I used to live in Chicago till the age of 9. I was only 9 years old and my brother Ray was 11 years when my parents got divorce. I never knew why parents got divorced. When my parents divorced my brother Ray and I decided to live with my grandmother Gilda Fonseca; she was my father's mom. She lived here in San Antonio. We moved from Chicago to San Antonio to live with my grandmother. first girlfriend at the age of 11 years old her name is Toya, she was nice, friendly and different from everybody else.
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Why did you decided to live with your grandmother?
We decided to live with her because my brother and I didn't want to go with either of our parents.
How was life living with your grandmother?
My grandmother was a stuff woman, because whenever she says something nobody else would say otherwise.
Did you grandmother spanked you?
I remember one time she asked me to go to a tree and get a stick and to bring it to her, without knowing that stick was for my own spankinge
At what age did you had your first girlfriend?
I had my first girlfriend at the age of 11, her name is Toya. She was nice, friendly and different from everybody else
From what high school you graduated and what year?
I graduated from John F. Kennedy in 1971.
During your High School years, did you do something that you still remember till now?
? During my High School, I had good and bad times, but I never forget one time, I had an English teacher her name was Ms. Teresa. One day when I was in her class, she told me, "Joseph, you would never amount to anything in life, you are going to be a looser." I looked at her and I told her, "Witch" and I walk out of her class. I went straight to the principal's office and I explained him everything had happened in her class. He told me that he still needs to punish me because it was not right to call Ms. Teresa a "Witch". But the story does not finish there because in my 10 years reunion, I saw her once again. Several of my classmates told me, "Hey, Joseph guess who is here?" and I say, "No, I have no idea, who is here?" they told me, Ms. Teresa our English teacher. I remember right away who this woman was. So, I walk to her and I say, "Ms. Teresa, did you remember me?" and she said, "No", and I say, "my name is Joseph Fonseca, your English student, you told me one time that I was not going to amount anything in life, that I was going to be a looser, and guess what? I when to Vietnam War for 3 years, I graduated from Native Dame South Bend Indiana University, and I am the student who call you, "Witch", and she said, "I remember," and I say good and walk away. In 1970, I did the first walkout in Kennedy High School.
What was the reason for the walkout?
The reason was because our cafeteria didn't have a variety in their menu.
What happened to you during the walkout? The Principal Mr. Steindensky said that he was going to suspended me if the students do not return to class.
And what did you answered? "I say go head suspended me, but besides me, you have to suspend 200 more students."
What did the Principal told you? He said that he was going to meet with me in a week to discuss the cafeteria's menu in his office
And did you meet with the Principal?
No, that's why I had to do a second walkout.
Have you ever met a person that leads walkouts? Yes, I met Cesar E. Chavez
Have you ever met a person that leads walkouts?
Yes, I met Cesar E. Chavez 1968.
Did he give you an advice?
He told that the only way to do things is without violence
When did your purchased your first car?
Between my grandmother and I purchased my first car, it was a 1970 Challenger Dodge
What color was your car?
It was white inside and out.
What was the price on gas then?
It was only 7cents a gallon.
What did you do after you graduated from high school?
? In October 21, 1971, I enrolled in the Army.
Did you traveled during that time?
Yes, I went to different countries. I went to Japan, Germany, and England.
Did you serve in the war?
Yes, I served in the Vietnam War.
For how many years did you were in the war?
For 3 years and I was shipper, shooter.
Did you lost any friends in the war?
Yes, I did. I lost all my friends on the picture. I was the only survivor from my 3 friends.
Did you have a nickname in war?
Yes, my nickname was Phoenix.
Why?
Because he was like that bird, will go down and will go once again.
Did you were shot in war?
Yes, I got shot 3 times. That's reason that I have 3 purple hearts.
How many years did you serve?
I only served 5 years, and completed my tour.
What did you do after that?
After that I worked for the Marshall Office from Washington D.C.
Who do you have to report to?
I have to report to the General Attorney.
How many years did you work for them?
I worked 11 years.
Did you have any bad experiences?
Yes, in 1981 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico, I was shot by my partner.
Do you remember where exactly happened?
Yes, It happened in el Cerro de la Silla.
How did you survive?
It was a miracle, because a stranger took me to a hospital.
Did the hospital tell you the identity of the man?
The hospital did not know who that man was. Until now I don't know who that good man that took me to the hospital was.
How long did it take you to recuperate?
I spend 6 months in the hospital.
Until what year did you served the Marshall's office?
I served until 1987.
What countries did you visit during that time
I visited Mexico, Central America, and South America.
What did you do after that?
I started working in Citi bank, in the department of Investments from 1987-1997.
What would like the most from this job?
I liked to travel. I traveled to different parts from Mexico, South America, and Spain.
Did you go to college
Yes, I did. I graduated from Notre Dame 1977 with my BA in Political Science minor in Law/Psychology, Summa Cum Laude Top student with a GPA of 4.00.
What innovations did you start in Citibank?
I started the bilingual customer service department, which is called the Citi gold.
Did you continue your education?
Yes, I graduated from St. Mary's University with a Masters in Political Science in 1983 with a GPA 4.00. I was chosen by faculty to give the commencement speech.
Have you ever received any recognition?
Yes, My IQ according to Mensa is 190. In 1977 year tested I am considered to be in the top 3% of the world Population in IQ.
How received any recognitions as teacher?
Yes, in 1998 I was named The Minnie Piper Foundation Educator of the year, and this year, 2012 Harvard University named me the teacher of the 2012 year.
In which schools have you teach?
I have 14 years teaching at St. Mary's University and three years at Palo Alto College.
From everything that you learned from your grandmother and from everything that you have in learned from life, what do you always have in your mind?
The only thing that I remember from my grandmother is that I never forget my backgrounds, from where I come from.
Do you still mistakes?
Yes, I still do, but now there are smart stupidities.
What do you think about your job as a teacher?
I love teaching, I have the best job in the whole world, but now it is time to make a change. Now is time to me to move on and time to learn once again.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Response
ANALYSIS
During the oral history project, I learned that is not hard to discover people's past, their history. There is a saying that states "to remember is to live again" and I believed it. As soon as I asked a question, the interviewee started telling me all of his good and bad memories. He was very excited to remember the ups and downs of his life and how he overcame each one of them. Also, many of his love ones, who are not with him now, but in his memories, they are. This project made me realize that each person in this world is a walking history. Every person has a story to say and a memory to share. I learned not to take for granted any person that you are near to because you never know what treasure that person has inside of him.
I believed that every part of this interview is important because every part of it is part of his life. That's what makes him the person that he is today. In my point of view, all the experiences that he passed through were very hard, but he overcame each one of them with courage. For example, the divorce of his parents and the lack of communication that existed because their parents by never letting their children know the cause of their divorce. From one day to another, the interviewee had no more family and made the decision to whom his brother and him were going to live with. Since the beginning of his life the interviewee demonstrated determination to fight for what was right. For example, when the interviewee did the walkout at high school demanding a better menu, and when he went to Vietnam to fight for his country. One of the biggest problems today in education is the low self-esteem of the students. The role that a teacher plays in a student's life is crucial and sometimes can help the student to become better or worst. The interviewee didn't let the English teacher to lower his self-esteem, when she told him that he was not going to accomplish anything. Instead, he proofed her wrong. Eventhough, he was betrayed by his partner and because of that he almost lost his life, he has not stop believing in people's good heart.
In my interview, I learned that my interviewee is a person with a good heart and overall a real life fighter. I learned the importance of not giving up. It is important not lose the focus of what you want in life and when something seems impossible, believe and work hard to obtain it. I also learned that it is very important to not forget from where you come from, your background. If we do, then we will be lost in life. Always feel proud and try your best in everything. Do not let the pain and the hurt to take you away from what you believe and from your dreams. Everything can be possible if you believe it and work for it.
My view didn't change on the topic did not change because I was able to know and to meet the real person. I learned, as a Hispanic that is very important not to give up and to stops my dreams in life just because of my ethnicity.
The six words that my interviewee used to describe him were treat others the way you would like to be treated.
The interviewee expressed his feelings by laughing at times when he recalled good memories, sadness every time he remembered some one that he lost through his life, and will use some strong vocabulary when the memory was upsetting.
All of the interviewee's stories teach me to keep on going, to value my background, to fight for what I want and believe, and to treat others, as I want to be treated.
I can verify some of the stories that my interviewee told me by the pictures that he showed me from when he was a kid up to when he went to war. Some of the stories that he shared with me, he had shared in class before were the same stories without changing a bit of it. Otherwise, I do not have any resources to verify his story.
The benefit of learning about the past through the oral history process is that I was able to see his different emotions and hear how the tone of his voice changed with every time that he was narrating the stories of his life. I was able to imagine, it transported me to that time and moment. It was a great experience.
I believe that it was an effective way of learning about the past because before I used to believe that a person who asks questions was an intruder. Now, I believe that only through asking questions or interviewing a person, I will be able to know history, not only the history of others, but my. Ask and you will know. That's history!
TIMELINE
- Interviewee's Name born on Joseph Monija Fonseca Jr. to Jose Mojica Fonseca Sr. and Maria Flores Fonseca in Seattle, Washington
- 1960 Moved to San Antonio, Texas.
- 1960 Attended Edgewood Elementary School.
- 1971 Graduated from John F. Kennedy high School.
- 1971 Joined the Army.
- 1975 His daughter Monica Fonseca was born.
- 1976 Started working with Marshall Office.
- 1977 Graduated from Notre Dame University.
- 1979 His older Brother Ray Fonseca die.
- 1981 He was shoot in Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
- 1983 Graduated from St. Mary's University.
- 1987 He started working in Citibank.
- 1998 He started working at St. Mary's University.
- 2000 His twins Joseph and Jacob were born.
- 2009 He started working at Palo Alto College.
- 2012 Harvest University named him Teacher of the Year.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
List a minimum of FIVE sources. There must be links to each of the sources within the transcription. Consult Citing Web Sources MLA Style for further help. Not sure how to cite a reference, utilize EasyBib: Free Bibliography Maker. Here's an example of an annotated bibliography:
- The Handbook of Texas Online
is a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture sponsored by the
Texas State Historical Association and the General Libraries at UT-Austin. It was produced
in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and the General Libraries at the University of
Texas at Austin. Copyright © The Texas State Historical Association.
- Texas Escapes Online Magazine: Travel and History has an extensive collection of annotated photographs of twentieth century Texas. Included in the collection are historical images of courthouses, churches, schoolhouses, banks, jails, cemeteries, gas stations, and water towers. Website Content Copyright ©1998-2008. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
- Small Town Texas Projects. Palo Alto College student Sonia E.Garcia project on the town of San Antonio, Texas. This Small Town Project was completed in the Spring semester of 2012 as a requirement for Assistant Professor of Peter Myers's History 1302 class.
- Notre Dame University. "8-WEEK, 100% ONLINEBUSINESS CERTIFICATES." Executive Education Programs. Web. 09 May 2012. The American Institute for Economic Research.Executive Education Programs. Web. 09 May 2012.
- Photographs and/or documents on this website were provided by Joseph Mojica Fonseca Jr. and Sonia E. Garcia. Provide some historical background on the photos/documents.
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