Final Evaluation Blog

       The post from third quarter that I would like you to read is the first one about Leonel Castillo and C.P. Ellis. I would like you to read this post because I found both of their stories very interesting because of their different points of view. For example, Castillo's views on immigration were interesting as he was a man who was an immigrant himself but who also had experience as the director of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. Castillo's history made his point of view on immigration unique and different from most other peoples'. Also the story about C.P. Ellis was interesting because it was from the viewpoint of someone who was at one point a klansman, which was new to me. I found both of these passages strikingly and feel I true feeling in my responses which is why I would like you to grade them.
      The post from fourth quarter that I would like you to read is the one about Jack Culberg and Larry Heinemann. When writing about Larry Heinemann I felt passionate about my writing because I find the stories of war veterans interesting. I felt that my passion towards his story caused me to write well which is why I would like you to grade that entry. The other part of that entry was about Jack Culberg. I thought that what Jack Culberg wrote after being a wealthy businessman and CEO was interesting because he at times almost seemed to put down the wealthier people and CEO's in America. I thought he made interesting points and as a result I was able to blog passionately about him as well.

Jack Culberg & Larry Heinemann

I chose to read about Jack Culberg for a few reasons. I saw that he was a CEO and thought it would be interesting to see the views of a man who was financially stable and who could possible have had experience interacting with big-name people of the century. I also thought it would be interesting to hear the story of a man who was older and had many life experiences.

When I first read about Jack Culberg I initially predicted that he would be biased in favor of the upper class and feel little to no sympathy for the average worked. However I was wrong and Culberg seemed to not only have sympathy towards those in the middle and lower classes but showed distaste for men and women who live their lives with money as a top priority. Culberg expressed his disapproval of money-hungry workers when he added to saying that various important businessman rarely had time to talk by following up with saying, “I could be nasty and say, “Unless they can make a buck out of it”--- but I wont.” This shows how he believes that money should not be a top priority for people and that relationships and friendships are much more important. This also brings forth the concept that greed and love of money are problematic and can lead to negative events.

Also while discussing the topic of the economy and money, Jack Culberg expressed his concerns regarding the changing shifts of power in the business world. Culberg discussed how now there are more big corporations such as Target and Wal-Mart, and as a result less people in powerful positions. Jack Culberg then talked about how those men had the power to fire or lay off large amounts of people and how the competitive world today often results in people being forced to retire early or being fired. Culberg expressed this thought when he said, “The jungle has become worse. You can smell the insecurity and fear all over the place” Culberg expressed the difficulties of trying to make it in the world financially today and also brought forth the concept that people and constantly nervous and in fear of losing their jobs today, which of course is a problem.

The story of Jack Culberg connects to our class because we learned about the various changes in the business world such as the industrial revolution and the invention of the cotton gin. We also learned about various famous businessmen and their tactics such as Rockefeller and Carnegie.

I read about Larry Heinemann because he was a Vietnam War veteran, which connects to our current unit in class, the Vietnam War. A lot of Larry Heinemann ‘s opinions about the war connected to the views of other veterans, their families and politicians that we read about or heard from in class. For example Heinemann expressed disapproval of the reason for going to the war. He emphasized this when he said, “It was clear from the first day that it was a bunch of bullshit…Why are we fighting in Vietnam?”. Heinemann, just like many others at the time, did not support the war and questioned the decision to go to war in Vietnam. It is concerning that the just cause for the war was not understood by the American people as a whole.

      Heinemann discussed his post-war life and the lasting impact that the war had on him. He shows his struggle after the war when he explains, “I was going through classic symptoms of what is now called delayed stress”. Heinemann explained how the war impacted him and affected his life even after it ended. Heinemann struggled not only coping with his own experiences but also hearing about what happened to his friends after he left. The tragedies of the war bothered him mentally long after the war ended. 

Phil Stallings and Dolores Dante Entry 8

 Dolores Dante had been a waitress in the same restaurant for 25 years at the time of her interview. He picked up the job because he desperately needed money after her husband left her with three children and financial debts. Dolores Dante was a very passionate worker who believed in putting forth her best efforts at all times at work. She exclaimed that she loved what she did as a waitress and would keep that job as long as she could.

Dolores Dante interestingly discussed the views of labor in the time period. Dolores Dante believed that there were many hard working citizens in the country, and took a stab at stereotypically lazy business owners saying, “People say no one does good work any more….You know who’s saying that? The man at the top…” (334). This quote was interesting as it shows how easily people criticize others without a sense of understanding.

Phil Stallings was a 27-year-old married man who worked at the Ford assembly plant in Chicago. He worked from 3:30pm to midnight. Phil Stallings’ story reflected the difficult working conditions of his time period. Phil Stallings worked in a small, “two- or three- feet area” (354). He was forced to stay in a small area for hours on end and push the same button repetitively. During his work, he also was burned by sparks frequently.

    Both Phil Stallings and Dolores Dante discussed the competition amongst the labor force and the high demand for jobs. Dolores Dante expressed that by saying, “In life there is always someone who wants somebody’s job” (333). Phil Stalling expressed the idea of competing for jobs by saying, “Should I leave this job to go to the bathroom I risk being fired.” (355). By expressing how easily he could be fired, he emphasized the easiness of the company to replace him with a new employee.

Introduction+Tom Kearney+ Chester Kolar Entry 7

Tom Kearny brought up the concept that the great depression impacted people’s entire lvies, not just the years of their lives while the depression was going on. I never considered what people missed out on because of the depression, because people eventually recovered from in economically. However, Tom Kearny discusses the things he never got the chance to do because of the depression. He starts a response to one of Terkel’s questions with “If the depression hadn’t come along…” (263).  He then goes on to discuss how the depression impacted his entire life, and disabled him from doing things that even as an adult he wished he had done in his past.

Kearney also made various points comparing the newer generation to older ones. He simply stated that, “Today things are changing” (265). Kearney followed this by discussing various ways in which society had changed from his past to his present.

One of these changes Kearney discussed was integration and the change of social acceptance. He talked about his belief of integrated schooling, addressing Americans about other ethnicities saying, “You’re going to have to get along with them. They’re here, so you might as well go to school with them and get along with them” (265). This showed how Kearney believed everyone should simply learn to live together

Kearney also touched on the change in religious belief. He stated,  “It isn’t a big deal anymore” (266). By this he meant that times were changing and for the most part people in general were not as stubborn about changing their religious beliefs or acknowledging the different beliefs of others.

Kearney also discussed the industrial changes and progress made in the country throughout his life. While talking about machines and factories he declared, “One man can do the work of ten today” (266). By this he simply meant that technology had advanced a lot since his past and the industrial world changed significantly since he was younger.

Both Kearney and Chester Kolar discuss the generations following theirs, which would be the people closer to our age. One comment Kearney made that stood out was he said, “They seem to accept other people more easily than we did” (270). This was interesting as I have heard this before and wonder if it is because there was so much racial tension in past generations.

Chester Kolar discussed our generation by talking about the impact of the media and television. He brought up the idea that all of the unfortunate news did more harm for the people viewing and hearing it than good by saying, “I think this news we’re having is doing us more harm than good” (273). This shows how the media coverage of unfortunate events such as deaths of war can negatively impact people.

Peter Ota & Betty Hutchinson Entry 6

Peter Ota made a strong point when he discussed the beginning of his evacuation. While discussing his family’s perspective on the situation he said, “For a few days we didn’t know what happened” (205). This emphasized the poor treatment towards those of Japanese descent during the war. The fact that they did not know why the events were happening shows a clear constitutional violation.
One specific part of the Japanese internment camps that was not heavily discussed in our textbook was the separation of families. Peter Ota discussed the difficulty of his family being split up. Peter Ota’s mother died during the time period from tuberculosis and Peter and his sister were separated from their father. Peter expresses being separated from his family as a young boy by saying, “It was just my sister and myself. I was fifteen, she was twelve” (205).

  Betty Basye Hutchinson brought up very interesting points regarding the lifestyle changes that occurred on the homefront during the war. One way she did this was by discussing her first hand experience of becoming active and making efforts to help the United States succeed in the war. Betty explained this by saying, “Immediately, I was going to become a nurse. That was the fastest thing could do to help our boy” (211) Through this statement Betty showed her willingness and eagerness to help the war effort from the homefront.
Betty Hutchinson also discussed the faith that the people had in the government, and more specifically President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Betty discusses the internment of many Japanese during the war, but comments that in her mind she thought, “It must have been okay if President Roosevelt said it was okay” (211). This statement represents the trust that the American people had in their government of the time and the faith that the president was making the right decision. This is very different from today where people are questioning every step of political action taken around the world.
Betty Hutchinson talked about the general lifestyle change that resulted from the war. Hutchinson stated that the lifestyle change was drastic and changed significantly from the months before the war to the culture during the wartime. Betty Hutchinson commented on the war saying, “It meant an end to all that life I had known just a few months before” (212). This emphasizes the impact the war made on the homefront.

E.B. Sledge Entry 5 Story 2

E.B. Sledge made an interesting point when he discussed how the people fighting in the war were regular everyday people. He explained his point by saying, “We were a bunch of scared kids who had to do a job”. This showed the way Americans were impacted by the war as it was normal people who went and changed their everyday lifestyles to go fight and possibly die in the war.

       E.B. Sledge then goes on to discuss the bad parts of the war, the parts of the war such as death and hatred. When discussing the glory of the war, E.B. Sledge questions, “What the hell was glorious about it”? E.B. Sledge discussed how the war took a toll on people as they spent time in poor living conditions and lost good friends in the process. E.B. Sledge then linked the suffering of war to the hatred of the opposing countries. Sledge did so when he stated that he, “got so tired of seein’ guys get hit and banged up, the more I felt like takin’ it out of the Japanese”. Sledge then took this statement another step by claiming that the hatred that there was towards Japanese caused people to demoralize themselves and commit immoral acts. He then justified the events of war that he explained by saying, “If you’re reduced to savagery by a situation, anything’s possible”. 

Peggy Terry Entry 5 Story 1

In class we learned about the way women’s roles were changed as many of the men in the United States were shipped overseas to go fight in the war. Peggy Terry was an example of how women’s lives were impacted by this. Peggy Terry said, “The first work I had after the Depression was at a shell-loading plant in Viola Kentucky”. This emphasized how women took over roles that men previously had.

        Also in class we have been discussing the way the people in the United States were impacted by the war. It was established that some of the citizens of the United States were kept motivated as they held a hatred for the opposing countries. Peggy Terry showed this trait as she said, “They had this big bonfire and people came and brought what they had that was made in Japan”. It was also discussed that the United States used propaganda to make citizens feel like they were a strong part of the war. This was shown when Peggy Terry said, “We were awarded the navy E for excellence. We were just so proud of that E.”. This showed how there was a common goal in the workforce to help the United States’ war efforts.

Robert Rasmus Entry 4 Story 2

Robert Rasmus made many statements that really emphasized how difficult it was to maintain a lifestyle as a solider in the war. The living conditions for them were poor and soldiers struggled through all kinds of obstacles. At one point in the interview Rasmus says, “There’s no question that a guy would blow his toe off to get out of combat” The fact that someone would blow their own toe off to avoid fighting in the war shows how traumatic and difficult fighting in combat truly is. When discussing his experiences in the war Rasmus also said, “Whatever was there in the way of good and drink, we would make use of it” This showed how soldiers didn’t worry about the luxuries of life and have everyday problems, but were concerned with getting the basic necessities of life such as food and water.

With the experience of going and fighting in a war being such a struggle and a risk, one could question why one would be motivated to do so. Rasmus discussed why he fought in the war. He said, “I was going to gain my manhood then. I would forever be liberated from the sense of inferiority that I wasn’t rugged.” Rasmus felt that from his experiences in the war he would take away a newfound sense of accomplishment and earn pride for himself.

Introduction Entry 4 Story 1

Throughout the introduction, the idea that those who were fighting in the wars were trying to kill people who they didn’t know and may have gotten along with. This idea was emphasized when it said, “Thirty Eight years before, one tried his damnest, as a loyal member of his crew, to sink the other’s craft about 200 miles off the coast of West Africa. Now they reminisce, wistfully”. Also the same concept was highlighted when a veteran discusses how he felt about the men who fought against them by saying, “These were boys like us”. This idea shows how bad war really is, and how during them people are murdering millions of strangers with families and lives just like their own.

The introduction also talked about the difficult living conditions and other struggles of being a soldier during the war. One veteran remembered back to his wartime and getting back to camp and said, “First thing you talked about is what you wanted in your stomach” This quote showed how the soldiers didn’t care as much about the luxuries of life but simply cared about the absolute necessities such as food and water.

       A third subject of the introduction was the life of the people at home during the war and how they were impacted by the war. The introduction discussed the difficulties of home life such as being separated from loved ones and being afraid of what attacks might come. One quote that captured this idea was, “What I feel most about the war, it disrupted my family”. This quote showed how people struggled to cope with the absence of loved ones and the losses of brothers and fathers.

Peggy Terry & Mary Owsley Blog 3 Story 2

       The interview of Peggy Terry and her mother, Mary Owsley’s included the statement, “White skin doesn’t always mean what they thought it meant” This showed how at the point in time where they were living, times were changing from a cultural perspective and African-Americans were not always inferior to whites from an opportunistic view.

      The Great Depression had an impact on whites as well as blacks. The interview stated that, “There were just as many white people out of work than were colored”. This quote brought to my attention that possibly the Great Depression brought unity to all Americans and helped with racial issues because all of America struggled through the depression equality and they all had a common problem that struck everyone. 

Jane & Tom Yoder Entry 3 Story 1

     Jane Yoder grew up in a less fortunate family where she struggled with the necessities in life such as proper clothing and nourishment. She commented on her family saying, “We were struggling, just desperate to be warm. No blankets, no coats” This really emphasized how her family truly was focused on the basic necessities of life. I think it was interesting that Jane Yoder also said, “Security to me is not what we have, but what we can do without”. I think that this comment shows how people are impacted by their histories. For example, if Jane Yoder grew up in a wealthy family that was financially stable would she have thought that security was having the capabilities to get what you needed?

      I also thought Tom Yoder, Jane Yoder’s son, made interesting comments when he was reflecting his thoughts on his family’s past. At one point Tom Yoder stated, “I am grateful for what I have. But it’s only human nature that we all want to go on and find something better” I thought this was a strong quote that really captured the truth. This idea brings up many questions such as what is it that really brings a person happiness when there is an endless consumer demand?

Extra Blog Post: Women and the Depression & WPA and African Americans

One specific quote that I found interesting in Susan Ware’s Women and the Great Depression was, “The typical woman in the 1930s had a husband who was still employed, although he had probably taken a pay cut to keep his job; if the man lost his job, the family often had enough resources to survive without going on relief or losing all its possessions.” This quote highlighted the inferiority of women in that time period as it implied that it was only the men who could go out and work and earn money for a family. Similarly, another quote showed the discrimination against women in the 1930’s. One man’s solution to solving the unemployment rate when it came to his attention that the amount of women working and the amount of unemployed men was the same was, “Simply fire the women, who shouldn’t be working anyway, and hire the men. Presto! No unemployment. No relief rolls. No depression.” This quote emphasized the way men viewed women during the 1930’s and expressed how it was believed that it was unacceptable for a woman to have a job if a man did not because it was assumed that the man was better than the women.

            An interesting point made in the article, Women and the Great Depression, was that there was a positive aspect of the depression for women as they were given the chance to prove their worth and step up to the task while their husbands suffered from unemployment or wage cuts. This was shown when the writing stated, “Women, on the other hand, saw their roles in the household enhanced as they juggled to make ends meet.” This brings forth the idea that women took advantage of the depression and some actually benefited form it.

            I believe that the WPA was an important part of the New Deal. According to the article, The African-American Mosaic, the New Deal included, “special programs focused on three centuries of cultural accomplishments of African-Americans”. This means that the New Deal had parts of it that benefited specifically African-Americans, which was rare in that period of time. 

Ed Paulson Entry 2 Story 2

Ed Paulson had an interesting and unique experience during the depression. It was interesting to hear about the time period from someone who experienced it rather than reading general information about the time period in a textbook.

One of the statements that Ed Paulson made that caught my attention was, “In small towns out West, we didn’t know there was a crash” This really created an image of the difference in lifestyle and culture between the urban and rural areas of the 1930’s. This was also an interesting point because it showed how there were many other factors that went into the cause of the depression other than the stock market crash in 1929.

A significant quote in the interview was Paulson saying, “If you were looking for a job at a Standard Oil Service Station, you had to have a college degree” This quote emphasized how difficult it really was to find work during the depression.

I found it interesting that Ed Paulson found a way to educate himself without proper schooling. Ed Paulson explained how he continued to progress academically without going to school when he said, “I was going to the library…I got my education there, really”. This was interesting because Paulson remained motivated to become educated and found time to go to the library and read even when he had to focus on the necessities of life such as finding a way to eat.

            A piece of the interview that discussed a significant part of the time period that was not discussed in any our class textbook reading was how, “Everybody was a criminal. You stole, cheated through”. This quote was important as it showed how people did what they needed to survive. This statement also highlights the extent by which people needed basic necessities such as food and clothing.

Arthur A. Robertson Entry 2 Story 1

Arthur A. Robertson made interesting comments regarding the reasons why banks cannot properly run businesses. I agree that it would make sense that those who created companies would understand those companies the best. I believe the most important point that Arthur Robertson made about the problem with banks running businesses was that the banks do not take the calculated risks that are necessary for a business to become successful because the banks are conservative as a result of using the money of other people.

I thought it was very interesting how Arthur A. Robertson in a way benefited from the economic suffering of others during the depression. He bought companies for very low prices from people who at the time desperately needed the money and then over time those companies that he bought for low prices gained value. For example I think it is remarkable that he bought a company for $33,000 in 1933 and then sold the same company for two million dollars.

Arthur A. Robertson had a few quotes that stuck out while he discussed the problems

that caused the depression. Robertson emphasized the faults in consumer investments. This was shown was when Robertson said, ”Today, if you want to buy $100 worth of stock, you have to put up $80 and the broker will put up $20. In those days, you could put up $8 or $10.” By saying this Robertson discussed how at that point in time people almost carelessly took high risks and it eventually led to problems. Robertson also discussed the issue that people continued to invest in companies and stocks without worrying that the prices would drop because, “Everybody in those days expected the sun to shine forever”. By saying this, Arthur A. Robertson brought force the issue that consumer confidence was too high and people did not consider the fact that stock prices would not continue to rise forever. Robertson then talked about the traumatic consequences of the depression. Arthur A. Robertson specifically referenced a man whose, “$115 stock dropped to $2” and how the mans reaction to his losses was he, ”jumped out of the window of his Wall Street office.” The story of a man committing suicide highlights the severity of the depression and emphasized the losses of those who lived in that time period.

Leonel I. Castillo Entry 1 Story 2

I think that the connection Leonel I. Castillo had with immigrants significantly impacted the decisions he made during his time spent as the director of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. I believe that his family background, with having a father who not only immigrated from Mexico to the United States, but struggled with discrimination, caused Castillo to feel sympathetic towards immigrants who were struggling to move to the United States and create new lives for themselves just as his father had. I believe that the sympathy for immigrants coming to the United States Leonel Castillo had served as motivation for him to work hard and strive to find a way for immigrants to come to the United States and live out the American dream that he discussed.

I believe that a key part of Leonel Castillo’s interview was when he discussed the lifestyles of many immigrants once they got to the United States. He discussed the exploitation of the workers. Leonel Castillo explained that many undocumented workers are forced to work in poor conditions for long hours and are paid unreasonably low wages. This problem is not only an issue of morals, but also has an impact on the economy of the United States as jobs are lost because people want to hire undocumented workers who will work for less. This system hurts more people than it helps as it negatively impacts those who lose their jobs and does not help the immigrants gain little from forced to work in unhealthy conditions for immorally low wages.

Leonel I. Castillo also brought up a great point as he discussed the hypocritical statements made by those who claim to be humanitarian. He explained how many people claim that they love all people and have no problems helping out a stranger, but then continue on the claim that immigrants are ruining their culture or express their disapproval of immigrants because they work for too low of wages and cost them their jobs. This brought up the idea that there needs to be a system made where immigrants can come to the United States, succeed financially, and peacefully coexist with Americans.

Leonel I. Castillo showed a great understanding for the process of immigration and showed great amounts of sympathy for immigrants who were struggling to make it in the United States. As he stated, the idea of the American dream has been around for over one hundred years and something must be done to turn that dream from a life of hunger, disease, and exploitation for thousands of people into a reality.

C.P. Ellis Entry 1 Story 1

     The story of the life of C.P. Ellis was very interesting. I was surprised to see that someone with such strong and one-sided beliefs such as a Klansmen could end up changing their opinions.

I thought that the relationship C.P. Ellis had with his father impacted his life significantly. First of all, his father died when he was in 8^th grade, which clearly has a strong emotional impact on any person who suffers such a loss at a young age. Also, his memories of his father gave mixed signals. For example he remembered his father as a man with financial issues who had a drinking problem and wore clothes that made him feel ashamed, but he also remembered his father as a caring man who spent his money unselfishly on his family rather than himself.

Why C.P. Ellis joined the clan is questionable as Ellis said that he admired the klan because of his fathers connections with it, but he went on to discuss how he felt the need to be a part of something and joined the klan for that reason, and then he discussed the third reason of joining the klan as a way to channel his anger that he felt as a result of his fathers death.

I believe that the most logical reason for C.P. Ellis joining the klan was because he craved a sense of belonging because his father died which left him without a role model to look up to and lost someone who would have supported him, and the other members of the klan gave him the moral support and sense of belonging that he longed for.

      I thought that an important part of the interview was when C.P. Ellis said,” It wasn’t long before councilmen would call me up” At this point Ellis discussed how the political figures in the area would talk to members of the Klu Klux Klan and actually encourage them to show up at the protests of the blacks at the time. This emphasized the corruption of the politics in this time period and further demonstrated the extent by which blacks were oppressed at the time.