Troutman High School - Hi Way Yearbook (Troutman, NC)

Page 11 text:

FACU LTY MR. A. A. VANCE Troutman, N. C. Mississippi-B.S. I Agriculture Community Service Mas. PAUL WILHELM Statesville, N. C. Appalachian State Grammar Grade Training English Miss RUTH CooPER Statesville, N. C. St. Louis Institute of Music-B.M. Music Pianist Miss LYDIA YA'rEs Troutman, N. C. Greensbofo Co11egc+G.C. English Mathematics MR. J. ROLLAND DUBoIs New Orleans, Louisiana Southwestern Louisiana Institute-B.A. Glee Club Physical Eel. Miss cms SHErmn.L Mooresville, N. C. Ap achian State-B.S. Physical Ed. .il iii a b QQ

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FACU LTY A-1 MR. CARL A. LITAKER Statesville, N. C Lenoir-Rhyne College-A.B. Principal Sociology Mrss EVELYN BROOKSHIRE Asheville, N. C Greensboro College-A.B. English Dramatics M1ss Com MARTHNI Dobson, N. C. If Appalachian State-B.S. WM 6 Science Physics Q N 'lf 'a ij Miss LEE BRANNON Spartanburg, S. C. f l' Appalachian State-B.S. Aj ,lmw Commercial Typing Mlss JULIA MILLER Elizabethtown, Penn. , Catawba College-A.B. N Home Economics Science Miss FRANCES TABOR Statesville, N. C. Duke University-A.B. Spanish English History

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S tagecoaches This being the year 1948, in which we have automobiles and more modern vehicles in which to travel, may we look back for a review of some of the means of travel in olden days. Back in Lincoln's day, we would Hnd poor roads and poor means of transpor- tation. The covered wagon, sometimes called the Prairie Schooner, had come into use and was roughly made. This was thought to be a good means of transportation back then, and was used to carry freight as well as passengers. This sort of wagon was built like a crude boat with a canvas cover which was fitted over curved frames. Broad wheels prevented the wagon from getting mired up in the unpaved roads and it was usually drawn by oxen and sometimes even by horses. Later the stage coach came into service between New York and Boston in 1774. By 1794, it came into more use when the turnpikes or toll roads were beginning to make available means for the various modes of transportation. The floor of the stagecoach was slightly curved as well as the roof and the driver's seat was on the outside of the coach. The stagecoach being used for many things, such as hauling freight, was sometimes drawn by several horses hitched in trandum depending on the load and the condition of the roads. Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in 20 days! In 1810 that was TOP speed! At night travelers stopped at inns along the route, and entertained themselves with songs, stories, and gossip. At dawn the coach resumed its journey and during brief pauses at taverns during the day, changed horses so as to keep the coach moving at top speed. , The crude means of construction added excessive weight to the coach thus making it in many instances very cumbersome, To the weight of the coaches went the niunerous mail bags sometimes almost filling the coaches to the top. When this occurred, passengers were sometimes permitted to ride atop the bags. Adding to the troubles of the route, were the constant danger of robbers and bandits along the way. The driver and passengers never knew at what moment a masked Jesse James might make his appearance and relieve them of all valuables as well as mail Now as we have paved roads, it helps us to make a quicker and safer trip. Thus with the improvements of the roads the time schedule was reduced immensely. In spite of all the discomforts and dangers, people were forced to make their overland trips by Stagecoach until the coming of the railroad. To manage the horses used for the coach was no easy job, and thus a new profession of coaching came into existence. In the early 19th century this became a popular sport as well as a profession. Thus we see a journey by stage coach would have provided us not only with a rough, slow, laborious ride, but also provided excitement as well as expectancy.