<Begin Segment 20>

RP: I know you were pretty tight with your buddies, but did you also date in camp?

KO: I didn't do much dating, no. A couple of 'em did, but I was too busy with other things. Maybe my hormone level was low, so... [Laughs] But I was more interested in doing things. Now I don't know, I think, I'm trying to recall and somebody said we did, they had a Boys State. Boys State, you know, where you go to the legislature in Boise. I keep recalling, I went to Boise, they sent me as a representative, they invited us. By that time, my senior year, they realized, hey, we harvested crops, we're not dangerous. I think three of us went, if I recall. But I remember going there and being real puzzled, not knowing what I'm doing. Only good thing that they had an automated cafeteria. You know, food passes by, and I don't know where I got, they must have given me money but I was able to pay for that, or somebody picked the tab up. And sitting there and picking out the food I wanted, I was ready for that.

RP: After mess hall life.

KO: But I don't recall too much, I know, I think I was elected sergeant-at-arms for the House or State Legislature. They elected various people.

RP: So you were there for several days?

KO: Yes, overnight.

RP: As a representative.

KO: I think I was. I checked with somebody, "Did that happen?" And Shuzo Kato said, "Yes, you guys in Hi Y were the ones that invited to go."

RP: So you can boast that you held state offices. [Laughs]

KO: It didn't occur to me 'til I heard somebody talk about Boys State. To me, those things weren't, I don't think, that important.

[Interruption]

RP: Kats, you mentioned about the, sponsoring some of the dances in the mess hall?

KO: Yes, we did, one or two or three. I don't know how many but I remember that one in particular because my best friend was very artistic and stuff, so he could decorate.

RP: And you listened to the music of those times, the big band music?

KO: Glenn Miller, yes. And we considered it a privilege to play the music. [Laughs] They would fight over who was going to be the disc jockey, see. I never was, could do it 'cause the other guys wanted it, you know. I did the bull labor.

RP: Of course, you probably had to clean up, too, afterward.

KO: Yes, we had to. I felt it was worth it, do it for the people.

RP: And people from all over the camp or just your block?

KO: High school kids could come, yeah. I guess some of us are geared that way to...

RP: To organize.

KO: Yeah, and be willing to volunteer to do things. Otherwise things wouldn't happen. We had to make activities for ourselves, like we said.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 2007 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.