Audrey Mae Barrera (nee Bouck)
Audie attended community college for two years and was working towards her nursing degree. Throughout the years she has been a bartender, worked at a nursing home and at the flea market. After the age of 40 she married Jacinto Barrera at City Hall here in San Antonio. Audie has 14 children, 13 boys and one girl, whose names include Robert, Ronald, Richard, Kevin, Scott, Roland, Larry and Stormy.
Audie lives with her four dogs, Fang, Fuzzie, Maco and Broccoli, two chickens, two parakeets, a turtle and a rabbit. She loves to collect Betty Boop memorabilia, which is displayed around her house. Her Betty Boop memorabilia includes movies, cups, pot holders, ceramic figures and dolls. She also loves flowers, reading books and watching movies that feature dogs. She is currently growing corn, tomatoes, jalapenos, and a flower garden in her front yard.
Ok. My name is Audrey Barrera and it’s June 13, (pauses) 2005. (laughing) I told you I’d end up screwing up.
What was life like growing up for you in New York?
I thought it was great. I liked living on the farm and having all the animals and... it... I think it’s much better than it is today. Kept the kids out of drugs and all that stupid stuff.
What were some of the games you played when you were growing up?
I don’t know how you describe them. Jumping from hay mount to hay mount. Swinging on a rope up on the hay mount pretending we’re Tarzan and dropping down into the river. Silly stuff. Riding the goats. That’s where I got that three-inch scar on my leg. The goat went through the fence but I didn’t. Just silly things like that. You know what farm kids do. We don’t have or didn’t have, we didn’t have toys or you know the things that kids have today. We had to make our own fun.
When you were a little girl, were boys and girls treated the same or differently in school?
Uh... They tried to make us out like we were idiots. You know girls because of the one room school house they would snicker (snickers) and uh... yeah they tried to make out like we couldn’t keep up with the big guys.
Was there any racial segregation happening at your school?
Oh yes. Against Negroes. They were something you did not take home to mom and dad.
What were some of the daily household tasks you did as a teen?
Shovel the barn. Fed the animals and let my brother suck me into doing the dishes and scrubbing clothes on the scrub board. That’s fun. Things like that.
Have these tasks changed over the years?
(chuckling) Oh, have they changed? Yes, look at that big scrub board out there. I love it. No more ruining your knuckles... and there’s a lot more conveniences like TV. We didn’t have TV as a kid and when we finally got one it was a great big six-inch screen.
Did you have any dreams or goals when you were younger?
To be honest when I was young I just wanted to beat my brother at everything I could to prove I was the tough one.
Did World War II have any affect on your life?
Not really. No. Nobody I knew was in service at that time. My grandparents didn’t have anyone in so...
How about the Vietnam War?
That was bad. My son was in there and he had to shoot a child that had bombs taped all over him and when I talked to Ron the other night, the other day he said Roland still has nightmares. It’s, it’s a hard thing to get your mind off of you know when you look at a little kid.
As a mother, how did you feel about your son serving in the military?
I did not like it. I don’t like anybody’s children in the military.
What was it like for you raising 14 children under one roof?
A mad house. No other way to word it... a mad house.
Since you had 13 boys and only one girl, was she treated as "one of the boys" or was she treated special?
She was very special. She was the princess. Anything she wanted she got which ruined her for life because she can’t understand why all her brothers got married and are putting their wives ahead of her. She still wants to be the princess. But they did that I didn’t.
When your children were all grown and out of the house, what did you do in your spare time?
Enjoyed life. I can’t lie about it. It was peaceful.
Was there a reason you left New York and eventually moved to Texas?
(smiling) I ran away from home ‘cause I got tired of the kids.
When you first moved here to Texas, was it easy finding a place to live?
Uh, yeah back then they had a lot of uh, cheaper motels and things that you could live in, which was handy because I worked at the little restaurants around here and that was close to work.
When you lived in Three Rivers, what kind of things were there to do?
In all honesty I couldn’t find anything. Oh they did have baseball once a week but other than that uh, there’s nothing there to have fun at.
What changes have you seen in San Antonio since you first moved here?
The growth. All those hospitals out there now on Medical Drive weren’t there before. Uh, the people, the kids have gotten a little bit more into drugs and things than they were before. Now you lock doors where before you didn’t. That’s a bad change but it’s a change.
Do you remember any big events that happened in Texas back then?
No, I think it’s always been about the same. Uh... big events? Fiesta’s been around forever I think and... uh well the water park is new, fairly new. But no I, I don’t think so.
Where do you think you would be living right now if you hadn't moved to Texas?
In New York, in an old ladies’ home. (laughs)
What kinds of jobs were there available to women when you first started working?
Uh, nursing mainly. Boy that was, that was a big thing. Uh, tending bar was kind of iffy yet. They really... women weren’t a big thing in the bars back then. Yeah I think that’s about it as far as big jobs go. There’s always little jobs... you know in little stores and things. Nothing that pays anything of course.
What opportunities are there available to a woman today that weren't back then?
Oh, my God everything now. That Toyota plant is hiring women. Women are working on airplanes, which was taboo before and they can do anything they want if they’ve got enough brains to you know go to school and learn how to do it. In fact there’s even uh... when I was coming to Texas a couple of stations at that time actually had a woman working in them... a mechanic, which surprised me because you know they’d bust their fingernails. There’s a lot of opportunities for women today that they didn’t have before.
Do you remember a specific time where you felt that you were treated differently because you were a woman?
No, not really. I think I’ve always... like I said mainly in the family. You know it’s... your brothers. Back then brothers were the thing that did the work. Except for my brother, he didn’t believe in it. But girls didn’t go out in the field and pitch hay and you know did the things that boys did. Yeah it’s a lot different now though.
Is there anything you wished you had done differently in your life?
Uh, not really. I’ve had a very good life I think. I’ve met a lot of nice people. Uh, I don’t think I could have asked for a better life. I mean there’s been rough times but everybody has that and if you got a sense of humor I think it carries you over a lot of things. People spend too much time saying “Oh I wish this and I wish that”. Well too bad, you’re not going to get it, so just smile and find something else and enjoy it.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
(smiling) Oh I met the girl up the street. She’s a dingy. But other than that, not really.
(laughing) OK.
Oh, her name is Roxanne. I couldn’t think of the dingy’s name.
OK. Well thank you for letting me interview you.
Do I have to sign my life away?
(laughing) No.
Oh, oK.
Fiesta 2005: Official Site The Fiesta® San Antonio Commission. The Official web site of Fiesta 2005 provides information, news, and a photo gallery of Fiest from past years. There is also an online store where Fiesta merchandise can be purchased. http://www.fiesta-sa.org/ (2005).
History of Scotia, New York Copyright © 2001-2003 BillP Studios. This web site gives a brief history of Scotia and shows and old map of the town. It gives links to web sites of historic interest that relate to Scotia. The site also provides photos of current events happening in the town. http://www.visitscotia.com/history.html (2001-2003).
Nance, V. Sue. The Handbook of Texas Online: Three Rivers, Texas Copyright © The Texas State Historical Association. 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 University of Texas at Austin. Gives a brief history of the town of Three Rivers. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/TT/hjt5.html Last Updated: May 13, 2005.
Official Betty Boob Web Site Copyright © 2002 King Features Syndicate, Inc./Fleischer Studios, Inc. The Official Betty Boop Web Site includes a brief history of Betty Boop, a forum, fun stuff, classic art poses from the 1930s, and a Betty Boop shop where memorabilia can be purchased. http://www.bettyboop.com/ (2002).
One Room School House Site maintained by Mrs. Maureen Landes and Mr. David Heineman. The school web site of Groveland Elementary School provides a great picture of a one room school house. It also includes a brief history of how the school went from a one room house to a two-story brick building. http://www.cbsd.org/groveland/our_vision.htm Last updated: 6/20/05.
Toyota Information: San Antonio, Texas Plant The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce web site provides a map of the Toyota San Antonio site and a diagram of the Toyota Manufacturing Texas Plant. The site also provides links to information on job opportunites and media announcements http://www.sachamber.org/councils/ecodev/toyota/toyota_overview.php (2005).
Yahoo Maps: Medical Drive Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc. The Yahoo Maps web site shows a map of every hospital on Medical Drive. It also provides driving directions to and from Medical Drive. http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Typ&name=University+Health+System&desc=(210)+358-4000&csz=San+Antonio+TX+78229&country=us&cs=9&ed=J6CWlK160SwXf71naami9sEkcYCK43P1KpnP.t2R5TAisUqiHG5ZLhNMBEZEBxQeR3E- (2005).
