Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Kajiko Hashisaki
Narrator: Kajiko Hashisaki
Interviewers: Brian Hashisaki (primary); Tom Ikeda (secondary)
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: March 26, 2007
Densho ID: denshovh-hkajiko-01-0005

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BH: So going back to your time in the United States, your time in school, can you tell me about the Catholic school that you went to?

KH: We had religion in the morning, and then when we were in kindergarten and first grade, we didn't have any Japanese, but Japanese was part of the schedule, and I remember it used to be about one o'clock in the afternoon, we would have an hour of Japanese. And there was Nakagawa Sensei, and I guess there were two Nakagawa Senseis. One was Nakagawa Sensei from the Japanese language school in Seattle. And we, rather than go home at three o'clock, because we had the extra hour of Japanese, we went home at four o'clock, the buses took us back.

BH: So your school was a blend of Japanese, Caucasian...

KH: It was all Japanese.

BH: All Japanese?

KH: Uh-huh.

BH: You mentioned after school activities.

KH: There was no after school activity as such at Maryknoll, but then they, I was acquainted to the program at Broadway High School after I entered Broadway, and that's when we found out that we could work for what they called the "little B," you turned out for after school activities and get a little B emblem. And then after you were in the program at least a year and a half, you can start working for what they called the "big B." And I remember Ish and I used to turn out for after school sports, and we, both of us got the big B.

BH: So this was during high school?

KH: In high school.

BH: Okay. And high school, you went to Broadway.

KH: Yes, I did.

BH: Public school?

KH: Huh?

BH: Public school?

KH: I didn't get you.

BH: Oh, was Broadway a public school?

KH: Yes, it is.

BH: So that would be a blend of Japanese and Caucasian?

KH: Yes. It was a mixture.

BH: And did you ever experience any form of racism?

KH: No, not in high school.

BH: Okay. I recall you mentioning a story that you ran against a white girl for an appointed position.

KH: Well, what it was is they have what is known as the Rena B. Raymond award, and this is given to a graduating senior girl who is an inspiration in sports. And all the people who turn out for after school sports may vote for who they thought should be the inspiration person. And I did run against Mary Davis, and this is after the war was declared, and my name was put up for that.

BH: So this was after Pearl Harbor?

KH: This is after Pearl Harbor, and I was nominated to be the recipient of the Rena B. Raymond award.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2007 Densho. All Rights Reserved.