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Utter, Don (audio interview #3 of 5)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This is the third of five interviews that were conducted at Utter's home in Belmont Shore. The interviewer met him while serving on a LWV's committee to prepare a pamphlet about local history. Utter subsequently became a student of the interviewer as part of the Senior Citizen fee waiver program. 11/17/1980
- Date
- 2020-10-14
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- Notes
- *** File: cbdutter5.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-4:32)... Brief Introduction After he got out of the Army he relaxed for a month, then went to work. He took a civil service job at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard; there was a preference for veterans. He was an electrician that put power aboard ships for welding machines, setting up ventilation. He started as an electrician's helper. The job was not technical. His work in the shipyard was a useful exposure to a mechanical craft, but in the end, he quit in frustration. He had to prepare the paper work for what he thought was going to be a legitimate deal; the company wanted to get rid of tons of brand new commercial electrical fittings. It turned out to be a sweetheart deal for some of the shipyard employees and an outside contractor. They sold the parts for scrap and received much less than they were worth. He felt this was irresponsible and quit. (4:32-8:50)... He worked at the Shell Oil Company refinery as a pipe fitter's helper. He worked for 6 weeks at Terminal Island. A Shell tanker exploded at the dock and several people were killed. The removal of tanker remains had to be done with equipment that would not spark; everything was done by hand. He did not believe the Sohio Terminal was safe because of his experience at Terminal Island. He quit Shell to go to school on the GI Bill. He had worked at oil refineries previously on shut down crews. Shell had a long tradition of being a good outfit to work for. He had a sister-in-law that helped him get some part-time work in the past. Oil refinery work was hard and dirty. (8:50-11:34)... Shell had a profit sharing plan that was way ahead of any other companies; it encouraged employees to stay. He left the refinery before the big strike in 1947. Most of the big bosses had started out as humble laborers. The strike shattered these people; many friendships were ended. (11:34-14:45)... He stayed at Shell for less than a year and then he went back to USC. Long Beach State was in its first semester and located in a couple of apartment houses. He was still interested in geology. The GI Bill gave him a stipend, a family allowance,since he was married, and also paid for his books and fees. Once he graduated, he realized there were few employment opportunities for inexperienced geologists. The jobs were far away and low in pay. He went back to USC and earned a secondary teaching credential and a masters in education so he could become a school teacher. (14:45-20:27)... He was advised to get his first teaching job out of town, to get a year of experience and then apply for local teaching posts. He taught in Holtville, California for 9 months. It was an 8 year elementary school. He taught several subjects and drove the school bus. He had several job offers in other rural areas. The following year he worked in Long Beach. The Holtville school was fair sized; the enrollment was 500 to 600 students. There were modest facilities. The buildings were old and there were no labs. The principal insisted on allowing the teachers access to a good supply of books. He was interested in helping students who were illiterate. (20:27-24:28)... The Imperial Valley had a segregated school system when he taught there; it was a backwards system. There was a black school - a Jim Crow school. The school where he taught had Mexican and Hindu students, but no Blacks but only because none lived in the area. They were made to feel unwelcome by white neighbors. The children were not as prejudiced as their parents. Discrimination primarily focused on "wetbacks." Mexican farm workers were exploited by local farm companies. The Immigration and Naturalization Service swept the fields regularly and many workers missed their paydays when they were deported. The experience made him bitter; he discovered that the Immigration and Naturalization Service was a corrupt organization. (24:28-26:02)... Holtville had a carrot festival. There were many carrot farms and packing plants in the area. The Carrot Day Festival was held once a year. All of the students marched in a parade along with floats, the high school band, local legionnaires and lodges. It was pure "corn ball." (26:02-28:00)... He wanted to teach in a high school and be a full-time science teacher. When he got back to Long Beach the opening he found was in a junior high. He was successful with junior high kids. He taught a year at Jordan High and at the high school in Avalon. He really enjoyed and got satisfaction from teaching junior high. (28:00-33:03)... He was impressed with Holtville's free enterprise spirit. It was mostly nonunion. Many businesses campaigned to keep unions out. They argued that unions were subversive. There was poverty for working people. Poverty was so widespread that it was accepted. The area was depressed educationally, economically and culturally. There was a small group of rich farmers, and a small middle class made up of business owners. There was a conspiracy to keep the poor in poverty. The farming businesses were prosperous but the work force was depressed. Most land owners lived in the area. There was inexpensive irrigation water from the Colorado River. The Imperial Valley Water District had a lot of power; they controlled local politics in the Imperial Valley. (33:03-41:42)... His first teaching job in Long Beach was at Hughes Junior High. It was a new school. Science classes were segregated by sex because the other teacher, a woman, could not handle the boys in her classes. It worked out well because the boys seemed more interested in physical science. He only stayed for a year. The principal at Hughes said he would recommended him for rehiring. There was, however, an incident which caused his contract not to be renewed. One of his students whistled at a female superintendent and she was embarrassed. He was later told that he would not be rehired the following year. A long confrontation followed and went all the way to Douglas Newcomb, Long Beach's superintendent. He felt he was the victim of a serious injustice and forced Newcomb to keep him. Shortly after he was informed that he would be rehired but not at Hughes. He decided to go to Catalina and taught there for 3 years. Probationary teachers had no rights at the time; they could be fired on whim. Long Beach's teachers association would not touch his case because he was a probationary teacher. He learned that teachers needed to stick together and he felt it was important that he stood up for himself (41:42-45:08)... All of the schools in Long Beach were integrated. Hughes was in an integrated neighborhood but there was a lot of hostility between kids from the Virginia Country Club area and kids from the Carmelitos housing project. There were poor neighborhoods in north Long Beach. He never had any problems with Carmelitos kids. There was some gang warfare, but never got out of hand. On Catalina he taught 13 subjects. Elementary grades, junior and senior high were all in one school. *** File: cbdutter6.mp3 (0:00-2:28)... The Long Beach Unified School District advised him to maintain social distance from the Catalina community; they warned him he might get involved in community fights. He discovered this was false. Avalon was a resort community and only half the size of Holtville. Social isolation was not his style so his family got involved. He found the people friendly, like family. (2:28-4:17)... The teaching load at Catalina was tremendous. Not too many activities were available in the winter for students outside of school so they had to provide activities. Teachers were expected to be involved in these extra-curricular activities. He received a small cost of living adjustment but no compensation for extra hours put in. It was an expensive place to live. (4:17-7:46)... There was a community uprising against the Catalina school's principle. He was well-liked, a competent administrator but his wife was a "born-again type". She wanted to keep the local Protestant church from participating in basement Bingo. The principal ended up losing his job and being run off the island. When the islanders organized against somebody, that somebody was always forced to leave. A retired military teacher was forced off the island when he tried to implement a a disciplined military program in his fourth grade class; his students drove him off. (7:46-10:04)... Most teachers stayed at the Catalina school for less than 3 years. It required a special approach because of the heavy preparation demands. He stayed so long because it was a wonderful place for his children. He decided to leave the island when his son graduated form the seventh grade; he wanted his son to have a richer education. His mother had also suffered a stroke and he wanted to be closer so he could help her. His wife also wanted to return to school. He was looking forward to teaching full-time at Jordan High School. John Wilson was principle at the time and he was a good family friend. (10:04-13:07)... He started at Jordan in 1956. It was Wilson's last year as principle. He only stayed for 1 year. The following year Lakewood High School opened and a redistribution of the school population occurred. He had two options. He could stay at Jordan and teach popular science or go to DeMille Junior High. He chose DeMille. It was a brand new school. (13:07-19:53)... John Wilson was a complicated person; he was a true schizophrenic. He was a man of deep social concern and well-educated. But as a school principal, he was a tyrant. Wilson was brutal to the faculty. He, however, never experienced this because of his personal relationship with him. Wilson imposed petty rules and drove out the best teachers. He liked to walk into teacher's classrooms and lecture them in front of students; this infuriated the staff. He would embarrass teachers and criticize them in front of their classes. He would play to the students and ridicule teachers. People outside of school could not imagine such behavior from Wilson. Had a "Mr. Hyde" personality. Wilson was in favor of integration but protective and defensive about Jordan. He was the founding principle of Jordan and stayed until he retired. (19:53-21:50)... When WIlson retired there were several applicants for his position. Milton Sager, who had been a counselor at Wilson, was the faculty's choice and was selected to be Jordan's new principal. (21:50-29:45)... DeMille was a brand new junior high school when he started teaching there. It was located in a lower middle class neighborhood and it was a relatively homogenous area. It took him a while to accumulate science equipment. It was a well-built school and the facilities were adequate. The library was new and had a growing collection. He stayed there for 13 years and taught eighth and ninth grade science. He volunteered during his last year he was there to setup a science reading class for students that struggled with reading. He wanted to enrich the science program for the students who were not interested in the class because they could not read. He had to get approval for the curriculum. On the last day of class, he found out he was being transferred to Washington Junior High. The following year the program was stopped at DeMille. The teachers that took over after he left could not handle the problem students in the special reading classes. He feels that ability grouping was a successful program. (29:45-31:18)... He taught at DeMille after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik. They did many science projects and science was required in the eighth and ninth grades. Many of his former students still remember the projects they did; the program had an impact on both kids and parents. Open house was a great show. (31:18-34:22)... He was involved in local politics and held offices in political clubs. He spent a lot of time working for the American Federation of Teachers. He was not a charter member but joined the first year and served on the board of directors for more than 10 years. He remained in the teacher's union as long as he taught in Long Beach. He hoped the union could radicalize members of the Teachers Association of Long Beach (TALB). By the time of the interview, he believed TALB had become a proper union and was no longer just the voice of the administration. (34:22-39:32)... He discusses the teacher firings at Jordan High. Ray DeGroat, a gifted teacher, was fired. He had a habit of causing problems because he was outspoken. DeGroat was criticized for his activities in the campaign of Henry Wallace for president. Some people labeled Wallace a communist. There was pressure to get rid of DeGroat for being associated with left wing politics; his probationary contract was not renewed. Two other teachers were fired for supporting DeGroat. A lengthy court battle followed. Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union represented the teachers and argued that the firings were unfair. The court ruled that probationary teachers in California have no rights. Later legislation was passed to protect probationary teachers. They lost the battle but won the war. (39:32-42:14)... Long Beach's chapter of the American Federation of Teachers was involved in several cases that did not go to court. In one instance a Wilson High teacher 's contract was not renewed because he had diabetes. It was standard practice to not hire overweight people or others with chronic diseases. The American Federation of Teachers fought and the policy was changed. They also pushed for minority hiring. (42:14-44:55)... He was also involved in elections of representatives to congress and the state legislature. He was a member of various Democratic clubs. He made signs, phone calls, etc. for campaigns. He also served on the board of the Alamitos Bay Democratic Club which the club later collapsed. The Independent Democratic Club was put together for the campaign to try to elect Gene McCarthy for President.
- SUBJECT BIO - Don Utter was a community activist and a teacher in local schools. He grew up in Long Beach and began his political education during the Depression when he supported Upton Sinclair's campaign for governor. He went to school in Long Beach until he was drafted at the beginning of World War II. As a conscientious objector, he served in a medical unit. He returned to finish his education and become a junior high school teacher and continued his interest in local political issues. In this series of five interviews, he talks about his decision, when he was diagnosed with cancer, to retire early and concentrate on trying to protect the environment and help elect progressive politicians. This interview was conducted as part of a project of study the impact of oil on Long Beach. TOPICS - employment; education; USC; Long Beach Unified School District; Teachers Association of Long Beach; GI Bill; Holtville, California; Jordan High School; and Catalina Island;Long Beach Unified School District; Catalina Island; American Federation of Teachers; Democratic clubs; elections; Jordan High School; John Wilson; and DeMille Junior High School;
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2351455852447824-cbdutter6.mp3 | 2023-10-19 | Public | Download |