<Begin Segment 8>

MA: So which high school did you attend?

EY: Watsonville High. And my advisor, when I had to give up education, he was a such a good advisor, he brought me some old books, and so I could read at night, so when I have time.

MA: And study independently?

EY: I only went two years of high school, and I had to give up. And those days, Japanese people were all, they all have sons that could handle the farm. And I had two sisters after me, then my brothers, see. So I had to run the farm.

MA: So that's why your father asked you to help...

EY: Yes.

MA: ...around the farm.

EY: Uh-huh.

MA: And so you said you were able to do two years of high school?

EY: Yes.

MA: And then when your father asked you to drop out of high school and help on the farm, how did you feel about that?

EY: Well, lot of, all the families had a lot of boys running the farm, and I just felt that I need to help him, too. So then, that's why my high school teacher came over, and he said, "How come," to my folks, how come I have to quit education. And I told him what the situation was, I had two sister after me, so my brothers were all...

MA: Too young to help out.

EY: ...too young to do anything. And that's what I told him, and he was such, he was a young teacher, man teacher, my advisor. He brought me some books and said, "You could use this at night or wherever, and study." And I really appreciate him.

MA: Yeah, because you were able to continue independently, right, studying on your own?

EY: Yes, uh-huh. And in the wintertime, I have more time, so I used to read and study whatever I could.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL. All Rights Reserved.