<Begin Segment 15>

TI: So let's go to your schooling. Like what was the first school that you went to?

TK: Main Street School.

TI: So Main Street School.

TK: Right across from Sixth Avenue between Main and Jackson. It was right across the street from the N-P Hotel. I think it's a historical building now.

TI: Okay, so you started Main Street, and then after Main Street, where did you go?

TK: They moved to Bailey Gatzert, because the school was too small. They built a new school, and the whole school moved to Bailey Gatzert in 1922, I think, or '24. I'm not sure which year it was.

TI: Now when you say the whole school moved from Main Street to Bailey Gatzert, was that like during the summertime they moved it, or was it actually during the school year?

TK: I think it was during the school year. I was, that particular day they moved, I was sick so I was at home. But they moved the whole school, marched together up, that's the way I heard it, to Bailey Gatzert from Main Street. Ms. Mahon was the principal.

TI: And when you finally got to Bailey Gatzert, how was that different than the Main Street School?

TK: I didn't see any difference, except the school is new, that's all. But they had a nicer lunch room and all that.

TI: Now you mentioned Ms. Mahon, who was the principal at the school. What was she like?

TK: Oh, boy. She was tough. Those days they allowed capital punishment. She had a razor strap.

TI: You mean corporal punishment, not capital.

TK: Corporal. Yeah, corporal punishment. And she had a leather strap, razor strap, and she used it, too. They allowed it, you know.

TI: What would you have to do for her to use that?

TK: I don't know. I never got it.

TI: And you said she was tough. Do you think, was she fair?

TK: Oh yeah. I think she was very fair. Everybody respected her.

TI: Yeah, I've heard lots of stories about her. Everyone has these strong memories of Ms. Mahon. But how about, do you recall any other teachers when you were...

TK: Did I what?

TI: Do you remember other teachers, when you were at Main Street or Bailey Gatzert?

TK: Oh yeah. My kindergarten teacher was Ms. Wheeler. First grade teacher was Ms. Smith, can't remember the first name. My third grade teacher was Ms. Benson. And my fourth grade teacher was Ms. Lewis. And then there was a Ms. Cox in there somewhere. And as far as I can remember, that was it. Oh, Ms. Sharkey, that was, no, Ms. Sharkey was in Bailey Gatzert, she was my fifth grade teacher.

TI: Well, that's pretty impressive. I don't think I can remember my elementary school teachers.

TK: I don't know why I remember these teacher's names, but I had no problem. I never tried to remember them or anything. Ms. Hermanson was our music teacher. We had a special music teacher.

TI: And of those teachers you mentioned, which one was your favorite teacher?

TK: I don't know, I didn't have any, they were all very nice, I thought. They were all very nice teachers.

TI: So do you remember any particular story about any one teacher that perhaps she did with the class, or anything you thought was interesting?

TK: No, I can't remember.

TI: Okay.

TK: Well, one time, the third grade teacher, I remember, she used to say, "Everybody get up and take a deep breath and put out your chest," and all that. And we used to say, "It isn't fair. We haven't got a chest like hers." [Laughs] But we used to say it among our, kids, you know, boys. So anyway, she always, every morning she would say, "Everybody, put out your chest and breathe hard."

TI: And so I'm guessing, the boys would sort of joke about that.

TK: Yeah, I remember that. But other than that, all the teachers were real nice. I heard they had a reunion, somewhere around 1960s, but I wasn't here so I couldn't, I didn't know about it. I couldn't, I didn't go. But I heard it was very, very interesting.

TI: And how would you describe yourself as a student? What kind of student were you?

TK: I guess I was just normal. Up to about fourth grade, I was absent at least once a month. I was such a sickly kid. But after that, I was okay. But, myself...

TI: So when you say that you were sickly, was there anything that, what was causing that?

TK: It was, I was allergic to some foods. I think that was the reason. Especially peanuts. And every time I ate peanuts, I would get sick. But I loved peanuts. [Laughs] But as far as that, as far as I know, I was, I wasn't too healthy. Until about the fifth grade, and then I got healthier and stopped skipping school.

TI: When you were younger, so before fifth grade and were kind of sickly or allergic to foods, did your parents or anyone give you any special kind of medicine or treatment to help you?

TK: Not that I know of.

TI: So it was just more resting and taking care of yourself?

TK: I guess they were careful about what I ate. They always told me not to eat peanuts. I remember my mother telling me that.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.