Joan Zoloth and Helen Zoloth

00:19 Hello, my name is Joan zoloth. I'm 65 years old. Today is Monday, January 6th 2020 were in Santa Monica, California. I'm here with my mother Helen The Loft.

00:47 My name is escaping. My name is Helen. So technically I'm 99 today. Hopefully he'll be under the July 7th. Today's date is January 6th. I'm here in Santa Monica, California, and I'm with my daughter Joan. So love.

01:17 And

01:23 Okay, Mom. I want to ask you where were you born?

01:29 I was born in Los Angeles, California.

01:34 And what is your earliest memory of being in Los Angeles on 42nd Street?

01:48 And it was a little white fence around the top of the porch and I like that part in the back. We had nice backyard and hate did the last room in the house with the screws. We called it the screen porch and we like to be in it cuz it was cool cuz it was in.

02:13 Los Angeles and it was very hot. So we were like we'd like that screen porch and my dad likes to have backyard have a garage full of things that we will We like to go with Rumble through the garage and see what we could find that was interesting that he always had things that he had picked up and brought home to show us some interest and what did your father do my father?

02:53 My father he was much in demand because he could match colors and the designers like that. They would bring him a piece of material or her a picture and he would match the color and what did he do before becoming a house painter?

03:24 Well, he was a soldier. He was a soldier in the russian-japanese war which I think was 1906 something. I don't remember. But anyway, he was a soldier for further but being Jewish. He said no no Jewish boy should first cuz life for the Tsar tree is a Jewish people very badly. And so he decided he wasn't going to fight so he packed up his clothes and he said off he decided to run away from me already and he started out and people saw you was leaving and they informed the Cossacks and the cause of death after you and he was running and running and they were chasing.

04:24 On the big horses and he ate just kept that was running away from he came to us and he's decided to hide under the water of the pain. The pain has a nice little bees with long to verse if I didn't walk at the East side that you would breathe through breathe through the tubers. It's over here to the top of the engine needs to water until he felt does it cost us? It's gone and given up on me and he's here and the rest of the way and he thought he would go into Belgium because they like

05:24 Terry's pages in the end. They have nice carriages and he remembered he could paint characters before he faded houses. He painted carriage and they were very beautiful. I think that the younger man I've ever liked their window like he did and how did he meet his wife your mother where he was thirsty. So we looked around and he saw a Dairy Milk. So I'll go see what I can find. So we walk down to the dairy and he saw the counter and there was a young lady in back of the counter and he is sauce with milk.

06:24 And she offers him a glass of milk before I just know you're her religious man. All nice. And that's probably why he talked to her for what she has to say. It is much. Your sister said she's too old for you. When you have a young girl you forgot. I like her she's smart, and she's pretty about that's what I want. So I told

07:12 I told her I would send for her how it's going to America. Did she want to go to America? And she said of course?

07:24 Who wouldn't want to go to America? And so I said I'll write you send for me and I will come so your ass later you save enough money for another dick head and he bought a ticket for my mother at 8. He went to see her I said okay, we're going to American Social that's wonderful and they came together to America my mother and dad.

08:01 They changed the new that my mother's sister lived in boss, so they have someone to be with.

08:19 But it did they stay the New York. They like New York. Yeah, and then they came to California and her did your dad painted houses and then they came to California because it was warmer than New York and my dad. He could have fit better work by he went to work for my uncle if it's a drug store in Bakersfield and he told my my mother to come there and he would give Dad a job so that took the offer and took the job, but he didn't get along with my uncle they were at the same type of people so

09:19 He told my mother he was going to look for a job back in Bakersfield daughter to buy hides and has seldom and

09:40 Hey spend some time in Bakersfield.

09:49 Thanksgiving he came back to Los Angeles. Okay, and you lived in Los Angeles and you had how many brothers and sisters that were older than you you were the baby?

10:07 I was supposed to be yeah, and I had my my older sister was Bessie and a sister named Maury.

10:34 And I have a sister named Bertha, but she was sick. She had a terrible disease means I fell asleep. I think my mother did everything for her took her two. Rabbis took her to took her off to San Francisco.

11:02 But it didn't do enough about that disease. So

11:10 And and you all live together on a 64 East for 30 seconds. It was between Lincoln and Vernon. And what school did you go to I want to kindergarten but not for long because I'm a big cry baby. I cry and cry all the time when I was in kindergarten and they sent me home and my mother took me back and said you have to stay and my sister Jessie gave me a box of animal crackers is a Redbox that has a string on top and you could carry it at his head all sorts of animals out of cookies.

12:02 And I like it and I had I wouldn't share it with anybody and there was a boy in my class can't make it I said he wanted some cookies if I wouldn't I guess I was a little friend and what was when you were growing up, what was Los Angeles like well when I was a little girl.

12:38 I went to a queen in Playschool. It was a cute little school on the side street and I liked it a lot. I like my teacher. My teacher was Miss or over and she lived.

13:01 Oh, I like how are you and mrs. Ginch as they say songs. Very smart who I was I had memorized all the books that my sisters read to me. So they said they thought I could read I couldn't read.

13:29 I just had memorize them, but you didn't know what you were saying and when you were small tell me about going to Venice Beach.

13:45 Well

13:47 We would go in the car fast when we didn't catch any place later on in my life. We always have room for a house or an apartment or something to live at the beach for some of the summer and get strong.

14:11 Venice Beach we would get in the car and I have a sit in the backseat and I would look out the window and the windows were made of they were not made for us to have made her write paper.

14:33 It was

14:37 For Drive

14:43 Two fat ass and on the way I was passed from sand dunes and how to say, oh I see that there was a big five seven on one of them and I say as soon as we got near the feet, I see. Mr. 77

15:07 A animal has something to do with the seven varieties of food.

15:19 We went to Santa's and I would go but we would walk on the boardwalk. And and why did you go to Venice? Why did your mother take you to the beach every year from downtown Los Angeles for the summer?

15:41 Well, it wasn't just finished. It was ocean parked to live was the beach the beach head.

15:56 House given are and then flu epidemic and he just being a healthy and you and you

16:14 Have you would eat? Well, then you would be all right. And so she's over. We would go down and she was save money from her grocery money and have money to spend some Living Waters.

16:36 Either in Venice or in Ocean Park. She like that area that there were Jewish people.

16:47 And she thought you would be healthier if you stayed at the beach in the summer, so you wouldn't be sick. She saw some some reason and he actually wanted me to have fresh air and tell me about the depression you left 42nd street and you ended up on Hudson Street and but during the Depression what happened and well.

17:21 My uncle had decided that we should live on 47th Street. So you moved the Hudson you moved to Hudson Street. I removed it said I would move to us cents Avenue and it was a nice duplex Upstairs Downstairs and

17:52 We've Ended the upstairs to some people named goals and they have a girl about my

18:04 I lost track of her her mother for the help.

18:09 Are there anyway?

18:12 Hopefully have a nice duplex head. But with Margaret and Dad couldn't afford the mortgage.

18:27 Have you worry about it? And one day I saw it get up and get dressed and I said, where are you going? He says I have to go downtown to the industrial find that area and see what's happening to our house. So I said can I go with a says? All right, so I got dressed and I want and I yelled every barked every walk to the building where they were selling.

19:11 Off property

19:15 He stood there and he started to cry and I loved him.

19:23 Hoseok right that I never seen my dad cry before I need cry and he said don't worry hanzala. He calls me handsome.

19:37 Don't worry, I'll build another house and say I lost the house to the bank because this was The Depression took away from her and we had to move so we moved to someplace on low a man. Have you ever friend that are real from him? It was just one room. And I meant that we all slept in one one bed.

20:14 I want us.

20:17 But I do.

20:20 You may doing that was depression other people for worse off than us.

20:29 And then things started to look up. Yeah. Well we got rid of you felt he wasn't doing enough to help the poor people so we both didn't have the phone but the man folded

20:58 And we had a better life after that. And so after your schooling, where did you go to HighSchool after element? You went to John Burroughs Elementary School. I went to I went to Queen Anne.

21:26 I want to watch first.

21:30 And where did you go to high school? And I've been I win from Wilshire Chris and I stood Middle School junior high and then High

21:47 I went to high school. That was the best and you met High father and La High School. You met my father in La, I didn't have much to do with him. But I knew her and what how did you get to know him? He was in one of my classes and you were editor of the newspaper. I was he was in my journalism he was

22:18 Add Department, he was allowed to go with this a French girls were allowed and the Mad didn't like even though you were the editor.

22:35 I will see her future.

22:39 And then after you graduated from high school, and where did you go to school?

22:47 I graduated from high school and then I told my parents I would give it to the end and go get a teaching credential and be a teacher, but I wanted to go to UCLA. There was a nice school that used to be on fermanagh.

23:14 But it was movie to Westwood. So you see University of California Harris are they said? Okay, you get a job with Alba and will help you to know. I've looked in the paper to see her fantasy.

23:45 I could do that list listed for for help want and sure enough they wanted some.

23:56 Helpers and Freddy kiss to sell cakes and bread so I looked up the address and I told my parents I was going to go down had to get a job. So

24:14 Is it okay good luck and idea and I received a few but not as crazy and she said would you be willing to wear that makes you look like a Dutch girl? That's of course, I'd be selling windmill prop and I had she said where you where you were at nice have.

24:44 Hey white a starch and you wear that on your head and you.

24:54 Come down every morning early and be sure that everything's in the car under the counter all of forehead at all of cake and I have the donuts.

25:11 How much did you make how much did you make what was Ho?

25:18 I made $0.33 an hour. I worked very hard and had three times over and how much was school. How much was UCLA?

25:38 UCLA was $27 tuition a semester and it was well worth it. Good professor.

25:52 And I enjoy UCLA.

25:56 And you met my father again at UCLA. It was always a crowd.

26:11 Happy but in front of Royce Hall and he was always there. So I got to know him. He was also in my life. Your class have happened. We were all having a hard time with larger except him. He seems each other so we decided.

26:37 There was a workshop, but we didn't need to cut the workshop. We sent him. He should teachers.

26:48 He went to logic Workshop. I came back how you was went to my house and he

26:58 He talked he doesn't anybody want to talk. He taught them. That was a good thing. I made dinner for everyone and he helped and I love that's a nice young man. Was was it Love at First Sight? Because I think I said, that's the one for me. He's our help and he's handsome.

27:33 I think I could learn to love.

27:38 And then you started to date him. Yeah hard time because he wouldn't call me till the last minute and I already had kind of a boyfriend who would take care who would always want to text me out on Friday, but Dad wanted to go out with me on Friday, but he had to borrow his sister's car and they weren't very nice about it cuz they said he was wasting his time with me.

28:19 And where did you used to go on dates?

28:24 Well

28:26 We tried not to spend too much money. So

28:33 Results to picnics

28:39 Era Platinum I watch every girl.

28:44 But go sometimes to Griffith Park which was for the observatory was resolved nice land around it.

29:00 And we had a picnic. I like that and also we would go to places like

29:13 Barney's Beanery in Hollywood part

29:19 Beanery okay achievement he had to choose me to Chinese. How do you say oh, yeah. I eat ass all the time. I've never taste of the first time.

29:38 And then he asked you to marry him.

29:43 Yes, and how long were you married?

29:49 Play until he passed away. 70 years 70 to 72 years and he went to Santa Barbara and went off to war. Yes, he when he joined the days. He thought it was it was nicer send the Army it was cleaner. You could take a shower if you wanted and you can you work as a teacher cuz you finished graduated UCLA as did. He yeah, he worked as a teacher during the War. I worked my mother. Actually. That's all go her husband new art.

30:44 Hello, would you like a job?

30:52 Has Eddie said she said to my principal for Maude Avenue School? Her name is Grace Ellison, and she would like her she is a regular. So that's what happened. She introduced me to Chris and I became a third grade teacher and then you're my dad came back from the war and you were still in Los Angeles. Yes, and you worked with him at the lot of California, which was and his work. I thought he was Mother.

31:45 Go back to school and all that Safe Money.

31:50 Descend to help him if he want to go back to school, but he he decided his mother needs it is so and she was going to go on with your sister see to it that you got.

32:14 Her share, so they started so lot of California and it was where was it was a factory of women who has down downtown and they manufactured. What did they manufacture?

32:31 Romans clothing

32:36 Very smart lurking

32:39 And it was wanted by the best stores. And what was your best memory of selling women's clothing? What was your best memory of selling women's clothing?

32:54 I bet it's not right, but it's going to New York.

32:59 I like new here and I like going there so that was my best friend. So close we are and one one time you were there in New York City. You went to the UN and what happened? You went to the United Nations? Oh, yeah, and what happened? I told Dad to take some time to go. Look at the United Nations just started this I go ahead. So I when I took her trolley and when walking to walk up there.

33:53 Trivia night, and I looked and to my right there was a tall like watching your channel, and she was walking up the stairs and I turned I thought to myself. Do I dare say I loved her is selling a rough and tell her I said well, I'll never give her a message.

34:25 So I turned him and I

34:30 I looked at her and I said mrs. Froze. I don't want to bother you, but I just want to tell you that I think you're wonderful.

34:44 Lady

34:47 And she'd rent. We're just very tired, and I'm not sad.

34:55 She looked at my IQ my dear you made my day.

35:05 Self-assessment

35:09 Eleanor Rose, she's always been my

35:14 And Mom and looking back at your life.

35:19 What would you tell your grandchildren the key to a good marriage is your 75 year 72 years. You've met my dad in high school and then you met him again in college. And what is the key to a good marriage? Not only from you as you're at from your age looking back but also you are a psychologist and so to you what makes a good marriage. What would you tell your grandchildren and great-grandchildren?

35:55 Compromise nothing but compromised if he come up with something that you want very much and

36:10 He say I want I want that.

36:15 And your husband should say hi. That's what you want. That's what you should have that same way with you. If you want something just tell me all of the

36:36 Over and I will do my best to do whatever you want.

36:45 So it's compromise. Yes communities.

36:50 Be sure you tell each other.

36:56 That you dream that shake.

36:59 Aston Park

37:01 And is there anything you would want people to know about you?

37:07 Or your great-grandchildren to know about you and your

37:13 And Julia's is about to. My daughter is about to have a baby next week. And what would you like to tell him about you?

37:29 Tell him that his grandmother his grandmother.

37:36 Great grandmother

37:38 Her great-grandmother Greg room

37:42 Parents loved to be part of his life. All I want is healthy.

37:55 Healthy and wise

38:00 And enjoy being a good person.

38:09 This is something that was important to me to be a good person and I have I've heard about this and think about another older woman and I asked her what did she do to live so long and she said I never lost my sense of humor. That's true. You never lose your sense of you would live a long time.