Friday, April 25, 2014

A to Z April Challenge: V is for Virginia


My theme for the A to Z April Challenge is “In-Laws and Out-Laws – Friends of the Family.”  I will be researching friends, colleagues, neighbors - those people who came and went touching my family’s lives in both small and large ways.  

is for Virginia.  Virginia M. Cole.

Virginia is one of my favorite people whose pictures are dotted throughout my grandaunt Velma Davis Woodring’s college scrapbook.  The two grew up together in Shenandoah, Virginia.  In 1910, Virginia’s father William Thomas Cole was a fireman for the steam railroad but moved into the retail business by 1920.  Virginia was the oldest of four children, and she was the only girl. 
Virginia Cole Shenandoah, Virginia 1925
I love that Velma wrote "Va"
instead of "Virginia" -- just cute!

Virginia and Velma attended Harrisonburg Teachers College (later Madison College and then James Madison University) and graduated in 1926.  That year must have been a mixture of happy and sad times for Virginia.  Her mother Bertie Cutlip Cole died in February, four months before graduation. 

Virginia Cole Shenandoah, Virginia 1926
Virginia M. Cole 1926
scanned from School Ma'am

By 1930, Virginia’s father had remarried and moved to Hagerstown, Maryland.  At this point I have lost track of Virginia.  I know she married because I saw her name in her youngest brother’s obituary.  But can I find that information now?  No.    


Virginia’s photos give the impression of someone who enjoyed a good laugh.  


Virginia Cole and friends July 1925
Unknown, Velma, Virginia, Thelma Hockman
July 1925
Virginia Cole and friends July 1925
Virginia is thumbing her nose at
the camera - shame on her!!
But funny too ~
























Thelma Hockman, Velma, Virginia Cole
Velma captioned this "On the Rocks"
Thelma Hockman, Velma, and Virginia
standing in a stream
Virginia Cole and Olive Williams July 1925
Virginia Cole and Olive Williams
Virginia and Velma visited Olive
in Martinsburg, WV July 1925
























She wasn’t involved in many activities in school but apparently gained quite a reputation as a team player in the Athletic Association and YWCA.

scanned from School Ma'am

What became of Virginia Cole is a story for some other time, I suppose.  (Kicking myself for not making note when I saw it the first time.)


Don’t vacillate now.  Please venture to the venerable vanguard of verisimilitude in the vernacular at the A to Z April Challenge to view a veritable vortex of veracious verbalizations before they vanish.



© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

20 comments:

  1. I love the "thumbing her nose" photo. This girl had some spunk! Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie

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    1. Yes -- I'd say "spunk" is the word for Virginia Cole. Thanks for visiting.

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  2. She certainly looks like a lady to be reckoned with.

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  3. I so enjoy your travels back through time and find it amazing you have 26 things to write about from the past, with photos! My mother was also the eldest of four, and the only girl! And, she was born in Virginia, Lynchburg. Thanks for commenting on my blog, again!

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    1. Lynchburg -- I know it well.
      I'm glad to be able to use some of these old photos. Thanks for visiting!

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  4. It sure looks like Velma had some fun friends!

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    1. My mother always said Velma was a fun aunt.

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  5. Loving the trousers and haircuts in particular! :-)
    Lisa at Wishbone Soup Cures Everything

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    1. Me too. The "bob" was a rather controversial hairstyle at the time.

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  6. I just love reading what you have to say about the photos you post. Virginia seems like somebody that would've been fun to know. I'm thumbing her nose at the camera to being an outstanding ballplayer, what great gal she must have been.
    Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

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    1. I get the same impression about Virginia -- that's why I like her even though I don't really know her.

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  7. I love the photos and I adore that the girls are wearing "pants"....or knickers, or whatever so they can have some rugged fun.
    Happy A-Z!

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    1. Yeah, I always wondered what girls wore. But the shoes don't look too safe for much -- pretty, but not like today's athletic shoe.

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  8. I like Virginia's hair style and the way she is thumbing her nose at the camera.

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    1. She seems to have had a lot of curl in her hair.

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  9. Not surprised to Virginia here for your Letter V, and a good choice, too. I like an athletic gal who thumbs her nose, can hit a ball and signs her name Va. Now that's confidence in everyone knowing exactly who she is. I know you will be on the watch for the name...just think...she probably ended up with a basketball team of her own. Hope you find her again.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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    1. I know she married, and I think she had a daughter named Virginia -- just can't recall that last name!! Darn it! I like that you noticed her confidence -- I wish I had thought to use that word.

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  10. I'm sure you'll stumble across her again when you least expect it.

    Liz A. from Laws of Gravity

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