<Begin Segment 7>

AI: Well, tell me about, especially as you got into high school. High school is usually a time where most kids are real concerned about fitting in and being part of a group.

KM: Yeah.

AI: Did you have a group? Did you feel like you had a group you were part of? Or was...

KM: Well, I had a, one Japanese girl -- we had four in our class, and I had one girl, she was from Lomita Grammar School, but we happened to be in the same homeroom. And so we became pals. And then we seemed to have the same interests. And so we took the same course. And so to this day we still write back and forth. And she's in Japan now. She married one of the executives of the Mitsubishi, and kinda had a nice position up there. And I went to see her. And her and I, well, the teacher always picked on us as a kind of a partner. And so we performed a lot of things during gym with this, well they called it dumbbells -- it's a, like different kind of drills and so forth. And then we kept such a good timing that every time they have a assembly (program) they asked us to do it. And those are the memories that I have. So I never felt like we were prejudice, because the teacher seemed to know who to pick and they -- and then we, when we did anything, we try to do it our best. And then we didn't skimp on practice and that made the difference. And we were always there when we were told to be there. [Laughs]

AI: What about, now you mentioned you were very interested in sports. What were your favorites?

KM: Oh, I had lot of favorites. I had, I like basketball, baseball, and hockey, soccer...

AI: Oh my. Were there girls' teams --

KM: And you know, I'm short. In those days the basketball was in three courts, if you remember. Well anyway, we can't go all over. The center has to stay in center, guard has to stay, and forward. Well I was a forward, and everybody says, "How come you're forward, you're so short?" But you know, when the other team, they're tall, and they're guarding me, well I would go under, sneak and make a ball. [Laughs] That's where I excelled. I mean I was a good sneaker. [Laughs]

AI: It sounds like you had a lot of fun.

KM: So our class, you know, got a lot of awards for being, from playing or classes together.

AI: Oh my. Well, let me ask you a little bit more. During your high school years and socializing and friendships, did you date at all?

KM: No.

AI: Was there dating at that time?

KM: Well, we never had a date. And then I never, somehow, I don't know, I just never was interested in boys. I was just studying and doing things. So I, but the only time that we had a social, I was going to a social was a junior prom and senior prom. And that time I went by myself or with my girlfriend. [Laughs] We didn't do much dancing, so, nobody hardly asked us. And we would kind of, we just sat around. And we volunteered to serving people.

AI: So serving punch?

KM: Just to be there, you know refreshments, and so forth. And our school was so strict 'cause our principal came from France. And she wanted us to be in uniform. So we had to always -- you probably don't remember this either -- midis (and) skirt. White top and then a (dark) skirt. And the skirt had to be a certain length, your knees can't show. And you can't wear any make-up. And we just abided by her rules. And the only time that we can wear dress was two weeks before summer vacation, 'cause it got kinda warm. And that had to be cotton, and had to have sleeves and high neck. [Laughs]

AI: And this was a public high school?

KM: Yeah.

AI: Well, I'm sorry, was that in Lomita?

KM: Well, she -- yes, Lomita. I think the reason was because she was from France, and France was very strict. And she was a very strict principal.

AI: I see.

KM: But that's when, that's the era that I was in. And there was no, hardly any discipline problems because they knew that she wasn't going to stand for it.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.