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This is Irene Reese interviewing Mrs. Lou Arredondo Bower Sachs. The interview is conducted. At 602 Westport Road on September 4th. 1981. This is tape A. Mrs. Arredondo Borisa operates La Casa Musical in Kansas City, Missouri, which means that she deals in selling records and tapes, a

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variety of music, predominantly from Spanish speaking areas and Spanish speaking countries, but not. Mrs. Arredondo, would you, um, give me a little information about your early life? I was uh born in uh Dearborn, Missouri, I'm homegrown, so to speak, my parents came. We're on their way

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to Chicago. Someone there they can see. Uh, at the Union Station at that time, and uh the men convinced them that Kansas City would be a good place to, to stay instead of going to Chicago. So, therefore I became, they became residents, so to speak. Missouri.

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Yes, of Missouri, and, uh. But they really did not know anybody. No, no. They just came, they heard that in America money grew on trees and, uh, they were out to look for that tree that. My father and his brother were in business in Mexico. They

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owned a grocery store and so in order to finance that venture, my father, uh, sold his half of the store to my uncle. Pursued his trek for a better life. Where, where in Mexico around the the Michoacan. Both, both of them, huh. Now, this, uh, this

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would have been about what? Oh, gosh, it's in. Approximately. Uh, that had to be, Fine. Probably that they came into this, this, uh, Yes, Papa right now is 91. So he's been here a long time, long time. Mama Faicio, uh, it's been about 9 years ago,

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obviously. I lost my best friend then. And Papa's still living. What were their names? uh, Philomeno Redondo. Familia. Figueroa Arredondo. Her maiden name was Figueroa. I don't hear that name too often. No, it's, it's certainly not around here. It's not common. I don't, I never I

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met one gentleman once that came into the store. His name was Vigoo, and I thought, oh my gosh, there is more. There is more. And So then about, then we, uh, at that time, uh, They were, they moved out from. They came in from the house

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and they resided there in the house about a year and a half. And my sister Del was born there in Waco, Texas, and from there they were on their way to Chicago, and here is where they stopped in Missouri. Yes, they stopped in Missouri, and I,

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and then they went to Dearborn, Kansas, uh, Dearborn, Missouri, which is, uh, this side of Saint Joseph. Which takes about maybe 45 minutes and I was born there, but at the age of 6 months, they they came back to what is known as the East Bottoms.

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20s. And um so but then they moved they, they didn't stay there very long in Dearborn, Missouri. No, no, they, they just stayed there for a while and then they came to Kansas City, Missouri, down in the East Bonhams, yes, and my father worked then for

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the Missouri Pacific Railroad. T. For many years, huh? See. Oh. Yeah. Oh, early memories of that. Uh-huh. Did your mother, uh, was she basically a homemaker or did she work outside. Definitely. Definitely. She was, um, All, all housewife. All mother, all, Uh, see that metate there

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is what reminds me of her in the early days. Uh, that's, that brings a lot of memories to me. Uh, she used to make her tamales and her tortillas, and I remember that when we started growing up and buying things, you know, modernizing, so to speak,

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uh, we'd say, Mama tortillas canmos to try in la masa la vinticuatro. He said, no, she did every, in other words, she cooked and baked from scratch. She did. She believed in that. But at that time, although you lived at the east bottom, You, you did

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go over here to the west side. Oh, yes, that's where we would go get our Mexicano and, uh, well, was there a large community that the east bottoms, no, it was very small. We were the big community was on the west side. That was the, the

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barrio that was closest to us at that time that had the big concentration of Mexicanos in the east bottoms there must have been. Oh, about 10 families, Mexicanos, and Tony's parents over there were, were. Was there any reason why some did settle there? Is that because

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they were near it was near the railroad, and let's face it, that the Mexicanos could get in those days could only work near railroads or on the railroad and, uh, packing houses, and it happened to be that the the Missouri Pacific, uh, station warehouse, whatever it

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was, all the concentration, it was in these bombs, the la casa Redonda la de. About how many were you in the family? I mean, how many brothers? Oh, we had 7 brothers and 6 girls. 7 brothers and 6 girls and we're all here in Kansas City

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except 1 brother that lives in Seattle, Washington. We're all and whenever we get together it looks like a convention in town. My father lives over on the, uh, near the, um, Oh, are you familiar with the RA Long museum? Over there on, uh, Saint, uh, oh,

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on the east side. Oh, uh-huh. On Drive. 00, I see. Yeah, he has one of those. Does he live by himself? No, no, he has my sister Rose. Oh, OK. My sister Mary and my sister. Oh, OK. The three adults living with him, yeah. Oh, yes,

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yes. And so, um, What do you remember then, but you, you stayed there in that area for a number of years. Do you remember something about the, the streets and houses. Oh, yeah. They said that it was predominantly, Uh, farmland. Oh, farmland. Farmland, uh, uh, and,

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uh, there was the, the flour mills down there, the mills and, uh, Um, and the railroad, of course, you know, but predominantly we ran through cornfields playing, you know, we used to play hide and seek and throw tomatoes at each other, isn't that terrible? But we

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did, and, uh, that was my memory of these bottoms just, uh, and it gradually became more industrial. Is especially of the people there then more or less worked in the near nearby I mean yes it was a concentration really of the you might say the Belgians

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which had big farms, uh, then, uh, the small concentration of Mexicanos and then you might say the poor whites, you know. It was, uh, that, uh, that. Was that, uh, accessible, say, from downtown, were there streetcars or buses or. Yes, there was, uh, my early recollection,

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uh, real, real early recollection was, uh, the railroad, the streetcars. I can still remember that. I can remember way back when I was two and three years old. Yeah. I can, I can remember back then. They ran. Yes. That, that's where we lost one of our

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pet dogs. The, the streetcar ran over it. I remember that. And then, um, gradually that was done away with and, um, from but still from when I reached high school age, I remember walking to school, uh, to Emanuel High in vocation. I remember where that was

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on 15th and uh. Was it 15th in Indiana? From the east bottoms. That was a long time. I did not live here. It was a long trek and I used to, well, where did you go to, to, to get back? I mean, we'll go to the

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high school and then did you go to, was there an elementary school in the area? Yes. Uh, we went to Martin school. Martin. There was a, uh, uh, a Protestant school, uh, called Martin School. Martin Martin, M A R T I N, and that's where I

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went to school. And then in my last grade, uh. Was that because it was the closest, convenient. No or no? That was the most economical. Uh, the parochial school was tuition wise, my parents couldn't afford it till, uh, they put such pressure on my parents. So,

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I was transferred in my 7th, Year into Saint, Francis Sarah. And there I graduated from a Catholic grade school. But, uh, we used to have Bible classes on Tuesday mornings. I think you might know the Gallagher sisters, Mary Louise and Dorothy. Dorothy, yes. OK. Mary Louise

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Gallagher was my, She used to, on Tuesdays, it was, it's a big part of my life and I cannot forget that. And she wouldn't go there. On Tuesdays, we, they would transfer all the Catholic schools from Martin school. We would, uh, trek over to the Catholic

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school and, um, have, um, uh, Bible school classes on Tuesdays. Yeah, that's my earliest recollection, and that was fun. Besides that, uh, what else do you remember of those, of those early years? I'm thinking of elementary grades. Did you, were you able to have a hobby?

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I mean, you didn't have to do anything. And I always managed to be a teacher. I always did. And I loved to draw, you know, and, um, I, uh, I, I always have drawn. I drew a lot. And, uh, I, um, I, Love to read. Love

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to read. I was always excelling. Those were my two things, drawing and reading, and still today, but, um, I feel that I have if you have those two things you can, you, you'll never be lonely but uh we had uh library classes and library books to

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read constantly. It was very, very well, uh. Uh, stocked our library situation. We always had books to read in school. You're talking about a good selection of the, of the public school. The public school always had and in the summertime we always had books to read.

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I'd go and I'd bring too, as many as they allowed me to bring, and I spent my summers reading. I was always imagining I was the fairy princess or something, you know. I could dream. Um-hum, sure. But, uh. Now, what was the closest in church? Oh,

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well, it wasn't very far. It's just a small barrio. Um. Uh, there was a distance, uh, let's see, when I was going to, um, Public school. I started from within three blocks of the Catholic school. Oh, OK. And had to backtrack about a mile and 1/4

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to the public school, the one you mentioned? Saint Francis area. Saint Francis. It still exists. It's still down there. Oh, yes. Uh-huh. It's still down there. Yeah, it's very industrialized now. Um. Especially after the floods. Uh, more businesses bought into down there because it didn't flood.

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That did not flood. We were evacuated. But it never did flood and so it seemed like trucking firms particularly they bought up the farms and what had become what was what had been farms in the beginning became big farm indus uh I mean trucking industries now

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you should see it's all become a great truck. Trucking, you see trucks all over these farms now, uh, and in fact, uh, I'm very sympathetic to the west side in keeping the West High School open. I'll tell you why. I experienced, uh, I saw it happen

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to us in the East Bonhams that big industry came in, squeezed out the residents. And therefore the kids had to be bussed up on the hill, which is Cliff Drive assumption and all of those schools, but I can see where big industry can come in and

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squeeze the life out of this. And that's what happened in these bottoms. It was very Martin School is no more. No more. It's no more, uh, Saint Francis Seraf is no more. Because of the fact of industry and the families have to bust their kids out.

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And, uh, that's why I'm sympathetic to the situation. My move away eventually, if, if they can't afford it or. Uh-huh. Uh, well, I saw, I saw, I saw it squeeze the life out of the, uh, of, of the Bonhams and. Um-hum, um, and there's people there

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yet. But there's no school. Now, um, Since your father worked for the, Railroad company So, did you have a chance to travel since you would probably have a pass or some kind of. Oh, no. Well, my father, uh, worked for the Missouri Pacific and then he

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quit the Missouri Pacific and he went into business for himself. Oh, It, uh, he used to cut, um, Wood. Remember the railroad ties that they would replace. OK Latias. He had a chainsaw that was, oh, I would say a good 12 ft long. It was a

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big saw, and he used to cut wood for the bakeries, manor bakery, and for, uh, Roma bakery. And in fact during the Depression, I remember my father trading labor for bread. And uh I remember the blocks of wood. Selling for this for them to use. That

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was for our, our, our livelihood at that time. No, no, but how did the bakers they, they used to fire their ovens. Oh, they they used to fire the ovens and bake their breads. Yes, uh-huh. Oh gosh, I remember dad coming home with boxes of bread,

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you know, and, uh, mamacita la tolito. We'd have our a tolito and Italian bread. Oh, God, we were raised on that. We had some, it was delicious. I wish I had some of it right now. You're going to make me Oh God, yes. Oh, that was

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my so and what experiences, how about Spanish? Did you speak Spanish at home or did you speak English, uh, my father did not allow us to speak English in the house. He said, uh, uh, he said, you think you will not need the Span uh although

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you have to remember that we were around people that were not right, but we were my fatherdicia de las Pueres pararadentro de espanol de las Pueres parajuana blen lopequia, you know, so we were forced into it and we learned it and that is the thing that

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I think. We are missing today because as parents we have become too lenient and my own youngsters they wish with a passion today that they knew the Spanish language but see I wasn't that strong. I wasn't as strong as my father was with me. I didn't

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have the heart to hurt them and it I, I, I really did. I crippled them because they should know the language. It's, it's, it's beautiful for a person to know two languages and more and especially in this day and age when we were becoming so what

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uh the, the, uh, it's a shame the, the attache that was here yesterday, the Spanish they speak and to know that our youngsters. Are lacking and something they that is part of their heritage to me, it's, it's, it's sad. I wish I had been stronger. Uh,

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my daughter, uh, my oldest daughter Cindy and my son Dan, they are the ones that speak Spanish. Why? Because they had my mother living then and the only way they could communicate was in Spanish, so they were forced into a situation that they had to learn

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it. OK. So, uh, that's what I'm saying that I, I, I wish now that I had done my homework in that. And so, um-hum, when you went to school though, you weren't, uh, I mean. When I started kindergarten, I knew no English. Oh, you knew. I

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knew no English. In fact, uh, uh, one of my, The things that I remember when I went to kindergarten was that they told me that that was the boys' restroom. Well, I went on in. See, I, I didn't understand. And I remember, um. Standing on the

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front porch and the Wilson family lived in back of us and my sister Dell was always very. Le gusavacuadriar, you know, she always had friends, and I would hang on my the porch railing. Because I didn't want to go play with the kids because I I

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didn't know what they were saying. So see this, but then once I entered school, you grasp, but if you're young enough, you grasp it immediately. So, um. So, you, after that, you really did not encounter problems. Not language. In fact, I became the interpreter for my

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parents. Yeah. You know, whenever they had to go to the doctor or anything. I was the one that went with mother, very young. I would stay out of school. That morning or that afternoon so that I could go with her to the doctor to interpret her

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the way she was, you know, her aches and pains, whatever it was, you know, and with babies every, every year almost. Uh, you know, it. Were you one of the older ones? Oh, yes. I was the one that had to take the responsibility of the interpretation,

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you know, So I was almost forced into that situation of learning my English and learning it as. Mother always wanted To pursue being a Now she always thought yeah it'd be nice Lucia toquenotiases salescues avo OK mama. And then my father, now my father was a

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self self-taught man. He taught me. To read and write. You did learn how to read. Yes, yes. The, the, what I learned, I learned from my father as far as, as far as reading and writing. He and I would, he would, we would, well, we'd have

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the round table discussions, the fact that we were good for that, we'd sit around and have good conversations. I knew, uh, stories that layon. Even as to what communism was meant to be in the beginning, my father was very. He's a, he was a bookworm also

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in his day. He was well. I mean he would read in Spanish. A for electricity. like for My father did, And I think today. I wonder if there were, Like him, I wonder what we have lost in America as far as what they could have contributed

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had they had the education. To perhaps. Give more of themselves to the public because I think now that so much of that is going with them and how much of it was wasted because he was, I had so much. And admiration. He had guts and go.

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I always did little short men. he was Yeah. Was your mother tall? Mother was about that much taller than papa. 00, yes. Well, you, you came on tall. You must be from way back or somebody. Yeah, my, on my mother's side, but, and my father said

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he was a short one in his family. Oh. But he was full of dynamite. Stern, I was never allowed to wear slacks on gym day. I couldn't wear my gym suit. I had to go to school and change. And later about the second year, my mother

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finally said, now these are laws that we have to abide by. The kids have to go to school. They have to wear their gym suits. And I felt so self-conscious that I would run from my front door till I got inside the school building, you know,

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even today I'm not comfortable in shorts out in public. You know, but my father with it with these goes with its in your bed and all of that, you know. So, he was very, he was very much a, a master in his, Very much and I

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appreciate that today. Did you, um, then from the elementary school then went on to junior high or high school I belonged, uh, uh, our section of, of the East Bonhams with the East Bonham's kids really belonged at Northeast, northeast school. But because uh Manuel High offered

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um vocational training. And I at that time thought being a beautician was just the ultimate. You're leaving, Tony? Uh, you, we were talking about your interest in, uh, beautician's work, and then, You're transferring from, or when you finished elementary school that you were going on to

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another school. Yes. Uh-huh. We, I then went to Manual High and vocational. And, uh, Because of the uh situation and the economic situation, I had to um uh quit school for about a year. But, um, I got it over with. I got it over with and,

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uh, on the honor roll bit and all that, you know, I made, I, I felt. You were out a year but went back, is it? Oh, yes, yes. And I, uh, and I finished my high schooling. And the thing that I would have liked to perhaps,

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Pursued and what my parents always felt bad about was that I could not get a college education because I did help, help support the younger. Sure. And, um. With a large family. Yes. Uh-huh. And I don't regret it. Uh, you get your blessings back a hundredfold

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in other forms. Yes, but, uh, that's, uh, basically what my childhood was. Well, what else did you do while you were in high school? I mean, uh, like, uh, um, you said you had good grades and were you active in some clubs. No, I was very

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shy in those days. Were you were shy? Oh, yeah. But you imagine me being being shy in those days. In fact, I was almost 16 years old before I dared wear lipstick, and I went around like, All day on the bus, on the streetcar, on the

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bus, whatever, like this, I would, I just knew the whole world was looking at me because I had lipstick on. 00, I was a very shy, withdrawn person, very intense in my, I think I, I lost myself in my books, and that was my escape. But,

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uh, I didn't start really getting bold, so to speak. Well, what, what, what helped you? Do you think I think what happened. Overcome that. Was that the self confidence my parents built up in me. I think that had to be it and then I had to

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feel it for myself. That I and I felt more comfortable, more at ease, you know, and. I did really start getting. I was in my twenties before I really started getting active. And I'll tell you what really made me, um, Come out of it. It wasn't

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until really after I was married that I became the person I am today. Really maybe your husband has helped you. He's always been my my support. He always has. He's always encouraged me. He's always encouraged me to work in the Hispanic, you know, being Anglo I'm

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thankful because he understands my need to help. The image of the Hispanic and uh. Uh, I think getting active with the school in, in the school place, you know, PTA and Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, you know, all of that brings you out of your shell. You

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have to, and that came about. Oh, that came, yes, I, I really wasn't, uh, oh, I was always a happy person and laughed very easy, quietly reserved and laughed easily, always did. I always laughed easily, and I was comfortable around certain people, but I really did.

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I was like I am today till I imagine, oh, the first years of marriage. Especially when the youngsters went to school. Oh. Did you try to have a job then while you were in school or not in high school? I, uh, no. In those days, I

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didn't, um, perhaps I wasn't aware that you could work and go to school also. I thought that, well, for me it was a full time job. I went to work and, uh, I made good money. I was always fast and good in my work. Well, then

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you went to work actually when you finished, I mean after high school. Yes. Yes. In fact, in my junior year, I started working part time in a, in a garment industry. And, uh. What, about what year was this when you were through high school? Oh, gosh.

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What year was it? Back in the, Um. It had to be after the war. The world was in 42, was it, was it not? I'm never good on years. 45. I'm not, I can't, um, I, I never remember years. I never, I just go about things

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and. Excuse me. I was just, We were talking about uh some of your ventures into the business world, so did you. You said you went to work for a garment. Yes, at Brandon Puritz. It was on 8th and Main Street, Brandon Puritz. It's a garment, they

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make coats. That's, yeah. Went, uh, in fact, I was, uh, barely, not hardly 16 yet. And I lied about my age, but I knew my parents needed the money, so I was, in fact, way before that I was only 14 that I dressed up one Saturday,

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uh, for an interview downtown because I was determined I was going to go to work and help my parents. I always had that in me that I had to help them. I had to help them. And um I wore my mother's high heels and uh hose

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and I weighed about 80 pounds. I was all just one big long limb, you know, but I thought I really looked grown up and I went into the for this interview. I had seen it advertised in the newspaper and he interviewed me and I'll never forget

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it was to sell hose. It was downtown somewhere and they took that hose and they pull it, and they, oh, I thought it was the best thing ever. They couldn't tear that, those hose apart or anything. I was just sold immediately. I knew that I could

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sell all my. You could sell Friends and my mother's commales and all that. And so after all the ladies left, you know, they gave the demonstration and then they started interviewing on a 1 to 1 basis and, uh, it was just me and this man, I

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can't remember his name today, but he looked at me and here I was with the all dressed up, you know, I thought, you know, with the high heels and all, and he looked at me and he says, Lucille. What is your true age? You were trying

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to press for 18 or what, 16? Oh, I barely 16, yeah. Oh God, he says, what is your true age? And I said, well, I'm almost of age. I couldn't even lie, you know. Well, you were trying. But I tried. I gave it a try, but,

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uh, I was, again, I was barely 15 when I went to work for the, uh, garment industry. Yeah. And, uh, I lied. And they didn't catch me for a good two years. And you, you worked all that time? Yes, yes. And, uh, so, I got my

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feet wet early. But in the meantime, you went on and finished high school. Uh-huh. I think we're going to have to, let's see where are we. OK, you were telling me that you worked for this, uh, company, this, uh, garment company for about two years, and,

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uh, after that, what did you do or? No, I stayed with the, uh, I finished school. Wow. Uh, during those two years. Two years. Part, worked part time and I worked with them for a long time. In fact, um, I stayed with them for years because

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the money was so darn good. And since I didn't go back to college then the money was good, I stayed with them. And, um, then, um, lo and behold, I got married. You met your husband and that was, that was a short working career. Where did

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you meet your husband? Oh, he, um, I, I met him, Through another girlfriend. That, uh, her, her, her husband worked with them and, uh, he was from a small town. Your husband? He's from a small town in Missouri. Yeah, chilling coffee, Long Springs, around that, that

00:28:38.589 - 00:28:53.790

area. Um-hum. You know, but, uh, anyway, um. So, you had a short courtship or a long. It was pretty long. It was pretty long, year and a half. Yeah. Pretty long length, length, I think. I don't know. Why would you Kansas. Oh, yes, Kansas and Saint

00:28:53.790 - 00:29:12.630

Francis Church, in fact. Yes, Saint Francis, in fact, when we were first married, we lived there. About, uh, 4 years in the East Bottoms and then we moved to 72nd and Bellevue into Waldo and I've been out in that area since. So. You're still living. Oh,

00:29:12.890 - 00:29:27.560

in the general area, aren't you? Yes. Uh-huh. We live a block further now. We had the 3 boys and uh so we felt we needed the bigger yard so we moved to this presents house. And, uh. Then I became, well, that's when I started really going,

00:29:28.760 - 00:29:41.910

I'm going to, you know, working and getting back in with the public. Um-hum. And I got involved in, uh, when your children came home. Yes, in, uh, uh, the school activities. So, how many children do you have the three? Three girls and three boys. 03 and

00:29:41.910 - 00:30:02.719

3363 girls and three boys. So, I was, I was practically at school every day, all day. Yeah. Just involved in one thing after another, just continuously. OK, good. Scouting. Oh, yes. Uh, I, uh, uh, I became a, a room mother. Uh, I became, School, uh, I

00:30:02.719 - 00:30:23.300

mean, uh, Cub Scout, uh, Teacher, um, Girl Scout, uh, went on overnights, uh, in all the aspects of, uh, the, uh, school involvement. I was president of the Federation, uh, uh, became chairman of this, and one year it was this and the next year was that,

00:30:23.469 - 00:30:39.430

you know, continuously. Are, are all your children married now or no? Oh, no, I've just got the one girl that's married, two girls, and, uh, uh, Teresa and, uh, is at home. She's our youngest. And she's going to nursing school now, she's started, but, uh, uh,

00:30:39.550 - 00:30:59.780

Cindy and, uh, Monica are, And the boys are not married. None in the ordinary. No, they're not at home. But uh then uh I think that uh one of, I'd like to really tell you what really developed for me. Uh, that I really became involved and

00:30:59.780 - 00:31:14.290

more out of my cocoon, so to speak. I was so involved, that was my comfort zone, my school. Your school. I think that's why I was really involved in every aspect of it, you know, there, because I felt at home. And, uh, then, uh, I took

00:31:14.290 - 00:31:36.290

a, a part-time selling job. And, um, I started going out of my parish, but then I had a Monsignor Schumacher. I don't know if you ever knew, A beautiful, beautiful person, but he encouraged me in all this, and, uh. Uh, when, uh, Colorado Federal savings. Informed

00:31:36.290 - 00:31:54.160

I had by then been approached to if I would like to be one of the charter members and I went to Monsignor Schumacher and I talked to him and he says look. He says you have to leave Saint Elizabeth's Parish. He says you must go back.

00:31:55.160 - 00:32:13.699

To the Mexican American community, he says there's a lot of work to be done there. And uh He says you need to go back and help in which, and I think I took him literally at his word and I started expanding my boundaries, so to speak,

00:32:13.709 - 00:32:27.569

and getting involved a little bit more. But I was contemporary and that was my world. Home and church. Home and church. Saint Elizabeth, that's where your children went to school. Yes. And there I took every office there was. Every office there was, I took, I had

00:32:27.829 - 00:32:43.170

a go at it, and I think that all helped. Me mature and really be at ease with people and, uh, with the public, so to speak. And was it kind of a training ground? Yes, it was. It definitely was. Um-hum. What, uh, kind of, uh, work

00:32:43.170 - 00:32:55.130

was your husband doing then or has he? He changed. He was in the service. Uh, he was of course, and straight out of the service, he, uh, went to, uh, I, I, like I told you that I thought, boy, being a beautician was it. Well, I

00:32:55.130 - 00:33:08.979

didn't tell you. I have to go back a few years, that while, He was in the service. I took beautician's training. Oh, OK. And then I had my own beauty shop in my home. And I liked the feeling of having your own business. I liked that.

00:33:09.739 - 00:33:23.660

And then, uh, uh, in my own home, it didn't work out because I had a baby that was mommy this and mommy that, and I, and I, I, I, I, it just didn't work out. By then, my husband had been, uh, had come out of the

00:33:23.660 - 00:33:38.810

service and, uh, he went to work. He took his training as a barber. Our dream at that time was to have a his and hers beauty shop, barber shop and blind under 111 building. We were going to do that someday. Uh, that was our plan. And

00:33:38.810 - 00:33:50.849

uh so that we could also have maybe the upstairs of the for the family and then the downstairs of of of building where we could uh have the businesses and upstairs the family that was what we were we really started out as so he took his

00:33:50.849 - 00:34:07.890

barber's training and I knew that I had my training. I went to work for another beauty shop. I managed it. But then um I quit when I was expecting. Bud came home from the service and he, he went to work over here in Fairway where he

00:34:07.890 - 00:34:26.129

is today, and he worked for Tom. He worked for the shop about 5 years and then 5 years he bought the shop. Um, he's been there ever since. So, uh, it's been a long. A number of years. Yes. Yes, it's been, uh, 28 years. And, uh,

00:34:26.610 - 00:34:42.909

so it never materialized that I wanted my view that I worked with him at, you know, side by side, but maybe it's best. So that's, uh, that's about, uh, the gist of it and, uh. So when you, you became involved with the Coronado savings and then

00:34:42.909 - 00:34:58.100

you started joining other things. Yes. I mean, outside of your. Yes. Like you said, your, your parish or. Yes, outside of my parish. Yes, I started, uh, joining just the other Hispanic organizations and, you know, you, you know the story of my life, Jane, you know.

00:34:58.159 - 00:35:12.629

Yeah, well, for the record, then what other, uh, you know, just so we get in here, let's see, are you involved with? Well, I'm with, uh, of course, Image. Image. I was vice president of it just like that. And you've been with them since they started

00:35:12.719 - 00:35:27.439

here in Kansas City. Uh, I joined about two years because in the beginning, remember, it was for government employees only. Now it's for the private sector also, and that's what my thing is there, and, and bringing, bringing in the private sector. It should not, and, uh,

00:35:27.449 - 00:35:46.449

it is not only for government, Because the need of the Hispanic is broad and it's in every aspect. Um, I'm very involved with that. Um, then, um, there's just, um, You know, it's hard for me to. Are you with the, part of the Hispanic Chamber of

00:35:46.449 - 00:36:00.729

Commerce too? Yes, definitely. Oh, yes. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, um. And that, of course, that men and women, but I suppose there are more men still in that. There are women. You're probably one of the few. Yes. In the area. Yes, and, um, let's see,

00:36:00.810 - 00:36:16.580

well, just about, uh, you name it, and I tried to be there. I, I really think that the, um, The, the, the, there's so much to do. I If I live to be 150, I won't do all the things I want to. I want to go

00:36:16.580 - 00:36:33.300

back to my pain. I haven't, uh, oh, I love to paint, love to paint. And uh you have a real formal training in school, uh, my formal training came in the form of a private teacher. So, uh, I stayed with her. I started in decorative painting.

00:36:33.340 - 00:36:49.560

I'll tell you how this all came about. I didn't, I didn't realize that I could or or. Any, that my, uh, I leaned in that direction, um, I had a neighbor and I had these little kids, you know, about 4 of them. We had already moved

00:36:49.560 - 00:37:04.000

up here to Seventy-second and Bellevue and the phone rang one afternoon and she says, Luke, she says they told me I've heard that if you, uh, they said that if you ever want to start any new phase in life, go to the busiest person that you

00:37:04.000 - 00:37:17.500

know of and ask them if they won't go with you. And uh she says, I wanna take decorative art and she says, I don't wanna go by myself. Will you go with me? I said, oh, how could I possibly go? I said I would have to

00:37:17.500 - 00:37:29.729

arrange for a babysitter. I don't know what I'd, how I'd ever get there. She says, oh, come on and go. I said, well, let me ask my husband, hoping that he'd say, well, you know, you can't, how can you? You don't, you don't have any time.

00:37:29.820 - 00:37:46.330

You don't have the time. And so that evening, the phone rang while we were having dinner and, uh, she, uh, says, did you ask? And I said, Bud, Betty Lucas wants to know if I can take decorative art with her. He says, sure, it'd be good

00:37:46.330 - 00:38:03.189

for you. So there you talked that finally the next Tuesday I was there I was with my class enrolled in that, and from that I was always trying to paint little miniature pictures on anything I could get my hands on. I stayed with, uh, Adelaide for

00:38:03.189 - 00:38:15.310

about 4 years, 4 years of that, and she's telling me, she says, Louie, she says, you must go on to other. I said, I don't wanna leave this class. And she said, yes. She says, I can tell that you, you, you want something more than I

00:38:15.310 - 00:38:30.780

can offer you. So from there I transferred to another private teacher. And, um, I, uh, kept it up for about, uh. Oh, a good 5 or 6 years. Hm. And, uh, then one year I was getting too involved in the community, but, you know, so I

00:38:30.780 - 00:38:45.669

thought, well, I'm going to stay, uh, uh, I'm not going to paint for about 6 months, you know, and then I'll come back. To this day, it has been, 4 years, I still have to go back and pick up my paints. I have kept saying I'm

00:38:45.669 - 00:38:57.649

going back. I'm going back, and I've put it off that long and I still haven't made it back, but I feel that I want to. I feel this in me that I want to go back. Yes, and I must. And that's one of my plans to

00:38:57.649 - 00:39:13.909

go back to my art. And I like I love to write poetry, love to write poetry. I I always have always written poetry. I write poetry that makes myself, I, when I cry. I can best say it in poetry, and, uh, In grade school I used

00:39:13.909 - 00:39:33.830

to write poetry. I still do it today. One of these days I want to get that. Finished in book form and. That's not. If you have one. I want to do that also, so, um, there's just a lot of things I do ceramics, uh. It doesn't

00:39:33.830 - 00:39:48.620

hold the same. Uh, joy that it did for me at one time. I think maybe it's because I'm out, I've grown out of that into other, other things. Um-hum. Other fields. Um-hum. Other fields of art. And with your children, did, did, uh, how many of them

00:39:48.620 - 00:40:03.379

have gone on to college, or are they still? My youngsters, uh, the, uh, there's two that have gone to college and Teresa was going to college and at the last minute, uh, this last summer, She decided to go into nurses training. So, I'm thankful for that.

00:40:03.560 - 00:40:21.379

She's. She loves it, loves it and like, uh, she, uh, she was looking into the UMKC. Oh. Uh-huh. And, uh, she went to, uh, she enrolled and all that, and, um, She, uh, ended up three, just three weeks ago. Um-hum. She started nurses training. So, she's

00:40:21.379 - 00:40:37.520

very happy and if she goes through with that, I'll be very content. I'll know that that's a field that she'll always be self supporting it. There will always be a need for that. And, Thankful for that and she's my worry, so to speak right now because

00:40:37.520 - 00:40:50.860

she's my youngest. Yeah. She's, she's the one that's at home. Yes, yes. But the others are, even though they're not all married, they live, uh. Uh, in the Kansas area. Yes. Uh-huh. Yes. And, in fact, two of our boys live in one of the apartments upstairs.

00:40:51.189 - 00:41:09.179

Oh, yeah. One works for himself and the other one is a, works for the Chrysler Corporation as a, um, What do they call it, uh, him, uh, what is his title? Something on, uh, uh, recalling, Bad debts. So, he's a little old bill collector, I say.

00:41:09.399 - 00:41:23.870

Yeah. And he's very, he worked for Commerce before that. He was, uh, one of the, he was always getting, Uh, called in because he was one of the ones that brought in the most money. Really, he goes after it. In fact, I, well, I got a

00:41:23.870 - 00:41:41.800

call a while ago and he asked if, uh, we knew somebody in, uh, in, uh, California. His their name was Bauer sauce, you know, he said, do we have, I guess he's trying to collect a bad bill. Some say that. Some long lost relatives. I said,

00:41:41.979 - 00:41:57.320

honey, I, not that I'm aware of. You know. Well, for, for all the things you've been involved with and have, have you received any recognition? I'm sure probably even at school or. uh the organizations or. The Hispanic Chamber did give me the Hispanic Woman of the

00:41:57.320 - 00:42:16.280

Year award. Was it. Yes. Last year. Two years. Two years ago, yes, uh-huh. Uh-huh. Thankful I just. I always, though, I'm not one to, I'm not comfortable in, in being Irene, in the limelight of anything. No, it, it, it, I don't know why I feel withdrawn.

00:42:16.560 - 00:42:29.729

Then I recede back into my cocoon that I was in. Yeah. But you see, you have to remember that this is quite a bit from when you think back when you were 16 or, You were telling me how shy you were. Yes. So it still has

00:42:29.729 - 00:42:46.459

to give you a certain sense of, Feeling Satisfaction perhaps that maybe I am doing something that can be seen, but yet nevertheless, I never feel quite comfortable when it comes to talking about myself. Um, I, I would rather. I always feel more comfortable working in an

00:42:46.459 - 00:43:03.129

advisory capacity because I don't care for the for the limelight so to speak. I never have. I, I rather build so to speak, other people that I think have the potential and and work with them as to. In that direction. I always have. So, but as

00:43:03.129 - 00:43:15.399

you look ahead then, are there, um, Some of the things that you would like to, to do or that you feel, I know you were talking about your painting. Um-hum. That you want to continue to do. Yes. Some of these other goals that you would like

00:43:15.399 - 00:43:38.790

to achieve. What, what I wish, what I wish is that I, I had the guts, had the guts to be a politician. Because I feel that there's a need there. But I cry too easy and. They're tears of frustration. They're not tears of. Self pity. I,

00:43:38.989 - 00:43:56.409

I feel so, so deep, and, uh, in this country, it's a sin to cry and to cry public, yeah, I go down right fast. Uh, I, I wish I had the guts to be, Really do because there's a big void there and uh there's a need.

00:43:57.649 - 00:44:14.209

Uh, hopefully soon someone will come to our rescue, so to speak, because I feel there's a need there tremendously. But I wish that is one thing I wish I had done. And I don't see myself going into that, but I wish I could. You would like

00:44:14.209 - 00:44:28.449

to do that. But, yeah, on the more practical side, is there anything else that you want to do? You want to keep growing in this business that you're. Oh, my. Right now, it, it would be this, uh, uh, each country, uh, has its own set of

00:44:28.449 - 00:44:42.620

artists and, uh, this is my little corner. Out of this corner, I do. How, how was it exactly that you got though, into, into this particular line of music? OK. I started in American music. And uh I felt that I wanted to go into business for

00:44:42.620 - 00:44:56.030

myself. I think it goes back to what my father was in business with his brother in Mexico. I think that it was that that influence there and you know and I think there was that that wanting to also and the confidence that my parents had in

00:44:56.030 - 00:45:12.570

me that I could do it if anything I set my heart to, you know. Um. And I think uh when I chose a business, I wanted to be something happy. And uh I know that uh although music might be secondary with a lot of people in

00:45:12.570 - 00:45:31.090

this life, we have to eat and music makes us feel good. And so I went into the American, American music with my son Dan at that time. And, uh, I had, Lots of American music. In fact, today, Tony, today the Tony that met that you met

00:45:31.090 - 00:45:50.719

today took the last of the American music that I had. Uh, I had been into it about, Two years. Yeah, they'd see this uh Latina face and they'd say, you know, uh, mecientrama Latinos, you know, well, don't you have Vicente Fernandez or Antonio Aguilar or, you

00:45:50.719 - 00:46:07.679

know, so I kept thinking, well, there must be a need for that. So I slowly but surely started going into that aspect of it and from the Mexican music I went into the, uh, Puerto Rican and the Cuban and, uh, the Italian and, you know, and

00:46:07.679 - 00:46:24.639

gradually I'm. And it's fascinating because uh. There, it's, it's, it's the, oh, the horizon is broad. Um. As far as the music field. OK. And I've learned the hard way. I've had the trials and tribulations of starting a business, you know, and, and the knowledge that,

00:46:26.080 - 00:46:43.969

I that has come about in learning really the hard way. But the words because you have grown and then you're looking ahead to growing more. In other words, uh, um, Not on a grand scale of advertising, but the word of mouth spreads around and you have

00:46:43.969 - 00:46:59.959

a good location. Reputation has a lot to do with it. And also, I mean, I feel that I am feel, uh, filling a void. Although I know that there are stores on the west side. I know that. I, the, I get on the order, uh, on,

00:47:00.639 - 00:47:15.179

Oh, I get as many as, The very least I get per week is 4 new customers per week. So you see people that had never set foot in these two boys that came in a while ago, they're brand new customers that heard about me. They had

00:47:15.179 - 00:47:26.419

never been there before. So what I'm saying is that word of mouth travels and so therefore I'm trying to fill every need there is. If I don't have something, I'm going to this corner and I'm going to find it if I can't, if all I make

00:47:26.419 - 00:47:42.629

out of it is a quarter, you know why? Because that's going to bring them back in. And that's where I get my uh satisfaction of fulfilling something that you you found in immediate Terro. To me that means something because you can't find it very easy. Um-hum.

00:47:43.189 - 00:47:59.350

To me that is very, very self satisfactory, and that's what I'm here for. I am here to serve and that in that capacity, I get my jolly, so to speak. And if you can make a little profit, right, and that is the name of the game,

00:47:59.429 - 00:48:18.209

getting everything I can for you so that I can bleach you so you can come back. And you can tell your friends. But you're very anxious to say. That's one good way of putting it. Oh, yes, I try. OK. Well, is there anything else you'd like

00:48:18.209 - 00:48:33.540

to add? If not, with that, we'll conclude this interview. Yeah, I you should have another one. You'll see me around. We have to have another one. Thank you. And it's been really nice. I hope that, I've um. I don't know that I've added anything to it,

00:48:33.580 - 00:48:48.199

but I hope that I have felt something that perhaps has been left out by some other person that has been raised in the. Um-hum. Area. Um-hum. Well, I don't think I have, From that, from that area. Certainly some of the things you said were new to

00:48:48.199 - 00:49:05.489

me. Um, you know, just different. Yeah, and I'm sure that if I really concentrated, uh, I could think of many more things that would be very, very interesting for you to have. And if I do, I should jot them down. You have to, yes, you might

00:49:05.489 - 00:49:20.760

do that because, uh, we have to remember that this will be for other people that will come later and that. Sure. Know nothing about the whole community. Um-hum. And they're the different areas now where the, People, although there may have been roots, you know. Um-hum. On

00:49:20.760 - 00:49:34.439

the west side of where you are. All the people are dispersed. They're in all places, and sometimes even people who live there have come back to say, what is there, what is there recorded. Um-hum. And you see, until this project came along, we really didn't, Um-hum.

00:49:34.560 - 00:49:48.760

Much of that until the very recent years, only the politicians or somebody who was publicized in the very last few years, but prior to that, like the times you were covering, I mean thinking about the, that you walked across those corn fields, that you rode the

00:49:48.760 - 00:50:02.290

streetcar and, you know, the bread and all those, I'm sure would bring memories to other people. Oh who may have been around, so. To me it means a lot and I find it fascinating. No, none of the interviewees are boring for me. I, I just find

00:50:02.290 - 00:50:08.479

it fascinating. And I hope they're as interesting to the other listeners. Oh. So thank you. Oh, thank you.