Getting places was not so easy in 1913-1914, but the people went anyway. The February of 1914, Cooperstown High School Echo tells about their adventures.
First, the teachers:
Last fall a group of C.H.S. teachers autoed to V.C. to witness a football game between V.C. and our boys. Those included were Misses Myhre, Wehrs and Murchie and Mr. and Mrs. Persing. Everything went fine going down, but on the return, things were not as pleasant. When they were nearly to Rogers the drive shaft came off and our poor teachers were left in a snowstorm and on the dark prairie. After a while Ralph Hammer came along with his car and after a very tedious struggle they succeeded in reaching Rogers. They remained over night at this place and reached Cooperstown late the next P.M.
Miss Burtness and Miss Myhre, on their return from their Christmas vacation, met with a very exciting experience. At V.C. they were to slow to get on the train at the door, as is generally customary for most folks to do. Instead they preferred to hang on the outside of the back end of a car until a porter took pity on them and unlocked the door. They had a breezy ride from V.C. towards Rogers, for about fifteen minutes.
The students had their adventures too.
Our Trip To Hope
Ah, Memory. That never-to-be-forgotten trip to Hope!
We all gathered at the gymnasium after school, and at five o'clock four cars set sail for Hope, arriving safely at that little "burgh" at about six-thirty. At the hotel we were met by the members of the girl's basketball team, who entertained us at their several homes for supper. The games, of which a fuller account is given elsewhere, were called at eight o'clock. After the game we spent a couple of very pleasant hours in dancing.
Everyone seemed ravenously hungry after the excitement, and Proprietor Lindgren of the Major Hotel gave generous "hand-outs" of raisin pie and bread to whom ever applied.
At ten o'clock next morning we were homeward bound. All was well until we had a tire puncture about eight miles out of Hope, but having a skillful driver, that was soon remedied. We were about to continue on our way when the two cars, which we had left far behind us, came up, but behold! The perfectly good Studebaker was being pulled by the other car. We pulled them around the wilds of North Dakota for the following six hours, and I must say that it was rather provoking to discover that we were no nearer home at the end of those six hours than we were at ten o'clock that morning. Four o'clock found us in Sherbrooke, hungry, tired and cold. We speedily made ourselves "at home" in a ten by twelve country store, satisfying our hunger with soda crackers and sardines.
In the meantime, the other two cars had reached home, and knowing of our sad plight, another auto was sent for us. By coupling the three cars together and uniting the power, we succeeded in reaching Cooperstown at nine o'clock that night.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial page 64