<Begin Segment 13>

RP: Lois, tell us what a typical day in Japanese school was like.

LY: we started, I don't remember the exact time, but maybe around eight-thirty and we have an assembly out in the yard or if weather's bad then in the hall. And then all the teachers there and the principal is there and the announcement and then go to the classroom. And then as I was growing up we had two grades, two, not grades... two classrooms for each grade. So we had like about thirty in each class. So, it was quite interesting. And then anyway what I really, I remember is at the time that I was there each year we have a field trip in April. And then I think we had one in the fall. Then October, we always have... undoukai means inter-colleague... anyway, you have a race between the grades. And all the family comes and watch, bring the lunch and they have a lunch together. And even the older people, grandparents, participate at one time, you know different time for different age group. Then of course children are most busiest participants on race or different things we did. And they usually have a red group and a white group. And then they have a little cotton ball that you make it with a string and then see which team has the most ball in a basket. It's almost like a basketball net, whatever it's called. And they have to put it in. And it, those days, they used a bamboo basket on each side. And then we have a dance, folk dance, performance for the audience to see. And children does most of the thing and then we race, then we get a certificate for first place, second, third. And they have pencils. It was fun 'cause we didn't have anything fancy. But and then they make osushi to bring to the, for the lunch.

And then, anyway, because those days we didn't have a individual family to go places our own. So it was school function. They took us to different cities and different places. As you get older you get farther away from home. And like high school, they have overnight. And that was most memorable events that I had. And then we also had a contest with music, singing contest as a group from each school. And represent and then we have a contest with the other elementary schools in other cities. And it was a lot of fun. And then also had a contest for abacus, soroban, you know, you figure out? And then it started with fifth level, no, no, sixth, sorry, sixth level, fifth, and as you get down lower it's faster and then you have to be really fast. And that was a very memorable thing that I remember. And then when I was in fifth grade I did a sixth. And then sixth grade, fifth. And then I had to come back so and some of my classmate, if you go up to third level then you'll be able to work in a bank. And then working in a bank is different from here. It's a very honorable position. So I said, "Oh, I want to be real good at it." And then everyday we have to walk to school, rain or shine.

RP: How far was it?

LY: How far was it, Francis? Maybe --

RP: A mile?

LY: -- half an hour. I don't know the mileage while we walked. Especially when we had a flood, we had to walk. And anyway, and getting back to schedule, you said, what was the school's schedule like? Then we had a, you know, I don't remember the exact order but we had a kokugo, reading, and then writing. We have science, and then we have a special teacher for club, like cooking, a lady who taught us. And then one teacher teaches all the subject, just like here, except the special thing. Music we had a special teacher. And then cooking and P.E. was the regular teacher, taught us P.E. But a very competitive and every day we have to do the exercises as a group when we were in school. That's the time that we assemble. So very, what do you call, athletic...

RP: Athletic?

LY: Uh-huh. Nowadays they have a swimming pool in school and then they have more clubs. But at the time that we were growing up... oh yes, I remember, even we have a spring vacation or winter vacation, we always had a, assignments. Reading, math, science. And like summertime, about July, last week of July 'til end of August, we always have exercises, we have to go meet at somebody's house and the radio is on and everybody does it together. And if you attend they give you a little card and they stamp for you that you were there. And then we have a summer project, like a science, we have to do special project. Depends on the grade level.

RP: So try to --

LY: Keep you busy.

RP: -- keep you engaged in activities and so your brain doesn't get too mushy.

LY: So even winter vacation. So, you know, here, no school work. But there, every day. And then we, we're still going school on Saturdays for half a day. Now, they changed. Nowadays it's almost like here. So, before, for a long, long time they were going school on Saturdays, every Saturday.

RP: Did you have a favorite subject in school?

LY: Pardon me?

RP: Did you have a favorite subject in school?

LY: Oh, I liked science. What else? Science... arts and craft. But I didn't like drawing. I couldn't draw. My mom, mother and my sisters and rest of the family, I think they were very artistic except me. Just dislike. And then in Japan they go to field trip and then they go painting. You sit down and you have watercolor. And you have to paint the scenery or something and I just dread it. But I could cut things and make things but I just didn't have any talent on the drawing. But I liked the singing and...

RP: Were there clubs to join in school?

LY: Were there like... well I was sixth grade... we didn't, it was all done in what do you call, in school hour. It was not like a special day that we have certain activity. So, I remember that I was doing the abacus.

RP: Did your family have any type of a social life at all? Did you...

LY: Only place we went was church on Sunday. And we had to take a bus or ride a bicycle. And then we only had I think two bicycles, or was it one? And Frances always took us. If we had to ride on the, say like they have a strike on the bus, so we get on back of his bike. 'Cause we didn't have our own. So maybe we have two bicycle in the house, but I can't remember.

RP: So automobiles at that time were a real luxury item?

LY: No, no... so later on when I was coming to U.S. they started to have, no... that was my high school age year, so... until, really bus, for area that we lived, that's it. Or bicycle. Or walk. So, in a way it was good 'cause we walked every day. So it was very nice. We didn't mind. Except that when we were walking and as we were growing up and the wheat gets higher, or the rice field gets higher, and there was some stranger there and then we were scared. You know, might get kidnapped. So that was the only thing that sort of bothered me. I mean, we were scared 'cause we were still young. So we always walked together, whoever lived close to you. So it was very nice. And then, oh, you said social life? Sometimes they have a movie. So we go to school at nighttime and we take a little hibachi because that was the only means of keeping us half warm. And then what else? We just...

RP: What type of movies did you watch?

LY: Pardon?

RP: What type of movies did they show?

LY: Oh, I don't know, tell you the truth, because I never really care about the movie. Only thing that I remember is when we see very popular, what do you call, sentimental movie, that kind of thing that I liked. But I never, I mean, I never somehow don't really care about any other movie. So...

RP: Were they, were they some of them American movies that had subtitles or samurai movies?

LY: I'm sorry, I don't even recall. Because when I go in and see a movie, a lot of time I'm sleeping. I fell asleep. [Laughs] I wish I can help... maybe Francis knows. And my sister, who was right above me, fourteen month older, she loved the movies, she loved to read. So, but you know, she is not here so, I'm sorry that I don't have an answer to that.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 2009 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.