<Begin Segment 6>

TI: Going back to your father first, how would you describe him, his personality?

RS: Oh, he was a quiet person. You know, he hardly says anything. If there's something he... if it was just him and Mom, they just wouldn't talk. But he was good to us, to the kids.

TI: And why do you say that? What did he do that makes you feel like he was really good to you?

RS: Well, he was... you know how in some situations where there, how they abused their kids, you know. But that's one thing my dad never did. He took good care of us, made sure that we ate, we didn't have lot of the luxuries like the others. But I think that was the most important thing.

TI: And so when he was around you and your brothers, you mentioned how he took care of you. Was he more of a gentle man or was he more stern, or how would you describe his kind of demeanor?

RS: Well, he was... I think he more or less left the disciplining up to my mother, but he was, but he always... I can always remember, he always treated us good.

TI: And how about his friends? Did he do things with friends?

RS: Well, not really. We more or less, I think, kept to ourselves, them years.

TI: So let's talk a little bit about your mother, how would you describe your mother?

RS: Oh, she was a smart person. When I used to... besides all that work that I had to do, like if I'm going to, if I had a problem in math, especially in math, Mom would be out in the field and I would run out there and have her help me in math before I catch that bus. And she was very good in math. And so I would have to explain my math problem, and then she would help me.

TI: And so do you know what kind of schooling your mother had back in Japan?

RS: I think just regular, what they all go through. I think they came up okay while in Japan, growing up.

TI: And were there any times, being the only daughter growing up, did your mom treat you differently than she did the boys?

RS: No, not really.

TI: Were there ever times when she talked to you, "So, Ruth, because you're the daughter, you have to take care of the..."

RS: So you have to do this, don't do that. Oh, yeah.

TI: And so what were some of the things that you remember?

RS: Well, like... see, we didn't have running water. We had pump, so here I am pumping water so my brother can carry that bucket of water wherever they have to do, like feed the chicken or whatever, or out in the garden. But would they pump the, for the water, no, that was my job.

TI: And you mentioned your mother was more the disciplinarian. So how would she discipline you and the others?

RS: That's why that, you know, that's one of the things you don't... that's where I think I blocked things out. And all I, to me, I'm always thinking I want to, I never want to have any bad feelings about my parents, I just want to remember the good things, and I think that's why a lot of this I just block it out. Does that make sense?

TI: Yeah, that makes sense. I'm curious, I usually don't ask this question but I'm curious, just because of your mother-daughter relationship. How did people talk about things like sex and things like that? Did they ever talk about that?

RS: No.

TI: So that was something that was kind of left to the schools to do that?

RS: Yeah.

TI: And how did the schools talk about that? Do you remember when they did that?

RS: Well, that'll be in your health class, you know. But I don't know.

TI: How about boys? Did she ever talk to you about boys?

RS: Uh-uh, no. I guess you just have to use your common sense. [Laughs]

TI: Yeah. No, I was curious about that.

RS: I never had boyfriends anyway.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.