From the Scrapbook of a T.C. Howe High School Student

          Phyllis Halcomb, the daughter of Oscar and Mary King Halcomb, was very involved at Thomas Carr Howe High School before graduating in 1948. Photos in her scrapbook and stories from her daughter, Mary Lee Pappas, reveal that she was an active teenager who had several friends. In fact, many of the young women that she met at the school remained her friends for life.  

     Phyllis was the fifth child out of seven for the Halcombs. Her dad sold shoes for the Marrott and Patterson Shoe Companies. Like many Americans, the Halcombs struggled during the Great Depression and had to watch every penny, but they eventually recovered. Phyllis spent most of her youth living in a double at 3723 East Michigan Street. Her mother was a homemaker who managed the seven children and the household. 

     Phyllis was known as a stylish dresser. Her mom helped to sew many of the outfits that she donned at school and at various social events. Her life centered around the D.M.O. sorority. "Sub-debs" and "Squires" were tolerated at high schools in the mid-twentieth century but not sanctioned. The D.M.O. admitted only ten girls. Phyllis served as the president of the club during her senior year.

     In the fall of 1947, three young women vied to be the Homecoming Queen for Howe High School. In that era the football team chose who would serve as the queen and they chose Phyllis Halcomb with Ellen Barnes and Virginia Eubanks as the runner-up. During half-time in the game between Howe and Warren Central High School, Principal C.M. Sharp crowned Phyllis in front of a cheering crowd. 

     Hayrides in Brown County, trips to Lake Manitou and Freeman, slumber parties with friends were all documented in her scrapbook. One of those fun parties took place in the spring of 1946 at the home of Gladys Ferguson, who lived at 5201 East Burgess Avenue. Snapshots from that fun day reveal that bobby socks ruled the day.

    

Pat Clause, Marilyn Doherty, and Phyllis Halcomb gathered on the steps next to Howe High School in the Fall of 1947 (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Phyllis Leffler and Mariana Fullen held on to Phyllis Halcomb next to Howe High School in the fall of 1947. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Pat Clause, Phyllis Halcomb, Phyllis Leffler, Mariana Fullen, and Carol Schneider posed near Howe High School in the fall of 1947. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

In the fall of 1947 Phyllis Halcomb was named the Homecoming Queen for Howe High School. She graduated from the school in 1948. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Winnie Locklear and Gladys Ferguson stood near the Ferguson home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue in 1946. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 

Jean Shaffer and Mariana Fullen gathered near the Ferguson home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue in 1946. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Jean Shaffer, the daughter of Lawrence and Eleene Shaffer of 135 South Spencer Avenue, stood along a back sidewalk at the Ferguson home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue in 1946. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

In 1946, Gladys Ferguson, the daughter of Clarence and Verna Ferguson, hosted a party for her girlfriends at her home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Mariana Fullen, the daughter of Harman and Merlene Fullen of 126 Berry Avenue, posed along the back sidewalk of the Ferguson home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Winnie Locklear, the daughter of Harper and Esther Locklear of 336 Grand Avenue, sat along the back sidewalk of the Ferguson home at 5201 East Burgess Avenue in 1946. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Gladys Ferguson (left) hosted her friends, Phyllis Halcomb, Winnie Locklear, Carol Schneider, and Jean Shaffer at her home located at 5201 East Burgess Avenue. The garage behind the young women is no longer standing, but you can see the rear of the bungalows located on Burgess Avenue and the side of 359 Grand Avenue. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 

    I wish to thank Mary Lee Pappas for the use of her family photos and for the stories of her mother. I also wish to thank Deedee Davis. 

Sources: Interview with Mary Lee Pappas, March 18 and 21, 2022: D.M.O. events--Bobby Manners, "Sub-debs and Squires," Indianapolis Star, January 27, March 17, April 7, 1946; D.M.O. president--Bobby Manners, "Sub-Debs and Squires," Indianapolis Star, December 28, 1947; Homecoming queen--"Howe to Crown Football Queen," Indianapolis News, October 22, 1947, 31. 

Milroy Family Moved to Irvington

      For the first twenty-five years of their marriage, Russell and Leona Harton resided in the village of Milroy in southern Rush County. They also raised their two children, James (Jim) and Marilyn there. Mr. Harton worked for the highway department. During World War II, International Harvester, a factory located on Brookville Road in Indianapolis, desperately needed workers as many young men were off fighting in the war. The plant likely paid much better than the Rush County Highway Department where Mr. Harton had been employed. While he likely started working at the factory in 1943, the family did not permanently relocate to Indianapolis until three years later. 

     On March 23, 1946, the middle-aged couple and their seventeen-year-old daughter Marilyn moved to a double at 132 Good Avenue in Irvington. Their son James was away at Indiana University, but came home and stayed with them whenever he was on break. Mr. Harton now had a very easy commute to the factory. He also lived near other neighbors who worked at International Harvester.  Ralph Law, who resided on the other side of the double at 130 Good Avenue worked at the plant as did James Lowery, who dwelled across the street in a double at 123 Good Avenue. 

     Most of the homes along the 100 block of Good Avenue were built between 1921 and 1925. By 1947, only one couple, Edwin F.  and Sarah M. Lay still remained from the 1920s. There was a housing shortage in the United States and in Indianapolis following World War II so the Hartons might have received a tip about the available double from either Ralph Law or James Lowery. It would not have been a quiet street as the Pennsylvania Rail line, a double track, was only one house away. Just across the tracks at 203 Good Avenue, the Hartons could view the Bruckman Ice and Fuel Company from their front porch. It had a coal yard. Their new life in Indianapolis would be very different from the old one in Milroy. They didn't stay in the small duplex for long however as the Hartons soon rented a nineteenth-century cottage located at 220 South Ritter Avenue in 1948. 

Ralph Law (left) chatted with his new neighbor and co-worker, Russell Harton.  Mr. Law and his wife, Mildred lived at 130 Good Avenue in 1946. Behind the men, you can see the bungalows located at 109 (far left), 115 and 117 Good Avenue. The Moorman, Green, and Agnew families resided in those homes in 1946. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

The Harton family moved from Milroy, Indiana to 132 Good Avenue on March 23, 1946. Russell Harton worked for International Harvester. Behind him, you can see the bungalow at 117 Good Avenue (left) and part of the double located at 123-25 Good Avenue. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Marilyn Harton of 132 Good Avenue stood near the family automobile in 1946. The seventeen-year-old youth transferred from Milroy High School to Howe High School during her junior year and graduated from Howe in 1947. Behind her, you can see the Agnew home located 117 Good Avenue. 

James (Jim) Harton stood on the front porch of his family's new home at the double located at 130-32 Good Avenue in March of 1946. He was away at Indiana University when his parents made the decision to move from Milroy, Indiana to Irvington. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Shortly after the Hartons moved to Good Avenue, their cousins, the Foysts of New Castle, Indiana came for a visit in 1946. The most visible home in the photo is 117 Good Avenue. Pictured; Joe Foyst, Jim Harton, Marilyn Harton, Mary Ann Foyst, and Martha Lee Foyst (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Marilyn Harton of 132 Good Avenue chats with Maria Keller, whose family lived at 136 Good Avenue in May of 1946. Mickey, the Harton family dog, was still getting used to his new home in Irvington as he started life in Milroy, Indiana. Behind the young women, you can see part of 117 Good Avenue and most of the double located at 123-125 Good Avenue. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Butch, the Harton family cat, examines his new home at 132 Good Avenue in Irvington in 1946. The Hartons of Milroy, Indiana had recently moved into the double and brought their pets with them. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

     I wish to thank Tom Harton and Marilyn Clarkson for both the photos and stories about the Hartons. I also wish to thank Anne Hardwick. 

Irvington Historical Society

Sources: Good Avenue families:  Polk's Indianapolis City Directories for 1924 and 1947; Move from Milroy to Irvington--Harton family e-mails and "Milroy," Rushville Republican, March 26, 1946; The Rushville Republican documented many events in the lives of the Harton and Thomas families. 

Blizzard of 1961

      Hundreds of high school basketball fans gathered in gymnasiums across the state of Indiana for sectional tournaments on Saturday night, February 25, 1961. As they started to cheer for their teams, a winter storm raged outside complete with howling wind, heavy snow, ice, and even thunder. Many of those teens and some adults had to spend the night in the gym as all highways in the state were closed. Many Hoosiers also lost power that evening. In nearby Cumberland,  passengers from New York City had to sit for over four hours in their train cars along the Pennsylvania Railroad because of downed power poles. The Indiana State Police spent hours rescuing stranded motorists. The sun came out on Sunday, but most schools, including the city schools, closed on the following Monday much to the chagrin of some parents. 

     In Irvington, several inches of snow and ice fell upon the neighborhood that night. Leona Thomas Harton, who resided at 5318 Lowell Avenue with her husband, Russell Harton, grabbed her camera and documented the morning after the blizzard. Her beautiful snapshots show ice on tree limbs and several inches of snow on the ground and on rooftops. 

Russell Harton of 5318 Lowell Avenue shoveled his sidewalk after a blizzard which struck on Saturday, February 25, 1961. He also had to clear his driveway because he still had to go to work at International Harvester on the following Monday. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Leona Thomas Harton of 5318 Lowell Avenue snapped this image on Sunday, February 26, 1961. A blizzard had struck the state the night before. The most visible homes in the photo are the rear of the residences located at 99, 95, and 85 North Hawthorne Lane. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

     I wish to thank Tom Harton for the use of his family's wonderful Irvington snapshots. I also wish to thank Anne Hardwick. 

Sources:  Paul M. Doherty, "Blizzard Paralyzes State," Indianapolis Star, February 26, 1961, 1, 20; John Akelmire, "Was it Necessary to Shut All of Those Schools on Monday?" Indianapolis News, February 28, 1961, 8. 

Sounds of a Mandolin on Irvington Avenue

      Howard Caldwell, Sr. stopped by the Felt home at 64 North Irvington Avenue to serenade Elsie Felt. Both had been students at Butler University so the photograph was likely taken in 1913 or 1914. The formidable woman in the photo was most likely Elsie's Mom, Martha Felt. Howard and Elsie would later marry and have two children. They were affectionately called "Popo" and "Momo" by their adoring grandchildren. Behind the group, you can see the houses located at 77, 85, 87, and 99 North Irvington Avenue. 

Howard Caldwell, Sr. serenaded Elsie Felt and her mother, Martha Felt, at their home at 64 North Irvington Avenue c1914 (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst) 

   Ginny Hingst recently found this photo in a family book. She is the granddaughter of Howard and Elsie Felt Caldwell. To learn more about the Caldwells or Felts, click on their names below.