<Begin Segment 25>

RP: What type of social life did you have in Seabrook?

SK: Well, you know, the social life in Seabrook was really, it's funny. In Seabrook, okay, I was working fifteen... at that time, my social life was with my buddies, most of the guys, and I hung out with certain guys all the time. We did, we went fishing, we went swimming, we did everything together. It was a real good social life. But my dating was a funny thing because I never dated Asian girls over there. I dated nothing but Caucasian girls, and that's another thing. I don't think here in the West Coast that would ever happen, not during that time.

RP: And that was acceptable to your parents?

SK: Yes, and it was acceptable to the girls' parents. So that was another thing. When I was going to high school, I dated a Caucasian girl and took her to the prom. And her parents didn't say anything, I mean, they accepted me. So like I said, I don't believe during that time they would have been acceptable.

RP: On the West Coast.

SK: Yes, on the West Coast. So my social life was, it was good. I mean, it was nothing serious as far as the dating things go, but hanging out with my buddies, it was great.

RP: So as far as recreational opportunities, what was provided at Seabrook for that? Were there baseball diamonds, basketball courts?

SK: Oh, yeah. The baseball diamonds were available, the basketball courts were available. In fact, in basketball, we played in the... let's see, Police Athletic League, PAL, they have, they had this on the West Coast, I believe, too, but we played against teams that were from Philadelphia and Delaware, they came from quite a bit of different places. Bridgeton, New Jersey, which is right near us at that time. But we played a lot of Caucasian teams. We were kind of a pickup team, I mean, we practiced but we didn't really practice hard. So they would beat the heck out of us anyway. [Laughs]

RP: Where did you attend school?

SK: I went to the grammar school at the Seabrook Farms. The school was, I'm going to call it a big brick multi-level school. I mean, I don't know how long it was there, but when we got there, it was there. And so I attended grammar school there, and then I went to Bridgeton High School. I don't remember going to junior high school, I don't think there were.

RP: And as opposed to your educational experience in Manzanar, how did this rate, going to grammar school at Seabrook?

SK: I remember being, I can remember some of the things in grammar school. I believe it was a lot better in everything.

RP: More motivated?

SK: Right, yes.

RP: How about the teachers? Where were the teachers from?

SK: They had to have been from all over that New Jersey. I mean, I don't think it was just from the Bridgeton or Vineland, there was, just from the surrounding areas, I think they were from all over. I don't remember seeing any Asian teachers.

RP: Was there a particular teacher that really motivated you or inspired you?

SK: No, I don't remember any.

RP: How about in high school?

SK: No, I really don't remember any specific one. I don't think I paid that much attention to it.

<End Segment 25> - Copyright &copy; 2011 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.