From Arkansas to Nauvoo, Illinois

[This is an excerpt from a transcript of interviews between Emmilou Collins Edmonds Adams and her father, Carlos C. Collins, recorded February 14, 1982. Passages in italics are his actual words, although portions may have been omitted for brevity. Portions in brackets [] were added for clarification.]

Carlos Collins --

It wasn’t but just a day or two [after I found out I wouldn’t be returning to the Bentonville School] that I got a notice from the Civil Service Commission that I had been appointed. Of course, I had it put in the paper.
 
In a few days I got a letter telling me to report to St. Louis. I was to be furnished with transportation and I had instruction to go to Washington DC. I got the impression it would be for a month’s training. Golda and I got our things together and caught the train to St. Louis. We got into Washington, stayed in some hotel there a day or two until we got a room which we rented for a month. Then I reported to my boss. I was there one day. The next day he said they need you in Chicago. They’re needing help. You are apparently the person they want. I told them I had just paid my rent for a month and wanted to see something of Washington. I’d never been there before. He said, “We can’t pay you to vacation, but you can have the rest of the day off.” I’ve never been to Washington since.
 
Caught train that night and when got into Chicago and reported to main office at Buffalo Bill [?] and Canal Street. I think it was the next day. Got a hotel room that night. Seemed like they didn’t know I was coming.
 
They sent me to Nauvoo, Illinois, where there was a Vocational School for veterans. They didn’t want me. They hadn’t asked for me.

I finally got a room in a house that a teacher of the agriculture department owned. They didn’t much like for me to be taking up some of their room. I was around there for a while. There was nothing for me to do.
 
Then we finally maneuvered around and they let me teach a class. I believe it was Spanish. Then I got some mathematics. It was a big outfit – lots of different types of training – a machine shop, agriculture, shoe shop, cobblers, men that make clothing, what do you call it [tailors].
 
The man in charge said he had a lot of work that I could do. Pretty soon he was transferred and they put me in charge. I had had some accounting and also work handling equipment for West Texas Utility Company. Well, I worked that way for about a year. You were born while we were there.
 
Emmilou Edmonds –
 
Carolyn was born there, too, wasn’t she?
 
Carlos Collins --
 
She was born in Nauvoo, but not in that house.
 
Emmilou Edmonds –
 
I see; she wasn’t born in the Company house.
 
Carlos Collins --
 
In the meantime, I rented a pretty nice little brick house. There was a nurse who belonged to the VA [Veteran’s Administration]. We made arrangements for her to be there when Carolyn was born. When I went after her, I didn’t go soon enough but the doctor was there. When I got back with the nurse, Carolyn was already born.