TRANSCRIPTION
Were you born in a hospital or a house?
Um in a hospital
Do you know what the name of the hospital was?
I think it was called Bradley green hospital
What part of San Antonio did you used to live?
On the west side
How has it changed?
It changes a lot. A Lot of crime
Have you been to your old neighborhood lately?
Oh yes
How much schooling did you get?
I just went to the 9th grade
Do you know the name of the school?
Edgewood High School, unfortunately
Is it still a high school?
No, it is no longer a high school. It is an art school or something but it is not a high school anymore.
Do you remember your local supermarket?
Ben Rodriguez
Was that a corner store or was a supermarket?
Supermarket
What are your earliest childhood memories?
I can remember when I a child and we went to the movies and we spent all the money and then we had to come walking from downtown to where I lived because we spent the money on popcorn, movies, and hotdogs whatever. Then we realized we did not have any money for the bus so we had to walk. It was a 15 to 20 miles to my house but I was young and I had the energy to walk.
Where did you hang out at?
Downtown because they had everything like Penner, Solo Serve, Hardy shoe store. All the attraction was downtown. I hang around Houston Street by the bridge were the Texas Theater was at and we were just there watching girl past by and just hang around until late in the evening then we would just go home. But that was the main attraction for us.
What was a typical day for you?
Um wonder on the streets played basketball, go swimming, looking for girls HA HA
Why did you start working as a cotton picker?
Because my parent always wanted to go well they did not want to go they had to go. My dad did not have a job here so they had a job there for least 6 months. We knew that the income was going to be great for us for those 6 months and we would go and do the cotton picking. To support the family.
Did you work for a company?
It was labor contractor that hired people they would take them and the people would do the job.
What was your best memorie about being a Deputy Constable?
Well I use to work in night club and putting girls in jail and when I was working at some festival like Mission County Park we had to keep eye on the drunk and the fights and of course putting guys in jail. That is all the memory I have because that is all I did. Just keeping the peace around the area where people like to have a good time and keep the fighter out of the sight. Not to create any problems. Had to keep an eye on them.
Why did you leave?
Why, Um will I was duty constable for so many years then I went to work at hemisfair in 1968. I become security guard there. When the fair left the city took over the property and we become Park Range automatic with the city. Then from there I applied to St. Mary University and I was the campus police for about 3 years there and then I got shot and then I went back to work then they offered me another job at Our Land Of The Lake University where they would pay me more. I was promoted from patrol to sergeant to lieutenant to chief of police. Then I was chief of police for almost 4 year. Then the campus decided that they were spending too much money on the police department so they contract Security Company so they did away with campus police. Then I applied at the federal building and I started working there as a custodian then I worked myself up as a supervisor. I was in charge of 45 people that are why I never went back to law enforcement.
How did you meet grandma (Wife)?
One of her nephews. I was friends with her nephew
Where did you live after you got married?
On the same street my mom lived. I am a Westsider
What kind of movies did you watch?
I did not watch a lot of movies
What kind of movies were there?
Back then cowboy movies
How has San Antonio changed since you were a kid?
It changed a lot. Well um there is crime. You cannot sleep outside in the backyard because they steal everything you have. It has changed quite a bit. San Antonio looked empty.
Did you face any discrimination?
Never
Do you know anyone that has?
Not that I know
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
When were on the cotton picking field we would have a good time because the labor that hired us on weekends whatever we picked the money was for us we did not have to give it to the parents unless you wanted to which I did I gave it to my parents. And they saved that money for me they never told me about it but they saved the money so when I come back to San Antonio I will have a little money to spend buy me clothes, shoes and whatever. But it was fun at the time we were a bunch of teenager getting together girl and boys we would go to the movies, go to dances the weekends after work on Sunday we had a gathering made hotdog, hamburger and things like that. We gathered together there were 15 to 20 of us we patch in and have a good time that is why we enjoyed it more because we find a lot of girls in there a lot of girls find boy and get boyfriends. When we got back to San Antonio everyone spilt up I don't remember the girls anymore. Ha Ha
