Hispanic Oral History Project Interviews

00:00 Hi. This is Russell Rodriguez and I will be interviewing Sally DeLaGarza in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Sally, can you tell me where you were born?

00:14 I was born in Hardin, Montana.

00:17 Okay. How did your family come into Idaho?

00:24 How did my family come into Idaho? My dad came first. And he worked for the (unintelligible) factory as an interpreter. Then they brought 500 families in Mexico to help with the harvest. And he was involved in that. And one of those families had been my mother’s.

00:48 That’s how they they met.
That’s how they met.
And so when was that Sally? Do you remember when he first came into Idaho?

00:57 He came in about 1903

01:04 Did he come into Idaho Falls?

01:06 He came into Idaho. But before he worked for the sugar factory, he worked pretty railroad. In fact, there’s a little town up here somewhere that he used to call Strawberry where he worked on the railroad.

01:24 And that was like around 1903. And when What do you remember most about Idaho as far as the most recent times? When was it that you remembered
That I remember?

01:41 I remember living on a farm.

01:46 How old were you then?

01:48 Oh, I was three, four years old. And we it was a Mr. Webb that my dad worked for. After he got through working with the sugar factory. And we used to farm for him. And we were there forever. We lived there for at least 15 years.

02:11 So you are about three years old when you came in from Montana?

02:14 No, I was nine months old. Nine months old. I was nine months old when we moved here.

02:19 And can I ask you what year you were born.
I was born 1931. And it’s your when your father first came into Idaho. He came in alone and then he met

02:32 and then he met my mother and they had two children here in Lincoln.

02:36 They were born here in Idaho.

02:39 One of them was born in 1920. And the other one was born in 1922.

02:45 Lincoln being part of Idaho Falls that used to be called Lincoln now is part of Idaho fall.

02:52 At that time it was a separate community altogether.

02:57 So when your father worked in the sugar factory, he was interpreter.
Yes.
And when he worked with Mr. Webb, he helped him?

03:09 he was like the ranch hand.

03:12 Mr. Wet. How did he get into the country? Did he go through immigration process? or

03:18 Yes, he had his papers. He had his passport with the and when he came in, he came straight to Idaho as far as I can tell you, okay. And then the two children were born while he married my mother when she was 18. And he was 36. So there was a 20 year difference there. And then they had the two children. And then they traveled to different states, perhaps three or four brothers that are

03:52 find different states
in different states. Did your father speak Spanish only or?

04:01 He spoke Spanish at home. But he could speak English. Where he picked it up. You don’t know.
I don’t know. But it was, that’s all they spoke at home in Spanish.

04:15 And when he worked for Mr. Webb. Did he work like during the harvest or during the summer?

04:23 during the harvest? He would work get the crops in Okay. Then we’d winter there.

04:34 Didn’t Mr. Webb let him let you stay there without paying anything or we never

04:39 paid that. I know they never paid any rent. We had a real nice home. I remember it was kind of a very comfortable home. big yard. We always had plenty to eat because my dad raised a big garden I’ve always had chickens and beef and pigs that the farmer, okay would tell bad go ahead and kill beef or whatever so

05:10 and so on his off time. On his offseason he would be an interpreter for the sugar factory.

05:17 No, he was an interpreter first. Okay. When he first came into the country, he came straight as an interpreter. after he quit being in the interpreter, okay, and he had traveled, I guess, all through the states here. Then he came back and we said he settled here in Idaho Falls on this web.

05:40 And when was it that he started working for the railroad?

05:43 That was when he was let’s see? After the fourth child, he worked for the railroad and then he got hurt.

05:56 What year would that be? Sally

05:58 I would say that would was around 1925

06:03 that he worked for the railroad. Do you? Did he ever tell you what kind of work he did?
Well, the railroad manual as far as I know, because when he broke his feet, they had dropped a rail on his feet. So I figured it was like a labor Labor’s

06:19 and what happened when he after he broke his feet? Did they help him with insurance

06:25 He never said I really don’t know. What happened.

06:30 And how long did he work for the railroad?

06:32 I would say at most two years.

06:35 And then he he just went to the farming. Community. He loved farming. He loved working out in the fields. That was his pride and joy.

06:48 Tell me about your mom. When she you say that, that she had two children’s in the Lincoln area? Did she have a midwife or did she go to a doctor?

07:03 They had doctors. They had a midwife. But there was a man by the name of Mr. Porter. Okay. He was Nangle. And his wife was the midwife.

07:18 And so she delivered so she delivered what were they born at home then? they were born at home.

07:24 And tell me a little bit about how you were raised. I’m assuming you were one of the oldest children was one. I was the youngest of seven.

07:37 You were the youngest of seven? So then you didn’t have very many responsibilities as far as helping with with the little ones because you were the baby. That was nice for you, Sally. Tell me about growing up in Idaho in Idaho Falls. What do you remember most about about the schools?

08:05 The schools we had to walk. the districts okay are like they are now. When I started going to school. I went to Emerson. We were what we call first street now and hit road. We lived right on the corner of hit road and first. That’s where our farm was

08:34 where Mr. Webb was?

08:37 And that was way out. And in order to take us to the bus to catch the bus, my dad would have to hitch a sleigh and horses to take us and we knew it was way out there and that is like like the winters are now there’s so mild. We know so much snow that the electrical wires would actually get buried in the snow. It was but it was fun because we never rode the sled and Toby’s cookie bobbing back, going up and down. But Emerson was the first school I attended.

09:18 Do you did the Webb children go to Emerson also?

09:22 No, because they lived in town with the farm was ours. The owner of it lived in town.

09:29 So you took care of the farm? Yes.
And Mr. Webb we’ve lived in town. Well, tell me about your friends. Did you was there very many Mexican people, Hispanic people?

09:43 No. In fact. When I was before I started school, okay, I remember the Colonia in Lincoln and there was a lot of families there. I don’t remember them going to school.

10:04 Okay, a lot of Mexican families?

10:06 a lot of Mexican families, I would say if it was at least 30 homes there in Lincoln. And we used to go over there like on Sunday, people that my parents knew and that’s when I played with him. But I never saw him at school. I mean, well, Lincoln,

10:28 Lincoln area is very far from the Emerson area.

10:34 Okay. But see, I that was way after I started school. The Colonia was gone. Okay. But people were still they would come and go, okay. They never stayed. Put. I mean, they were always going in coming. And but I, the only thing that I can think of the school districts was maybe I went to a different school. I don’t
know. I know that a lot of those people ended up in California, because my parents would visit them later. In the later years, we’d go to California and we’d see all these people that had been on Lincoln. I think the only families that really stayed here was the Edison pass. And I don’t going to school. I don’t remember any Mexican children.

11:33 So How were you treated? Sally?

11:37 I was treated fine. I was treated like the rest of them. Maybe? I didn’t know any better. Okay. But I had a lot of friends, neighbors. Farms, you know, we visit each other. But I don’t remember ever being mistreated in school because I was a Mexican or Hispanic, whatever you want to call me. But no, I, I can’t remember ever been discriminated against. Okay. When I was in school,

12:11 when you were a little girl growing up and going to school, what kind of things did you used to do with your friends?

12:23 Like I say, you know, you live in farms and the farms are about maybe a half a mile two miles between each other. We used to get on the horses and ride horses. We play in the ditch, and you know, swimming. We’d play the canals

12:46 just like children do now have farm community. I don’t think it was any different then than it is now. When you live out in the farm. It’s completely different. There’s so much to get into on a farm.

13:02 Do you have a teacher that stands out in your mind?

13:06 I had three teachers that really stand out my mind and one was spelling teacher. Her name was Mrs. Lawson. And the best you could get as far as that teacher was concerned, was an excellent. I was I worked towards that. She was she she was a hard teacher, but she was a good teacher. And she stands out in my mind. Her and Mrs. Davis was our math teacher, but you learned. I mean, you didn’t talk because they came around with a ruler and swatted you in the hands or in the back of the head or whatever and I wasn’t about to get you did you learn to learn get nose and then Mrs. Brown was our singing teacher. And those three teachers really stand out. a principle that I had at Hawthorn school was Mr. Couch. And I have very fond memories. And he was real nice.

14:19 After you went to Emerson, how many years did you go to Emerson?

14:26 I went to Emerson until we moved into town and I must have been about 14 years old when we moved into town.

14:34 So what grade would that be?

14:38 I think I went to the sixth grade I think because I had been sickly for the first two years. Six and seven.

14:47 you had been sick. What was wrong with you?

14:51 I used to have like blackout something like I would say now something like epilepsy. Okay. And so they had to keep a very close eye on me for the first couple of years.

15:04 And did your parents take you to the to see a doctor?
Oh, yes,

15:09 uh huh. They gave me medication. And I took it for about 10 years. And then they kind of went way they faded away. So I was always behind as far as school was. And the last school that I can remember when we moved in town was Hawthorne school. And I attended there, and then I went on junior high. And then we the reason we moved in town was because two of the boys went into the service into World War Two, and my dad wanted a secure place where he knew that if anything happened to the boys, he can be reached real easy. So this is not coming.

16:01 So did you graduate from one of the schools here?

16:03 No. When I was 16 years old, I was in a car accident in a truck accident. We were in California, and I was in a cast, a body cast for nine months. At that time, we we went to California for the for the winter that year. And that’s when I was in this accident. And

16:29 excuse me Sally, why did you go to California for the winter that year?

16:34 One of my brothers had been wounded in the service, World War Two. And there was two more getting discharged and my dad wanted to be as close to Fort Ord as possible.
I see.
And we went to California. Like I said, I was in that accident. And I was pressuring them. And after that, I dropped out of school because I was in this body cast. Okay. I fractured my back. And I didn’t want to go to school with this body cast. So I went to work after that. I didn’t go back to school.

17:23 So then you moved. After that year you moved back to when did you move back to Idaho?

17:29 to Idaho Falls? Would that that would be during the Depression, wouldn’t it?

17:37 That was during World War Two. During the Depression, we lived on the farm still.

17:48 Do you remember very much about that (unintelligible)?

17:51 No, because like I said I always saw plenty of food. My dad would always there was a market here (unintelligible) it used to be the drive in market. Beautiful store was a big store. Well, it looked big to me.
But where was that?
It was located right on Yellowstone Avenue. And my dad would come in the fall. Buy everything he needed for the winter. And I’m talking we take either a truckload or a trailer. He’d buy like cheese 50 pound things, 100 pounds flour, 100 pounds of sugar. So it was he’d always bought him out to carry him through the winter months.

18:40 Where would he store all that?
We had a extra room in that big house that I was telling you about that. He always kept real cold. We weren’t allowed in there, to play in there. That was our kind of like a pantry. And everything was stored in that room. It was just like a little store. He buy eggs by the cartons by the crates. Okay. He buys 50 pounds of lard. Everything was big quantities. We always have plenty of meat whether it be chicken or pork or or beef. He would slaughter hang them out. So we always had fresh meat. I don’t remember the depression. I don’t remember ever going to them. And I don’t know whether it was because we lived on a farm I really don’t know but I don’t remember the depression being going without doing without.

19:43 What kind of clothes would you wear? Did your mom make your clothes?

19:48 No. Mine were storebought because I remember coming shopping and not Applause We he they used to ring a cinder town every Saturday. The girls who go to the dances, the oldest girls and the boys and, my dad and I and my mother would either go shopping, we’d go to the show, and then we’d go to Ada’s to eat. Because that was when Ada’s mother ran the restaurant. And

20:22 Ada’s cafe in that Chinese place. That’s a Chinese

20:26 place. And suddenly, I remember it’s so different. In fact, I’ve seen pictures here recently, when I was a little girl by remembering that that restaurant, but it was that was our we would go to the show, we’d go shopping.

20:46 Would your dad go with your older sisters to the dance?

20:50 No. My oldest brother took chaperone the chaperone. And they were not allowed to go if he didn’t go.

21:00 Are you talking about Mexican dance?

21:03 No, I’m talking about the Windermere here and it was it was a big Dance hall

21:09 What was that name again,

21:10 wonder mir. And fact I’d love to after I got old enough, I got to go to a couple of dances. And it was a beautiful man. So nice to have name bands coming in there. But that was every Saturday night thing. You know, as long as my oldest brother was with him, he could take me to some town again.

21:34 And by then, Were there other Mexican families in town or?

21:44 the Mexican people that I remember okay that were in Lincoln when I was a little girl, I would say that 99% of them moved to California. But Pocatello had a lot of Mexican people. And we would go visit, Okay, these different families. And it was like their birthdays or baptisms or weddings and I remember those dances.

22:15 What years were those, Sally?

22:19 I couldn’t have been over 1314 years old because I know I wasn’t old enough to go to the dances myself. Okay. That I know my sisters are. Also there was dances and drinks. This man that lived in this labor camp, they used to go pick peas for six weeks, you’d pick peas and drinks and it was like a picnic really is what it was like for us. Same with me. And we’d go down there for six weeks, and his family would hold dances in their front yard, you know, just with local people. Whoever wanted to play. But those are the only Mexican dances that I can recall. As a young woman, I remember going through the name bands, but not Mexican dances. The only time we went to Mexican dances was if we wintered in California. Then we go to some Mexican dances. But couldn’t my dad went with us

23:36 so, Sally? What? Where were your Where did your brothers and sisters go to school? Did they graduate from high school?

23:47 I had a brother that graduated from high school here. That was about it.

23:56 So when when you move to, I remember you telling me that you moved to California one winter. So therefore, the children had to leave the school and enter another school right in California.
Right. What was that life for them?

24:16 I don’t think it was any different than it was for me. We knew we had to go to school. So we went to school. My dad was, he never stopped us from education. It was our choice. If we didn’t want to go to school anymore. He’d say well, if you’re not going to go to school, you’re gonna go to work. But we had no problem as far as going to school. Okay, whether it was here in California.

24:48 So did you eventually get a GED since you were unable to?

24:53 Yes. In fact, I have a brother that went on to take a couple of years to college. I took my GED 10 years ago and I’ve been very fortunate the company that I work for will give us all the schooling that we want. Okay.

25:18 Where do you work Sally?

25:19 I work for Eugene GM. And of course plus the courses the company themselves require so any the schooling is there for me. I want it. Like I say I’ve been very fortunate.

25:36 I want to talk a little bit about your mother. What part of Mexico were they from?

25:44 My dad was from (unintelligible). My mother was from Durango.

25:55 Did she ever talk about wanting to go back to Mexico? Did she miss the warm climate?

26:04 When she married my dad, I guess the five because when they immigrated all those families over here, they were here, It was a contract for five years. with the sugar factory with the sugar factory?
With the sugar factory. Meanwhile, my mother had married my dad. When the five years came up, her family had to move, went back to Mexico and she stayed. And I guess it was real hard for because they were very close family. But she never got to see her mother again. She passed away a young woman, my grandmother, but I got to meet my great grandmother.

26:51 And how did you meet?

26:53 We went to visit that took us over there for six months. And we spent all the time.

27:00 And by then your grandmother had passed away?

27:03 that I had my grandma my grandmother. So she’s the only grandmother that I knew was as young as a little girl. Okay. But we went back, but her mother passed away already. I knew my grandfather, my great grandmother and my mother she had an uncle that she treated like a brother and he treated her so we always used to call him uncle. But I met a lot of her family, her sisters. And of course later on in the years, we would take her down to visit the family but that’s about the only part of Mexico that I can remember.

27:49 Did your mom well, I’m assuming that she didn’t have time to visit other women in the area, Hispanic woman,
the only time they visited was probably on a weekend. Okay. And like I say, I remember going to Lincoln, but once those people moved out of there, okay. And they they visited in Pocatello.

28:15 But those people in Lincoln would always come back when it got warmer? No, no, when they left, they left or they left came back.

28:23 Uh huh. And

28:25 so at one time,
that was a flourishing community at one time
and one time in the Lincoln area, which is now Idaho. How many Mexican families do you think we had?
I would say there was at least 20 to 30 families in there. Just that little community there. And in what year? Would you have done?
Well, I must have been about six or so. That’s a long time ago that I would have say, let’s say maybe that was during the Depression.

29:01 Did they all work? They must have come here on contract to work.

29:06 I don’t know if they work for different farmers or from what I’m gathering Okay, from what I gather is the sugar factory owned a lot of ground and they would work for the sugar factory. And then when they got through working for the sugar factory, when I’m saying the sugar factory raised its own beets. They would contract it out to these people that came to live there. Okay. And that’s how they worked.

29:37 What about the families that lived in Driggs? There you said there was like six

29:43 or there was in between the harvest was in between the thinning and the hauling of the beats. Okay, that was six weeks that there was nothing to do. Okay. So the people would go to Driggs for six weeks to puppies. And I was accused of being spoiled today because I never had to do the rest of the family you were the baby
was the day that they would go over there for six weeks. And these families came from all over. Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Blackfoot It was a fun place. Everybody built their little houses and it was just like camping for six weeks.

30:28 Do you ever do you remember a strike over there the Mexican people going on strike?

30:36 I think so and Mr. White was the only that was the name of the camp was White’s camp. So I remember something very little about it. But I do remember

30:56 where they were they striking because of the working conditions or
No, I think they were striking because of the salary. From what I gather, because I guess they used to pay him by the pound. Okay, I remember these baskets, big baskets. And I think they were rebelling against the the wages that they wanted to pay.

31:22 Did they have someone that spoke for them?

31:28 Uh I don’t remember. I really don’t.

31:33 Was your father type of person that would advise the other families?

31:40 I think so. My dad was a leader. He was well, he was in there, very sociable man. Very leadership-type person.

31:56 So when they would go visit in the Lincoln area they would listen to

32:18 Oh yes. This is Rosa Rodriguez and this is part two of Sally DeLaGarza’s interview
Um, Sally when you were growing up, and especially during your younger years. What do you remember the kinds of foods that your mom would make for you?

32:42 Mexican food, tortillas and beans. She lives potatoes, a homemade cake or pie

32:53 Did she ever use anything from our outside I know you had a garden but did she ever use you know leaves or anything like that. I really the reason why I ask is because I know that some families used to eat felites

33:10 Yes. She used to cook your leave this she could be beet tops (unintelligible) can lead this by her and my dad used to go out and collect (unintelligible). I remember that.

33:37 And how did she use to make them do she

33:39 used to fry him with onion. And she (unintelligible)

33:47 Do you remember once again talking about your mom? If she would ever tell you any Quintos are

33:57 stories about Mexico. In fact, every night was a story night. My dad was different stories. Okay, sometimes they were so spooky, okay, that we were afraid to go to bed at night alone so we’d always sneak in their bedroom. But yes, every night, every night after supper would tell us cuentos and stories.

34:27 And did they all relate to Mexico or would have just make some up and 90% related to Mexico? And no, I don’t think he made them up. They were stories that he had read because he used to read a lot.

34:43 And did he read them when he lived here?

34:47 Oh yes. He used to like the cowboy stories at the time they were paperbacks but they were bigger than they

34:54 are they were all in English.
They were all in English.

34:58 And what about your mom?

35:00 She wasn’t too much into the English, okay. She read a lot of they used to send for the paper. Her family would send her la prensa from Mexico. And that’s what she would do. She would read the Mexican magazines, whatever she could get her hands on.

35:21 Did she ever sing you any lullabies in Spanish?

35:26 Not that I remember. She sang a lot her and my dad used to team up and sing a lot.

35:34 Did he play the guitar?
No. But they would sit out after dinner outside the lawn or whatever, and they’d sing. Both of them. We remember them singing.

35:51 And you would sit and listen to Oh,

35:53 yes. Oh, yes. Of course. There was no television at the time either. So we had a very, they kept us, Very busy. We were in United. And they spent a lot of their time with us.

36:15 And when did your mother passed away?

36:21 She passed away 30 years ago. She was on a trip to Mexico, and she passed away in Mexico. She had gone to see her dad and her sister, and she passed away Mexico on a trip.

36:41 But other than your your brand sisters, her giving birth to your brothers and sisters at home. Did she have any? Your Your dad or your mom have any illnesses that you can remember?

36:54 My mother was diabetic. My dad just died of age. But my mother was diabetic. Although was controlled, but still.

37:11 When you dad would tell you cuentos, did he ever talk about the Mexican Revolution?

37:16 No, he never did. The Mexican Revolution, my mother’s grandfather was officer and how they hid from what’s his name? famous Mexican,

37:38 Pancho Villa.
Right? They hid they hid from him because he was an officer for the other side. And she used to tell me that in order to keep him, you know, that they would travel at night to hide

37:59 so that he would not seen…

38:01 So that he would not be seen.

38:07 So then your grandmother was how old when they would travel?

38:21 My mother says she was about 10 years old in the Mexican Revolution. So I really can’t tell my grandmother.

38:28 Well, Sally, what do you think of the of our Mexican American students? Our Idaho Mexican American students? How do you think they do in school?

38:47 I’ve had three children, myself. Two of them graduated. One has taken his GED. One went on to college for two years. We we tried to push education on my children. My girl didn’t want College, now she regrets it. I think education is there if you want it. if you don’t want it

39:31 What’s different between Mexican students now. And when you were a student yourself?

39:42 when I was a student, and when my brothers were students, I think we were the only Mexican students in school. Okay, so there was you couldn’t compare. We were treated the same as the rest of them. So

39:58 we’ve been up. Until recently, I have been, like reading in the newspapers about Skyline High School. And it’s kind of disturbing because we never had that before. We never had the commotion that you see now. That Skyline incident being the time when that kid said that four Hispanic students at Skyline got bombarded by 300 Anglo students.

40:36 But we never had that kind of problem. My brothers, my sisters or myself and it’s sad to see. And even now I don’t know whose fault it was, and I read with interest your articles on all the articles constantly in the

41:03 mayor’s? I think that it was blown out of proportion a lot. From what little like know about it. Both ways. Okay. I think it could have been settled a little, with a little bit more finesse. When it was.

41:26 Do you think that these students in the present time nice Hispanic students care about going to school? What are your feelings about the high Hispanic rate of dropouts?

41:42 It’s sad. It’s, I wish we could do more. I wish we could talk to talk to them at their level. Something that they can understand not putting them down, not giving them false hopes, okay, about if you get an education, you’re going to get the best job in the world that life isn’t that way. But be very realistic with them. I think we need more programs, not to stuff it down their throat, but to

42:26 just keep them on board on what goes on without an education and not get any. Like I say, I have been like, I’ve had real good bosses I’ve had. They’ve always steered me to go up. They’ve always taught they’ve always encouraged me. No matter what job I’ve had it been like I say I consider myself very lucky. had real good bosses.

43:07 Well, tell me about your first job. So

43:12 my first job was at Skaggs drugstore.

43:16 How old are you?

43:17 Oh 16. And there was a fountain there and I worked in the farm. And I loved it. It was in downtown Idaho Falls. That was a purse Joe.

43:35 Did your excuse me selling to two other brothers and sisters work also?

43:39 Yes. My oldest sister was assistant manager for Diana Hughes. I have a brother that worked with a telephone company for 27 years.

43:54 Those were their first jobs.

43:57 Well, after after they got out of the service. Their first jobs. Dad always had a farm. So they always farmed with him until he retired them the boys went on their own. I have a brother

44:16 that was a hairdresser. Later on me years he turned that’s a musician. Plus, he was an intern. He’s an intern. He was an interpreter for the courthouse United falls.

44:34 What other kinds of jobs that you have aside from the one at scans?

44:39 I worked at Chris’s I tended children. I was like a nanny for Mr. Dave Sweeney’s. I I live I didn’t live with them, but I was there. I took care of their children when they went on trips. Then I worked in warehouses From there, I went out to the site, the IMU.

45:04 And how long have you worked there?

45:05 I’ve worked there 12 years.

45:08 Well, do you feel that your economic position is better or the same as or worse than your parents?

45:15 I think we have more stress now.

45:19 More stress, more stress. In other words, you don’t go sit on the porch and thing, when you

45:28 don’t have time. You know, you come home from work, you’ve got things to do. So you do, but I don’t think it’s as carefree as it used to be. And maybe it’s because we didn’t know their problems. But it’s more carefree.

45:47 But as far as, as far as economically, they’re concerned there. Are you were your parents better off than you at that time? And compared to this time?

46:00 Well, they had their home just like I’ve got my home. It was theirs, they paid for it. I think we just want little better things. You know, they didn’t have microwaves and all the conveniences that we have now.

46:18 Well, going back to your job, Sally, your first job at SCAG. How did you find out about that job? And how was your interview? Do you remember?

46:27 My sister worked there? And she told me there was going to be an opening in the cloud. And she was going on to another job that that she was leaving for California.

46:37 And how did your sister get that job with gas?

46:40 She interviewed for it. And she worked at Fox drugstore and when I took over the counter here, I interviewed with Mr. scans. I got the job.

47:01 Well, what did you like about the job or What didn’t you like about the job?

47:05 I liked the job. I enjoyed the people I enjoyed my boss. I probably didn’t work there very long, because I remember working for the Swedes after that.

47:26 Well, do you think that the Mexican American population and Idaho are treated fairly as far as their jobs are concerned?

47:36 I can only speak for myself. And I think I’m being treated very fair. You have to be open minded about situation. I think if you make waves you get waves if you still have rights. Yes, but don’t fly. You’re part of somebody else.

48:02 Tell me about tell me about Idaho Falls. I know I’m gonna make you go back again. But what made your dad come to live in Idaho Falls? It was probably called Eagle Rock at the time.

48:17 Since I can remember my dad loved Idaho Falls. There was no place anyplace. He traveled all over as a single man. They traveled all over us a couple

48:36 buy all over. Sally, are you talking about different states or

48:39 different states, different states? He liked Idaho Falls. We would go to California winter in California. But come April, he wanted to be notified. I see. The last time he went to California that they went to visit. He had a stroke. And he called and he says come and get me because if I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die in my beloved Idaho Falls. And the boys got it. Of course he didn’t die the time.

49:16 Well, he got better when he moved back here.

49:19 He did. He did he lived another 10 years.

49:23 Well, what how do you feel about this community? Sally?

49:27 I love Idaho Falls. I always have. Things have changed a lot. I’ve always liked I married demand from Texas and I told him I will marry you on one condition that we moved to Idaho not Texas.

49:53 Tell me about about your brothers. You say that they served in World War Two.

50:00 Yes, I had three of them serve in World War Two and one in the Korean War.

50:10 And tell me about how they felt about serving in the war. What was their experiences like?

50:18 The one that went to war first was wrong. And as soon as he went my brother, my oldest brother’s as if he’s going on going, so about six months later, he went in. And it’s a trafficking and they all three of them are gone. In fact, I had a brother in law, my mother, that time had five. Three of her sons and two of her son in laws were in service. And one of my brothers was wounded and last leg. He was transported to Fort Oregon, and here to Brigham City, the closest they can get him he was there for three years.

51:08 Though your one brother, and I have a limitation. And what happened when he had that when he had his accident? What does he talk about that

51:24 he was barely maintained when it happened? He had a big adjustment to me. That was very hard on my mother. But he came with flying colors. He’s the one that’s gone to college and has been the interpreter here at the courthouse. And we’re very proud of him. He’s a lovely man.

51:52 Sounds like all your family’s love. Lovely family.

51:55 They are I have four brothers. Maybe I feel that way because they all spoiled me. But I do have real nice brothers.

52:07 And tell me about your other brothers, your other two brothers that served in World War Two? Do they ever did they ever talk about if there was other Hispanic soldiers? Oh, yes.

52:25 got along fine with them. Make friends with them? I think one of them was their sergeant. Very fond memories of them when they talk about

52:39 how long were they and how long they deserve?

52:43 I think they, other than her because he was wounded. Of course, he wasn’t discharged until after he left the hospital. But they served there for three. I think it was three years at the time before they were discharged.

53:02 I can imagine your mother with three sounds been in the war.

53:07 She went down. She really aged are continually about them. We miss them terribly. Us three year olds. They left when I was a little girl and they come back when I was a young woman. And it was hard. It was hard to be without them. We played hard together. In fact, we still do. Very close, very close knit.

53:46 So at one point, that’s when you’re at one point in that. Let’s repair it through your period was the time that you that your father moved you to California to be closer to Fort Ord? Yes.

54:03 And we just went there, like I said for a few months. Just to make sure that he was going to be there when the boys were going to be coming home because about that time I think the war had ended but it was still you know. And he wanted to be there in California. Like I said because of the boys. And then when I was in that accident where I hurt my back. The boys came home. We all go home together.

54:37 Do you remember that? Boys got home? Yes. And your mom?

54:41 Yes. I remember. The first one that I saw after the accident was the brother that had been in Brigham City. He was on crutches and he brought me bought me a bracelet or a gold bracelet. The Brompton Hospital. That was the nicest thing that I could remember waking up and seeing him? And then we all drove home? Dad says let’s just let’s just go home to school.

55:11 What about your your brother that served in the Korean law?

55:15 He’s in California. He they don’t say anything bad about the service. They were proud to say we’re proud to serve. And my dad was so proud man was so proud of. And when I’m married, I’m married to Marine who was in the Marine Corps. So that made my dad even

55:44 prouder. When did you when did you meet your husband?

55:48 When did I met him in 1952. Here in Idaho Falls. So I went to visit one of my brothers in Nevada. That was so there’s ammunition depot there. And he was working for the government. And I met my husband there. He was stationed there.

56:08 One of your brothers that served in the war. Yes. And he just got a government job. Yes.

56:13 And I went to visit him. The first week I was there. I met my husband. Six weeks later, we were married. 36 years later, we’re still married.

56:27 But it for you. So so he wanted to go back to Texas.

56:34 She, he loved Texas. But what started Texas did he’s from

56:39 San Antonio. And I told him, I’m from Idaho. I can’t move without my mom and dad. So we did he got out of the service and he says if I can get a job in Idaho,

56:52 we’ll stay. But if I can’t, we’re moving to San Antonio. He was here on my end, he got a job. I think the government paid so much because he was a veteran company that he started work for. pay the other half

57:17 are in Nevada was the station the summary? How far did he serve in? In? No, he

57:24 never got overseas. He stayed statewide.

57:30 And, and so but he’s still we looked when you got married or

57:35 no. Since I was staying with my older brother. I told him I was gonna get married.

57:44 You better right? Tell

57:46 you better right? So he did. My husband asked for my hand in marriage. She can my brother I respected my brother allowed to have him come over I suppose you are living in his home, you will treat him like he was my father. And that’s exactly what happened. My dad didn’t talk to me for a year until my first baby was born.

58:19 Know Is that hard for you, Sally, that your dad didn’t talk to you.

58:23 It was very hard, but he would talk to my husband. But

58:30 what about your mom? Of course your mom would?

58:32 Oh, yes. I’d call every week. And she would never tell me that my dad didn’t want to talk to me. She would say he’s out in the garden, or he’s busy doing this.

58:44 Or you lived in

58:45 Nevada, Nevada, until he put in four years of service. Then we came home and got a job. And my first baby passed away. And

59:06 then he found a job and

59:08 yes, he did months later. And then he started working for the grocery stores which was food King at the time. And he worked in the groceries for 27 years. He worked for Jack gamble. Food king he moved for savings center.

59:30 And what did he do? He was either

59:33 assistant manager or manager a lot of these stores then about eight years ago, he just got tired of all the night work all the weekends and for challenge

59:51 Well, tell me about you tell you told me that you didn’t ever go To the Mexican dances

1:00:01 in California, I did it but here in Idaho, you know, because there was there wasn’t any when I was a young girl

1:00:09 does that time and drinks when they would get when they were

1:00:13 just like a house party. Okay. But no, as a young girl, I never did go to Mexico analysis.

1:00:22 So was your I’m assuming your father was the one that made all the decisions for the family? Yes. And when he wasn’t around it was your older brother?

1:00:31 No, it was my mother. It was your mother. It was my mother. My mother could run that house.

1:00:38 So what would happen, Sally, if you want it to go out, let’s say to the dad, who you would ask your mom we would ask

1:00:46 her mom. Okay. And then she would ask our dad, or else we could go straight to dad. I was always one that I kind of sit on the armatures like that is

1:01:00 until you got married and so what’s your father? The one that disciplines you then? Yes. And how would he discipline? SFM?

1:01:14 He never got rude with us. All he had to do was look at us. We knew we better settle down. Never got I don’t ever remember being spanked or slap.

1:01:30 Was he harder on the boys than he was on the girl? Yes.

1:01:33 He. He didn’t like the boys sitting around in the house doing nothing. So he always had him. He always had work for him to do. chopping wood. Bring in coal bringing water.

1:01:46 Well, tell me Sally, what kind of games did you play when you were growing up?

1:01:51 We played house we played cowboys and Indians. Play in the haystack and slide down and get rid of this because we make a mess out of the hay straw.

1:02:06 Kick the kick the

1:02:07 cam tag. Then I don’t remember what the name of the toy is. But it was wheel and then the boys who make a piece of wire that curve may just you know. Feel that wheel over. Oh,

1:02:22 it was

1:02:24 Did your dad ever make you any toys? Did he carve anything? Yes.

1:02:27 He used to carve? A little ma’am. Okay. And he put it on a two sticks with string and you could press them like this and they would do somersaults. Oh, he made those fours out of work out of wood. He made those wheels that actually he gets some kind of wheel and a wire and makes sling shots. He made guns with the rubber bands.

1:02:58 And those were probably your best toy. Yes.

1:03:02 We didn’t have Christmases, the way my grandchildren have Christmases or even the way my children had Christmases. Our Christmases were nuts and oranges and apples. No big huge trees. Maybe they’d stay up all night cooking Mexican bread. Those were candy once in a while.

1:03:29 Any car you some toys.

1:03:32 I don’t remember them ever buying us toys. I

1:03:35 mean, carp the old

1:03:36 car rental cars, he’d carved tops for the boys. He’d carve little dolls for us.

1:03:46 My dad used to carve with tops out of the thread the spools

1:03:53 and then they put a nail on the opposite side. Yeah. They will do that.

1:04:02 And it was real peaceful. Our evenings were awfully peaceful very. Maybe it was because we live so far from other neighbors that all we had with each other that they were very loving.

1:04:21 Did you did you go to church?

1:04:25 Oh yes, yes.