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AI: And now between 1945 and 1946, then, the war had ended...

TI: Yeah.

AI: ...in August of '45, and were your parents still in camp in Minidoka during that time while you were out at the Presidio?

TI: You know, I'm confused on that as to the steps. But as I recall, when we, before I got drafted, I went to Portland, and my younger brother had preceded us. And my mother was really frightened. You know, there were many rumors about people being hurt or talked (badly) to, being Japanese ancestry. But the workers in the restaurant were so gracious, it really soothed her uncertainty. My dad (got his job back as a janitor), too. At least they had that job, so I could live home and then go to school on the GI Bill. And...

AI: So you actually were back at your family home in Portland?

TI: Yes.

AI: Your mother and father were back there working in the restaurant again?

TI: Yes.

AI: And you were able to live there at home?

TI: Live at home, and get my board and room that way, and the GI Bill helped pay for (my tuition and books).

AI: Now, what colleges did you apply for, and what were you were planning to do at that point?

TI: I didn't know what I was going to do. But I, at that time, I, I don't know (much about) Lewis & Clark College, but tried it. It was a small college, and it was church-related, Presbyterian church, so I felt comfortable under those circumstances. And I had a great time there. I (was invited to join) a fraternity club.

I tried to join the choir, and Lewis & Clark (College), the department of music was a really strong (program). Well, I didn't know that at the time, (when) they asked me to meet with some faculty members if I was interested in joining the choir. I went in this room, and they had this grand piano and had four professors sitting there, and said, "Okay, can you sing us something?" [Laughs] I never sung solo in my life. And I was so embarrassed. I said, "I'm just (singing)." "Well, I'm not a singer," so (I excused myself). And so I left. So that was one college experience, that I didn't get involved in the choir. But I was elected to be yell king and had that great experience. And I felt very much at home at choir, and being of Japanese ancestry was no big problem at all. That issue never was raised. So...

AI: So even though it was very soon after the end of the war, and even though your mother had had some fears...

TI: Yeah.

AI: ...about the treatment you might get back home, it sounds like it was not bad.

TI: Yeah. And then my comfortableness being in church-related activities, I think also helped me to feel at home. And so when I had that kind of attitude, it helped to build that adjustment positively. So at the end of that year, school year when I got my degree, I knew I majored in sociology so human interaction study, and I thought, "Gee, what can I do? I love church work. I don't want to be a minister, but I like the organizing." So it sort of fell into social work was something of that order as I kind of conceived it. And I applied to the School of Social Work in Washington State University. (The) time I applied, had closed the school, (had) transferred it to the University of Washington. Because I was accepted at Washington State, they automatically accepted me at University of Washington.

AI: So, excuse me. So you had graduated with your bachelor's from Lewis & Clark in 1949. And then did you go directly on to...

TI: Yeah.

AI: ...social work school...

TI: Yeah.

AI: ...that following fall?

TI: Fall, yeah. My GI Bill, that was a real nice support, financial support. And of course, costs were much lower then. And the major cost was board and room.

AI: So you came to Seattle, you were attending the University of Washington School of Social Work...

TI: Yeah. And then at that time I didn't have as much money, so I was a houseboy for one year and had board and room that way. And I went to School of Social Work first year. And second year, I became a resident advisor at University of Washington campus, which were army barracks. And so I was accepted there, too.

AI: But were there any other Japanese Americans there...

TI: No.

AI: ...at that time?

TI: No. I didn't see any. And then, of course, in the dormitory, there weren't any.

AI: You were really the only Japanese American in the School of Social Work then, at that time?

TI: No, no. There was one other. Chiz Norton.

AI: What, did you have any concern at all about whether you would be able to find a job or whether you'd face discrimination after you got your degree?

TI: No. At that time, I was only focusing on getting through school. It was a real small school, and few students. But once you major, I was the first student they had where I went to case work, one-to-one training, and then group work. Actually, group work was what I really wanted to do. And so, so once I graduated, then I, I couldn't find work, of course, right away. So I heard you could make money going to a fish cannery.

<End Segment 23> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.