The family and the upstairs boarders would all share the three hole outhouse.[2] The girls wanting privacy and would take their baby brother Joe along and post him at the door to keep outsiders out. Many people walking along the street would see the outhouse and use the facilities too. The town finally outlawed them in the 1930's.

The father, Roger, contracted Tuberculosis and was sent to a sanitarium for a year where he recuperated, but while gone Ruby had to get by with her job with the doctor. When Roger came home he had to get an outside job because of his health, and went to work for Capitol Dairy as a milk man. On the interurban car, he would bring home day old milk and pass it out to families who could not find work.

During Patty's junior year at Broad Ripple High School she had Asthma so bad she had to drop out of school for a year. Many students found jobs after school to make money, and Patty was a baby sitter. Another friend, Sherrill Boardman worked for Danner's Five & Dime [5] for 20 cents an hour, and Fran Kessler, would wade the canal so she could get to school. No bridge back then.

At Sarah Messersmith's house [1] they would hold reunions. They also would get together and go to the Old Settler's Days at Broad Ripple Park until it was stopped during the depression. Mom could hear the lions roar from the zoo at the park from the homestead on Cornell. Just two years ago I met a couple who said they first met while staying at Sarah's Boarding House and started dating and later married. Small World!

The Monon Train would come through everyday at 5:15 and blow its whistle and many of the parents would tell the kids to be home for supper by the 5:15! Many happy memories about growing up in Broad Ripple village and every time she would get together with one of her aging friends, they would act like school girls again!

When Pat Alloway passed away she took a lot of family history with her!