[ND-Talk] FW: If this is disabled, I want some

Tue Oct 1 12:36:36 UTC 2019

From: The Blind History Lady <theblindhistorylady at gmail.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, October 1, 2019 7:25 AM
To: mota1252 at gmail.com
Subject: If this is disabled, I want some

If this is disabled, I want some 

Hello Blind History Lady Fans;

October is Disability Awareness Month. As many of you know, I think that highlighting our disability is not as important as highlighting our accomplishments. Not in spite of our disability, but because we are made up of many parts, disability being just one. However, I am thankful there is attention drawn to us in hopes that someday, a “Disability Awareness Month” will not be needed 

This month we take a thumbnail look at a man who viewed his blindness as just a part of who he was, who built on his strengths and downplayed his weaknesses.  

James Muirhead born in Ontario, Canada August 14, 1865, was the second Muirhead of his clan to be born outside of Scotland. Scottish was his native tongue.

In September 1877, he was playing a game with his older brother. The object of the game was to flip a knife into the air and attempt to make it stick point down in the ground. When it was James’s turn, the knife came down into his eye. The closest hospital was miles away. By the time his family reached the hospital, the doctor had to remove both eyes to save his life. 

The family had moved to Iowa so enrolled James into the Iowa College for the Blind (ICB) in Vinton Iowa in 1879. He excelled in all his classes both academically and in the alternative techniques of blindness. Instructors commented early in his school files that he was a "smart boy". The blind instructors taught him that he was just as capable of leading a successful life as any sighted person, if he learned the skills of blindness. 

One skill was reading and writing in New York Point (NYP), areading system comprised of raised dots, similar to braille. He kept his notes, records and music in NYP all his life. Muirhead's focus was music.  Classes included Piano, Flute, Choir, Horn, Harmony, Orchestra, Guitar, Violin, Piano Tuning and Vocal. But to ensure a better chance for employment, the students at ICB also took Basket Weaving, Beadwork, Chair Caning, Mattress and Broom-Making. He did not want to go into these professions, yet they served him later in life when caring and maintaining his home. 

Students thought to be destined for teaching music, would teach at least one hour a day during their last year or two at ICB. It was the equivalent of a student teaching position if he had been allowed to attend a "Normal School" (Teachers College).

After graduating ICB, in 1887, James went back to Traer, in Tama County and lived with his parents for a short time. He and another musician and fellow student from the ICB went on the road with a traveling musical and comedy repertoire as well as building a business in piano tuning.

In 1891, James accepted a teaching job at the Arvilla Academy in Arvilla North Dakota where he taught music, Piano, Violin, Guitar, History and Literature. The principal of the school gave him much praise in reports. While still living in North Dakota, he attended the World’s Fair in 1893 in Chicago. One of his enjoyments at the fair was entering several piano competitions. 

James returned to Traer after about four years to care for his mother. He began teaching piano and violin music at his home and in the homes of his students, around Traer and the surrounding area.  Soon he had jobs tuning piano’s including the piano of the Traer Mayor.  He performed music for many events including churches. 

James did not think of blindness as a handicap. As a Christian man, he worked with the talents that God gave him. Many remembered him as cheerful, inquisitive and eager to try any task. In his ads, James did not say he was blind, nor did he hide his blindness when promoting his services. 

He purchased the print copies of the sheet music for his students. Then he would translate the music into NYP for himself. With the NYP translations, he could direct his students to the bars on their sheet music that he wished to explain in depth.   He also wrote and had published, his own music.

On one nice day, he and his brother John went downtown on several errands. The brothers walked and talked. James came to a stop and John asked what was wrong. James said, "You said you needed to go to the bank". John looked up and sure enough, there they were, at the door of the bank. Traer was as familiar to James as his own home.

He did not use a cane in the sense of a white cane that a blind person would use today. Rather a walking stick, fashionable at the time for gentlemen. One for walking to town and one for church that he carried on the crook of his arm for show. 

On July 26, 1911, James married Margaret Dodd. Margaret was a dressmaker who worked at his sister’s dress making business. Margaret was also one of his music students, 15 years his junior. His mother, Jessie, who he lived with and cared for, had passed away just that April. Margaret and James had three children. A baby girl born on November 13, 1913, but sadly died on the day after her birth. Janet was born in 1922 and George Robertson, born in 1924. (George became a college professor and later Vice President of the Central Connecticut State University.)

When George was born, there was a film over his eyes. At that time, Silver Nitrate was dropped in the eyes to clear them. Too much was used, and the chemical burned his retina's. George was legally blind. 

The home he owned in Traer for many years before his marriage. In 1914, James had an annual income of $600. In 1915, his property was worth $1,400.  It was considered a very comfortable estate at that time. By 1930, this same property was worth $3,500. This suggested that he did very well in his work endeavors as this was the beginning of the depression. He took up farming on his property, as did many of his neighbors to keep their families fed. Earlier he purchased two acreages that he rented out to ensure an income if he could no longer tune piano’s or teach.

His home and large yard required him to do the yard work and home repairs. James was up to the task. He used a more modern push mower to cut the grass in his yard than the one he used in his youth. His daughter would walk beside him and tell him of upcoming obstacles or if he missed a spot. He had always tended a large garden for his own use, after he married, the garden grew. Margaret was a great homemaker and cook.  Many of the produce from the garden were canned for the winter season. 

Many people in town had their own chickens. So did the Muirhead’s. Fresh eggs could always there for breakfast. The chickens also became Sunday dinner. It was James's job to ring their necks. He used his hands to snap the necks quickly as he did not feel that he could hit the neck clean with the ax on the squirming chicken. Their goats provided the milk for the table, cheese and butter. 

During the spring of 1913, he built a summer sleeping porch himself onto his home. No one in town questioned the ability of James to create and complete a stable addition.   His grandchildren slept on that porch years after his death. 

He taught his children to read and write NYP so they could communicate together. This also explains why, unlike so many other blind individuals who kept diaries, letters and writings, why James’s work still can be found. 

James died on June 7, 1939.  Before his death, he had written a poem in loving memory of each of his children and his wife. The poems are still treasured in the family today. 

In 1946, at the Traer Opera House, Muirhead was honored. His “National Hymn” was played and sung by those in the audience in his honor. This was an all-churches celebration for Veteran’s Day. Although not a veteran, James was still honored and remembered by his hometown as a valued town leader. 

 If you would like to schedule a presentation contact me at theblindhistorylady at gmail.com

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