Densho Digital Archive - Mary Jean Spallino Interview (denshovh-smary

<Begin Segment 25>

KL: And then the other question I had was Manzanar became what was authorized as a unit of the National Park Service in 1992. It's been around for a little while as a National Historic Site. What do you think of that? What did you think when you heard that?

MS: Terrific. And I think I wrote a note, didn't I write a note to the... I can't get up to get a manila folder over there. But no, I wrote a note complimenting you people on how... you're talking about last year?

KL: Well, I just wondered, not only on how we've done, but what... I mean, what this means, when Manzanar is a unit of the National Park Service, it means it's extremely significant to the United States' past.

MS: Oh, no, I didn't think of doing anything like that, I just wrote to 'em saying what a terrific job they've done there. But I didn't think of associating it with the park situation.

RM: Did you ever think when you were teaching at Manzanar that somebody your life would become part of this really important history that we're preserving?

MS: No, I did not. And I probably didn't think about it until the last ten years.

RM: What made you decide to donate so many of your papers to Manzanar?

MS: Well, it means nothing to family. It doesn't mean they don't care, but what are they gonna do with something like that? Not to them personally, they never went through those experiences. So what are they gonna do, hang onto it or throw it away? Well, isn't it better for you to have it if you can use it? If you can't use it, then you can throw it away. I mean, it makes sense, doesn't it? If I had children that could relate back, but that only made sense to me, and I think it does to you, too. I wish I had more. I'd give anything... there's a lot of things I wish that I had kept, but I...

RM: Well, we greatly appreciate...

MS: Well, I appreciate what you gals are doing, too, and the Park Service. Because this is all part of our American history. This is one portion that for a long time was neglected and not understood because it was kind of localized here in California. So I think it's wonderful that they let you come down and interview people, get whatever information you can because it's leaving us. I think on the phone I mentioned to you that the local high school, El Toro High School, funny combination, social studies/English teacher, a man, Tyler is his name, brought a group of his students over here about three weeks ago to interview the people who would have gone through World War II. And this is a good place because you'd be surprised at the number of... well, maybe not. A large number of veterans here, still from World War II, but we're dying out. Anyway, he brought these young people because he thought it would be a good experience for them. And each one had interviewed one, you know. And it was all phases, and part of it was the Japanese internment, and of course, I fit into that beautifully. And I had a, there was a phone call, I think it was last week, saying that they would like to follow up on some of these. And so the young people, the high school are learning about this part of our history, too.

RM: I guess maybe one last question, because we only have a couple minutes left, and it ties into what you're saying right now, which is, you know, the Park Service's job is to protect and preserve and teach this history to people like these students that you're talking about. What would you, if you could stand at the front desk of Manzanar and to tell somebody about Manzanar, what do you think is the most important think to tell them?

MS: Gosh, I don't know. To tell the people at Manzanar, or to tell people about Manzanar? All I can think of, that I don't know of any other group of people that would have accepted their internment as graciously as the Japanese did. And I think I would attribute that to the fact of their belief in their emperor as supreme and divine. But I don't know if that's what you're talking about, , but I've often thought that they accepted things, it's terrible what they went through, but they accepted it. And they didn't do the grumbling and complaining that other groups of people would do. They were just so kind of gracious about it. Maybe not in their hearts, or in their own little barrack, but they certainly were publicly.

RM: Kristen, do you have any questions? All right. Mary Jean...

MS: Am I gonna... oh.

RM: We're gonna finish the interview with only a minute and thirty seconds left, so I want to say thank you on behalf of both Kristen...

KL: Unless she had anything else, we'd be glad to change the tape and keep going if you wanted to add anything.

RM: Oh. Did you have anything last that you'd like to say?

MS: I don't.

RM: Well, then I want to say thank you on behalf of both myself and Kristen, and also the National Park Service for sharing your story.

MS: Well, and I thank you for your service. I think your service is fabulous.

RM: We couldn't do it without you.

MS: See, it's mutual.

RM: It is mutual, thank you so much.