SEGMENT: NON-FARM WORK, CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, & FARMS VS. TOWNS
Jack Kuhn>NIU Collection>NIU Collection, Segment 9
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- REFLECTIONS
- He & siblings always wanted to be farmers, be their own boss. Father told him to get a trade too though.
- NON-FARM WORK
- Joined the plumbing trade, was in the union in Aurora. Brother is a carpenter; they're partners. Talks about the freedom that allows. Tells what other brothers do. Did apprenticeship & then did pipe-fitting in the Navy, came home and got his card. Doesn't regret not going to college. Likes building things and doing things, not sitting behind a desk.
- FAMILY
- If kids want to go to college, that's fine with him though. Tells sons' ages. Grew up in the 1950s, graduated in 1964.
- FAMILY ACTIVITIES
- Family got their first TV in the 1950s, weren't many TVs around. Black & white Emerson. Wasn't a lot to watch on it. Compares it to Australian television. Jack didn't go to libraries if he didn't have to.
- CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
- Talks about sight reading, and today doesn't like reading that much. Especially not the newspaper. Talks about the experiment in teaching reading that his school did. Experiment failed him.
- CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES
- Hunted when he was younger. They worked but had a lot of free time.
- CHILDHOOD WORK
- Describes typical day as child. Alternated getting up at 5
- FARMS VS. TOWNS
- Jack is glad he can raise his kids in the country.
- COURTSHIP
- Wife is from Australia, met her there during R&R while in the Vietnam War. "Australian people are really friendly." Went out a little. Wrote letters back and forth. Visited him in Warrenville after she'd been in Canada. Dated for 8 months and got married. "Everybody needs somebody."
