Decades before penicillin was widely available to the public, Cherry White had an accident with a fork. It cost her her life. Newspapers all across Georgia and neighboring states carried the story:
Stuck Fork in Hand and Died: Miss Cherry White Loses Life from Peculiar Accident
Death from Poisoning is Fate of Girl Student
Wounded By a Fork, Young Girl Dies
Also in 1889, the Georgia General Assembly established the Georgia Normal and Industrial College. Located in Milledgeville, just over 60 miles from where Cherry's family resided in Cochran, its mission was to educate and train young white women to become teachers and to provide industrial education in areas such as sewing, cooking, and nursing.
Hearkening back to the days when Milledgeville was the state capitol, the old governor's mansion became part of the G. N. & I. College campus. Over time, the school evolved and is now known as Georgia College & State University (GCSU).
Cherry was a student at the Georgia Normal and Industrial College in 1909. In February of that year, she somehow hurt her hand with a fork -- possibly in a cooking class. She battled inflammation and blood poisoning, which likely led to sepsis (essentially untreatable at the time), for three weeks before losing that battle on 8 March. The following article was on the front page of Milledgeville's 9 March 1909 Union Recorder.
"A SAD DEATH.
Miss Cherry White, a Student of the G. N. & I. College, Died Monday Night.
Miss Cherry White, of Cochran, Ga., and a student in the Junior Class, of the G. N. & I. College, died at the Lamar Hall Dormitory on Monday night at 9:30 o'clock. Her mother and Dr. and Mrs. Walker of Cochran had come to Milledgeville before her death. For nearly three weeks she had suffered from blood poisoning.
She had every possible attention, that medical science and loving friends could give. Four physicians were in consultation upon the case while three trained nurses, and the Matron of the dormitory, the President of the College, the faculty and students offered every assistance in their power.
Miss Cherry White was eighteen years of age and a member of the Junior class. She was bright and talented and gave promise of a beautiful and useful life. She was very popular with the students and the faculty of the college and throughout her illness her room was constantly filled with flowers sent by her loving friends.
The remains were carried to Cochran for burial, accompanied by Rev. Lamar Sims, Prof. Scott and her room-mate, Miss Ruby Taylor.
They left on the Central train at 7:50 o'clock Tuesday morning.
The professors of the college acted as pall-bearers, while the faculty and one hundred members of the Junior class went to the train. As the casket was carried from the college dormitories, hundreds of students stood beside the walks in silent grief, at the loss of one of their friends.
The scene was an impressive one."
Another article specifically states, "Mrs. White was with her daughter when the end came."
"Resolutions on Death of Miss Cherry White.
On the evening of March the eighth at 9:20 o'clock, the angel of death called from our midst our beloved class-mate, Cherry White. Although she had been with us but six months, not only her class-mates, but all who knew her had learned to love her. The sweetness of her disposition was such that she carried joy and gladness wherever she went, and her smiling face was a daily greeting to her friends, all of whom felt the inspiration of her cheerful spirit. In all phases of her life she showed the beauty of her character by the life she lived, even until the end. During the two weeks of her illness she suffered untold pain, which was met with a fortitude and a thoughtfulness for others that were characteristic of her daily christian life.
Whereas, it is our privilege to pay this tribute to our dear class-mate, we the members of the Georgia Normal & Industrial College offer the following resolutions:
I. That we bow in humble submission to the will of God and thank Him for her lovely life while with us.
II. That our class has lost a faithful, loyal member, and words cannot express the tribute we should like to pay her memory.
III. That we extend to the family our deep and sincere sympathy.
IV. That these resolutions be recorded, a copy furnished the family and a copy sent the Union Recorder and her home paper for publication.
(Signed) LUCY COBB,
MARY ALICE JONES,
MABEL EVANS,
JENNIE JEWELL,
JULIA THORNTON,
Committee."
Cherry Ann White's final resting place is Cedar Hill Cemetery in Cochran, Bleckley County, Georgia.
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