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AI: Well, it is interesting to hear that you had so few discipline problems, especially at, among a group that had gone through so many difficult experiences.

HM: Yes.

AI: I'm wondering -- and also, I should say that I can appreciate what you were saying about how some of the young people did have times of fun and enjoyment. That as teenagers will do anywhere, they will try and not only make the best of it, but have a good time --

HM: Right.

AI: -- while they can. So I could see a lot of variation in the experiences there. It's not all terrible and bad all the time.

HM: Yeah.

AI: But I did want to ask if you would look back at your students and think, as you had mentioned there was -- in the debate situation, there was one fellow who was exceptional and willing to take on that, that side of the debate. Were there any other students that in some way were unusual? That took a different point of view, an unpopular point of view, or perhaps, maybe not verbally but in the, in a writing assignment, perhaps? Someone who was --

HM: No...

AI: -- outstanding in some regard.

HM: I remember back before we had our books, when we were studying the makeup of the project and how it all fitted together, I assigned students to explore the different departments of the project, and I had one student who did an outstanding job of interviewing the agriculture department and coming back and giving us an overview of the agriculture department. And I would say that his report was equal to a college student's. And so we had some very bright students.

AI: It sounds very impressive.

HM: But not in the kind of independence that that one kid who took on the whole class.

AI: Well, you were just mentioning the high level of accomplishment of some of the students. How about on the other end? Did you have students that you were forced to fail in class? Students that were not doing well?

HM: Well, I don't recall failing any, but we certainly had a normal spread. However, Jerry Light, the principal, did his doctoral dissertation -- I'm not sure whether it was all of the WRA high schools or just Minidoka, but he told me that Minidoka had a much higher proportion of high school graduates who went on to college or technical school than was normal for American high schools. And I can certainly attest to that. And the Student Relocation Council was very helpful, and I think they did a great deal to ensure that the college experience was good. I don't recall anybody who was helped through the Relocation Council to go to a big university. They mainly sent them to small, pretty much liberal arts colleges spread throughout, where they would get personal attention and have an opportunity to find their way and be one of the group rather than any young, inexperienced college freshman, say, going to the University of Washington, or UC Berkeley. I think that is such a mistake because they get lost. And our students went to small colleges, got lots of attention and help, and they have done very well.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.