A Remembrance
Going home for Christmas
By KATE MACKIE ALLEN, '29
Chowanian Society Member
Anticipation of an event is often
more exciting than the actual
event, and Christmas vacation is
no exception. At least it was for
me in the late 1920's when I was
a student at Chowan — then a
four-year college for women.
Unlike today when one jumps
into one's car and dashes up
highway 158 to 1-85 to 1-40 to
421 North and in less than four
hours arrives in Yadkinville, in
those days one took a more
circuitous route, a route that was,
for me, a source of high but
innocent adventure, especially
when going home for Christmas.
This is how it went.
My parents sent me money for
pullmanfare on the train. There
was method in their generosity for
the pullman car went over-night
straight to Winston-Salem, and
they were mindful of my safety.
But these were hard times and I
devised a better way to spend the
money.
First, I took the bus to Weldon
where I bought a coach ticket on
the Seaboard, checked my
baggage and went out on the
town. With money saved by
going coach I did my Christmas
shopping on downtown
Washington Avenue.
Now, there was more than thrift
involved in my travel plans; for,
you see, while the pullman car sat
on the tracks in Greensboro
waiting to be switched to the
Southern four hours later, we
coach passengers had to spend the
four after-midnight hours in the
train station.
It was here that the joy of
Christmas holidays ignited like
the flare of an open fire on a cold
winter night. The catalyst for this
excitement was the presence of a
bunch of college boys -- State,
Carolina, Wake Forest - all in a
holiday mood, all vying for
attention, making this small-town
girl feel like the leader of the ball.
We drank coffee and Coke, we
sang and wrapped my gifts and,
finally, being neither tired nor
sleepy, we boarded the Southern
coach headed west.
But it was the train conductor
who had the genuine Christmas
spirit. After calling out
"Kernersville" he said, "Little girl
bring your packages. I'll take
your baggage to the pullman car.
"It's like you said -- your
parents will be waiting for you at
the pullman steps."
First Homecoming Parade in
years brought out the clowns,
floats and fire trucks.
The class of 1941 celebrated their 50th reunion in the parlor of McDowell Columns
with an anniversary cake and lots of memories. Lucille Craft, John L. Mathews, Nancy
Rosser Kutulas, Juanita W. Speight. J.G. Long Jr.. and Virginia and L.L. Darden met
together to recall the good times that were had in 1940-41. Campus sweethearts,
Virginia and LL. Darden were campus Queen and King while at Chowan.
The class of '66 enjoyed a steak dinner in celebration of their 25th Silver Anniversary.
Raymond Warren did a great impression of "Uncle Buck" Maravel, a popular professor
on campus in '66. Class President Gary Tolley and his wife Mary Jane, of Goochland,
Va., organized the reunion and Gary presided at the meeting. Saying it was a "collect
call to Coach Garrison (football coach) that brought him to Chowan," he urged his
classmates not to forget each other and return from future reunions at Chowan.
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Chowan Today — Winter, 1991 — PAGE 7