<Begin Segment 18>

TI: Okay, so let's go back up to, more towards Bellingham. Because from Franklin High School, then when you went up there, you transferred to Bellingham High School? I'm curious, what was the difference between Franklin High School and Bellingham High School?

EY: You know, I had gotten used to the school, and I think I was more inclined to associate with the people more when I was in Bellingham.

TI: Because I'm guessing Bellingham was mostly all white? Or was there...

EY: Pretty much. There were some Indian people from the Lummi tribe, but it was pretty much... I thought there were some white that was maybe involved in some of that... I don't know. Around that time, I think there was a lot of investigation for reds, Communists.

TI: Communists, okay.

EY: Or Socialist inclined.

TI: And this is even before the war? I thought most of it happened more after the war.

EY: I think just before, just before.

TI: Now were there any Japanese at Bellingham High School?

EY: Yeah, there were. And I disappointed one of the history teachers. She said, "I always thought all the Japanese students were good students, but..." [Laughs]

TI: But not Eiichi?

EY: Meaning that I wasn't very good.

TI: So what were the other Japanese families doing up in Bellingham?

EY: There was a restaurant, there was a barber shop, and then there might have been some others that was involved in... not farming. The farming families were more down towards, between Everett and Mt. Vernon. I don't know.

TI: And do you recall any of your classmates, Japanese classmates?

EY: I didn't have any Japanese classmates. I do remember a Japanese girl, her mother had a barbershop, and then there was a family that had a restaurant, Okubo, and then in Burlington there was a Hirams family, his brother Bob, there was Nancy, that was in Burlington. Takagi had a... what did they have? Either a barbershop or... I don't know.

TI: Okay. So...

EY: Attorney.

TI: What year did you graduate?

EY: '42.

TI: '42? So you graduated after the war...

EY: Maybe '41.

TI: Right before the war started.

EY: Yeah.

TI: Okay, so like June 1941.

<End Segment 18> - Copyright © 2014 Densho. All Rights Reserved.