Traveling to Bacone College, 1918
This is a story about a young woman's train trip from Vinita to Bacone College in Muskogee. In 1919 she wrote about her adventure in a Bacone publication, "The Bacone Chief."
Wynifred D. Cornatzer was born in the Cherokee Nation about 1902. She was one-sixteenth Cherokee. In 1910 she resided in Vinita, Oklahoma, where her father worked as a house carpenter. It may well have been her Canadian born mother who encouraged Winnie to go to college.
When the day for her departure finally arrived in early September, 1918, Winnie arose early and dressed carefully. The rest of her wardrobe was tightly packed in her luggage. Her father drove both her and her grandfather to the train depot in town.
They arrived at the station and unloaded their luggage. When they purchased their tickets, the agent told them the train was running an hour late. Over an hour later Winnie's grandfather inquired about the train. The ticket agent told the pair that the train was going to be delayed yet another hour.
At noon, Winnie went downtown to eat. By chance she met a girl friend and the two ate together. The two walked back to the station talking about Winnie's adventure. As they passed an idle railroad engine, it belched coal dust when the engine whistle blew. Coal dust immediately covered the two girls from head to toe.
A train wreck a few miles north of the train station caused Winnie's delay until seven o'clock that evening. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway ran between Vinita and Muskogee in almost a straight line. The country was almost flat. Only the Arkansas River provided any geographical barrier. Yet a wreck occurred somehow in the level countryside north of Vinita. News accounts from the early 20th century report regular problems with railroad travel.
It was, as a consequence, after sunset when Winnie arrived in Muskogee. Neither she nor her grandfather had ever traveled to Muskogee before. After retrieving their luggage they asked directions to Bacone College. A man told them to take the trolley to Hyde Park. The trolley, nicknamed the "Leaping Lena," ran past the college he said.
Winnie and her grandfather arrived at the school about ten o'clock. When she exited the trolley car some boys nearby agreed to show her the way to the president's home. When they found the president out of town, the boys took Winnie to the girls' dormitory.
The girls' matron met the new student. The matron then showed Winnie to a room. Tired and still covered by coal dust, Winnie said goodbye to her grandfather. She was glad she could finally lie down. It had been a long day.
The rising bell the next morning awoke her. Feeling awkward because she was a new arrival, Winnie introduced herself to girls in the hall. By the time she reached the dining room she had new friends to eat breakfast with.
That afternoon Winnie went with her new friends to the Hyde Park amusement park and had a great time. Her new life in Muskogee had begun. Winnie would attend Bacone College only that one year.
Wynifred D. Cornatzer was born in the Cherokee Nation about 1902. She was one-sixteenth Cherokee. In 1910 she resided in Vinita, Oklahoma, where her father worked as a house carpenter. It may well have been her Canadian born mother who encouraged Winnie to go to college.
When the day for her departure finally arrived in early September, 1918, Winnie arose early and dressed carefully. The rest of her wardrobe was tightly packed in her luggage. Her father drove both her and her grandfather to the train depot in town.
They arrived at the station and unloaded their luggage. When they purchased their tickets, the agent told them the train was running an hour late. Over an hour later Winnie's grandfather inquired about the train. The ticket agent told the pair that the train was going to be delayed yet another hour.
At noon, Winnie went downtown to eat. By chance she met a girl friend and the two ate together. The two walked back to the station talking about Winnie's adventure. As they passed an idle railroad engine, it belched coal dust when the engine whistle blew. Coal dust immediately covered the two girls from head to toe.
A train wreck a few miles north of the train station caused Winnie's delay until seven o'clock that evening. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway ran between Vinita and Muskogee in almost a straight line. The country was almost flat. Only the Arkansas River provided any geographical barrier. Yet a wreck occurred somehow in the level countryside north of Vinita. News accounts from the early 20th century report regular problems with railroad travel.
It was, as a consequence, after sunset when Winnie arrived in Muskogee. Neither she nor her grandfather had ever traveled to Muskogee before. After retrieving their luggage they asked directions to Bacone College. A man told them to take the trolley to Hyde Park. The trolley, nicknamed the "Leaping Lena," ran past the college he said.
Winnie and her grandfather arrived at the school about ten o'clock. When she exited the trolley car some boys nearby agreed to show her the way to the president's home. When they found the president out of town, the boys took Winnie to the girls' dormitory.
The girls' matron met the new student. The matron then showed Winnie to a room. Tired and still covered by coal dust, Winnie said goodbye to her grandfather. She was glad she could finally lie down. It had been a long day.
The rising bell the next morning awoke her. Feeling awkward because she was a new arrival, Winnie introduced herself to girls in the hall. By the time she reached the dining room she had new friends to eat breakfast with.
That afternoon Winnie went with her new friends to the Hyde Park amusement park and had a great time. Her new life in Muskogee had begun. Winnie would attend Bacone College only that one year.
Labels: Bacone College, Hyde Park, Leaping Lena Trolley, Winnie D. Cornatzer
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