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McSweyn, Margarita Salazar (audio interview #1 of 3)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This first interview with Margarita Salazar McSweyn focuses on her family background and life up to the war period. The interview was conducted in the living room of her small, comfortable home in East Los Angeles. An eager participant, McSweyn was very concerned about getting all her details correct and after the interview checked with her sister and a longtime close friend. Her husband was puttering in the background during the interview, but respected her privacy. Although she greatly enjoyed the interview and often punctuated it with laughter, she became very sad talking about her father's death. 10/29/1980
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- 2021-07-26
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- SUBJECT BIO - Margarita Salazar McSweyn was twenty five when she went to work at the Lockheed subassembly plant in Los Angeles in 1942. She had been working as a beautician, and kept hearing stories from her clients about the good money to be had in aircraft. Born in New Mexico, the fourth daughter in a large family, Margie - as she called herself - was an infant when the family moved to Los Angeles. Nine years later, they family became one of the first Mexican families to move into the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Her life revolved around her family, and as she became older, around the Mexican social club to which she belonged. After completing high school, McSweyn went to beauty college and began working as a beauty operator. Eager to be involved in the war effort, the way her brothers were, she took a job in defense and also joined the Civilian Defense Corps, whose uniforms were patterned after the ones worn by WAVES. By war's end, she returned to work in the field of cosmetology, working her way into a white-collar job. She continued working after marrying in 1945, until the birth of her first son. After that, she worked on and off, until 1970. Margie was above all, a family woman, and the oral history interviews with her became a family affair, although everyone was instructed not to interrupt us during my visits. Nevertheless, I met and visited with her husband and one of her sons, and they all followed the progress of the interviews. She proudly displayed not only her own sewing and crocheting, but also the cradle that her husband handcrafted. A pert, youthful woman at the time of the interviews, it was nevertheless difficult for McSweyn to sit for long stretches due to a chronic severe back problem. However, she became so absorbed in telling her story that she forgot her discomfort. She enjoyed reminiscing, and her oral history was often punctuated with laughter, except when she spoke about the deaths in her family. Then she would drift into a melancholy reverie. TOPICS - family background; parents; cultural values; life during the Depression; schooling; childhood; recreational activities; housing; family activities; household chores; and family life;housing; family life; ethnic composition of Boyle Heights; childhood; religion; recreational activities; career aspirations; schooling; and involvement in church activities and religious clubs;high school; impact of the Depression; economic status; cultural values; Latino culture; career aspirations; marriage expectations; beauty college; factory work; and father's death;father's death; mother's income; beauty college; work as a beauty operator; wages; family history; marriage expectations; dating and boyfriends; and social club activities;
- *** File: rrrmmcsweyn1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-5:19)... Brief interviewer introduction McSweyn discusses her family background, focusing on her maternal and paternal grandparents. Her parents began dating when her mother was thirteen and married when she was fifteen. There were distinct class and cultural differences between her mother and father; her father's Spanish relatives were more "uppity" compared to her mother's Mexican relatives. McSweyn's father was thirteen years older than her mother and her family discouraged their relationship. (5:19-9:20)... Note: there is an interruption in this segment when McSweyn's answers the telephone. Her parents spoke both Spanish and English in the home, often interchangeably. This caused McSweyn to mispronounce certain Spanish words. When her family moved to California, her mother worked as a nurse and a midwife. However, she did not have any formal education in medicine. Her father was educated and worked for the government surveying streets. Her parents married in 1910 and had eight children, four were born in New Mexico and four in Los Angeles. (9:20-11:33)... McSweyn's father decided to move to Los Angeles in search of better job opportunities. Her family did not experience the economic hardships that most families did during the Depression. They ate well and her father had a steady job. He started working for the government surveying streets when he moved to Los Angeles. McSweyn and the rest of her family followed her father to Los Angles when she was four months old. Her mother got a job at a clinic in west Los Angeles near her family's home. Her father eventually purchased property in Boyle Heights and built a home for his family. (11:33-14:52)... Note: there is an interruption this segment when McSweyn answers the telephone. McSweyn lived in west Los Angeles until she was seven years old. She went to an elementary school that was attended mainly by Mexican and Italian children. Her home was small and she shared a room with three sisters. Both Spanish and English were spoken in her home. (14:52-17:11)... She was an active young girl and enjoyed acting in school plays and participating in physical activities. Her father always wanted boys and encouraged his daughters to play sports until his sons were born. Her family went on picnics at Elyseum Park and in Eagle Rock and camped in the San Gabriel Mountains. During these camping trips, the children would sit around the campfire and listen to her father sing and play the guitar. (17:11-20:03)... McSweyn was close to her mother and inherited many of her qualities. She taught McSweyn how to sew and crochet. Her mother thought it was important that her children learn to properly clean a house, especially if they planned to have their friends over. Her father was more of an outdoors man. McSweyn's sisters formed a buddy system with each other. She did not go anywhere without her sister Rose and vice versa. Her two older sisters shared a similar relationship. Her parents were strict about their children being chaperoned at all times. McSweyn did not go out alone on a date until she was twenty-one years old, and that was only because Rose did not feel like going along. (20:03-24:34)... When McSweyn was five years old, her tonsils were removed at the clinic where her mother worked. She caught pneumonia and almost died. Her hair fell out and she had to learn how to walk again. She stayed in the clinic and her mother nursed her back to health. Her mother worked at the clinic part-time and was home when her children came home from school. She did not have any formal medical training. The neighbors relied on her for medical advice; she was the resident "mom" on the block. Her father was popular in the neighborhood because he had a Ford truck. The children and their friends rode in the back of the truck when they went on camping trips. The girls and boys slept in separate tents and were well supervised by her parents. The children shared the cooking and cleaning responsibilities when they went camping. (24:34-27:08)... Her family sat down for their dinner meal when her father got home from work. It was the only time the entire family was together all at one time. Her father was a very playful man during dinner. He was also very strict. When McSweyn was in private school, he periodically spoke with her teachers about her progress. The girls were allowed to go to one party and one movie per month. They were closely supervised in their activities. Her father died of a ruptured appendix when she was fifteen years old. He did not get the chance to be as strict with his sons as he was with his girls. (27:08-28:13)... Her parents were very compatible and never questioned each other's decisions about family matters and disciplining their children. They were both disciplinarians. End of tape. *** File: rrrmmcsweyn2.mp3 (0:00-0:52)... McSweyn was always with her sister (Rose), who was two years older. They walked to and from school together every day. (0:52-3:52)... Her father purchased land on Marengo Street in Boyle Heights and built a house. The neighborhood was predominantly Jewish with only three Mexican families in the immediate area. Her mother quit working at the medical clinic and never worked outside the home again. McSweyn shared a room with her sister Rose. Whenever they had parties they danced on the large porch built at the front of the house. They lived in the last house on the block and her father was constantly adding on rooms to their home. (3:52-6:35)... She attended a public school until the age of twelve, at which time her parents placed her in a private school. In Boyle Heights, she lived across the street from her cousins and another set of cousins lived further down the block. The neighborhood was not divided along racial lines. Some of her closest friends were her Jewish neighbors. Boyle Heights was considered a healthy place to live because of its clean air and arable soil. (6:35-10:30)... McSweyn did notice the cultural differences between herself and her Jewish neighbors. She "didn't think anything of eating fish or sour cream and tortillas and beans." Her family did not hold on to their cultural ideals or customs and blended in with the rest of their neighbors. McSweyn and Rose never left each other's sides. They shared the same friends and participated in the same activities. After she moved to Boyle Heights, her family started going to church more often and the children got involved in church clubs. Their friendships in the neighborhood remained strong. A popular activity in the neighborhood was riding a sled down the hills. Her parents did not restrict her from physical activities of this nature. However, her mother did not like it when she tore her clothing since she sewed the family's clothing. (10:30-13:52)... McSweyn, Rose, and her brother Leo went to private school at Our Lady Queen of Angels. She was impressed by the dedication of the nuns and aspired to become a nun herself. However, the priest told her that she was too young to be making those decisions. her favorite teacher was Sister Joseph, who had been a friend of her older sister's prior to becoming a nun. McSweyn and her siblings rode the streetcar part of the way to school and then walked the rest of the way. (13:52-18:53)... Her parents were very religious people. Her mother insisted that her children observe the rituals of the Catholic faith. She practiced the Italian customs of Catholicism, which she learned from her Italian stepfather. There was an altar in their home and her mother made food offerings on St. Joseph's Day. McSweyn took her first communion at St. Theresa's Church. She was involved with various church groups and school clubs at Plaza Catholic Church, including Children of Mary. McSweyn describes the activities of this group and talks about the other clubs she was active with while in Catholic school. (18:53-20:55)... McSweyn describes the types of classes she took at Our Lady Queen of Angels. Although the classes were co-educational, the girls and boys were not allowed to interact on the playground. Her favorite subject in school was music. She enjoyed singing and dancing, as did her father. He encouraged a love of music and often played the guitar and the harmonica when they went on camping trips. (20:55-22:37)... McSweyn wanted to become a nun because she believed the sheltered life of a convent would be very similar to her family life. Nuns seemed to be living a serene and happy life and that attracted her to the idea of becoming a nun. Eventually, she realized that sisterhood was not the right place for her. (22:37-26:57)... McSweyn left private school in the ninth grade and enrolled in Roosevelt High School. She lived with her grandmother for about six months while her father purchased a new home in Fairfax. She believes her father wanted to move because he felt the Boyle Heights was provincial compared to other parts in the Los Angeles area. She transferred to Fairfax High School. High school was a big change because the students seemed more "liberated." End of tape. *** File: rrrmmcsweyn3.mp3 (0:00-3:43)... McSweyn skipped the tenth grade and started the eleventh grade at Fairfax High School. In high school, she began to notice the differences between herself and her classmates for the first time. The students had more liberty to attend parties and stay after school. She was expected to come home directly after school so that she could complete her household chores and do her homework. (3:43-5:14)... In high school, McSweyn decided that she wanted to pursue a career as a beauty operator. She loved makeup and doing her sisters' hair. Her parents allowed her to wear lipstick. She did not have any restrictions on the clothes she wore to school. Most of her clothes at this time were store bought. (5:14-6:07)... During the Depression, her family had to cut corners, but they were not impoverished. Her father had a steady job and was paid twice a month. After buying groceries and paying the bills, there was was very little money to spare. (6:07-8:31)... The student population at Fairfax High School was predominantly Jewish. In some ways, high school was similar to her life in Boyle Heights because of the ethnic background of the student body. McSweyn continued to define her life by Spanish and Mexican cultural values and Catholicism. When they moved to Fairfax, her family went to a Catholic church located on Santa Monica Boulevard and Hollywood. (8:31-14:55)... She did not date boys while in high school. Although her pool of friends included boys and girls, she did not pursue any romantic relationships with her male friends. Other than participating in archery meets, she could not stay after school to socialize with friends. Her parents were more strict about her whereabouts while she was in high school because she was not being chaperoned by her sister Rose any longer. Most of the parties she attended were family functions. During the summers, her family went on camping trips or rented a beach house. McSweyn thought that her mother was going through the "change" and enjoyed the tranquility of the ocean. McSweyn's grandmother scolded her for getting too much sun. In New Mexico, Spaniards were referred to as "manitas" (little hands) by Mexicans. Spaniards developed similar negative references towards Mexicans based on physical characteristics. Her grandmother felt that McSweyn would look like a Mexican if she tanned her skin. These cultural distinctions were emphasized at Plaza Catholic Church where many of the parishioners were Mexicans. (14:55-17:13)... McSweyn decided that she was going to pursue a career as a beauty operator when she graduated from high school. After observing her sister's (Grace) marital problems, she decided that she did not want to marry and be "tied" down. (17:13-22:23)... She did not make very many friends in high school, mainly because she was restricted by her parents from staying after school. She did not attend very many school functions. When she graduated from high school at the age of seventeen, she enrolled in beauty college. She went to work at a factory spinning yarn to pay for her tuition. She worked during the week and went to school on Saturday. She eventually quit her job because it interfered with school. The beauty school was located on 7th and Hill. In order to graduate, students had to complete 360 hours of coursework. After she quit her factory job, she worked at the school doing maintenance. She discusses the skills that were required to be a beauty operator. (22:23-25:26)... When she was employed at the yarn-spinning factory, she supplied women with spindles and eventually learned how to operate the machines. The factory was fairly large with approximately 100 employees. She worked at company for a short time. Her primary goal was to earn enough money so that she could pay for school. (25:26-28:48)... While in beauty college, McSweyn did not have very much of a social life because she was busy with school and work. Most of her activities revolved around family functions. Her father died suddenly when she was fifteen years old and it was very traumatic for her family. After her father died, they sold their home in Fairfax and moved back to Boyle Heights to be near her grandmother. Her mother purchased a home on Fourth Street and her grandmother bought a house next door to them. Her mother eventually moved to a home across the street from Roosevelt High School and lived there until she died. End of tape. *** File: rrrmmcsweyn4.mp3 (0:00-3:40)... Her father's death was especially difficult for her brothers because they were so young and just beginning to develop an emotional bond with their father. Her father contributed to a pension and her mother saved money during their marriage. She also collected money from the land they owned in Boyle Heights and Fairfax. With this income, she purchased a new home and supported herself. McSweyn's sister Rose contributed her wages to the family income, as did McSweyn when she finished beauty school. (3:40-8:04)... In order to obtain a beauty operator's license, she had to take a written test and give a demonstration using a model. She got her license and started working in a shop when she was twenty years old. The pay was less than desired. She worked on a sixty-forty commission with the salon owner. She started doing rinses, which cost .15 cents each. She also did permanents and color tints, which cost more but put less money in her pocket after material costs and the forty percent was deducted. She eventually went to work for a friend who owned a salon. (8:04-9:21)... While working in Molly's salon, McSweyn's social life blossomed. She went dancing and joined social clubs. When McSweyn's sister Grace divorced her husband and moved into their home, McSweyn's mother made it a rule that all three of her daughters go out together. (9:21-10:17)... McSweyn's sister Grace was married to an abusive and controlling man. After Grace divorced and moved back home, she would not leave the house because she was afraid that her ex-husband would hurt her. She called the police on several occasions after he threatened to kill her. (10:17-14:22)... McSweyn worked in a couple of beauty shops in her neighborhood before going to work with her friend Molly. Customers very rarely gave tips when they received hair services because they could not afford it. McSweyn discusses Molly and her family background. When they worked together "Molly was the businesswoman first while I was the housewife first." Molly worked on customers' hair and McSweyn worked as her assistant. (14:22-19:58)... When she turned eighteen, her mother threw her a formal party at Evergreen Park. All of the men wore black suits and the girls wore formal gowns. She talks about the boy she was dating at the time of the party. She did not want to get married. A few men asked for her hand in marriage, but she declined their offers. She liked to go to dances organized by Spanish social clubs in the Los Angeles area. When she was twenty-one, her boyfriend at the time asked her mother if he could take her out on a date alone. This was the first time she spent alone with the opposite sex. (19:58-25:18)... Her life revolved around work and social club activities prior to WWII. When the war broke out, she left Molly's shop and went to work in defense because the pay was better. She worked six days a week. On her days off, she continued to attend social club functions and spend time with Molly. Many of the friends she socialized with in club activities were employed. (25:18-27:49)... Most of McSweyn's beauty clientele were Jewish housewives or clerical workers employed at a doctor's office near the beauty shop. The Spanish clubs in which she was involved usually had a chaperone for the girls. They met at this woman's home before going to social functions. Some of the events were by invitation only. End of tape.
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