogs are going to be guide dogs?” asked Benny.
“Most of them will,” Jason said. “We start with very special puppies, who are raised by local families. In their first year, the puppies get used to being around people, traffic, and things like that. They also learn to be obedient, to follow simple commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay.’ When they’re a little over a year old, the families bring them back to the school to be trained.”
“You mean they have to give the dogs back?” asked Violet. “How sad! I know I couldn’t give Watch up.”
“It is hard, but the families know the dogs are being trained for important jobs,” Jason said.
Jason walked over to the gate. “How about if I show you one of the dogs I’m working with now?” He slipped into the yard, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He took a black Labrador by the collar and led him out to greet the Aldens.
“This is Zach,” Jason said. The children sat down on the grass and stroked Zach’s sleek coat. The dog rolled about on the grass playfully.
“The training takes a few months,” Jason continued. “Our instructors decide whether the dogs are fit to be guide dogs. They have to be friendly, smart, obedient, and hardworking. The ones that pass the final exam, as
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