After high school, I worked in the canneries. San Jose used to be all fruit orchards. Spring time was beautiful; just a mass of blossoms. It was a gorgeous place, and they called it "the valley of the heart’s delight."

In the summertime, all the teachers’ children used to work in the canneries. When it was hot, the fruit would ripen too soon and spoil. So they let all the school’s out early so the kids could work.

I used to work is a canner. I used to eat fruit from the early morning until a night time. They used to have the most beautiful Melba peaches. I’d put some in my mouth, and some in the can.

I worked it the Richmond Chase cannery on Stockton Street in San Jose.

I Make a Good Friend in the Cannery

One of my best friends was the manager at Richmond chase cannery in San Jose. Mrs. Hollenbeck was her name. She was originally from Maine. When I applied for work there, they thought I was a minor, and too young to work there. This lady took me in like her own kid; she always took care of me, and gave me the best place to work where I could make more money.

When I told this lady about my mother she said: “bring her over. I have a table for her So that you can work together.”

Mrs. Hollenbeck confided in me so much that I felt she was like my mother. After she quit the cannery someone told me that she got sick.

In school, one of my favorite teachers was Mr. Olsen. I was pretty good in algebra. I used to work problems at the blackboard; it was so easy for me to do it!

Meanwhile, my Father Takes a New Job in Carmel

My father, being a mining engineer, had knowledge of weights and measures. They wanted him to build some building bricks out of cement. He had the form, so they hired him to go to Carmel.

So we moved to Carmel, and lived there for quite awhile, and I went to school there.