<Begin Segment 16>

RP: Now, Margaret, how soon after you got to camp did you begin teaching? Was it during the summer months or was it the fall?

MS: Oh, no, it was the fall.

RP: It was the actual fall semester?

MS: Yeah, it was the fall semester.

RP: Because there was some folks that organized a little bit of school for, for kids during the summer.

MS: Oh.

RP: Classes and things. But...

MS: Now, was that organized as, as... I don't remember.

RP: It wasn't very organized.

MS: No, I don't think so, because, I mean, I don't think I taught then because I remember it was a very short time. And we had arrived in December. So we never taught after that. So I think that was the period, from September to December.

RP: Now did, were they able to arrange for you to have a credential? Or you just taught without a credential?

MS: Oh yeah, we taught without a credential. It was just, yeah.

RP: And, you know, you had your college experience but you never taught before.

MS: Yeah, that's true. [Laughs]

RP: So, did you, was there any crash course or training that, that you were given before you actually walked into a classroom?

MS: You know, there was a, there was a woman who did, who did that part of the organizing. But of course, I'm sure we didn't get any truly specific, deep instructions in terms of each grade level. Although we knew, I think, I think we were given, probably, rough guidelines and in terms of what to cover. But there was no real training of course.

RP: You were just basically kind of thrown, thrown out there.

MS: The, now, that organizing might have been done during the summertime. But I don't remember anything very intensive. And...

RP: Which grade did you end up teaching?

MS: Four.

RP: Fourth grade?

MS: Fourth grade. Our barrack had, I think is was fourth, fifth, and sixth.

RP: And this would have been in Block 32?

MS: No, it was in... let's see now, where was it? I'm not sure where it was. Oh, it was close. I mean, it wasn't, you know, but...

RP: It sounds like the, the room that was devoted to classes, might have been a recreation room of some kind? Because that's where...

MS: I think all of this was very temporary.

RP: Right.

MS: And then they knew it was going to be temporary because they would be building or refitting certain barracks as genuine classroom.

RP: But, as you described, it was very primitive in the beginning.

MS: Yes, yes. Because we, like I say, we sat on the floor and we had blankets for partitions.

RP: So, did, did things... I know you didn't teach very long, but do you remember things changing over the few months that you taught? Did you get pencils? Did you get paper? Desks?

MS: Oh no, no.

RP: No.

MS: And we never got... and so that's one thing I was very delighted to see actually, in the films that I saw later, that they had equipment. That they actually had books. We had no books. And they had tables and chairs.

RP: So how did you approach this, this teaching experience? What did you do for the kids that was maybe a little unique or reflected your personality or...

MS: [Laughs] I don't think there was very much in this, in this short experience. I think I just did the best I could. It was only my later teaching that I had to...

RP: Do you remember any particular experiences that you had with the kids that stick out?

MS: No. I think I remember the nature walks most. [Laughs]

RP: And how were the kids?

MS: Oh, you know, they were well. They were well behaved and they were quiet. They were... I think...

RP: Were you able to do some art with them or music or anything?

MS: Well we did sing, we sang some songs and all. I think, I think they were Spanish songs, I think we were supposed to sing. Maybe it was "La Golondrina" or maybe it was... I can't remember. But we did singing, that was about it. No art because we had no equipment and so I didn't try any.

RP: Were there other Japanese American teachers?

MS: Oh, I'm sure...

RP: Do you recall?

MS: I'm sure at that time. Now later, when they had the organized school system, I'm not sure. So, yeah.

RP: So you taught 'em up until the riot and then...

MS: Yes.

RP: Then you didn't teach after that.

MS: No.

RP: Okay.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2009 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.