Back To
Whitewater



Family Support



part of the principal's functions under the school superintendent there.
    One of the main duties, however, was that of disciplining the first
eight grades of kids. For that purpose I was handed a strap and told not
to spare it too much.
    Now that might have been a mistake on the part of the superintendent
... because after I had taught there for a year and a half, the girl who
was to be my future wife, and who was also a teacher in the school, sent
a naughty boy to me . . . and I used the strap.
    This discipline, on my part, resulted in quite a feud in the community
where there were two opposing factions. I also expelled the boy.
    As things turned out, the School Board weakened and didn't back me,
and allowed the boy to come back to school.
   As a result, my girlfriend and I resigned, left the city and returned
to our homes.
    To tell you the honest truth, I was pretty scared when I went to see
"Prexy." Because, I had had rather a bad record in school . . . having
been sent home twice . . . once when I let a mouse loose among the senior
girls, which caused them to mount their desks, and another time when
we were having a fire drill and I accidentally, or otherwise, turned on
the water. I got out of those scrapes all right, and they finally did allow
me to "certificate."
Fredricks: This was at Whitewater Normal, right?
Coleman: Yes, this was at Whitewater Normal. So I had to go back to
President Salsbury and give him my story. To my surprise, he patted
me on the back and said, "All right son, I have a job for you over in
Kenosha.
    My girlfriend, by the way, went back to Milwaukee, her home, and
was given a good teaching position. So it all ended happily.
Fredricks: Before we get much further, John, I would like to go back
again. For instance, you didn't tell us much about your parents except who
they were. What did your father do? Were you a member of the wealthy
class in Whitewater, or people on the "other side of the tracks?"
Coleman: I know many people like to brag about the tough living that
they had when they were youths, but I certainly had mine. My dad was
... I suppose what you would call ... a teamster. But he didn't pay too
much attention to his work because he had other failings. Therefore, it
was necessary for my mother to become a practical nurse, while we were
still youngsters. Of course, her salary at that time was "enormous"! As I
remember, she used to get eight dollars a week. But after a few years she
got as much as twelve dollars a week for her practical nursing.
Fredricks: In other words, she kept the family in finances.
Coleman: Absolutely! Her chores in those days for practical nurses
were very light. Most of her cases were in the country and all she had
to do was help deliver, or else deliver, the babies, wash the milk cans,
prepare the food and a few little items like that.
Fredricks: And besides that take care of all you kids.
Coleman: That's absolutely right. My sisters had to help at home, though.
I guess I forgot to tell you that I was the baby of the family.
Fredricks: Now, then, you had some responsibility at a very early age?
Coleman: Oh yes!
Fredricks: What was it like to be poor when you were a boy?



2