I believe it must have been 1965.It may have been later though,I can't say for certain.But our family began to take in boarders before I went to school.We were a small family and had sufficient bedroom space to offer a bedroom to a nursing student at the nearby New Brunswick Institute Of Technology.Her name was Jeannie,and she lived with us for some time,certainly more that one school term.
That first boarder,as far as I know came to be with us because she was a friend of the family.At least my father,in later years always described her father as being a close friend.Her family lived north of us,up past our old community of Redmondville,in a backwoods place called Black River.They owned a store back there,and in later years,the family was destined for tragedy.
My family had a succession of borders over the years,to help offset living expenses,but they were fairly selective in who they offered accommodation to.Jeannie was already known to my parents before she came,as was the girl who followed her a year or two later.Jeannie's sister came later as well.But as far as I know,my parents never advertised for boarders,like many of the people in our community did.It was a matter of someone knowing someone who needed a room, and making a referral.
Jeannie was a slim girl of about nineteen when she came to our place.For the first while she would wake with us early in the morning,eat breakfast with our family and be off to school,which was only about a ten minute walk from our house,and was located in the same building where we always went to see the barber.She was a nursing student and later she would rise early in the morning dressed in the manner of nurses at the time,completely in white with an old style nurses hat.Sometimes she would walk to the hospital,but,in bad weather she would take a cab.
At some point,Jeannie's boyfriend,a man named Ray started coming around to visit.This never seemed to be a problem for either of my parents,and my father regarded Ray,who worked at the railway shops as a friend.Again,I believe that my father knew both Ray and Jeannie long before either of them started coming around.My parents certainly trusted both Ray and Jeannie,and often the two of them together would stay with us while my parents enjoyed a night out.
Jeannie's father came to visit once too.Aside from owning the store in Black River,they also operated a small farm,and on the day he came to visit,he was driving an old green truck with boards built up along it's side.Inside were a bunch of squealing pigs,all bound for the butcher shop.
That first boarder,as far as I know came to be with us because she was a friend of the family.At least my father,in later years always described her father as being a close friend.Her family lived north of us,up past our old community of Redmondville,in a backwoods place called Black River.They owned a store back there,and in later years,the family was destined for tragedy.
My family had a succession of borders over the years,to help offset living expenses,but they were fairly selective in who they offered accommodation to.Jeannie was already known to my parents before she came,as was the girl who followed her a year or two later.Jeannie's sister came later as well.But as far as I know,my parents never advertised for boarders,like many of the people in our community did.It was a matter of someone knowing someone who needed a room, and making a referral.
Jeannie was a slim girl of about nineteen when she came to our place.For the first while she would wake with us early in the morning,eat breakfast with our family and be off to school,which was only about a ten minute walk from our house,and was located in the same building where we always went to see the barber.She was a nursing student and later she would rise early in the morning dressed in the manner of nurses at the time,completely in white with an old style nurses hat.Sometimes she would walk to the hospital,but,in bad weather she would take a cab.
At some point,Jeannie's boyfriend,a man named Ray started coming around to visit.This never seemed to be a problem for either of my parents,and my father regarded Ray,who worked at the railway shops as a friend.Again,I believe that my father knew both Ray and Jeannie long before either of them started coming around.My parents certainly trusted both Ray and Jeannie,and often the two of them together would stay with us while my parents enjoyed a night out.
Jeannie's father came to visit once too.Aside from owning the store in Black River,they also operated a small farm,and on the day he came to visit,he was driving an old green truck with boards built up along it's side.Inside were a bunch of squealing pigs,all bound for the butcher shop.
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