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Marian E. Gaiser March 16, 1992 TAPE INDEX Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape I, side A Counter number 000 Early Childhood- Born in Cleveland, OH in 1916, moved to Tacoma, WA at age of 4! due to father's health. Remembers train ride and arriving in Puyallup to stay with family friends. 025 Settling in WA- It took a while for the family to find a house, finally rented one on 6th Avenue which was very small, though it had indoor plumbing. During her mother's pregnancy she broke her arm and was cared for by mother's friend, also had tonsilitis. 056 Fifth Grade- The family bought a house, mother was still sickly after pregnancy, father was still working in a machine shop. ( 62) Father begins barbering- more money for the family. ( 65) It becomes clear that crooked contractors had built their house. 069 School at Mary Lyon- She really enjoyed starting the day with patriotic songs, which "made the day". Studied spelling, math, penmanship, reading. (76) Felt as though the teachers were very devoted. 083 Times Were Getting Hard- It was 1928 or so, her family bought five acres of uncleared land, which had to be cut and burned. 092 Building the House- 095 County Schools- 123 Living In Tent- 140 Her Period- 170 The House- The family lived in a tent and cooked outside while the house was being built. County schools described as much more difficult, there was some trouble over which grade she should be placed in. (111) Discussion of the state exams. Father was building the home, as there was no money to hire help. She and her mother would cut and burn brush and stumps. Lived in tent for about six months, their clothes and beds were always damp. Her mother was able to cook beans in the burning stumps. Period started while family still living in tent, mother reacted very gruffly. She had not had any prior knowledge that this would happen, was made to feel guilty. ( 14 7) How sanitary napkins were made from sewing scraps and other materials. (160) Did not talk to friends about it, as the period was a tabooed topic- her experiences made her want to prepare her own children well. It was 24' by 24', had a kiti~, living room, and two bedrooms, one of which she had to share with her brother. The house always smelled like wallpaper paste, as the family was working on finishing ~.t at night and on the weekends. 185 Brother- He was six years younger and spoiled because he had been sickly, he had less work to do. 189 Washing- This was an all day project- water had to be lugged fran the well to the utility room. Whites were boiled, with Fell's Naptha Soap pared into the water. 214 Mother- Her mother was quite sick and the work was hard, but there wasn't any family nearby to ask for help, just a few friends, but it wasn't right to ask them. 221 Getting Established- They belonged to the Methodist church and made more friends. Each Sunday they would walk to church, she especially enjoyed the evening youth services, and tells a story of walking home fran services when there was a cougar in the area. She and her friends would stroll for fun on Sunday afternoons. 245 School in 'Ibwn- Went to ninth grade at Stewart, wasn't used to swi thching classroans. (260) Describes gym outfits- hot and smelly middies and bloomers. ( 266) Did not like undressing for gym, tried to cheat concerning taking showers. 293 Babysitting- She was expected to look after her brother, who was very ornrey. Once her mother caught her trying to choke her brother, which led to a razor strop whipping when her father came home. (302) Fear associated with father. ( 311 ) Beliefs about punishment- that it was harsh,but not beyond reason. She does not really belive in it, but it is to make the child remember and to prepare them for later life. 330 Family Activities- ( 333) She did not know if her parents liked each other, they fought a lot with words as a result of her father's exceedingly high expectations of her mother. (340) Her mother was sickly and so much to do- gardening and cooking, among other things. Even with what little she had, her mother was a wonderful cook. ( 349) The family was so busy trying to make a living that there was not much time for "fooling around", aside from an occasional SUnday picnic. ( 357) On the Fourth of July the family would always go to the prarie, where they would split a candybar four ways as a treat. When they lived in the country her mother would go to the PI'A meetings. 369 Lincoln High School- She would ride the Waller Road bus, which made for an hour ride home. The schedule was very tight, so she had to be careful to catch the bus. 378 Dating- She started dating at age sixteen, which was the acceptable age to her parents. She would go dancing at a hall above a store, where there were chaparones and live music. There was no sex, maybe a kiss, but it was innocent fun. ( 402) She supposes some drinking or sex was taking place, but she did not look for it and there was no gossip. 417 Her OWn Room- When she was sixteen she asked her dad to build a platform and tent for her so that she would no longer have to share the room with her brother. She would wash at the kitchen sink, and move back into the house during the winter. There were many reasons she wanted her own room- her brother's sloppy habits, the lack of privacy, and especially an incident when her father barged into the room and saw her naked, which made her hate her father for not listening to her when she said not to come into the room. 474 Family Duties- 522 The Bull- The family raised their own food, canned beanscmd corn, raised some popcorn for fun, made bread and butter, kept chickens and a cow which her mother milked. Apples and other fruits were obtained from the neighbors. (504) She describes the process of making Sauerkraut. She was responsible for caring for a bull calf, and tells about some of the less savory duties this entailed. She used to herd the geese into the woods and feed them hazle nuts. 545 Ethnic Traditions- 581 Bathing- The family would make fruitcake, which was a lot of work, and also make real mincemeat. (564) The cooking took hours, but it was worth it. Saturday night ritual. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon M. Donnelly Tape I, side B Counter number 000 Bathing- The family filled a round tub, the cleanest ones washed first. (006) She used to wash her hair outside and let the sun dry it, cannot remember what they did during the winter. 010 Hairstyles- Her hair was very short since her dad was a barber. Her mother had very long hair until it began to give her headaches. The styles were very simple- rollers and bobby pins were used to add curls. 20 High School- Subjects included Latin, algebra, and chemistry- she had an especially good female chemistry teacher who was a doctor. She also took biology, cooking, horne nursing 1 sewing and the dreaded swimming class. She also learned to play tennis. (034) Her family built their own tennis court in the woods, the neighborhood kids would come to play. It was so much fun that they would forget to eat. Once a tennis star even came to play. Though her mother was usually too busy to participate, she enjoyed playing with her father. (054) One day she skipped school and went to a show with her boyfriend. ( 066) She had a part in the senior class play. Plays were a good source of entertainment. Practices caused her to miss the bus horne, so her father would have to come get her in the car. (076) She missed the high school graduation ceremony because she did not have the money to buy the proper dress. 085 career Goals- She had wanted to be a nurse, but her parents could not afford to put her through nursing school. She decided on beauty school, which was only $60 a year. ( 090) She spent six to eight months at Modern Beauty School, where she learned all the muscles and nerves (which went right along with being a nurse), how to manicure, give penns, Marcell hair, and give facials. ( 1 01 ) One of her customers was a madam who would bring in all of "her girls", this woman got everything done and would leave a $5 tip. She says she would have been scared if she had known the woman was a madam at the time. ( 114) A two day exam was administered by the state for licensing. ( 124) Unifonns and personal appearance were very important issues. 136- Meeting Husband-To-Be - They would go to dances and for drives. After she got her beautician's license they picked out a wedding ring, which she still wears. She kept the engagement a secret until late in June. (149) Her father found a position for her as a beauty shop manager, but there was a stipulation that she would have to wait one year before getting married if she were to take the job. ( 154) She called Niel, her husband-to-be, and he told her not to take the job. ( 1 56) Neil asks her father for her hand in marriage, and her father asks her if it is what she wants. ( 1 60) She says she wants to be married, she does not want to run a beauty shop. ( 162) She did work as a substitute for another woman occasionally, but she always got homesick. 167 Getting Married- The family could not afford a big wedding, so she got a suit and was married in a small chapel. Fortunately, a big wedding was scheduled later in the day, so they were able to enjoy the flowers. (179) Her parents, the family's original friends, her brother, and Niel's family all attended the wedding. (185) She chose to have a nice honeymoon over a big wedding. (200) The honeymoon was wonderful, they went to Vancouver, B.C. by car, and then they went on a hunting trip near the carbon River. 210 Husband's Occupation- He was a mechanic making 33.3 ¢ an hour when there was work, but he had savings of $2,000 in the bank at the time of the wedding. 225 Their First Home- They moved into the Francis Hall Apartments, not far from Neil's job at Sagen's Garage. Neither of the pair had ever lived in the city, and they found it difficult to be cooped up. The apartment had a Murphy bed and a tiny kitchenette. She was lonely and missed doing the baking and other chores she used to help with at home. (242) She relates a story about her first dinner party and the difficulty in getting the chicken to cook. 252 Renting The Duplex- This was a large two-bedroom place which they could afford at $50 a month. They spent some of their savings on furniture, though the landlord loaned them a table. ( 267) Niel could walk to work, so she had the car. Once a week she would visit her folks or his parents. (274) On sumner evenings they would go fishing at Clover Creek. 279 Becoming Pregnant- Came as quite a surprise. She was married in 1935 and had her first baby in 1937, exactly one week after her own twentyfirst birthday. 289 The Farmhouse- A home near her folks came up for sale and they bought it. She says the purchase was a mistake, due to the amount of work to be done. There are fruit trees, berries, vegetables, chickens, calves, ducks and sheep to tend. ( 302) She was responsible for taking care of the animals, since her husband was at work all day. She comments that she also had a baby running around at this time. 312 The Birth of Her Second Child- Three years after the first child was born, she gave birth to a son, which thrilled her husband. The baby recieved a royal ride home from the hospital. (324) She talks about the week of mandatory hospital bedrest expected after a birth, and relates information about Ikie, a family friend who looked after the house while she was in the hospital. (349) Her husband had promised her a certain bedspread if she had a son. (354) She tells how nervous she had been to handle her first baby, due to lack of experience. Her own mother was scared of kids. 369 Husband Goes 'Ib Work For Mallon Ford- She sees less of him because it is too far away to come home for lunch. 377 The Day That Pearl Harbor Was Attacked- The pair had gone up into the hills to gather stones for building a fireplace. Her parents came and told them what had happened when they returned, and warned them about the blackouts and the danger of attack. 384 During the War Effort- Her husband first workend at Ft. Lewis, and then at the shipyard, where he taught math and measuring to others. (395) They had to use food stamp:;;, and there were limits on butter, meat, and sugar. (400) She talks about standing in line for hours to get sugar for canning. They missed coffee the most, and had to use the grounds twice. (411) Walt, her brother-in-law, was able to get butter for the family directly from Wisconsin. ( 424) She did not think about getting an industry job during the war. 430 Putting Her Oaugter In School- The doctor advised her to put her daughter in school to keep her busy and well, but school officails claimed that she was too young. Finally she gets accepted at Fern Hill- in order to take her to school, which is made difficult by gas rationing, Marian takes a job as the school cook, putting her son Jerry into a nursery school. The job is also beneficial, as she is able to bring home leftover food. 456 Concerning Racial Issues- She believes that although a lot of the Japanese in the United States were innocent, a lot were not. She talks about the experiences Niel had had in the coal mining town he grew up in. She says that the Japanese had attended a special Saturday school, and that they had threatened to conquor the white citizens in her husband's hometown. She viewed the Japanese as an internal threat. (478) She observes that many of the Japanese were farmers in "the valley", and did not attack solely because they were interned. (483) She says her views did not result from media influence, just from thinking about the strange things she ha::\ seen. ( 492) She went to a Japanese florist, and felt that there was an aura of secrecy. She does excuse the American born, but is critical of their parents. ( 502) She acknowledges that internment was hard, but also states that the Japanese were not tortured and they had good food. (511) She mentions the fact that German prisoners were held at Ft. Lewis, and that Eddie Shade, her son's father-in-law, had worked there as a guard. (517) During the first World War her own family had been watched, as her father's parents were immigrants from Germany. (535) She reasserts the fact that she felt internment was right. (542) Gas rationing had prevented them from visiting the camp in PUyallup. She did feel sorry for the Japanese, and realized that they had to give a lot up, but her "woman's gut instinct" was that the Japanese were on the sly. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape II, side A Counter number 000 Racial Issues- 061 Birth Control- Though she has no biases herself, her parents were from the East and were more prejudced. In fact, her mother would get angry if she said a Black baby was cute. ( 01 0) Her husband was more biased because he had grown up amongst immigrants. (014) There were not many Black families in town, just one family when she was going to school at Central Avenue. There was one Hawaiian boy 1 but no Japanese or Chinese that she knew of. (028) She observes that the Japanese ran businesses like florist shops and markets, while Blacks were porters in barber shops and trains, Black women being maids primarily. ( 036) They did not go to the Indian reservations, but occasionally bought salmon on the Nisqually River or at Cello Falls in Oregon. (043) She did not know much about the Native American culture, there were no culture classes like there are today. ( 048) In business life there were a few Negro customers, and a Japanese lady who came as a customer. ( 055) Her personal philosophy is that if someone is a good person, that is what matters 1 a point which she relates to having grown up where people are relatively free. No one talked about it, but powders, gels, suppositiories, and condoms were available. ( 067) One device per package had to be defective to preserve the integrity of the manufacturers • (072) She first went to the doctor, who prescribed a powder for her, later she would get her supplies at the drug store, which could be quite embarassing. ( 081 ) The general idea was that birth control was for use by married couples- it was drilled into your head to save yourself for your husband. (089) She was briefed in sex education by her family docton who told her what to expect at an appointment about one week before her wedding. This doctor also met with her husbandto- be. ( 099) She had one good friend from high school who happened to be visiting when a doctor from the insurance company came to give her a physical. This woman taught her how to make a urine sample, because she did not know. 118 Learning About Her Body- The doctor of her first child gave her books to read and was a great help. Such things had not been appropriate to discuss with girlfriends, and she had never confided in her mother because she did not feel anything was out of the ordinary. Everyone was raised to "go in blank". ( 138) The instruction she recieved in gym class was too late, as she had started to menstruate at the age of twelve. 152 Reading- The only books to read were school books and a family doctor book. In school they read classics like Ivanho, but it took a lot of time and she did not enjoy it. She did like to read magazines. (162) In beauty school they did pass novels and things like Redbook. 168 Her Third Child- Born six and a half years after the second baby, Sonja arrived when Niel owned his own garage. Marian did the bookkeeping, phone answering, and some towing and delivering of vehicles. 178 vacation Property- 190 Children- When the war was over, the family bought a lot at Lake St. Clair for $750, which they payed off with $10 each month. Sonja was raised in a playpen, the other children would play with her after school. ( 199) When she was older, Sonja 1 s brother questioned all of her dates. ( 203) Times were very busy with one child in high school, another in junior high, and the youngest in elementary. There were three PTAs to attend, the business to run, and bills to pay. ( 208) Paying bills was a top priority. When the oldest daughter was in college, her tuition was paid through insurance policies that had matured. (222) When she was in a jam for time, her husband would help, ironing was the only thing that was allowed to pile up. Her husband sent his coveralls and greasy rags to a laundry for cleaning. (237) They had a real good life. Her husband wanted their son to be a mechanic, but the father and son did not work well together. Jerry did end up going to vocational school and gained a job with the county. (247) Her eldest daughter had wanted to be ateacher from day one, and would hold play school during the summer for the neighborhood children. She had her own chemistry set, and liked animals very much. ( 266) Her daughter would have made a good auto mechanic, she could do anything, and even tuned up the school principle 1 s car. (278) Marylyn [the oldest] was an excellent student and set the standards for her siblings to meet. { 289) Finally Marian and Niel had to confront. the school officials about the individual merits of the children. (303) Sonja was encouraged by her parents to get good grades, but the other children at school discouraged her. 311 Family Activities- Once they went skiing for Christmas, there were always extra kids around for activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, camping, travelling, and picnics. (324) It was a fun time, busy and enjoyable. When her daughter would visit from college, she would bring friends. ( 333) Marian did not resent the extra guests, she was glad to see her children with friends. 374 Hobbies- ( 342) She always had something for them to eat. (344) When there was a ski boat at the lake, they were always hungry, she did not resent it, it was "all a part of it". (354) The family took a trip to california, and she and her husband went to Victoria, thpough they did not make many trips alone. ( 360) She was lonesome when the kids grew up, but they maintained good rapport, and it was a good opportunity to get back with her husband as a companion. One daughter was away from home for just one year before returning. She learned about ceramics, china painting, and woodworking through programs at the local schools. (383) It is important to have an interest. (386) Her husband was always with his cars, they were both his livelihood and his hobby. He had been raised in the tradition of keeping busy. 401 Women's Activities- She neither needed nor wanted to work outside of the home. She noted the work opportunities women took advantage of during the war, and lists teaching, secretarial, and housecleaning jobs as the major opportunities. (424) Construction, police work, and firefighting c:-e not considered appropriate for women, though she notes that by Sonja's era more opportunities were surfacing. (439) In her own time there were ceramics, the housework was never done, cooking had to be done. Later she did more visiting of friends, and she participated in the Lutheran Ladies Aid once a month. (455) She never asked the grandmas to care for the children unless it was an emergency. ( 462) The other ladies in the club were from the "Old Country", and Sonja enjoyed looking at their fancy needlework projects. (471) She started Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Senior Scouts in the neighborhood. (Parkland). Many projects, including a trip to Seattle, were undertaken. The senior Scouts group operated in conjunction with the boys' group of the same. By the time her daughter went to college, she was tired of scouting. ( 521 ) She was PI'A President of the largest county PI'A in the state - her husband was very proud of her. ( 550) They would visit the college on Fathers' Weekend and other special events. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape II, side B Counter number 002 Living As A Widow- She had been married for fortytwo years, her own children, and son and daughter-in-law, helped her through. (008) She learned how to mow the lawn, wash the car, and get the car serviced. She sold the family home, and the move instigated many changes, it took her about seven years to adjust. She did not want to go out. ( 018) It was lucky that she had done bookkeeping, so she knew how to run her checkbook. She was very lonesome. (024) After sixteen years she is doing fine. She made it with no outside help. Grandkids provide excitement now. 033 Perceptions of the East- 045 The West- 063 Biographical to her knowledge, as gained through her mother's correspondence with her sisters, the east was very formal, while in the west necessity dictated activities. ( 041 ) She had heard of the Wobblies 1 though she states that there was "nothing like that out here". "This was heaven", it did things like increase the appetite and make one sleep well. (053) The air was fresh and it was safe to walk out on the streets. The West was not like the image Easterners held of it- it was not wild, just free. Information- Marian Estelle Blaser Gaiser, born January 3, 191 6 in Cleveland, Ohio. She has lived in Washington since she was four and a half years old, "so this is my state".
Object Description
Rating | |
Title | Gaiser, Marian Estelle Blaser Oral History Interview, 1992 |
Interviewer | Donnelly, Shannon |
Date | 1992-05-04 |
Description | 103 minute oral history with Marian Estelle Blaser Gaiser, conducted for a Women in the West (HST 398) course at Washington State University. Discusses the labor intensive domestic work that had to be done to keep house, financial hardships the family faced and the education she received which did not include sex education. Discusses taking care of the small farm after marriage, her children, and going to work during World War II and its effects on the family. She was active in social activities, and talks about the partnership in her marriage. |
Subject | Housewives; Rural women |
Coverage | North and Central America--United States--Ohio--Cuyahoga County--Cleveland; North and Central America--United States--Washington (State)--Jefferson County--Tacoma |
Type | Sound |
Genre | Interviews |
Publisher | Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries: https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc |
Rights | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Rights Notes | In copyright. Item is in copyright until 95 years after 2011 publication date. |
Identifier | ua220b07f50 |
Source | Is found in Archives 220, Women in the West Oral Histories https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/finders/ua220.htm at Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc |
Holding Institution | Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries |
Contributors | Digitization and description funded through a National Endowment for the Humanities We the People grant for Washington Womens History to the Washington Womens History Consortium, a part of the Washington State Historical Society. |
Language | English |
Digitization | Original audio cassettes were converted to wav files using Audacity and a USBPre interface. Mp3 files were then created from the wav files for online access. Film clips were created as mpeg-4 files using Adobe Premiere Elements 9 to add selected images to the wav audio files, and then converted to flv files for online display. Print documents were scanned to 300dpi pdf format using a Xerox Workcentre 5030 copier/scanner. |
Description
Title | ua220b07f50_Abstract |
Full Text | Marian E. Gaiser March 16, 1992 TAPE INDEX Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape I, side A Counter number 000 Early Childhood- Born in Cleveland, OH in 1916, moved to Tacoma, WA at age of 4! due to father's health. Remembers train ride and arriving in Puyallup to stay with family friends. 025 Settling in WA- It took a while for the family to find a house, finally rented one on 6th Avenue which was very small, though it had indoor plumbing. During her mother's pregnancy she broke her arm and was cared for by mother's friend, also had tonsilitis. 056 Fifth Grade- The family bought a house, mother was still sickly after pregnancy, father was still working in a machine shop. ( 62) Father begins barbering- more money for the family. ( 65) It becomes clear that crooked contractors had built their house. 069 School at Mary Lyon- She really enjoyed starting the day with patriotic songs, which "made the day". Studied spelling, math, penmanship, reading. (76) Felt as though the teachers were very devoted. 083 Times Were Getting Hard- It was 1928 or so, her family bought five acres of uncleared land, which had to be cut and burned. 092 Building the House- 095 County Schools- 123 Living In Tent- 140 Her Period- 170 The House- The family lived in a tent and cooked outside while the house was being built. County schools described as much more difficult, there was some trouble over which grade she should be placed in. (111) Discussion of the state exams. Father was building the home, as there was no money to hire help. She and her mother would cut and burn brush and stumps. Lived in tent for about six months, their clothes and beds were always damp. Her mother was able to cook beans in the burning stumps. Period started while family still living in tent, mother reacted very gruffly. She had not had any prior knowledge that this would happen, was made to feel guilty. ( 14 7) How sanitary napkins were made from sewing scraps and other materials. (160) Did not talk to friends about it, as the period was a tabooed topic- her experiences made her want to prepare her own children well. It was 24' by 24', had a kiti~, living room, and two bedrooms, one of which she had to share with her brother. The house always smelled like wallpaper paste, as the family was working on finishing ~.t at night and on the weekends. 185 Brother- He was six years younger and spoiled because he had been sickly, he had less work to do. 189 Washing- This was an all day project- water had to be lugged fran the well to the utility room. Whites were boiled, with Fell's Naptha Soap pared into the water. 214 Mother- Her mother was quite sick and the work was hard, but there wasn't any family nearby to ask for help, just a few friends, but it wasn't right to ask them. 221 Getting Established- They belonged to the Methodist church and made more friends. Each Sunday they would walk to church, she especially enjoyed the evening youth services, and tells a story of walking home fran services when there was a cougar in the area. She and her friends would stroll for fun on Sunday afternoons. 245 School in 'Ibwn- Went to ninth grade at Stewart, wasn't used to swi thching classroans. (260) Describes gym outfits- hot and smelly middies and bloomers. ( 266) Did not like undressing for gym, tried to cheat concerning taking showers. 293 Babysitting- She was expected to look after her brother, who was very ornrey. Once her mother caught her trying to choke her brother, which led to a razor strop whipping when her father came home. (302) Fear associated with father. ( 311 ) Beliefs about punishment- that it was harsh,but not beyond reason. She does not really belive in it, but it is to make the child remember and to prepare them for later life. 330 Family Activities- ( 333) She did not know if her parents liked each other, they fought a lot with words as a result of her father's exceedingly high expectations of her mother. (340) Her mother was sickly and so much to do- gardening and cooking, among other things. Even with what little she had, her mother was a wonderful cook. ( 349) The family was so busy trying to make a living that there was not much time for "fooling around", aside from an occasional SUnday picnic. ( 357) On the Fourth of July the family would always go to the prarie, where they would split a candybar four ways as a treat. When they lived in the country her mother would go to the PI'A meetings. 369 Lincoln High School- She would ride the Waller Road bus, which made for an hour ride home. The schedule was very tight, so she had to be careful to catch the bus. 378 Dating- She started dating at age sixteen, which was the acceptable age to her parents. She would go dancing at a hall above a store, where there were chaparones and live music. There was no sex, maybe a kiss, but it was innocent fun. ( 402) She supposes some drinking or sex was taking place, but she did not look for it and there was no gossip. 417 Her OWn Room- When she was sixteen she asked her dad to build a platform and tent for her so that she would no longer have to share the room with her brother. She would wash at the kitchen sink, and move back into the house during the winter. There were many reasons she wanted her own room- her brother's sloppy habits, the lack of privacy, and especially an incident when her father barged into the room and saw her naked, which made her hate her father for not listening to her when she said not to come into the room. 474 Family Duties- 522 The Bull- The family raised their own food, canned beanscmd corn, raised some popcorn for fun, made bread and butter, kept chickens and a cow which her mother milked. Apples and other fruits were obtained from the neighbors. (504) She describes the process of making Sauerkraut. She was responsible for caring for a bull calf, and tells about some of the less savory duties this entailed. She used to herd the geese into the woods and feed them hazle nuts. 545 Ethnic Traditions- 581 Bathing- The family would make fruitcake, which was a lot of work, and also make real mincemeat. (564) The cooking took hours, but it was worth it. Saturday night ritual. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon M. Donnelly Tape I, side B Counter number 000 Bathing- The family filled a round tub, the cleanest ones washed first. (006) She used to wash her hair outside and let the sun dry it, cannot remember what they did during the winter. 010 Hairstyles- Her hair was very short since her dad was a barber. Her mother had very long hair until it began to give her headaches. The styles were very simple- rollers and bobby pins were used to add curls. 20 High School- Subjects included Latin, algebra, and chemistry- she had an especially good female chemistry teacher who was a doctor. She also took biology, cooking, horne nursing 1 sewing and the dreaded swimming class. She also learned to play tennis. (034) Her family built their own tennis court in the woods, the neighborhood kids would come to play. It was so much fun that they would forget to eat. Once a tennis star even came to play. Though her mother was usually too busy to participate, she enjoyed playing with her father. (054) One day she skipped school and went to a show with her boyfriend. ( 066) She had a part in the senior class play. Plays were a good source of entertainment. Practices caused her to miss the bus horne, so her father would have to come get her in the car. (076) She missed the high school graduation ceremony because she did not have the money to buy the proper dress. 085 career Goals- She had wanted to be a nurse, but her parents could not afford to put her through nursing school. She decided on beauty school, which was only $60 a year. ( 090) She spent six to eight months at Modern Beauty School, where she learned all the muscles and nerves (which went right along with being a nurse), how to manicure, give penns, Marcell hair, and give facials. ( 1 01 ) One of her customers was a madam who would bring in all of "her girls", this woman got everything done and would leave a $5 tip. She says she would have been scared if she had known the woman was a madam at the time. ( 114) A two day exam was administered by the state for licensing. ( 124) Unifonns and personal appearance were very important issues. 136- Meeting Husband-To-Be - They would go to dances and for drives. After she got her beautician's license they picked out a wedding ring, which she still wears. She kept the engagement a secret until late in June. (149) Her father found a position for her as a beauty shop manager, but there was a stipulation that she would have to wait one year before getting married if she were to take the job. ( 154) She called Niel, her husband-to-be, and he told her not to take the job. ( 1 56) Neil asks her father for her hand in marriage, and her father asks her if it is what she wants. ( 1 60) She says she wants to be married, she does not want to run a beauty shop. ( 162) She did work as a substitute for another woman occasionally, but she always got homesick. 167 Getting Married- The family could not afford a big wedding, so she got a suit and was married in a small chapel. Fortunately, a big wedding was scheduled later in the day, so they were able to enjoy the flowers. (179) Her parents, the family's original friends, her brother, and Niel's family all attended the wedding. (185) She chose to have a nice honeymoon over a big wedding. (200) The honeymoon was wonderful, they went to Vancouver, B.C. by car, and then they went on a hunting trip near the carbon River. 210 Husband's Occupation- He was a mechanic making 33.3 ¢ an hour when there was work, but he had savings of $2,000 in the bank at the time of the wedding. 225 Their First Home- They moved into the Francis Hall Apartments, not far from Neil's job at Sagen's Garage. Neither of the pair had ever lived in the city, and they found it difficult to be cooped up. The apartment had a Murphy bed and a tiny kitchenette. She was lonely and missed doing the baking and other chores she used to help with at home. (242) She relates a story about her first dinner party and the difficulty in getting the chicken to cook. 252 Renting The Duplex- This was a large two-bedroom place which they could afford at $50 a month. They spent some of their savings on furniture, though the landlord loaned them a table. ( 267) Niel could walk to work, so she had the car. Once a week she would visit her folks or his parents. (274) On sumner evenings they would go fishing at Clover Creek. 279 Becoming Pregnant- Came as quite a surprise. She was married in 1935 and had her first baby in 1937, exactly one week after her own twentyfirst birthday. 289 The Farmhouse- A home near her folks came up for sale and they bought it. She says the purchase was a mistake, due to the amount of work to be done. There are fruit trees, berries, vegetables, chickens, calves, ducks and sheep to tend. ( 302) She was responsible for taking care of the animals, since her husband was at work all day. She comments that she also had a baby running around at this time. 312 The Birth of Her Second Child- Three years after the first child was born, she gave birth to a son, which thrilled her husband. The baby recieved a royal ride home from the hospital. (324) She talks about the week of mandatory hospital bedrest expected after a birth, and relates information about Ikie, a family friend who looked after the house while she was in the hospital. (349) Her husband had promised her a certain bedspread if she had a son. (354) She tells how nervous she had been to handle her first baby, due to lack of experience. Her own mother was scared of kids. 369 Husband Goes 'Ib Work For Mallon Ford- She sees less of him because it is too far away to come home for lunch. 377 The Day That Pearl Harbor Was Attacked- The pair had gone up into the hills to gather stones for building a fireplace. Her parents came and told them what had happened when they returned, and warned them about the blackouts and the danger of attack. 384 During the War Effort- Her husband first workend at Ft. Lewis, and then at the shipyard, where he taught math and measuring to others. (395) They had to use food stamp:;;, and there were limits on butter, meat, and sugar. (400) She talks about standing in line for hours to get sugar for canning. They missed coffee the most, and had to use the grounds twice. (411) Walt, her brother-in-law, was able to get butter for the family directly from Wisconsin. ( 424) She did not think about getting an industry job during the war. 430 Putting Her Oaugter In School- The doctor advised her to put her daughter in school to keep her busy and well, but school officails claimed that she was too young. Finally she gets accepted at Fern Hill- in order to take her to school, which is made difficult by gas rationing, Marian takes a job as the school cook, putting her son Jerry into a nursery school. The job is also beneficial, as she is able to bring home leftover food. 456 Concerning Racial Issues- She believes that although a lot of the Japanese in the United States were innocent, a lot were not. She talks about the experiences Niel had had in the coal mining town he grew up in. She says that the Japanese had attended a special Saturday school, and that they had threatened to conquor the white citizens in her husband's hometown. She viewed the Japanese as an internal threat. (478) She observes that many of the Japanese were farmers in "the valley", and did not attack solely because they were interned. (483) She says her views did not result from media influence, just from thinking about the strange things she ha::\ seen. ( 492) She went to a Japanese florist, and felt that there was an aura of secrecy. She does excuse the American born, but is critical of their parents. ( 502) She acknowledges that internment was hard, but also states that the Japanese were not tortured and they had good food. (511) She mentions the fact that German prisoners were held at Ft. Lewis, and that Eddie Shade, her son's father-in-law, had worked there as a guard. (517) During the first World War her own family had been watched, as her father's parents were immigrants from Germany. (535) She reasserts the fact that she felt internment was right. (542) Gas rationing had prevented them from visiting the camp in PUyallup. She did feel sorry for the Japanese, and realized that they had to give a lot up, but her "woman's gut instinct" was that the Japanese were on the sly. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape II, side A Counter number 000 Racial Issues- 061 Birth Control- Though she has no biases herself, her parents were from the East and were more prejudced. In fact, her mother would get angry if she said a Black baby was cute. ( 01 0) Her husband was more biased because he had grown up amongst immigrants. (014) There were not many Black families in town, just one family when she was going to school at Central Avenue. There was one Hawaiian boy 1 but no Japanese or Chinese that she knew of. (028) She observes that the Japanese ran businesses like florist shops and markets, while Blacks were porters in barber shops and trains, Black women being maids primarily. ( 036) They did not go to the Indian reservations, but occasionally bought salmon on the Nisqually River or at Cello Falls in Oregon. (043) She did not know much about the Native American culture, there were no culture classes like there are today. ( 048) In business life there were a few Negro customers, and a Japanese lady who came as a customer. ( 055) Her personal philosophy is that if someone is a good person, that is what matters 1 a point which she relates to having grown up where people are relatively free. No one talked about it, but powders, gels, suppositiories, and condoms were available. ( 067) One device per package had to be defective to preserve the integrity of the manufacturers • (072) She first went to the doctor, who prescribed a powder for her, later she would get her supplies at the drug store, which could be quite embarassing. ( 081 ) The general idea was that birth control was for use by married couples- it was drilled into your head to save yourself for your husband. (089) She was briefed in sex education by her family docton who told her what to expect at an appointment about one week before her wedding. This doctor also met with her husbandto- be. ( 099) She had one good friend from high school who happened to be visiting when a doctor from the insurance company came to give her a physical. This woman taught her how to make a urine sample, because she did not know. 118 Learning About Her Body- The doctor of her first child gave her books to read and was a great help. Such things had not been appropriate to discuss with girlfriends, and she had never confided in her mother because she did not feel anything was out of the ordinary. Everyone was raised to "go in blank". ( 138) The instruction she recieved in gym class was too late, as she had started to menstruate at the age of twelve. 152 Reading- The only books to read were school books and a family doctor book. In school they read classics like Ivanho, but it took a lot of time and she did not enjoy it. She did like to read magazines. (162) In beauty school they did pass novels and things like Redbook. 168 Her Third Child- Born six and a half years after the second baby, Sonja arrived when Niel owned his own garage. Marian did the bookkeeping, phone answering, and some towing and delivering of vehicles. 178 vacation Property- 190 Children- When the war was over, the family bought a lot at Lake St. Clair for $750, which they payed off with $10 each month. Sonja was raised in a playpen, the other children would play with her after school. ( 199) When she was older, Sonja 1 s brother questioned all of her dates. ( 203) Times were very busy with one child in high school, another in junior high, and the youngest in elementary. There were three PTAs to attend, the business to run, and bills to pay. ( 208) Paying bills was a top priority. When the oldest daughter was in college, her tuition was paid through insurance policies that had matured. (222) When she was in a jam for time, her husband would help, ironing was the only thing that was allowed to pile up. Her husband sent his coveralls and greasy rags to a laundry for cleaning. (237) They had a real good life. Her husband wanted their son to be a mechanic, but the father and son did not work well together. Jerry did end up going to vocational school and gained a job with the county. (247) Her eldest daughter had wanted to be ateacher from day one, and would hold play school during the summer for the neighborhood children. She had her own chemistry set, and liked animals very much. ( 266) Her daughter would have made a good auto mechanic, she could do anything, and even tuned up the school principle 1 s car. (278) Marylyn [the oldest] was an excellent student and set the standards for her siblings to meet. { 289) Finally Marian and Niel had to confront. the school officials about the individual merits of the children. (303) Sonja was encouraged by her parents to get good grades, but the other children at school discouraged her. 311 Family Activities- Once they went skiing for Christmas, there were always extra kids around for activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, camping, travelling, and picnics. (324) It was a fun time, busy and enjoyable. When her daughter would visit from college, she would bring friends. ( 333) Marian did not resent the extra guests, she was glad to see her children with friends. 374 Hobbies- ( 342) She always had something for them to eat. (344) When there was a ski boat at the lake, they were always hungry, she did not resent it, it was "all a part of it". (354) The family took a trip to california, and she and her husband went to Victoria, thpough they did not make many trips alone. ( 360) She was lonesome when the kids grew up, but they maintained good rapport, and it was a good opportunity to get back with her husband as a companion. One daughter was away from home for just one year before returning. She learned about ceramics, china painting, and woodworking through programs at the local schools. (383) It is important to have an interest. (386) Her husband was always with his cars, they were both his livelihood and his hobby. He had been raised in the tradition of keeping busy. 401 Women's Activities- She neither needed nor wanted to work outside of the home. She noted the work opportunities women took advantage of during the war, and lists teaching, secretarial, and housecleaning jobs as the major opportunities. (424) Construction, police work, and firefighting c:-e not considered appropriate for women, though she notes that by Sonja's era more opportunities were surfacing. (439) In her own time there were ceramics, the housework was never done, cooking had to be done. Later she did more visiting of friends, and she participated in the Lutheran Ladies Aid once a month. (455) She never asked the grandmas to care for the children unless it was an emergency. ( 462) The other ladies in the club were from the "Old Country", and Sonja enjoyed looking at their fancy needlework projects. (471) She started Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Senior Scouts in the neighborhood. (Parkland). Many projects, including a trip to Seattle, were undertaken. The senior Scouts group operated in conjunction with the boys' group of the same. By the time her daughter went to college, she was tired of scouting. ( 521 ) She was PI'A President of the largest county PI'A in the state - her husband was very proud of her. ( 550) They would visit the college on Fathers' Weekend and other special events. Marian Gaiser March 16, 1992 Interviewed by Shannon Donnelly Tape II, side B Counter number 002 Living As A Widow- She had been married for fortytwo years, her own children, and son and daughter-in-law, helped her through. (008) She learned how to mow the lawn, wash the car, and get the car serviced. She sold the family home, and the move instigated many changes, it took her about seven years to adjust. She did not want to go out. ( 018) It was lucky that she had done bookkeeping, so she knew how to run her checkbook. She was very lonesome. (024) After sixteen years she is doing fine. She made it with no outside help. Grandkids provide excitement now. 033 Perceptions of the East- 045 The West- 063 Biographical to her knowledge, as gained through her mother's correspondence with her sisters, the east was very formal, while in the west necessity dictated activities. ( 041 ) She had heard of the Wobblies 1 though she states that there was "nothing like that out here". "This was heaven", it did things like increase the appetite and make one sleep well. (053) The air was fresh and it was safe to walk out on the streets. The West was not like the image Easterners held of it- it was not wild, just free. Information- Marian Estelle Blaser Gaiser, born January 3, 191 6 in Cleveland, Ohio. She has lived in Washington since she was four and a half years old, "so this is my state". |
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