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Adelia M. Hoyt memoir and photographs
Page 24
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24 UNFOLDING YEARS especially liked him for inside work for they said he was so clean and nice to have around. He never used tobacco or liquor in any form nor was he given to profanity. Emma began teaching in the country near Vinton; she soon secured a position in the public schools of Belle Plain, a town some forty miles south of Vinton. After two years she was given a good position in the Vinton schools, steadily rising from grade teacher to principal of a building, and then as assistant in the high school. More comforts began coming into our home and I had the companionship of this dear sister. I could always find in her a sympathetic listener for all my school experiences. Now to return to my school life in which I was completed absorbed. It was as if I had just begun to live. I could have gone much faster for it was like play for me to keep up with what was required. I have said that everything came easily to me--but there was one exception. I had very little musical ability. I took piano lessons all my eight years, even ventured some with the guitar, and took voice training in the choir. I had to work hard for all I got along this line. The music which I produced was decidedly mechanical and laborious; I understood the theory and could memorize anything; I liked harmony and counterpoint; I always managed somehow to hold my own with other students and progress from grade to grade--but I got very little pleasure out of it. I used to feel that the long hours spent in practise were wasted, and I doubt if in these more specialized days I would have been allowed to continue. In later years I have been glad of all the time spent on music. I have been privileged to hear some of the world's best, and without that arduous training I never could have appreciated and enjoyed good music. One who has natural talent for music can often enjoy it without special training; not so the one who has no ear for music; but often he may be trained to appreciate music made by others even though he cannot produce it himself. I was obliged to see those who could not equal me in literary work surpass me in music--and perhaps this was good for me. It early
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24 UNFOLDING YEARS especially liked him for inside work for they said he was so clean and nice to have around. He never used tobacco or liquor in any form nor was he given to profanity. Emma began teaching in the country near Vinton; she soon secured a position in the public schools of Belle Plain, a town some forty miles south of Vinton. After two years she was given a good position in the Vinton schools, steadily rising from grade teacher to principal of a building, and then as assistant in the high school. More comforts began coming into our home and I had the companionship of this dear sister. I could always find in her a sympathetic listener for all my school experiences. Now to return to my school life in which I was completed absorbed. It was as if I had just begun to live. I could have gone much faster for it was like play for me to keep up with what was required. I have said that everything came easily to me--but there was one exception. I had very little musical ability. I took piano lessons all my eight years, even ventured some with the guitar, and took voice training in the choir. I had to work hard for all I got along this line. The music which I produced was decidedly mechanical and laborious; I understood the theory and could memorize anything; I liked harmony and counterpoint; I always managed somehow to hold my own with other students and progress from grade to grade--but I got very little pleasure out of it. I used to feel that the long hours spent in practise were wasted, and I doubt if in these more specialized days I would have been allowed to continue. In later years I have been glad of all the time spent on music. I have been privileged to hear some of the world's best, and without that arduous training I never could have appreciated and enjoyed good music. One who has natural talent for music can often enjoy it without special training; not so the one who has no ear for music; but often he may be trained to appreciate music made by others even though he cannot produce it himself. I was obliged to see those who could not equal me in literary work surpass me in music--and perhaps this was good for me. It early
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