“Once I got to be in seventh grade, eighth grade, we crossed 15th Avenue and nothing ever happened.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for We All Played Together It’s the Froebel neighborhood, in Gary. It ran from 15th Avenue on the south end to 11th Avenue on the north end, and it went from Broadway […]
Flight Paths Project
Becoming a Teacher
“I did not want to be used as the token Latin.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for Becoming a Teacher In the fall of 1960, I went to IU and studied education. And I did some work at Indiana Northwest. And then I wound up at Bloomington. I got my degree in Education in 1966. […]
The Neighborhood
“Nobody ever said, ‘Hey, you’re a Mexican,’ or ‘Hey, you’re an Italian’ or anything like that.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for The Neighborhood Did he ever suffer any discrimination? I don’t know. Because I was a kid and he was working in the mill. My mom definitely did not suffer any, I don’t think, […]
Settling in Gary
“So my dad said, ‘Well, you know what, I don’t have to live here.’” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for Settling in Gary My dad left, he ran away from his father, at the age of thirteen. He left Mexico and worked on a tramp steamer. A tramp steamer was a boat, I think, that […]
School Days
“I was the only Caucasian in the whole class.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for School Days I went to Froebel School, kindergarten, in about 1948. My kindergarten class was basically all white. I had Mrs. Reising for a kindergarten teacher. And I remember that everybody had to have a rug. And at ten o’clock […]
I Wanted to Work
“He comes back… and he said, ‘I have a permanent position for you.’” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for I Wanted to Work I started looking for a job. You know, I worked in Germany. I wanted to work. You know, I liked to bring in money. I never wanted to be like my mom […]
1967 Snowstorm
“No, a captain stays with the ship.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for 1967 Snowstorm We got trapped in the 1967 snowstorm in school. And since we had a bunch of guys, we got all the ladies out at noon. And Dr. Gilbert was the superintendent. And he said, “The kids can go home. The […]
To Germany and Back
“It really makes you a woman and makes you responsible.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for To Germany and Back I graduated from Froebel High School, and my intention was not to go anyplace. I wanted to go to school. And I wanted to be a teacher. And my husband then because we were, after […]
Outside In Instead of Inside Out
“The same very people who left… need to step up and help fix the issues.” Produced and edited by Rebecca Werner and Brandi Casada. Transcript for Outside In Instead of Inside Out I truly believe the only way Gary will ever be successful again is if it happens from the outside in instead of the […]