MIXED GRADES

Photo: New Denver. BC. This is my grade 4/5 class photo. Mrs. Johnson is my first hakujin teacher (1948 — 1949). Notice that the Japanese Canadians outnumber the  hakujins.

1947, we were officially inducted to the downtown  New Denver school. The Japanese had to mix with the hakujins (white kids), however two Japanese  teachers remained for another year, Mrs. Oka and Ms. Iwase. The latter received her teaching certificate in Victoria summer school two years later. In 1949,  Ms. Oka  entered  UBC to attend the  Bachelor in Nursing  programme.

At the New Denver school is where my hakujin classmate picked my name “Harriet"  from the popular radio show at the time titled "Ozzie and Harriet". The name stuck and next year, our first hakujin teacher had asked everyone to acquire a Canadian name or shorten their current ones. 98%  of the attendees followed her request but a few decided to keep their Japanese  names.

In school, the hakujins  found us to be cute and smart, they were kind and  mingled with us with great affection (they were curious too).  Learning in school was absolutely no problem. The Japanese Canadian students out numbered the hakujins and the New Denver teachers  did not discriminate against us. The Japanese Canadians were obedient, highly eager to learn  and essentially quite smart. We mingled well with everyone. We partnered in square dancing,  ping pong , sport days, Christmas concerts,  and the May pole dance. We gave each other Christmas and Valentine’s  Day cards. There really was no divide in that way. We mixed with kids from Silverton, Hunter Sidings and  New Denver. Kids did not know discrimination, we accepted each other, no questions asked.

We never talked about internment, we just accept this. The hakujins too never talked about this as we the Japanese Canadians just went through life  day after day. We kids did not know any better.

We lived across the bridge so we were definitely divided. We were not invited to play with the hakujin kids after school, however that is because we lived too far, and had no time. We had lots of chores to do, attend to the outdoor bath and we had many friends in orchard to play with. I never ever even thought of asking hakujins to  come to the orchard, nor did they think of having us to their home in town. That said there was no animosity.

So my childhood was  relatively good, peaceful and no stress. My memory is of happy days spent with neighbours and family. We skipped, played  marbles, mama goto, and swimming. We had bonfires and roasted potatoes, and played Monopoly, Rummy , Kick the Can and bounced the lacrosse ball.