The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-21
BY MARIE LAUCK
Tines Special Writer

L n scurry and hustle that prog
Tess has brought 20 indianapolis
is a spot dear % the memories Of
many VINO now are gray-haired
and drowsy with "reminiscences Of
the past
10 Is the Goose pond. once &C.
cupying a territory in the center
OF the 1900 block. between Union
and South Meridian streets. and
was named because of its startling
resemblance in shape 70 a goose.
For the daring boys in he
ueighborhoOd who swan in he
more turbulent waters Of White
river. the Goose pond was con-
sidered a mud puddle But Just
dare breathe that belittling term
in the presence of its old friendsl
South Meridian street crossed
the pond BY a large wooden cul-
vert which stood six feet above
the water.
The pond included part Of what
now is the Sacred Heart school
grounds. on the southeast or
ner. where Arizona street now
crosses South Meridian street,
there was an old elm from whose
branches the local Tom Sawyers
and Huck Firms used TO dive.
At a time sixty-f1ye years ago
or that at least is the story Of one
fine old gentleman-the pond
six feet deep at its deepest point.
This spot was located where the
Roosevelt theater stands now.
A few years later. the waters
in the mud -bOttomed pond grad
ually evapOrated until NO feet
was the record at the deepest
point. The shape changed, but
the old name was continued.
partly from lack Of Imagination
and partly because of the geese
that foated languidly on the
ponds surface.
Barefoot children padded
around in the summer sunlight.
The older boys. proudly sporting
copper-toed knee boots, would
splash through the water rather
than walk around. Afterward it
was a simple matter TO soften the
shoe leather with castor oil.
IN the winter. red-cheeked
i BOYS and girls would swing
their sticks in a furious hockey
game upon the layer Of ice that
covered the pond. Until the last
ftful CLEAN of the sun had died
away. the luSty shouts Of he
skaters and the clatter of sticks
could be heard at night.
Many who are old fellows today
have scars that are a constant re-
minder Of youthful games on
GOC-e pond.
High buck or low doe" was the
ringing cry that started hostili-
ties.
one OF the two players in the
middle threw the ball into the air
or the ground. according to the
challenge. The game was PLAYED
with tin cans and limbs of trees
knotted at the end.
The elm began to play an i'm
portant part of the community
as passers-by on the dirty, dusty
lane that was then Meridian
street scurried under the protect
ing limbs of the tree during a
rain storm.
For the children. it was always
an adventure TO run under cover.
When the lightning forked out in
the skies the children would re-
peat with bated breathe: What
if electricity strikes the tree?'
At night the tree became a fear
some object. near which dirty,
bewhiskered tramps gathered TO
exchange luck and stew. The Id
Jefferson. Madison and Indianap-
oils railroad line was near enough
the tree to make it a Landmark
for the hObOes.
When mothers we're trying to
impress upon their children the
advisabilitv of not going too far
from the hearthstone at night,
they repeated the story of what
happened to John Knure's father.
1.-TWO tramPs stepped out OF
Il -hadows of the tree md.
brandishing clubs. urged Mr..
Knure to turn over his valuables.
Mr.. Knure. however. was a
pioneer who had faced worse ter
rors than a couple of weary viii
lies" He drew a two-fOOt rule
from his pocket and as the light
clinted on il shouted. III give
YOU two seconds to git afore
blow YOU TO SmithereenS.
A nall creek flowed rom the
upper END OF Goose pond and int
the canal which ran the mill on
the other side Of Meridian street.
Sliding from the hill down onto
the creek was a favorite winter
sport.
Edward L. Deitz told this writer
how boards were nailed together
vi L a strip Of tin for a runner.
These hazardous contraptions
were used by the hardy boys c.
tvgone era to slide down the hill
often with disastrous results.
Sometimes there were head-on
collisions with the immOvable elm