Diary of Isolation

Diary of Isolation G. R. Klinefelter Vera Stull was born in the last year ofthe century in an Ohio town of20,000. In her church she learned of a newly started mission in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. A boarding school, an anticipated hospital, and some homes for stafffilled the bottom land where two creeks, Cow Fork and Red Bird, met. Red Bird lent its name to the mission and Cow Fork did not rate in the naming process. Tradition has it that the creek received its namefrom ChiefRed Bird who in turn got his namefrom the lovely bird so often seen in the valleys ofEastern Kentucky. Vera's sojourn at Red Bird began in 1923 and continued until 1939 with an intermission when Depressionfunds could not pay her salary. She wrote a journal ofher experiences. In 1936-then fifteen-I met her at a summer church camp on Lake Erie. I had always loved the mountains since reading the story of Heidi, and asked question after question about the mountains and the work she did. Later Ifelt a call to the same mission and worked therefrom 1952 to 1985. I have always felt that Vera's life and stories had a significant part in that call. Vera Stull's years have mounted to the century mark. Her strength does not match the accumulated years. Time was, though, when this city-reared girl forsook the city for the isolation of our mountains in Bell County, Kentucky. Her diary of the 1920s tells the story ofa courageous youth. She worked there for thirteen years, returned to her home for family responsibilities , became secretary to the superintendent of the city schoolfor decades. Once in the 1960s I visited her at her retirement home near Lebanon, Ohio. In that joyous visit she gave me a copy ofher journal.-G. R. K July 1, 1925: Three other single ladies and I arrived at Red Bird, our mission station. We will never forget the jokes played on us. I swallowed them and was scared stiff. After we got over our fright we felt more at home. We truly were strangers in a strange land. July 10, 1925: We had a farewell for Armeta Berger, who was transferred to another station. Sandwiches made out of bread several Since retiring in 1985, Gerry Klinefelter has lived in Berea, where he spends time researching American history through old newspapers and church periodicals. He enjoys woodwork and gardening, and writes a weekly column for the Berea section of the Richmond Register newspaper. 18 days old and lemonade without ice seemed a real treat to the older staff members, but we had not yet learned to realize that there were many things that we could not have at Red Bird. August 19, 1925: Two others and I went to Pineville in the jolt wagon. Got up at 3:30 and arrived in front of the Continental Hotel at noon (a twenty-two mile trip) looking like a bunch of gypsies. Memories of our too recent city life lured us to town for ice cream etc. . . . The jolt wagon broke down on the homeward trip. We were caught in a rainstorm and took shelter under the wagon with our feet in the water. We were the most bedraggled spectacles one could ever hope to see as we walked the rest of the way into Red Bird with several hornet stings a piece on each of us. A never to be forgotten trip. October 8, 1925: Beechie and I got up at 4:30 to wash and then got rust on our clothes and had to do it all over again. (This was before the days of washing machines and we were novices at the art of washing on the washboard.) October 25, 1925: Lighting troubles! Had to write by candlelight because the Delco lights were so poor. (Each room of the dormitory was lighted with only one twenty-five watt bulb.) April 17, 1926: Another trip to town. Beechie and I walked into Pineville from Carey with our saddle bags over our shoulders like the old fashioned pack peddler. One little youngster spied us and called to his mommie and said...