<Begin Segment 6>

TI: So then after kindergarten, you went then to Bailey Gatzert.

TK: Bailey Gatzert.

TI: And what was that like? How would you describe Bailey Gatzert?

TK: Well, all I remember is Ms. Mahon pulling my ears. [Laughs] I must have done something bad.

TI: So was she pretty strict?

TK: Well, she was strict with us, yeah. Lots of Japanese students must have been there. I don't know about the Chinese population coming up to Bailey Gatzert, but they must have been there, too. Of course, there were the blacks. Should I call them blacks or Negro? Blacks. They were there, too... Italians.

TI: Good. And many Japanese students, after going to regular school, would then go to Japanese language school. Did you do that also?

TK: Yes, I did. Right after school, we went to what we call Japanese school. Isn't that... I'm relocated here. Japanese school is right down the street, isn't it?

TI: On Weller Street.

TK: Weller Street, yeah.

TI: Just a couple blocks.

TK: Four o'clock to five o'clock.

TI: And how did you like Japanese school?

TK: I hated it. [Laughs]

TI: Tell me why you hated it.

TK: Well, we... is this on record?

TI: This is on record. [Laughs]

TK: Well, you could erase it, but we used to call it "Tip School" for some reason. I guess you've heard of that, "Tip School."

TI: And do you know why they, why you guys called it "Tip School"?

TK: Well, 'cause right after regular school, then we had to come back and go to school again from four to five. We didn't like that.

TI: And so do you know why you called it "Tip School'?

TK: I don't know. I don't know why. We often wonder why it was called that.

TI: So that time between the end of regular school and the beginning of Japanese school, what did you do in that...

TK: Well, regular school let out at about three-thirty then, I think.

TI: Oh, so there wasn't much time.

TK: So there wasn't much -- we had to come right down here to the Japanese school.

TI: And so it must have been kind of a sight. I know where Bailey Gatzert is, I know where the Japanese language school, so it's about a two, three block walk.

TK: Yeah, it wasn't very far.

TI: But you would probably see all these Japanese students walking from one school to the other school.

TK: [Laughs] Yeah, that's right.

TI: Now, did you guys have, like, snacks or anything between the schools?

TK: Oh, no, no time for that.

TI: And how many years did you go to Japanese language school?

TK: I don't remember now. I would say six grades, I think. I don't know how many levels they had.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.