Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-13
omn hn nnd Muslciaa..

NEW YORK Dec. ITO the Editor of
The Bee: L see by the papers that
Thomas j. Kelly. one of the leading
musicians Of your city. is about to leave
and locate In Chicago. This moves me to
let you know my. own experience while
a resident OF your city. and trying to
establish myself with you. ~
was for five years a teacher in the
Northwestern University School Of Music
in Chicago. For reasons which In no wise
reflected on me. as can be proved by
inquiries there, left In 1900 and came to
Omaha with Intentions as above. was
unable to get single pupil or position
as church oreantst or teacher In any
school. I found II necessary TO, abandon
my profession and work as freight
clerk In the Union Pacific general offices
until I was able to get away was there
for moro than a year. In 1901 resigned
and came to New York. where I have
been ever since. enclose some printed
matter, and I alec send zorro moro under
separate cover. This will show you what
I have accomplished here. have taught
in one school here for fourteen years, and
with another for eleven years. 1 am
sending you their catalogues. am still
with them both, and each position seems
to be for life, also have private pupils
and a position rs organist and choir
master 10 a church,
What is the matter with Omaha?
cay nothing about 1t rs business town
OF one for doctors. lawyers, etc. I am
not 1uSlitled 20 speok ppt 7 know
my own experience only too well.
might also mention how tried repeatedly
for church positions. and in spite Of my
ability and experience and reputation I
was always turned down for some local
amateur with ''puil." also was told
while working IN the railroad offices OF
school for voting women. in the fashion,
able rart Of the city that had an opening
for a teacher. applied, and WINS laughed
to seorn. The idea OF common railroad
clerk having suefT presumptionl They
teois another man. Of course. II was
jpst before came to New York. After
hing herr = short white confirmed nv
ORIGINAL intention Of staying here perrna-
nently. But very soon received an UNI
solicited offer through an agency Of a
school in the west. I was curious, and
asked for particulars. and was told Il
was the Omaha school wrote for fur
there information. ana the director re-
piled that he had heard OF me. and my
work In Chicago and New York. and that
| WAS just the man for him. and TO come
at once. then told him who I was, re-
called to his memory the former cir
sunstances. and told him that now the
tables were turned, II had developed
that the man ne first preferred to me had
turned out badly. and that he was dis
missed after a short time in tho school.
never met Mr. Kelly, nor do I know
anything about his experience or how
long he has been with you. But Il is
evident that he like myself years ago is
hooking elsewhere for a better field.
believe, however, he had lived quite
while In your city, ana something must
be wrong when you let g man like him
leave 700, And ~ 70 nv asva case. IL
the crude PEOPLE here should learn any
thing from the superior culture OF Omaha.
wonder II II would not be that muen
better for them ana that much worse for
myself. s. REID SPENCER.