Densho Digital Archive - Sumiye Takeno Interview (denshovh-tsumiye-01-0015)

<Begin Segment 15>

RP: And do you, which block do you, did you live in, Sumi?

ST: Block 30. We were at the very end corner block.

RP: Okay. And what, what were your initial impressions of the camp? Or what did... let's back up and what, what did you know about Manzanar or these camps before you went to them? Were there rumors or things that you heard?

ST: Well, it was situated in a, below the mountain. It was beautiful, Mount Whitney. And the camp life, since we didn't have to go out the farm work, it was, it was a nice change for us.

RP: It was a break?

ST: Uh-huh. And I worked as a nurse's aide all the time I was there.

RP: Did you start working immediately at the time you got there?

ST: Yes, uh-huh. Yeah, immediately, yeah, applied for a nurse's aide.

RP: And what made you decide to take that job?

ST: Because I wanted to take up nursing. So, that's when I decided to go to nursing, my father had this Roy lined up.

RP: Other plans. His secret plan for you.

ST: Uh-huh. So I didn't object. I thought I... and I don't regret.

RP: What was working in the hospital like? Can you tell us what were some of the...

ST: Oh yeah. It was something I liked to do so I enjoyed it very much, taking care of patients.

RP: And can you kind of go through a typical day for us? What were some of your duties and activities?

ST: Well, you take care of each patient, bathe them, make them comfortable, feed them if they need to be fed. And pass the foods and ask them if there's anything we can do for them. And we had a little free time. They, they take their naps and things like that. Yeah, it, it was something that I liked to do. And I... there were a lot of other ladies who --

RP: Did you make some...

ST: -- did the same thing. And men too, there were orderlies.

RP: Do you remember anybody in particular that you got to be really good friends with at the hospital?

ST: Yes, there were a few, but I can't remember their names now. It's been so long ago.

RP: Yes. What did you like to do together with the other hospital people? Did you just have little get-togethers or parties or...

ST: Well, yes, we used to have our own parties, uh-huh. And then of course our hospital would have parties too. So I enjoyed it very much. It's something I'd like to do.

RP: I'm gonna mention a few names of doctors and people that...

ST: Well, the only one I remember now is Dr. Goto. He was a head physician.

RP: Right.

ST: And, you know, I was thinking about the doctors. I couldn't think of others. I can see their face but the name doesn't come back to me. But they were all very nice.

[Interruption]

ST: The camp life was, I think it's what you make of it. You can pout and mood around. Some people did. They were very resentful. But I thought it was a good place to make friends and we didn't have to work anymore. And that was nice for, for me anyway, not to get out on the farm and work in the hot sun or cold weather.

RP: And it was a different, different job that you took up there. And so did your father work at all in the camp?

ST: I think he worked in the kitchen for a while. And he enjoyed that, too. You don't have to go out and get the horse and...

RP: Quite a change there.

ST: Yeah, it was. I think he really enjoyed it and he looked much better, too. More relaxed. And of...

RP: Just, just to go back to our initial question of what do you, what were your impressions of Dr. Goto?

ST: Oh, he... of course he was very businesslike and very efficient.

RP: Some, some other folks who've talked about him say that he was very arrogant and very macho, very controlling.

ST: He, he may have been but I never had that kind of opportunity with him. I just pass him and he'll say hello and I'll say hello. I may, I may have asked him some question, but not closely. Maybe that's the difference. Some of them maybe had to work under him. Yeah. And of course when you're running a camp like that you have to be macho and all that. You can't be willy nilly. It's a business. So, no, I have no objections to Dr. Goto.

RP: Do you remember any of the Caucasian nurses that you worked with?

ST: Uh-huh. They were all very nice.

RP: Uh-huh. There was a, a Josephine Hawes. Do you remember?

ST: Yes. Wasn't she, was the head nurse?

RP: She was the head nurse.

ST: Uh-huh. She was nice and there was a few other nurses too but I can't think of their name now.

RP: There was one nurse there, Christine Little.

ST: Wasn't she a doctor's wife or...

RP: She was, yeah, she was the wife of Dr. Little.

ST: Yeah, yes. I didn't deal with her much. I had no business to. But I know who she was. So I can't say anything about her. [Laughs]

RP: No you can't. The hospital was, was part of a very important event in camp. After this riot or incident that occurred, and two people were shot and...

ST: Uh-huh. That was scary but I happened to be off work that night. So I missed a lot of that which I was kinda glad. It would have been very scary. Because they really ran in through the hospital and tried to do something.

RP: They were looking for a gentleman who...

ST: Uh-huh. So I heard about it after I went back on my duty that next night. So I, so I was very thankful I wasn't in that. So I don't, I can't really tell you what happened.

RP: So did you work primarily... did you have a special ward that you worked in?

ST: Yes, because I was a nurse's aide. I, you just go wherever they ask, they tell you to.

RP: So you worked with children and...

ST: Yes, I worked with the children. Not as much, but I worked with the children and mostly adults and I enjoyed that. Because my intention was to learn the trade as much as I can which I had in mind to go to nursing school. But of course I couldn't follow it through. But I don't think I regret it that much. I had a good marriage. I had a good daughter. [Laughs]

RP: Right.