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BASQUE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT INTERVIEW TAPE INDEX
NAME:
Marce Gerlach TAPE MINUTE SUMMARY OF CONTENTS Side 10-4:00 Marce was born on 11 December 1920 in McDermitt, Nevada. Her father was from Motriko, and her mother was from Ispaster. Her father left home at 8 years old to work, and Marce speculates that her parents met at a dance or festival. Her father, Felipe Arriola, was born around 1888. Her mother was Augustina Garichana. They married 13 June 1915, and Felipe left for the United States to herd sheep for James (Laidlaw) in eastern Idaho, around Rupert and Muldoon. Later, he started a sheep company with Cleto Archabal and Marcus Bengoechea. They lost the business, so Felipe went to work for his wife’s uncle at a ranch in Elko, Nevada. He moved his wife and daughter, Marce, there with him. 4:00-9:30 Marce’s father had been to the United States several times. His first stint was in his early to mid-20s. When he had saved some money, he returned to the Basque country. Felipe went back to the US shortly afterward to earn some more money. Since her mother was very private about certain things, Marce does not know if her parents were courting by this time. Her father had two brothers in the United States. One of them, Isidro Arriola, worked with Felipe in McDermitt. The other, Pedro “Pete” Arriola, worked in the States for a while and returned to the Basque country to stay. Isidro eventually went into ranching in Oregon, and Felipe left Jack Creek (60 miles north of Elko – see minute 19), Nevada with his family and moved to Boise. Backing up, Marce explains that her mother stayed in Ispaster for about 4 years before joining her husband in McDermitt. Augustina left her first son, Marce’s older brother Genaro “Hank”, in Ispaster with her mother. He was educated there, and joined the rest of his family in Boise around 1928 (at the age of 12 – see minute 9). Marce says that it must have been difficult for him to adjust to their humble living conditions and get to know his siblings. After some initial difficulty learning English, Genaro did very well in school and graduated from Boise High School. He married the year he graduated. In the summers during school, Genaro worked for Mr. Laidlaw on his ranch in Rupert. After high school, he found work with Idaho Power Company and retired in his mid-60s. Marce explains that her mother had to leave to Genaro in Ispaster because of immigration quotas. He was finally able to come to the US when the Anduiza family went to visit Ispaster. Immigration laws had eased, and Genaro was allowed to return to the US with them. (Anecdote: Dionisio Arriola, son of Isidro Arriola, also accompanied Genaro on the ship to the US). 10:15-12:00 Marce’s siblings are Genaro (b. 1916), Pía “Joan”, and Jacinto “Gus.” Jacinto was named after Gus Urresti (he was born in the Uberuaga house – see minute 20). 12:00-16:00 Marce’s family moved from Jack Creek to McDermitt when she was very young. They stayed in McDermitt for about a year and a half before moving to Boise, where they moved in with Juan and Juana Uberuaga on Grove Street. She describes the layout of the house. Her father had a job at the stone quarry in Boise. After a while, the family moved to a house by the Old Idaho Penitentiary, where they stayed for three or four years. When the Urresti family went back to the Basque country for a year, Marce and her family stayed in their house, which was a large stone house very near the quarry. The house was on the road to Barber, so many Basques stopped by the house on the way to their homes in Barber. When the Urrestis returned, the Arriolas moved into a small house near the railroad tracks (still near the quarry), where they stayed for a few more years. 16:00- Marce started school at St. Teresa’s Academy. When her father started working for the railroad, the family moved to a house on Broadway Blvd., where they stayed for a year until moving to a house near Garfield School [on Broadway]. Marce says that she was raised here. Her mother stayed in the house until 1972. Backing up, Marce’s earliest memories were from Jack Creek. She mentions others, and clarifies a question about the Uberuaga family, saying that there were three branches: two in Boise, and one in Emmett. Whenever her cousin, Joe Uberuaga, comes to visit her, they reminisce about their childhood at 614 Grove Street. She mentions that while they lived on Grove Street, her father worked at the stone quarry, which is near Table Rock in Boise. This prompted them to move to the house near the Penitentiary to be closer to their father’s job. 22:30-30:00 She gives the present location of the stone quarry: Highway 21, right across from Warm Springs Golf Course. The quarry had its own railroad system, and supplied the sandstone used to construct buildings like the Capitol. The work was very difficult. Marce remembers how tired and dirty he was when he came home from work. Her father was a very gentle man – her mother was the disciplinarian. Chico Urresti and other Basques worked at the quarry. Since they lived near the Penitentiary, a guard would bring the family vegetables from time to time. When Marce was about five years old, her father found work with the railroad. In 1938, her father went to work for Phillip Aldape on his ranch. By that time, Mr. Aldape was Genaro Arriola’s father-in-law. Side 20-3:45 Genaro helped his father get a job with Idaho Power, where he ended up working for almost 25 years. Before that, he had been working on the railroad that ran out toward Mountain Home, Idaho [Union Pacific Railroad]. Marce went to school at Garfield School. 3:45-9:30 Marce’s family spoke Basque at home until the children learned to speak English. She can still understanding the language and speak some of it. The children learned to speak English at school and with friends. Marce’s mother became very involved with the Garfield Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Marce did not have much difficulty learning English at school, but she was conscious of the fact that she and her family were different. Schoolmates were interested to hear them speak Basque. They appreciated the Basque language and culture. Genaro was unique in that he could read, speak, and write in English, Spanish and Basque. Marce remembers experiencing some discrimination, but did her best to ignore it. Overall, however, children expressed interest and enjoyed hearing Basque. Her mother was a talented seamstress, and made many of the garments her children wore. 9:30-13:30 They did not have electricity in their last house, so Arriola children had to get kerosene from a store on Broadway until their father started working for Idaho Power. Once he did so, they had electricity and a telephone. Explaining the school system, Marce says that she and her siblings attended Garfield School through the eighth grade, and then went to Boise High School. She graduated in 1939 and went to work for JJ Newberry’s, which was on 10th and Main Street. She was involved with her future husband, who worked for the Idaho Statesman and was drafted into the army in December of 1941. They married in May of 1942 in Denver, Colorado. Marce took a train down to Denver, where he was stationed at an Army base, and they married. Her husband was shipped out shortly afterward, to Marce went back to Boise and continued to work at Newberry’s. She lived with her family until her husband’s discharge in 1945. 13:30-17:00 Marce discusses her family’s interaction with the Basque community in Boise. Her mother visited the Uberuaga family and other ladies at 614 Grove Street often. Marce’s uncle and aunt, Domingo and Josefa (Onaderra) lived nearby. Her mother also socialized with Juli Gandiaga, Tom Erquiaga (a friend since elementary school – see minute 16) and Angela Anacabe. The Uberuagas introduced the Arriolas to other Basques from out of town. Marce’s mother also helped illiterate Basques write letters to their families in the Basque country. The Arriolas did not attend Basque picnics very often because they did not have an automobile to travel to them. 17:00-17:45 Growing up, most of Marce’s friends were not Basque. She says that marrying a non-Basque has influenced her involvement in the Basque community, and has changed her culture somewhat. She visited the Basque country once, in 1973, and enjoyed the trip. 17:45-18:45 Marce and her husband [Richard Gerlach] knew each other in elementary school. She discusses how their relationship changed over the years. There were not many Basque children at Garfield School, but she felt a certain camaraderie with them. 18:45-21:15 She mentions her first job as a housekeeper during high school. After she graduated, she worked at Newberry’s until 1947. Marce worked part time until her second child was born, then stayed home to care for her children. Her husband worked for the Idaho Statesman for 41 years until his retirement. Marce volunteered to help with the school lunch program at Garfield, her children’s school. She enjoyed the work and suggested that it become a paid position. The school agreed, and Marce embarked on a career that would last until her retirement in 1990. She worked at Garfield, East Junior High School, and Boise High School. 21:15-27:00 Marce’s children are Richard and Phil Gerlach. She discusses the early years of her marriage when her husband was stationed in North Africa, Italy, and southern France. Her husband met the Pope. Her children are interested in the Basque culture, but Marce did not push them to dance with the Oinkari Basque Dancers or join other Basque clubs. Her husband is also interested in what goes on at the Basque Center and Basque Museum and Cultural Center, but the Gerlach's family life did not center on Basque activities. Other interests took priority. Several years ago, Marce started volunteering at the BMCC and to help Marguerite Urresti. She enjoys the opportunity the meet other Basques, and discusses her volunteer role at the Museum. 27:00-30:00 She reflects on her trip to the Basque country. Her mother also went on the trip. She visited Lekeitio, Ispaster, Bermeo, Navarniz, and other places, and appreciated the opportunity to see some of the places her mother talked about, even though she felt very American. (Anecdote: Marce surprised two men in Lekeitio who didn’t think she could speak Basque). She met relatives. When asked how she thinks of herself, Marce answers that she considers herself to be Basque. Speaking the language plays a central role in how she identifies herself.
NAMES AND PLACES NAMES: Laidlaw,
James – one of Felipe Arriola’s first employers in the United States. PLACES: Barber,
Idaho – many Basques would stop by the Arriola home on their way to or from
Barber. Basque
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