Interviews

1. Father's role in starting the Wailea Milling Company

2. Sale of Wailea Milling Company during World War II

3. Growing up with Japanese language and values

4. Gender discrimination in education field

5. Memories of family dinners

6. Symbolic New Year’s foods prepared from scratch

7. Being a tomboy

8. Taking over husband’s orchid farm and nursery

9. Father interrogated by FBI, but not taken away

10. Victory Corps Work during World War II

Oda,Margaret

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

Growing up with Japanese language and values

We spoke Japanese, only Japanese at home and as I said earlier, I learned English only when I started schooling. My dad went to night school to learn English so he spoke as well as he wrote in English but my mother never did and so she expected us to speak Japanese and I think because of the way we were brought up, we learned all…not only the language but the values, Japanese values from her.

For instance, respect your elders, “on” – obligation…for example, everyday, although we were playing before dinner time, when we knew when my dad was coming home, we were all expected to wash our face and clean ourselves and when dad comes home, we’d say, “okaerinasai” and greet him because she says, “You know, when you’re out working, you’re very exhausted. There are all kinds of issues an adult has to face. So when you come home, you have to show a smiling face to father so that he’ll feel happy to return home.” And I think that was an excellent thing that she taught us. Also, when somebody leaves the home always go out and say goodbye to them. She always did that with all of us.

So those little things that she taught us. I think that that helped me in developing my values for my lifetime.

aesthetics culture families identity metaphysics psychology theory of knowledge values

Date: May 31, 2006

Location: Hawai‘i, US

Interviewer: Akemi Kikumura Yano

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Dr. Margaret Oda was born on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, in Wailea. A Nisei, her parents were Japanese immigrants from Hiroshima. Her father worked on a sugar cane farm where he eventually became the Wailea Milling Company’s vice president.

She received her Master’s degree in Mathematics at Michigan State University, and later her Doctorate of Education from the University of Hawai‘i at Manōa in 1977. She started her teaching career in 1951 rising to positions as vice principal and principal at several public elementary and high schools throughout Hawai‘i. Dr. Oda later served as Deputy Superintendent for the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education for three years and twice served as Honolulu District Superintendent in the 1980s. She remained in the administration realm of public education until her retirement in the late 1990s.

Dr. Oda is known for her philanthropic work in the field of education. She has served on community organization boards such as the Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation, Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy and Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i. She is the past chair of the Museum's Hawai‘i Advisory Committee. Dr. Oda currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum. (April 6, 2007)