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Dr. Mae Takahashi & Mr. Yoshito Takahashi

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Dr. Mae Takahashi & Mr. Yoshito Takahashi

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DR. MAE TAKAHASHI AND MR. YOSHITO TAKAHASHI
MRS. HASEGAWA: Today is August 9, 1980. I, Helen Hasegawa, am privileged to be in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yoshito Takahashi at 6824 North Clovis Avenue, Clovis, Calfornia, 93612 to interview Dr. Mae Takahashi and Mr. Yoshito Takahashi, both members of the Yoshibei Takahashi family.
Before we get into the interview proper, I would like to have each of you give your full name, date and place of birth, and place of longest residence. Dr. Mae, would you like to begin?
DR. TAKAHASHI: My name is Toyoko Mae Takahashi. I was born in Clovis, California on May 6, 1935, and I have lived in this area (Fresno-Clovis) for 40 years with the exception of four years internment. My present address is 6161 North Ninth Street, Fresno, California, 93710.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Mr. Yoshito, would you please give us your full name,date and place of birth, et cetera?
MR. TAKAHASHI: My name is Yoshito Takahashi. I was born on June 16, 1920, in Clovis, California. I am 60 years of age and have lived in Clovis all of my life except for four years which were spent at the relocation center in Poston, Arizona during World War II. My address is 6824 North Clovis Avenue, Clovis, Calfornia, 93612.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Would one of you give a little background about your parents?
MR. TAKAHASHI:, My father Yoshibei Takahashi was born on March 1, 1881, in Hiroshima-ken, Koyomachi, Japan. He was admitted into the United States as an immgrant on June 1, 1900, and arrived in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 18. He traveled on the English flagship, "Grenoble." Initially, he worked with the railroads near Pocatello, Idaho for about one year, then moved to Sacramento, worked there for about two years, and then came to Clovis where he settled and raised his family. My mother Shizuyo Takahashi was born on December 1, 1893, in Hiroshima-ken, Koyomachi, Japan. Her maiden name was Hiramoto. My mother arrived in the United States when she was 18 years old.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Was your mother married to your father in Japan?
MR. TAKAHASHI: They were married in the United States.
MRS. HASEGAWA: You mentioned your father worked in Sacramento before making his home in Clovis. Would you tell us what he was doing in the Sacramento-Lodi area?
MR. TAKAHASHI: He worked at a dairy and at an orchard farm.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And what type of work did he do in Clovis?
MR. TAKAHASHI: He worked on a farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. The Johnsons were originally from Minnesota and came to California to set up an insurance business. The Johnsons, busy with their insurance business, needed someone to help run the ranch. Mr. Johnson liked and trusted my father, so he made him the foreman.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I would like to ask Mae about the family itself. Your mother came to the United States at the age of 18. Was this an arranged marriage?
DR. TAKAHASHI: It was pre-arranged, like in Japan. I don't think they knew each other. I think they knew of each other, but I don't believe they grew up together because they are about 12 to 15 years apart. So, when she was 18, Dad was about 32.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Maybe the families knew of each other?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, they were from the same village.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did your father go to meet her in San Francisco?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, my mother arrived in San Francisco.
MRS. HASEGAWA: By that time your father was working here in Clovis?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, he was the foreman of the ranch when she arrived.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And do you know what kind of living conditions she found here when she arrived?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Living conditions were mostly like barracks--camp barracks--a boardinghouse. The workers would live in one area and just have a bunk bed. Then my mom did the cooking for the men and my dad supervised the men, so her responsibility was to cook for the workers.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How many workers were there?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Oh, my mother said about 30. They would harvest grapes, prune, and do other farm work. When they were through, they would go to other farm areas to work and then return.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Twenty-five, 30 single men--they were all Japanese?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, all Japanese, and they would work for various farmers in Clovis, then move south toward Sanger, Reedley, and Parlier.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Would you like to tell us the children's names as they came along?
DR. TAKAHASHI: She had 10 children, two died at child-birth, so there are six sisters and two brothers. My older sister Sue, or Suzumi Okada, and her husband had a nursery business prior to the war. It was a large business, and they lost everything. It took them 20 years to get back to where they were. Her husband has passed away, but she has continued the business.
Ida, or Hisako, is the second child. Her married name is Imai. Her husband Harry Imai had a farm in Long Beach. Then the war came along, and they lost the farm. They went to Montana during the war after a few months of internment, and there they worked in sugar beets. They came back to the Los Angeles area, and since they had lost all of their property, he started working as a gardener which he hall done all this time. My sister works for an insurance company, and she supervises all the clerks. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he own the farm? Was there no way to regain it?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Long Beach was on the coast, so there was much pressure. They tried to save the tractors, cultivators, and other equipment by bringing them to Fresno. Then, they found out that Fresno was subject to relocation, too, so they sold all their farm equipment for practically nothing. Therefore, when they returned, they had nothing to farm with, so they went into gardening instead.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I just don't understand how so many people actually, completely lost everything, so they had nothing to come back to.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Well, I think at the time, the situation presented an atmosphere where people were afraid to take the initiative to help the Japanese, even if they were sympathetic to them, and the Japanese themselves did it out of fear. They did not know for sure where they would be evacuated to. At first, they were to evacuate only the Japanese living along the coast area, so some decided to come inland. But, that was not the case either, so during the transfer of moving, they lost a lot of property just by making the wrong decision. And there was no direction, people were not told exactly what was going to happen, so they had no knowledge of what would happen to them.
As for us, Mrs. Johnson took care of the ranch while we were gone. I think she faced a lot of duress and pressure, but, she was a prominent person in the community, so that is why she probably wasn't given strong negative pressure from the community. But, I am sure she had negative things said to and about her. So, I think she played a significant part in our existence today.
MRS. HASEGAWA: So many Japanese made fantastic recoveries, didn't they? Now we have covered two of your sisters, then Yoshito came along.
MR. TAKAHASHI: I graduated from Clovis High School in 1938 and immediately went into farming. When the war broke out, farming was terminated. I returned on May 7, 1945.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How did you find conditions here?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Well , being that Mrs. Johnson was a very prominent and respected person, and because she spoke nicely of us, we did not have major problems. But, frequently, in the Fresno Bee there were accounts of shootings in the Parlier-Reedley area. Night-riders you know—they would shoot into the homes of Japanese families from their
speeding cars. There were some incidents in Clovis, too, but we did not have anything like that happen to our family.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Oh, that's good! How many Japanese families came back early?
MR. TAKAHASHI: My wife's family. They returned in March of 1945. The reason was their house burned down--someone put it on fire.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Where was this house?
MR. TAKAHASHI: It was located on Armstrong Avenue, one-half mile south of Shaw Avenue.
MRS. HASEGAWA: By that time the government was allowing people to leave?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, if they had been cleared, they could leave. Most came back, however, after the war ended.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Yoshito, when did you get married?
MR. TAKAHASHI: I married Yoshiye in 1947.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you know her before the war. Were you in the same camp, too?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes. We were not only in the same camp at Poston, Arizona, but also the same block, too. Block 222.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Your next sister is Miki--Misako.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Her name is Takahashi. She married a Takahashi, no relative. They were married in camp, and now live in Gardena. Her husband Tom is a gardener.
MR. TAKAHASHI: Before the war, Tom was a farmer.
DR. TAKAHASHI: The next sister is Tomi--Tomiko Takahashi. She lives in Fresno and graduated from high school in camp and started nurse's training in camp at the hospital for a year. Then when we came hack to Clovis, she completed her undergraduate work in nursing at FSC, went to the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center Nursing School, then back to Fresno and started working as a Public Health Nurse at the Fresno County Health Department.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How wonderful!
MR. TAKAHASHI: Ted was born in 1928. He went into farming after being in the United States Armed Forces. Ted and I are presently farming together.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Sally--Sadako, is married to Tom Matsumoto. Tom is doing gardening and landscaping, and Sally works for a plastic company that manufactures parts for televisions. Then me, the baby of the family. There's a lot of good things about being the youngest in the family because you certainly have a lot of support. You take advantage of all that your sisters and brothers; have done to establish economic security for the family. So, I had it easier than the others. And Yo, my sister-in-law, was really helpful, too, in my growing up. She was a good influence on me because she was living with the family and played a major part in my growing up years. So, I had a lot of support, and so probably, if I achieved anything it is because of their help. I was able to attend the University of California, Berkeley campus, for undergraduate work and went to pharmacy school at the University of California, San Francisco, and then completed my BS in pharmacy. Then I went ahead to work for my doctorate in pharmacy, and I decided to come back to the Fresno-Clovis area to practice. I went into business with Dr. Mas Yamamoto in a small pharmacy in 1960. In 1968, Mas became director of Pharmaceutical Services at Valley Medical Center, so he sold his share of the business to me. I was the sole owner of that business for a year, then I took another partner Joyce Rosetta, a woman who is a non-pharmacist, but we have a gift shop, too, so our partnership has worked out real well. She takes care of gifts, cosmetics, that type of thing, and I take care of the pharmacy. For seven years we operated two stores in Fresno; on Cedar and Shields, and First and Bullard, both called Manor Drugs. Then in 1978, we sold the store at First and Bullard. I also do consultation for Hope Manor Convalescent and Clovis Memorial Hospital. Those are my other jobs.
MRS. HASEGAWA: What influenced you in choosing pharmacy as your career?
DR. TAKAHASHI: I like the sciences. Mas Yamamoto had an influence on me as far as choosing pharmacy as a career. I didn't want to be a doctor.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Were there very many women pharmacists when you entered school?
DR. TAKAHASHI: The percentage of women in pharmacy at that time was about 10 percent. University of California enrollment was limited to 80 students a year because of limited facilities. They couldn't handle more than 80. Now the percentage is about 50 percent. Even today, there are only about three women in Fresno who own their own pharmacy.
MRS. HASEGAWA: So, you are unique in that you not only are a woman in pharmacy, but you own your own business.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Which is good in a lot of ways and not so good in others. But, I think it's a good challenge for a woman to go into a profession and own her own business, if she desires that.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And, if she can handle both!
DR. TAKAHASHI: If they are motivated in those areas.
MRS. HASEGAWA: So, going back to your mother and father, their descendants now number how many?
DR. TAKAHASHI: 20 grandchildren, and three great—great grandchildren!
MRS, HASEGAWA: Yoshito, can you just give a little idea how farming practices as started by your father have changed to that of the present?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Farming today means that you must have more land and machinery. Mechanization is expensive. Farming is becoming more difficult for the small farmer, As for the concept of farming, it is not much different. It is all hard work and long hours and efficiency is important.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Have you noticed any changes in the treatment of Japanese people? Are we more appreciated?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I feel that the Japanese people have progressed very positively in our society and our communities, and I think that a major factor for that is that the Niseis have really proved themselves, and the Isseis have also, presented a good image to the non-Asian community. And I think that is why we are so respected today in our communities. I am not saying that everything is roses, because there are a lot of inequities in society, and if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, you can be a victim of circumstance and because of the nature of human beings what they are. But, I think, that a great percentage of our people are highly respected.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And I notice that both of you have been active in community affairs. Did your parents believe that you should participate in whatever the community wanted you to do, or offered; that you should try to be part of the action?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I think my father's training, his civic pride, helping people in the community; this made it possible for us to do the things that we have. When we take part in the community there is no hesitation. My dad was really community minded.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I noticed that you are on the hospital board, active in JACL at one time, and very active in the local community. Would you like to list some of the things you are active in?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Presently, I am Director of the Board of the Community Hospital. I have helped the Amateur Athletic Union, and served as president for the Central California Association of the AAU.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And you were named Clovis Citizen of the Year?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes. I participated in the Farm Bureau, Cancer Society, was a director of the Chamber of Commerce, the church, Betsuin, the Clovis Community Bank.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Oh, yes! The new bank!
MR. TAKAHASHI: I am one of the founders and directors Of the Clovis Community Bank.
MRS. HASEGAWA: My goodness, you are a busy person. And Dr. Mae, I know you are a member of Soroptomists.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I am, of the Soroptomist International of Fresno, Incorporated since 1964.
MRS. HASEGAWA: What are the requirements for becoming a member?
DR. TAKAHASHI: To become a member of the Soroptomist Club is by invitation only. Someone has to sponsor you, and you must hold an executive position; own your own business or be a professional. It is basically a service organization, the largest women's service organization in the world. It has over 60,000 members worldwide. Locally, our club started back in 1937.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Were you not a president?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I was president in 1969-70.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How many Japanese are there, or are you the only one?
DR. TAKAHASHI: No, there is Judy Masada, and we have about 50 active members right now. We try to service the needs of the community.
MRS. HASEGAWA: In what way?
DR. TAKAHASHI: We have our youth program. We have a re-entry program for women who are now just beginning to enter the work force, either because they lost their husband or because of economics whereby they must go to work, so, we have what we call a TAP Award--a training award for older women. Then we have youth citizenship programs, and we are involved with the elderly. And, once a year, we identify one big project and we raise money for it. The last two years we raised funds to build a pediatric playroom at the Valley Medical Center. We also give scholarships at Fresno City College for the nursing program. Nationally, the organization is a consultant to the United Nations for UNICEF program and UNESCO.
Since it is an international organization, we have clubs that belong to our federation in Japan, Philippines, and Korea. We started forming clubs in Japan in the 60's, and now they have over 90 clubs. So, it is very active and a very contemporary organization that tries to meet the immediate needs of the community, as well as long-term needs--the needs of advancing the status of women.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Do they hold conventions every year?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, we have a regional conference which is held annually, and that is in California. Then we have a national convention every two years, and that includes- Canada, United States, part of South America, Mexico, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. And this year at the National Convention in Denver in July, we had over 100 delegates from Japan participating. We had arranged for interpreters for those delegates, and what is so interesting about this organization as far as Japan is concerned, nationally we have set up an endowment fund of a million dollars, and the interest is used for scholarships and helping women in what they call "fellowships." Japan has donated or raised funds for this endowment fund--they're the highest! And it is just incredible how this small country, smaller than the size of California, this little country, has donated more than any region in the whole federation! And, last year, they donated about $26,000 to this fund, and our region here in California raised about $16,000.
MRS. HASEGAWA: You were the first president of the newly organized Asian-Pacific Women?
DR. TAKAHASHI: The Central Valley Asian Pacific Women's Organization was founded or formed in December 1979, its birth was given by a national project that was being funded by a Women's Educational Equity Act. The project is called the Asian-Pacific Women's Educational Fruity Project, and this project is for one year starting in August 1979, and it will end this August 1980. The purpose of this project was to bring together Asian-Pacific Women to form a network between those women to identify needs and goals for Asian- Pacific women. We have had a conference at USC. This project was to fund four conferences, one in California, Hawaii, New York, and Washington, D.C., which is being held August 14-18. Being involved with the project, we decided to form a local organization of Asian-Pacific Women. At that time, we felt we needed to have women acting as officers or chairperson of the organization on an interim basis. We established goals and had a growth in membership. I was asked to chair the position, and we have about 60 members at the present time. We have put on a fund-raising project back in May 1980'which was very successful, and the money will help send delegates to the Washington Conference because it is a four-day conference, and it would help defray the expenses of delegates.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And are you going?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, and Jeanette Ishii. We have 10 delegates. It has been made possible by the tremendous support that we have received through the fund-raising event, to total community, not just Asians, but non-Asians, too. Three Japanese and seven Chinese are going to the National Conference. We had a Filipino delegate and a Vietnamese delegate, but because of their work schedule, they" were not able to go. But we have a pretty good delegation. And, it is a very full agenda- -every day, meetings and workshops. But, I think that basically it's a good idea that Asian-Pacific women get together because when we formed this organization and started networking and talking to other Asians like Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, we had a lot of commonalities and our cultural background is similar, and we have found that it is easier to identify with their problems, especially for the recent arrivals like the Indo-Chinese refugees.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Are there any other organizations that you are connected with? How about your professional organizations?
DR. TAKAHASHI: I belong to the Fresno-Madera, California, and American Pharmacists' Associations. I also belong to the California Society of Hospital Pharmacists. I would like to get involved in more organizations, but because of my busy time schedule and priorities it is not feasible.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How about JACL or and Japanese organizations?
MR. TAKAHASHI: I have been president of the local chapter of the JACL two times and Clovis Community Organization a number of times, and this year I am serving on CCDC level as Membership Chairman of the One Thousand Club.
MRS. HASEGAWA; And Dr, Mae, do you belong to JACL?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Clovis JACL. I am a Thousand Club member.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Both of you certainly are actively involved in many organizations! Do you observe any Japanese customs to any great extent?
DR. TAKAHASHI: No, I don't think I do. We observe New Year's.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did your mother lead you in observing certain Japanese customs?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, memorial services.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Was your father ever able to go back to Japan?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Oh, yes, he made two trips to Japan. DR. TAKAHASHI: 1959 and 1961.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he go alone?
MR. TAKAHASHI: The first trip he went alone, and then the second time he went with my mother by jet. My sister Tomiko, the registered nurse, helped him.
DR. TAKAHASHI: He was sick already.
MR. TAKAHASHI: He knew he had cancer. My sister went with him, so he was able to go comfortably without worrying.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he have a special purpose in going?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Mostly to see friends and relatives.
DR. TAKAHASHI: They went to build a family shrine.
MRS. HASEGAWA: You mentioned a while ago, during our informal conversation, about your mother going to Hawaii to meet her relatives.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Last summer we took my mother to meet her sister and her youngest brother and her sister's daughter, and that was quite an experience to see them together. The sister that was visiting Hawaii was the third child. My mother was the oldest, she is almost 87.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did they reflect the modern times of Japan?
DR. TAKAHASHI: They were mostly reminiscing about the olden times. In fact, one day my mother and auntie spent the whole day in the hotel just talking--they wouldn't go anyplace. We went out to dinner with them a couple of nights and just observed my auntie's behavior and reactions to things. I found her more modern than my mother who lived here in the United States. Because my mother came here in 1914, much of the traditions and customs she knows of Japan date back to that period. Auntie, her sister, who lives in Japan-- it is more modern there now and more contemporary, so she has progressed with the change.
MRS. HASAGWA: That is very interesting! Is there anything you would like to add about social or economic changes that you may have observed in your local community? For one thing, Clovis has just really expanded, hasn't it? How big is it now?
DR. TAKAHASHI: 36,000 this last census. There are a lot of Japanese people who have moved into this area, too, recently.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Do you remember at the time of evacuation, we came to Clovis and were lined up along the railroad tracks somewhere here waiting to board the train for camp, and there was a group of Clovis women who served punch or tea or something?
MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, that was the Clovis Women's Club. What they did, if you did not have transportation to the place of departure at the park, you would let them know, and they would come after the family. And they served cookies and refreshments. That was the time we left Clovis. We saw these people, too. Probably one of the very few places that had a friendly "send-off" during the war. That took a lot of courage.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I think it shows how well they thought of the Japanese people to do something like that. Have you observed any changes that might be social or economic, Mae?
DR. TAKAHASHI: I think there has been a tremendous changeas far as social and economic change in this community. The Japanese people have definitely come a long way socially and economically. You can dwell on past history as far as internment, as far as bitter feelings are concerned at that time, but it doesn't help to retain that embittered feeling. You are just going to have to learn to look ahead, and I think that is what the Nisei have done. That is why they are so successful in what they are doing today. They didn't sit back and feel sorry for themselves. They went ahead and did what they had to do, and it is a tremendous tribute what they have done.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I think that is one tremendous legacy the Issei left by Example to their children. They came with nothing, not even the ability to speak the language, but by sheer hard work, they lifted us up from that situation. Then, too, they stressed upon their children the importance of living an exemplary life--never to do anything that would bring shame to the family which in turn reflected on the whole race. What a responsibility!
DR. TAKAHASHI: I have heard two different viewpoints on that. One is that it demands a lot of the young people today to expect them to follow that same straight line, because there are so many more pressures today in our society. And, then to have them wrestle with that one other pressure of living up to the guidelines of what makes a good Japanese. But, I think it is important that we keep that because if you do your children will maintain a sense of values.
Another thing they argue about is that Japanese children are under a lot of pressure, because they have the image of being overachievers from their teachers. And the teachers in the educational system, when they see a Japanese name or a Japanese student in the class, they expect that child will be an "A" student because of past exposure.
MRS. HASEGAWA: I guess we must remember that we have all levels of ability no matter what the racial group and culture. Have either of you been to Japan?
DR. TAKAHASHI: In 1961, and then in 1965. My niece was teaching school in Tokyo, Japan to military (United States) dependent's children, so I went to meet her there. I went on a tour for the first two weeks, then I spent the rest of the time with my niece. We traveled to Hiroshima to visit my mother's brother, arid the place where she was born. And we also went to visit my father's only brother. At that time he was already retired.
MRS. HASEGAWA: How did you like Japan?
DR. TAKAHASHI: I liked it. It is a beautiful country. It gives you a sense of real identification. Especially when we went to where my father was born, and we went to see the shrine on the hill where my mother and father have built this headstone for the family graveyard. My father's brother took my niece and me in a taxi to my mother's brother's place. It was getting to be dark, and it was quite an experience because he would walk in front, just like in olden days, and we were walking in our high heels on this dirt path, and we had to cross a little stream and climb up this hill to the house. It was October and cold already. My niece Judy and I had dinner with my uncle and his family, and we were both just freezing. It was so cold in the house that they asked us if we wanted to take a bath to warm up.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you understand your uncle's Japanese?
DR. TAKAHASHI: You can understand. They use the same Hiroshima-ken language, so you pick up things. And Judy was pretty well versed in Japanese, too, by then.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you go to Japanese school here in the United States?
DR. TAKAHASHI: No, I did not, but I learned from my mother. I was going to start Japanese school, but then the war broke out. How many years did they have Japanese school here before the war, Yo?
MR. TAKAHASHI: The teacher was a male teacher. He was a secretary at the Buddhist Church and part-time schoolteacher. I graduated from Japanese school--went eight years on Saturdays. So, we must have had it about 10 years before the war.
DR. TAKAHASHI: Isn't that incredible that they would establish a school for the children to learn the language. That is another incredible thing about the Isseis to do this kind of thing so that their children will have an education-- whether it is their own culture, Japanese language, and send them to English schools, to public schools--and today we have bilingual education! They just had a lot of foresight!
MRS. HASEGAWA: Is there any other information you would like to add or discuss; especially before World War II? Or would you like to say anything in closing?
DR. TAKAHASHI: Well, I feel that the Japanese people in the valley have contributed a lot to the history of this valley. Both men and women should go into history as one of the race of people who helped to develop this valley.
MRS. HASEGAWA: That is why this project is collecting these histories, to record these contributions.
DR. TAKAHASHI: You have an area in this valley that is the richest agricultural area in the world, and Isseis have been a part of it, in developing this area. And that is one monumental achievement when you think of it in an international scale, when it is considered the richest agricultural area in the world!
MR. TAKAHASHI: Because of our history of the Japanese people, the honesty and hard work, it was possible for me to serve the organizations in the community that I belong to today.
DR. TAKAHASHI: The image that they have created as a group of people.
MR. TAKAHASHI: When I was inducted into the Clovis Hall of Fame, it was because of what the Japanese people as a group have done.
MRS. HASEGAWA: That is very generous of you to feel that way, but it still depends on the individual to step forward and say, "Here is an opportunity for me to help my community." A whole group of people could have laid a foundation, but if no one in that group felt like saying, "Here is a special place where I can lend a hand," then we stay as a group. We are fortunate to have individuals to lead the way, like you--and you, Mae and Yoshito-san!
DR. TAKAHASHI: And Yoshino! Yoshino has done a tremendous job with this project. With her talent and her knowledge and ability, it has been just wonderful. Through all her different activities and programs, she has still stimulated a tremendous response from the community.
MRS. HASEGAWA: Well, she had this innate ability, but it was buried during years of homemaking and bringing up her children. When her last child was old enough, a senior in high school, she took advantage of that and went on with her schooling and accomplished her goals by finishing her college degrees. When this opportunity through the National Endowment for the Humanities came, she grasped it!
DR. TAKAHASHI: This project, under her direction, has been just terrific! It has been a lot of work for her, I know, very time consuming.
MRS. HASEGAWA: And she has been most gracious to everyone who has been willing to work, to help, to volunteer, and to participate on panels, as you did, Mae. She has done a wonderful job!
DR. TAKAHASHI: She is a super lady!
MRS. HASEGAWA: Thank you both so very, very much for giving me so much of your busy, busy schedule.
DR. AND MR. TAKAHASHI: Thank you!

Description

Local ID	FCPL Takahashi, Dr Mae and Mr Yoshito
Project ID	csufr_stp_0074
Title	Dr. Mae Takahashi & Mr. Yoshito Takahashi
Creator	Takahashi, Dr. Mae: interviewee, Takahashi, Yoshito: interviewee
Date Created	1980-09-08
Location	Clovis, California
Facility	Incarceration Camps--Poston (Colorado River),
Subjects	Reflections on the past, Immigration and citizenship--Arrival, Industry and employment--Railroad, Immigration and citizenship--Picture brides, Industry and employment--Agriculture, World War II--Economic Losses, World War II--Support from the non-Japanese American community, Education--Secondary education, Race and racism--Violence, Industry and employment--Medicine, Education--Higher education, Identity and values--Nisei, Identity and values--Issei, Community activities--Associations and organizations--Japanese American Citizens League, Japan--Post-World War II, Education--Japanese language schools,
Type	Text
Genre	Oral histories
Language	eng
Source Description	15 pages, 21.5 cm x 28 cm
Collection	Success Through Perseverance
Collection Description	A Japanese American oral history project undertaken in 1979-1980, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and archived at the Fresno County Public Library
Project Name	California State University Japanese American Digitization Project
Rights	Copyright has not been transferred to California State University, Fresno.
Transcript	DR. MAE TAKAHASHI AND MR. YOSHITO TAKAHASHI MRS. HASEGAWA: Today is August 9, 1980. I, Helen Hasegawa, am privileged to be in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yoshito Takahashi at 6824 North Clovis Avenue, Clovis, Calfornia, 93612 to interview Dr. Mae Takahashi and Mr. Yoshito Takahashi, both members of the Yoshibei Takahashi family. Before we get into the interview proper, I would like to have each of you give your full name, date and place of birth, and place of longest residence. Dr. Mae, would you like to begin? DR. TAKAHASHI: My name is Toyoko Mae Takahashi. I was born in Clovis, California on May 6, 1935, and I have lived in this area (Fresno-Clovis) for 40 years with the exception of four years internment. My present address is 6161 North Ninth Street, Fresno, California, 93710. MRS. HASEGAWA: Mr. Yoshito, would you please give us your full name,date and place of birth, et cetera? MR. TAKAHASHI: My name is Yoshito Takahashi. I was born on June 16, 1920, in Clovis, California. I am 60 years of age and have lived in Clovis all of my life except for four years which were spent at the relocation center in Poston, Arizona during World War II. My address is 6824 North Clovis Avenue, Clovis, Calfornia, 93612. MRS. HASEGAWA: Would one of you give a little background about your parents? MR. TAKAHASHI:, My father Yoshibei Takahashi was born on March 1, 1881, in Hiroshima-ken, Koyomachi, Japan. He was admitted into the United States as an immgrant on June 1, 1900, and arrived in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 18. He traveled on the English flagship, "Grenoble." Initially, he worked with the railroads near Pocatello, Idaho for about one year, then moved to Sacramento, worked there for about two years, and then came to Clovis where he settled and raised his family. My mother Shizuyo Takahashi was born on December 1, 1893, in Hiroshima-ken, Koyomachi, Japan. Her maiden name was Hiramoto. My mother arrived in the United States when she was 18 years old. MRS. HASEGAWA: Was your mother married to your father in Japan? MR. TAKAHASHI: They were married in the United States. MRS. HASEGAWA: You mentioned your father worked in Sacramento before making his home in Clovis. Would you tell us what he was doing in the Sacramento-Lodi area? MR. TAKAHASHI: He worked at a dairy and at an orchard farm. MRS. HASEGAWA: And what type of work did he do in Clovis? MR. TAKAHASHI: He worked on a farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. The Johnsons were originally from Minnesota and came to California to set up an insurance business. The Johnsons, busy with their insurance business, needed someone to help run the ranch. Mr. Johnson liked and trusted my father, so he made him the foreman. MRS. HASEGAWA: I would like to ask Mae about the family itself. Your mother came to the United States at the age of 18. Was this an arranged marriage? DR. TAKAHASHI: It was pre-arranged, like in Japan. I don't think they knew each other. I think they knew of each other, but I don't believe they grew up together because they are about 12 to 15 years apart. So, when she was 18, Dad was about 32. MRS. HASEGAWA: Maybe the families knew of each other? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, they were from the same village. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did your father go to meet her in San Francisco? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, my mother arrived in San Francisco. MRS. HASEGAWA: By that time your father was working here in Clovis? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, he was the foreman of the ranch when she arrived. MRS. HASEGAWA: And do you know what kind of living conditions she found here when she arrived? DR. TAKAHASHI: Living conditions were mostly like barracks--camp barracks--a boardinghouse. The workers would live in one area and just have a bunk bed. Then my mom did the cooking for the men and my dad supervised the men, so her responsibility was to cook for the workers. MRS. HASEGAWA: How many workers were there? MR. TAKAHASHI: Oh, my mother said about 30. They would harvest grapes, prune, and do other farm work. When they were through, they would go to other farm areas to work and then return. MRS. HASEGAWA: Twenty-five, 30 single men--they were all Japanese? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, all Japanese, and they would work for various farmers in Clovis, then move south toward Sanger, Reedley, and Parlier. MRS. HASEGAWA: Would you like to tell us the children's names as they came along? DR. TAKAHASHI: She had 10 children, two died at child-birth, so there are six sisters and two brothers. My older sister Sue, or Suzumi Okada, and her husband had a nursery business prior to the war. It was a large business, and they lost everything. It took them 20 years to get back to where they were. Her husband has passed away, but she has continued the business. Ida, or Hisako, is the second child. Her married name is Imai. Her husband Harry Imai had a farm in Long Beach. Then the war came along, and they lost the farm. They went to Montana during the war after a few months of internment, and there they worked in sugar beets. They came back to the Los Angeles area, and since they had lost all of their property, he started working as a gardener which he hall done all this time. My sister works for an insurance company, and she supervises all the clerks. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he own the farm? Was there no way to regain it? MR. TAKAHASHI: Long Beach was on the coast, so there was much pressure. They tried to save the tractors, cultivators, and other equipment by bringing them to Fresno. Then, they found out that Fresno was subject to relocation, too, so they sold all their farm equipment for practically nothing. Therefore, when they returned, they had nothing to farm with, so they went into gardening instead. MRS. HASEGAWA: I just don't understand how so many people actually, completely lost everything, so they had nothing to come back to. DR. TAKAHASHI: Well, I think at the time, the situation presented an atmosphere where people were afraid to take the initiative to help the Japanese, even if they were sympathetic to them, and the Japanese themselves did it out of fear. They did not know for sure where they would be evacuated to. At first, they were to evacuate only the Japanese living along the coast area, so some decided to come inland. But, that was not the case either, so during the transfer of moving, they lost a lot of property just by making the wrong decision. And there was no direction, people were not told exactly what was going to happen, so they had no knowledge of what would happen to them. As for us, Mrs. Johnson took care of the ranch while we were gone. I think she faced a lot of duress and pressure, but, she was a prominent person in the community, so that is why she probably wasn't given strong negative pressure from the community. But, I am sure she had negative things said to and about her. So, I think she played a significant part in our existence today. MRS. HASEGAWA: So many Japanese made fantastic recoveries, didn't they? Now we have covered two of your sisters, then Yoshito came along. MR. TAKAHASHI: I graduated from Clovis High School in 1938 and immediately went into farming. When the war broke out, farming was terminated. I returned on May 7, 1945. MRS. HASEGAWA: How did you find conditions here? MR. TAKAHASHI: Well , being that Mrs. Johnson was a very prominent and respected person, and because she spoke nicely of us, we did not have major problems. But, frequently, in the Fresno Bee there were accounts of shootings in the Parlier-Reedley area. Night-riders you know—they would shoot into the homes of Japanese families from their speeding cars. There were some incidents in Clovis, too, but we did not have anything like that happen to our family. MRS. HASEGAWA: Oh, that's good! How many Japanese families came back early? MR. TAKAHASHI: My wife's family. They returned in March of 1945. The reason was their house burned down--someone put it on fire. MRS. HASEGAWA: Where was this house? MR. TAKAHASHI: It was located on Armstrong Avenue, one-half mile south of Shaw Avenue. MRS. HASEGAWA: By that time the government was allowing people to leave? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, if they had been cleared, they could leave. Most came back, however, after the war ended. MRS. HASEGAWA: Yoshito, when did you get married? MR. TAKAHASHI: I married Yoshiye in 1947. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you know her before the war. Were you in the same camp, too? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes. We were not only in the same camp at Poston, Arizona, but also the same block, too. Block 222. MRS. HASEGAWA: Your next sister is Miki--Misako. DR. TAKAHASHI: Her name is Takahashi. She married a Takahashi, no relative. They were married in camp, and now live in Gardena. Her husband Tom is a gardener. MR. TAKAHASHI: Before the war, Tom was a farmer. DR. TAKAHASHI: The next sister is Tomi--Tomiko Takahashi. She lives in Fresno and graduated from high school in camp and started nurse's training in camp at the hospital for a year. Then when we came hack to Clovis, she completed her undergraduate work in nursing at FSC, went to the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center Nursing School, then back to Fresno and started working as a Public Health Nurse at the Fresno County Health Department. MRS. HASEGAWA: How wonderful! MR. TAKAHASHI: Ted was born in 1928. He went into farming after being in the United States Armed Forces. Ted and I are presently farming together. DR. TAKAHASHI: Sally--Sadako, is married to Tom Matsumoto. Tom is doing gardening and landscaping, and Sally works for a plastic company that manufactures parts for televisions. Then me, the baby of the family. There's a lot of good things about being the youngest in the family because you certainly have a lot of support. You take advantage of all that your sisters and brothers; have done to establish economic security for the family. So, I had it easier than the others. And Yo, my sister-in-law, was really helpful, too, in my growing up. She was a good influence on me because she was living with the family and played a major part in my growing up years. So, I had a lot of support, and so probably, if I achieved anything it is because of their help. I was able to attend the University of California, Berkeley campus, for undergraduate work and went to pharmacy school at the University of California, San Francisco, and then completed my BS in pharmacy. Then I went ahead to work for my doctorate in pharmacy, and I decided to come back to the Fresno-Clovis area to practice. I went into business with Dr. Mas Yamamoto in a small pharmacy in 1960. In 1968, Mas became director of Pharmaceutical Services at Valley Medical Center, so he sold his share of the business to me. I was the sole owner of that business for a year, then I took another partner Joyce Rosetta, a woman who is a non-pharmacist, but we have a gift shop, too, so our partnership has worked out real well. She takes care of gifts, cosmetics, that type of thing, and I take care of the pharmacy. For seven years we operated two stores in Fresno; on Cedar and Shields, and First and Bullard, both called Manor Drugs. Then in 1978, we sold the store at First and Bullard. I also do consultation for Hope Manor Convalescent and Clovis Memorial Hospital. Those are my other jobs. MRS. HASEGAWA: What influenced you in choosing pharmacy as your career? DR. TAKAHASHI: I like the sciences. Mas Yamamoto had an influence on me as far as choosing pharmacy as a career. I didn't want to be a doctor. MRS. HASEGAWA: Were there very many women pharmacists when you entered school? DR. TAKAHASHI: The percentage of women in pharmacy at that time was about 10 percent. University of California enrollment was limited to 80 students a year because of limited facilities. They couldn't handle more than 80. Now the percentage is about 50 percent. Even today, there are only about three women in Fresno who own their own pharmacy. MRS. HASEGAWA: So, you are unique in that you not only are a woman in pharmacy, but you own your own business. DR. TAKAHASHI: Which is good in a lot of ways and not so good in others. But, I think it's a good challenge for a woman to go into a profession and own her own business, if she desires that. MRS. HASEGAWA: And, if she can handle both! DR. TAKAHASHI: If they are motivated in those areas. MRS. HASEGAWA: So, going back to your mother and father, their descendants now number how many? DR. TAKAHASHI: 20 grandchildren, and three great—great grandchildren! MRS, HASEGAWA: Yoshito, can you just give a little idea how farming practices as started by your father have changed to that of the present? MR. TAKAHASHI: Farming today means that you must have more land and machinery. Mechanization is expensive. Farming is becoming more difficult for the small farmer, As for the concept of farming, it is not much different. It is all hard work and long hours and efficiency is important. MRS. HASEGAWA: Have you noticed any changes in the treatment of Japanese people? Are we more appreciated? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I feel that the Japanese people have progressed very positively in our society and our communities, and I think that a major factor for that is that the Niseis have really proved themselves, and the Isseis have also, presented a good image to the non-Asian community. And I think that is why we are so respected today in our communities. I am not saying that everything is roses, because there are a lot of inequities in society, and if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, you can be a victim of circumstance and because of the nature of human beings what they are. But, I think, that a great percentage of our people are highly respected. MRS. HASEGAWA: And I notice that both of you have been active in community affairs. Did your parents believe that you should participate in whatever the community wanted you to do, or offered; that you should try to be part of the action? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I think my father's training, his civic pride, helping people in the community; this made it possible for us to do the things that we have. When we take part in the community there is no hesitation. My dad was really community minded. MRS. HASEGAWA: I noticed that you are on the hospital board, active in JACL at one time, and very active in the local community. Would you like to list some of the things you are active in? MR. TAKAHASHI: Presently, I am Director of the Board of the Community Hospital. I have helped the Amateur Athletic Union, and served as president for the Central California Association of the AAU. MRS. HASEGAWA: And you were named Clovis Citizen of the Year? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes. I participated in the Farm Bureau, Cancer Society, was a director of the Chamber of Commerce, the church, Betsuin, the Clovis Community Bank. MRS. HASEGAWA: Oh, yes! The new bank! MR. TAKAHASHI: I am one of the founders and directors Of the Clovis Community Bank. MRS. HASEGAWA: My goodness, you are a busy person. And Dr. Mae, I know you are a member of Soroptomists. DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I am, of the Soroptomist International of Fresno, Incorporated since 1964. MRS. HASEGAWA: What are the requirements for becoming a member? DR. TAKAHASHI: To become a member of the Soroptomist Club is by invitation only. Someone has to sponsor you, and you must hold an executive position; own your own business or be a professional. It is basically a service organization, the largest women's service organization in the world. It has over 60,000 members worldwide. Locally, our club started back in 1937. MRS. HASEGAWA: Were you not a president? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, I was president in 1969-70. MRS. HASEGAWA: How many Japanese are there, or are you the only one? DR. TAKAHASHI: No, there is Judy Masada, and we have about 50 active members right now. We try to service the needs of the community. MRS. HASEGAWA: In what way? DR. TAKAHASHI: We have our youth program. We have a re-entry program for women who are now just beginning to enter the work force, either because they lost their husband or because of economics whereby they must go to work, so, we have what we call a TAP Award--a training award for older women. Then we have youth citizenship programs, and we are involved with the elderly. And, once a year, we identify one big project and we raise money for it. The last two years we raised funds to build a pediatric playroom at the Valley Medical Center. We also give scholarships at Fresno City College for the nursing program. Nationally, the organization is a consultant to the United Nations for UNICEF program and UNESCO. Since it is an international organization, we have clubs that belong to our federation in Japan, Philippines, and Korea. We started forming clubs in Japan in the 60's, and now they have over 90 clubs. So, it is very active and a very contemporary organization that tries to meet the immediate needs of the community, as well as long-term needs--the needs of advancing the status of women. MRS. HASEGAWA: Do they hold conventions every year? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, we have a regional conference which is held annually, and that is in California. Then we have a national convention every two years, and that includes- Canada, United States, part of South America, Mexico, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. And this year at the National Convention in Denver in July, we had over 100 delegates from Japan participating. We had arranged for interpreters for those delegates, and what is so interesting about this organization as far as Japan is concerned, nationally we have set up an endowment fund of a million dollars, and the interest is used for scholarships and helping women in what they call "fellowships." Japan has donated or raised funds for this endowment fund--they're the highest! And it is just incredible how this small country, smaller than the size of California, this little country, has donated more than any region in the whole federation! And, last year, they donated about $26,000 to this fund, and our region here in California raised about $16,000. MRS. HASEGAWA: You were the first president of the newly organized Asian-Pacific Women? DR. TAKAHASHI: The Central Valley Asian Pacific Women's Organization was founded or formed in December 1979, its birth was given by a national project that was being funded by a Women's Educational Equity Act. The project is called the Asian-Pacific Women's Educational Fruity Project, and this project is for one year starting in August 1979, and it will end this August 1980. The purpose of this project was to bring together Asian-Pacific Women to form a network between those women to identify needs and goals for Asian- Pacific women. We have had a conference at USC. This project was to fund four conferences, one in California, Hawaii, New York, and Washington, D.C., which is being held August 14-18. Being involved with the project, we decided to form a local organization of Asian-Pacific Women. At that time, we felt we needed to have women acting as officers or chairperson of the organization on an interim basis. We established goals and had a growth in membership. I was asked to chair the position, and we have about 60 members at the present time. We have put on a fund-raising project back in May 1980'which was very successful, and the money will help send delegates to the Washington Conference because it is a four-day conference, and it would help defray the expenses of delegates. MRS. HASEGAWA: And are you going? DR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, and Jeanette Ishii. We have 10 delegates. It has been made possible by the tremendous support that we have received through the fund-raising event, to total community, not just Asians, but non-Asians, too. Three Japanese and seven Chinese are going to the National Conference. We had a Filipino delegate and a Vietnamese delegate, but because of their work schedule, they" were not able to go. But we have a pretty good delegation. And, it is a very full agenda- -every day, meetings and workshops. But, I think that basically it's a good idea that Asian-Pacific women get together because when we formed this organization and started networking and talking to other Asians like Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, we had a lot of commonalities and our cultural background is similar, and we have found that it is easier to identify with their problems, especially for the recent arrivals like the Indo-Chinese refugees. MRS. HASEGAWA: Are there any other organizations that you are connected with? How about your professional organizations? DR. TAKAHASHI: I belong to the Fresno-Madera, California, and American Pharmacists' Associations. I also belong to the California Society of Hospital Pharmacists. I would like to get involved in more organizations, but because of my busy time schedule and priorities it is not feasible. MRS. HASEGAWA: How about JACL or and Japanese organizations? MR. TAKAHASHI: I have been president of the local chapter of the JACL two times and Clovis Community Organization a number of times, and this year I am serving on CCDC level as Membership Chairman of the One Thousand Club. MRS. HASEGAWA; And Dr, Mae, do you belong to JACL? DR. TAKAHASHI: Clovis JACL. I am a Thousand Club member. MRS. HASEGAWA: Both of you certainly are actively involved in many organizations! Do you observe any Japanese customs to any great extent? DR. TAKAHASHI: No, I don't think I do. We observe New Year's. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did your mother lead you in observing certain Japanese customs? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, memorial services. MRS. HASEGAWA: Was your father ever able to go back to Japan? MR. TAKAHASHI: Oh, yes, he made two trips to Japan. DR. TAKAHASHI: 1959 and 1961. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he go alone? MR. TAKAHASHI: The first trip he went alone, and then the second time he went with my mother by jet. My sister Tomiko, the registered nurse, helped him. DR. TAKAHASHI: He was sick already. MR. TAKAHASHI: He knew he had cancer. My sister went with him, so he was able to go comfortably without worrying. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did he have a special purpose in going? MR. TAKAHASHI: Mostly to see friends and relatives. DR. TAKAHASHI: They went to build a family shrine. MRS. HASEGAWA: You mentioned a while ago, during our informal conversation, about your mother going to Hawaii to meet her relatives. DR. TAKAHASHI: Last summer we took my mother to meet her sister and her youngest brother and her sister's daughter, and that was quite an experience to see them together. The sister that was visiting Hawaii was the third child. My mother was the oldest, she is almost 87. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did they reflect the modern times of Japan? DR. TAKAHASHI: They were mostly reminiscing about the olden times. In fact, one day my mother and auntie spent the whole day in the hotel just talking--they wouldn't go anyplace. We went out to dinner with them a couple of nights and just observed my auntie's behavior and reactions to things. I found her more modern than my mother who lived here in the United States. Because my mother came here in 1914, much of the traditions and customs she knows of Japan date back to that period. Auntie, her sister, who lives in Japan-- it is more modern there now and more contemporary, so she has progressed with the change. MRS. HASAGWA: That is very interesting! Is there anything you would like to add about social or economic changes that you may have observed in your local community? For one thing, Clovis has just really expanded, hasn't it? How big is it now? DR. TAKAHASHI: 36,000 this last census. There are a lot of Japanese people who have moved into this area, too, recently. MRS. HASEGAWA: Do you remember at the time of evacuation, we came to Clovis and were lined up along the railroad tracks somewhere here waiting to board the train for camp, and there was a group of Clovis women who served punch or tea or something? MR. TAKAHASHI: Yes, that was the Clovis Women's Club. What they did, if you did not have transportation to the place of departure at the park, you would let them know, and they would come after the family. And they served cookies and refreshments. That was the time we left Clovis. We saw these people, too. Probably one of the very few places that had a friendly "send-off" during the war. That took a lot of courage. MRS. HASEGAWA: I think it shows how well they thought of the Japanese people to do something like that. Have you observed any changes that might be social or economic, Mae? DR. TAKAHASHI: I think there has been a tremendous changeas far as social and economic change in this community. The Japanese people have definitely come a long way socially and economically. You can dwell on past history as far as internment, as far as bitter feelings are concerned at that time, but it doesn't help to retain that embittered feeling. You are just going to have to learn to look ahead, and I think that is what the Nisei have done. That is why they are so successful in what they are doing today. They didn't sit back and feel sorry for themselves. They went ahead and did what they had to do, and it is a tremendous tribute what they have done. MRS. HASEGAWA: I think that is one tremendous legacy the Issei left by Example to their children. They came with nothing, not even the ability to speak the language, but by sheer hard work, they lifted us up from that situation. Then, too, they stressed upon their children the importance of living an exemplary life--never to do anything that would bring shame to the family which in turn reflected on the whole race. What a responsibility! DR. TAKAHASHI: I have heard two different viewpoints on that. One is that it demands a lot of the young people today to expect them to follow that same straight line, because there are so many more pressures today in our society. And, then to have them wrestle with that one other pressure of living up to the guidelines of what makes a good Japanese. But, I think it is important that we keep that because if you do your children will maintain a sense of values. Another thing they argue about is that Japanese children are under a lot of pressure, because they have the image of being overachievers from their teachers. And the teachers in the educational system, when they see a Japanese name or a Japanese student in the class, they expect that child will be an "A" student because of past exposure. MRS. HASEGAWA: I guess we must remember that we have all levels of ability no matter what the racial group and culture. Have either of you been to Japan? DR. TAKAHASHI: In 1961, and then in 1965. My niece was teaching school in Tokyo, Japan to military (United States) dependent's children, so I went to meet her there. I went on a tour for the first two weeks, then I spent the rest of the time with my niece. We traveled to Hiroshima to visit my mother's brother, arid the place where she was born. And we also went to visit my father's only brother. At that time he was already retired. MRS. HASEGAWA: How did you like Japan? DR. TAKAHASHI: I liked it. It is a beautiful country. It gives you a sense of real identification. Especially when we went to where my father was born, and we went to see the shrine on the hill where my mother and father have built this headstone for the family graveyard. My father's brother took my niece and me in a taxi to my mother's brother's place. It was getting to be dark, and it was quite an experience because he would walk in front, just like in olden days, and we were walking in our high heels on this dirt path, and we had to cross a little stream and climb up this hill to the house. It was October and cold already. My niece Judy and I had dinner with my uncle and his family, and we were both just freezing. It was so cold in the house that they asked us if we wanted to take a bath to warm up. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you understand your uncle's Japanese? DR. TAKAHASHI: You can understand. They use the same Hiroshima-ken language, so you pick up things. And Judy was pretty well versed in Japanese, too, by then. MRS. HASEGAWA: Did you go to Japanese school here in the United States? DR. TAKAHASHI: No, I did not, but I learned from my mother. I was going to start Japanese school, but then the war broke out. How many years did they have Japanese school here before the war, Yo? MR. TAKAHASHI: The teacher was a male teacher. He was a secretary at the Buddhist Church and part-time schoolteacher. I graduated from Japanese school--went eight years on Saturdays. So, we must have had it about 10 years before the war. DR. TAKAHASHI: Isn't that incredible that they would establish a school for the children to learn the language. That is another incredible thing about the Isseis to do this kind of thing so that their children will have an education-- whether it is their own culture, Japanese language, and send them to English schools, to public schools--and today we have bilingual education! They just had a lot of foresight! MRS. HASEGAWA: Is there any other information you would like to add or discuss; especially before World War II? Or would you like to say anything in closing? DR. TAKAHASHI: Well, I feel that the Japanese people in the valley have contributed a lot to the history of this valley. Both men and women should go into history as one of the race of people who helped to develop this valley. MRS. HASEGAWA: That is why this project is collecting these histories, to record these contributions. DR. TAKAHASHI: You have an area in this valley that is the richest agricultural area in the world, and Isseis have been a part of it, in developing this area. And that is one monumental achievement when you think of it in an international scale, when it is considered the richest agricultural area in the world! MR. TAKAHASHI: Because of our history of the Japanese people, the honesty and hard work, it was possible for me to serve the organizations in the community that I belong to today. DR. TAKAHASHI: The image that they have created as a group of people. MR. TAKAHASHI: When I was inducted into the Clovis Hall of Fame, it was because of what the Japanese people as a group have done. MRS. HASEGAWA: That is very generous of you to feel that way, but it still depends on the individual to step forward and say, "Here is an opportunity for me to help my community." A whole group of people could have laid a foundation, but if no one in that group felt like saying, "Here is a special place where I can lend a hand," then we stay as a group. We are fortunate to have individuals to lead the way, like you--and you, Mae and Yoshito-san! DR. TAKAHASHI: And Yoshino! Yoshino has done a tremendous job with this project. With her talent and her knowledge and ability, it has been just wonderful. Through all her different activities and programs, she has still stimulated a tremendous response from the community. MRS. HASEGAWA: Well, she had this innate ability, but it was buried during years of homemaking and bringing up her children. When her last child was old enough, a senior in high school, she took advantage of that and went on with her schooling and accomplished her goals by finishing her college degrees. When this opportunity through the National Endowment for the Humanities came, she grasped it! DR. TAKAHASHI: This project, under her direction, has been just terrific! It has been a lot of work for her, I know, very time consuming. MRS. HASEGAWA: And she has been most gracious to everyone who has been willing to work, to help, to volunteer, and to participate on panels, as you did, Mae. She has done a wonderful job! DR. TAKAHASHI: She is a super lady! MRS. HASEGAWA: Thank you both so very, very much for giving me so much of your busy, busy schedule. DR. AND MR. TAKAHASHI: Thank you!

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