<Begin Segment 7>

BH: So eventually the war came to an end. What was the general mood in camp when people learned that the war was over?

AA: Oh, I'm sure they were happy to go back to their home. Of course, a lot of 'em probably didn't know where they were gonna go, like I really was surprised. I think, when I think about it, my dad made a trip outside. He got permission to go outside, and came back to Portland and met with one of the gentlemen that lived in our old hotel. And he helped him find, lease this new apartment house that we came back to. And the funny thing is, it used to belong to Hongos. They were the previous owners of this apartment, and so that's where we ended up.

BH: So you weren't able to go back to the Kamm (Apartment)?

AA: No, no. In fact, it wasn't even there. I think they tore it down for a parking lot.

BH: So what happened to all of your belongings? I know your dad had some beautiful antiques.

AA: I don't know. They were all gone. So I don't know what they did with it.

BH: So then your, when your family --

AA: We had to start all over again.

BH: Yeah, you had to start all over again, your family went to a different hotel. Where was that one located?

AA: This was on First and Columbia. And we found out that Hongos used to own that apartment. And the first thing I remember when we got there in a taxicab is the aroma, because Boyd's Coffee was right next door. That's where they ground their coffee. So you get this whiff of coffee, and it smelled so good. And until, I can't remember when they moved, but they were there for quite a while.

BH: Compare the Kamm Hotel to the new hotel. What was it called?

AA: St. George's, it was called St. George's, and it was... let's see. This one had two stories that I remember. It was altogether different. It was smaller, much smaller, (there) wasn't that many rooms. But nevertheless, worked for my mom. She still had to clean the rooms. But we had Japanese tenants live there, too. The Matsuda family moved in there for a while.

BH: And were there other Japanese families who lived in the area?

AA: Oh, there was a Japanese hotel almost all the way down First Avenue. And even down, across the street was the Minamotos, and, let's see... and down on Front Avenue the Hachiyas were down there. So there were Japanese all around us. Yeah, Iwamotos eventually.

BH: Hobaras.

AA: Hobaras. They were Japanese all around. And it was kind of comfortable. Onishis, I think, was over on one side, too.

BH: So this was a little ways away from Couch school. Where did you end up going to school?

AA: Then I ended up at Shattuck school, which was quite a walk. But it was, I finished my eighth grade there.

BH: And what was the reaction all of a sudden when all these Japanese families came back and were attending school?

AA: Oh, integrated? Well, someone told me afterwards, I couldn't... I never understood that the children were very good to us. I mean, they never asked questions, and they just accepted us. And someone said that they were told that Japanese children would be moving back and attending school again. And so I don't know if that was why, but Alice Kida and I, Alice and Jean Kida, we all went to Shattuck school, my sister too. And we didn't have any, any problem. They didn't torture, I mean, you know, didn't say anything.

BH: No issues of prejudice or discrimination among the kids or the teachers?

AA: Teachers.

BH: And then you went to Lincoln High School.

AA: Then I went to high school.

BH: And that was a pretty cosmopolitan school.

AA: Yes, there were lots of Japanese and Chinese. Actually, our friends that... well we had our Japanese friends there, the Kidas. But we ran around a lot with the Chinese, and we got along very well.

BH: When you returned from camp, did you return to the Buddhist, Oregon Buddhist Church?

AA: Oh, yes. Well, when we got there, they had to open it up. And so I can't remember, there was one Sensei that came, but it didn't start up right away. It took a little while to get it going.

BH: Now, when you were in, those years you were at Minidoka, were there any church activities there?

AA: Yes, we did have church. It was very interesting because all the Buddhist churches, the Nichiren, Heishoji and our temple, they all got together and we had, we would take turns, the minister would take turns having service. So we just all went, you know. Because basically the teaching is of Buddhist teaching. It worked out really good.

BH: And after returning to Portland after the war, did you go back to Japanese school?

AA: No, there was no Japanese school.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.