Alan Coleman's first day of teaching 29 years ago began with someone's anonymous scrawl on a wall outside his classroom at what is now Dater High School.

        “This way to the n-----'s room.”

        Another teacher saw it and told Mr. Coleman nonchalantly: “Don't worry about it. They'll get used to you.”

        He didn't worry about it.

        They got used to him.

        Now, Mr. Coleman, 52, is retiring after having taught music to 4,350 junior high and senior high students, mostly at Dater and Western Hills, both on the city's west side.

        It is customary for Cincinnati Public Schools to let retiring teachers leave with little fanfare. But recently, school board president Rick Williams said that custom should change, partly because of teachers like Mr. Coleman.
       

Dedication

        Mr. Coleman's voice and choir students excelled at a variety of vocal styles and theory, even though many initially were just interested in gospel music, he says.

        “The first year, the kids saw an African-American teacher and thought, "Gospel music!,' ” he says. “But I thought, "Why should I teach you what you already know?' ”

        The children learned classics, patriotic songs, show tunes, renaissance music and anthems. Some of his choirs sang competitively at state events; usually, they were the only ones in the district to do so.

        His children sang on the radio, at special community events. They even cut a record — with three songs — for their high school grads who were serving in the armed forces.

        In 1997, the senior choir's first chance to perform for an Ohio Music Education Association event resulted in an “excellent” rating — “this close” Mr. Coleman boasts, to landing the top “superior” ranking.

        Mr. Coleman obtained training and a license to drive a bus, so he could haul his choirs to their events. He needed to save the money that would have paid a driver, he said; his annual budgets were usually $250.

        In recent years, he and his colleagues at other schools struggled against shrinking funds for music and arts education.

Influential

        Today, Mr. Coleman's influence on kids resonates beyond the music room.

        He helped guide student councils, drill teams, the drama club and the newspaper. While on playground duty, he saw children getting into mischief and organized the intramural basketball and softball teams.

        He started the Cincinnati district's first guitar program. In 1984 he was Cincinnati Public Schools' Teacher of the Year.

        “I feel more fulfilled if I'm able to get my kids to do the things suburban schools do,” he says.

        Once, after the usual camping trip with the choirs, the kids took their gear off the bus, put it into their parents' waiting vehicles and then re-boarded the bus. He asked them what they were doing.

        They began singing “Starmaker,” a song from the musical Fame, that they had practiced surreptitiously during the trip.

        Mr. Coleman still chokes back tears decribing it. “They gave back to me what I gave to them, the joy of music.”

        But a career that began with a student insult is ending with an injury from a student.

        In 1998, Mr. Coleman tried to prevent a 17-year-old boy from leaving during school. The kid shoved him, hard, against a metal rail.

        Six months later, an X-ray revealed a spinal fracture. Two spinal surgeries didn't help, so now Mr. Coleman faces more surgery.

        He resigned, effective next month, he says, so the district can maintain the program and hire a replacement full time.

       Denise Smith Amos can be reached at 768-8395, or e-mail damos@enquirer.com.

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