<Begin Segment 55>

AI: So then tell me about the Dubois Studio and how, what were some of the differences there, and did your job there turn out to be a step forward as you had hoped?

PB: Oh, yes. It was very, very interesting, and I got to do heavy oils, I got to do miniatures, porcelain miniatures. We had so many Catholic weddings, we prepared coffee and had refreshments in the morning for the wedding group that came, and we really had a lot of fun. And this was almost an all-Jewish outfit; the owners were Jewish and the workers, most of 'em were Jewish people. But I had found that the Jewish people were the ones that helped us initially, from the time we arrived, first arrived in Chicago. It was, always seemed like it was the Jewish people that helped us.

But when I was still... I can't recall now... when I was still downtown, I don't know whether it was with the Dubois Studio because they opened up a brand-new studio on Michigan Avenue, and that was supposed to be a real elite, high-class studio. And it was, we had mirrors all around, and it was really a beautiful studio. And all the work was down there because they had five studios: Stony Island on the outskirts, and we had a couple studios right... well, we had this main studio, we did all the work down at Michigan Avenue then. But, of course, then we had to change our mode of transportation, we were taking the IC every morning. It was very fast and easy to get downtown that way, and I kind of enjoyed that because you didn't have to worry about anything, you just got on the IC and then you zip downtown and got off and you're right there. But Michigan Avenue didn't work out for us because there were just too many studios, and we even hired an efficiency expert and everything else, but it just didn't work out. So finally, our boss said, "I guess we'll have to go back to Seventy-Ninth Street," so then we had to close Michigan Avenue and go back to Seventy-Ninth Street.

But I don't remember exactly whether I had taken up another occupation when I was with the Dubois Studio or if I was with the Root Studio. But anyhow, I was still downtown when I decided I wanted to learn something else, so I started going to school at night. I went to a... it's called Kellberg College, where I went to take up Swedish massage. But the trouble was that having worked eight hours in the studio and then going to school after that, I was so tired that during talks and everything -- [laughs] -- I'd fall asleep. And I didn't learn, retain very much as far as reading material and everything, but as far as physical manipulation, I have very strong fingers, so they said I was very good. So I did graduate from Kellberg College, Swedish massage. But I never did put it into practice.

AI: So that's really interesting. At one time, you thought that you might go into a completely different line of work such as massage.

PB: Yes, I always was thinking about the physical angle; when I was working in camp and everything, I was hoping I could become a nurse. But I didn't like needles, and I really wasn't strong enough. So I didn't pursue that any further, but I still felt that maybe if I took up massage, which I knew was, or I felt was very beneficial, I thought, "Well someday, maybe I could work in a nursing home or something." And I've always wanted to put it into use, but somehow, I had too many other things to think about, I guess, so I never did make practical use of it.

<End Segment 55> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.