Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-02-26

the support of his mother and two
brothers, who were still iu school. as
well a. an invalid brother
In the spring of 1897 Mr. Coleman
obtained q position WITH piano com
pany, exhibiting at the Nashville Cen
tennial This experience in his career,
according to his own evidence, was
the turning point in bis life.
In personal way Mr.. Coleman talk
ed interestingly of his life from this
point on down to the present day. He
said
'The experience at the Centennial
gave me the opportunity to overcome
to great extent the skepticism of en-
ployers, insomuch as they gave me a
position as regular travelling salesman,
which work I did for twelve years,
and in 1909 | was aupointed as man
agel of the firms Chattanooga store
During the years as salesman / travel
ed alone, AMI from the beginning re-
allied that nothing short of my being
able to in every way cope with my
sighted competitors and colleagues
would suit my firm; in fact, this was
the only basis on which I was willing
to work for them.
"During all my active life 1 have
been obliged to overcome the terrific
handican of blindness in many ways,
and while i fully realize that this
could not be done without consider
able additional effort as compared
with the ability Of seeing man,
still my record as teacher and piano
business man will compare favorably
with that of most of the people with
whom | have been associated in sim
liar occupations,
In echool I was taught music largely
by means of both the raised print type
such as is used by seeing people and
TENS of dot writing which have now
entirely taken the place of the old
raised print. l was required, how
ever, to thoroughly learn the staff not
alton of music writing so that could
teach the seeing people just the same
as one who is not blind. The absence
of my sight necessarily forced upon
me the DEVELOPMENT of other senses as
well as memory, and hence leared 60
memoIize music from oral reading
quite rapidly, but it il now necessary
and always has been for me to have
music read to me when l wish to
learn it exactly | am aided in this.
of course, by my being able to locate
through having keen ear for sounds,
at once the exact pitch Of any musical
sound or combination of them as soon
as I hear them, which is commonly
termed in music, absolute pitch.
" Joined the Methodist church at
the early age of twelve and have for
the most part tried to live consistent
Christian life since that time Dur
ing all of my active life have been
regarded as regular organist in my
home church until l moved my mem
bership to Centenary few months
ago, and for this service never re-
ceived a cent of compensation. and
have been anxious to do all could for
the Master My parents were ambi-
tous for all of their children, especial
" those of them who we're blind, and
had it not been for the midnight oil
that my mother burned during many
a long night while was in school in
order to make money to clothe her
blind children in the proper way, our
struggles would have no doubt been
greater.
"The state institution for the blind
is one of the grandest establishments
of our state. Here everything posi-
Bile is done to equip the pupils for ac
tive life in what yer line they appear
best adapted, attention being paid,
however, to the effort Of we'll round
ing every student in knowledge of
all the branches which are taught at
the institution as far as possible.