Behind-the-scenes people

The Cemetery Tour was a hot success in more ways than one! We certainly didn’t have to worry about being rained out this time though a few clouds would have been a welcomed addition. Kuddos to the actors and the audience for braving the heat.

One of the persons portrayed was Cora (French) Evans who was suggested by Candy Crosby. Candy had discovered Cora, developed her story, and when the portrayer was ill Sunday, stepped in and told Cora’s story sans costume.

The new catch phrase about it takes a village to raise a child could be turned around into it takes a lot of people to make a village and most of them live quiet lives. Cora was one of those people. Borrowing from Candy’s research, I’d like to share this woman’s story for those of you who missed the tour.

Cora, born in 1884, moved with her family to McCook when she was a young child. In 1898, at the age of 14, she was hired to be McCook’s first telephone operator for the McCook Telephone Exchange. When she started her job, there were only 60 telephones on the exchange and since she was expected to be available 24 hours a day in case of emergency calls, she slept on a cot next to the switchboard until a night operator was finally hired.

Never taking a vacation in four years, Cora worked 9 ½ hour days handling 360 telephone subscribers by herself. Even when extra operators were hired, they were expected to work the same hours 6 days a week plus every other Sunday and they received $ 3.00 a week for their labors. At first working the alternate Sundays was just expected to be covered by the base pay but when the ladies finally objected to that, 50 cents was added to the pay of the Sunday workers.

Cora knew her job well, but she also knew every working part of the service. Bill Brown, the first lineman for the exchange, normally did the repairs, but if Bill was gone, Cora could also step into his shoes.

Although she was proud of the work she was doing and all the young women she had trained, Cora finally determined that she could not continue working the long hours required and left her post. In 1916, she married Charles F. Evans and began the life of a farmer’s wife moving quietly into the background of McCook’s history. No pictures of Cora were found to exist.

Had someone not taken the time to record Cora’s story, it would be lost to all of us, and what a waste that would be. Quiet lives are the backbone of our city, those people who do their jobs, care for their families, help their neighbors, attend their churches. Working behind the scenes they are like the gears in a watch, unseen by many, but vital to the end result.

SWNGS library is open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 – 4 PM. Volunteers are on hand to help you with your research be it historical or genealogical. Join us at 110 West C Street, Suite M-3, for help uncovering your past.