<Begin Segment 25>

AI: Well, and also, I had a question here. Because, so, CAMP at that time was primarily a community-based program run by and for the African American community. Is that right?

EH: Not necessarily.

AI: Or... no.

EH: You know, it was totally for everybody. We didn't, the attendance we had was not, it was probably seventy-five percent black, there were a sprinkling of white kids.

AI: So a kind of a mix.

EH: Mix, (yes). I don't think, I don't think I ever had any Asian kids.

AI: And, and Walt Hundley was black.

EH: Oh, (yes). He was a Yale Divinity School graduate, and a very knowledgeable, dynamic person. We were very fortunate in Seattle to have Walt here.

AI: And then, may I ask about the, the daycare teachers that you had? Would you say a number of them were black, or some portion?

EH: Let's see... ultimately, it took five years of building. I almost set up a new daycare center every year for about five years. And so we started with maybe -- and they already had about six teachers over a twelve-hour period, and a director, so-called "director." And what, what we really needed was a director who oversaw an education coordinator, person that just zeroed in on the education system. We had a cook, and what we also needed was a social worker, because the families needed a lot of social service, and a nurse. And that didn't happen until we had maybe our fourth or fifth, fourth daycare center. I think we had part-time people sometimes. And, but once we got at least three or four set up, it was busy. Because you were always recruiting and always... and people would come to apply. I also had to set up a bus service, because University Presbyterian opened its door. All these churches, in five years' time, Temple de Hirsch was the first one... well, we were already at Grace Methodist, which is at Dearborn and Thirtieth.

AI: And Grace Methodist was primarily a black congregation?

EH: (Yes). No, no, it was almost, it was almost fifty-fifty, because that was kind of a new area for blacks. Fully half of the population, congregation was black, with a white minister. And then I guess First Baptist Church opened its door. University Presbyterian and St. Peter's Episcopal, Japanese congregation. I also had to take, talk to Blaine because Centro de la Raza was having, it was taking them a long time to set up their daycare system, and they needed a temporary place. So with every one of these congregations, I had to meet many times with a board, with the women's section, branch, and because we paid for the custodial service, we didn't pay for anything else, but then I had to meet with custodians and, and the women and the kitchen coordinating, because we had to use a limited amount of... but eventually I had to train a couple of bus drivers and just put some firm rules down, that the bus was not going to be used for anything but the children.

But the Department of Agriculture, by that time, had strict rules, almost from the very beginning. They, Department of Agriculture has the abilities to subsidize food costs, and because they supplement things like hamburger and bread, flour, powdered skim milk, powdered skim milk was a big headache because it wasn't the kind that whipped up as easily as the present. And the cooks didn't like to use it. At one point I had, Yesler Terrace broke out in some kind of bug, silver-something, and it was because the cooks had not used the powered skim milk, and it was up on the top shelf of some cupboard. And over the years the eggs started hatching. Anyway, things like that. So then you had to do all kinds of education. But the Department of Agriculture had stipulations of how much, three ounces of protein, a glass, eight ounces of milk, and on and on. How many ounces of fruit, vegetable. And so then you had to educate the cooks about what each of these items -- and the Department of Ag. was good about developing newsprints, or newsletters with recipes, easy-to-prepare recipes, and even in the, on another column, label the food elements that were, how much protein was in, in this and that. So it was a learning experience for a lot of people. I had to see to it that the head teachers knew some of this, because I couldn't be at all the kitchens, and I wasn't (going to) supervise the cooks that much.

But we were able to provide excursions and, and learn some basics about safety and, and talk to children about what we -- the zoo, for instance, was a popular place that... at one time we took 'em on the Vashon ferry for a beachfront activity, and they were, there was one very prominent young man now here, who would not let his toes, you know, get wet in that "yucky stuff." And the staff had to carry this kid all over the beach. And then we had lunch out there, and those were worthwhile experiences, because most of this population never got a chance to do that kind of thing.

<End Segment 25> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.