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AI: Well, and I... and I must mention that the reason that you're here in Seattle at this time is because of the centennial for, the church is now known as the --

MH: Blaine.

AI: -- Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church, but at the time you attended, was it then called --

MH: The Japanese Methodist Church. And it was down on Washington Street. We outgrew it. There was so many children of all age group. Our Sunday school classes were (in the) choir loft (and balcony). Well, we didn't have enough room, so we finally acquired the building next door, which was a Jewish synagogue (...). They used that facility for Christian education program. And we had programs of all kinds. Oh, and not only that, we had a home called Catherine Blaine Home (on) Thirteenth Avenue. And it was named after Catherine Blaine, who was the wife of one of the pioneers, founders of the city of Seattle. And she was one of the very benevolent women. And I think member of the First United Methodist (Church, the) Caucasian church downtown, saw the need for helping the immigrants, back in the periods when they were arriving as pictures brides and as new brides, to have a home where they could be housed and help them with their English and help them get acclimated to this culture. And as a result, she donated this house, and it's called the Catherine Blaine Home. (It became) a center of our social life for our young people (also). Not only that, single girls who came to the city to find employment could have a nice, safe rooming house for (them) upstairs (...). So that's the history behind that, (in) connection with the church. And we have many, many fond memories of some wonderful social life at the Catherine Blaine Home.

<End Segment 23> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.