<Begin Segment 6>

AC: So tell me about a typical day at Chapman. I mean, what time would you get up in the morning?

JT: Oh, geez, I don't remember that, none at all, Alton.

AC: Do you remember what kind of, did you have a favorite subject?

JT: I think math, arithmetic.

AC: What about lunchtime? Did you eat the school lunch or bring your own lunch?

JT: God, that I don't remember either. Lot of "I don't remembers."

AC: [Laughs] Did you have any nicknames at school?

JT: No, not there. Not when I was young.

AC: Were there any other Nisei or Japanese?

JT: I don't think so, I (didn't) see any in the area that I... I'm sure there were, but not that I was aware of.

AC: In your class. So you were the only Japanese American in your class?

JT: That's what I think I was.

AC: The rest of them were all Caucasian?

JT: Caucasian.

AC: From the... any particular ethnicity or they were all mixed?

JT: I think it was all mixed.

AC: How did you get along with your classmates?

JT: I think good. I think I always got along fine with classmates.

AC: Did you ever go to any Japanese language school?

JT: No. I wished I had.

AC: Why is that?

JT: I can't speak of, speak anything right now, Japanese.

AC: But at the time, did you feel that you were missing anything?

JT: No. Just probably glad that I didn't have to go.

AC: Why is that?

JT: Well, we had, you commit your time to school again.

AC: So you don't... did you feel that you were even part of the Japanese community in Portland?

JT: No. Seemed like we were... no, I didn't feel like we were incorporated into the Japanese community.

AC: And did you feel that, did you have any feelings toward that at all?

JT: Not at all.

AC: So did you learn much about Japanese culture only from your family?

JT: That would be right, that I don't remember much about.

AC: Did your parents talk very much about Japanese culture or their relationship with the community at all?

JT: No.

AC: So in your case, you were pretty much the all-American kid.

JT: I don't know if I... I don't know.

AC: What about... now, how was home life, do you remember if there was any difference in home life between the times you were living in Hillsboro, the time that you moved to Montgomery Park?

JT: No, I don't remember any really family time, you know. It seemed like Mom was working, and I don't know, there were dinner times I don't remember. I'm sure we had dinner time sitting down at the table, but I don't remember those things.

AC: Do you remember having to do any chores around the house?

JT: Not at that age yet. That's coming. [Laughs]

AC: Okay, okay.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2013 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.