Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog

Dewey Balfa (54):

-Importing culture via television/radio. French culture from France and Canada. Dewey would've like to have seen Cajun French recognized as a completely feasible language. If you don't speak -Parisian French, you didn't speak French at all. Writing down Cajun French;
-Corrupted words and phrases because of oral languages;
-Je vas aller chez Barry vs. Je vas y aller;
-Writing and teaching both Cajun and Parisian French. Being capable of speaking both. Speaking Parisian French takes away the Cajun-ness;
-Singing Jolie Blonde in Parisian French;

Respecting all types of French;
-Lafayette poet--exchanging rights. Not imposing culture upon anyone;
-Barry's anthology since 1969, writing Cajun French. Cajun French wasn't able to write, so they couldn't write their language. Dewey agrees 100% with Barry;
-Everyone has a different/specific job to do;
-Nothing but chanky-chank, only an oral language. The music wasn't real because he only learned it from his father;
-Father wasn't a person because he couldn't read or write? Dewey is a musician, but can't read or write music;
-Playing music by ear. Learning to talk before being able to write. Dewey always depended on his ear;
-Dewey gets a lot of good questions. Dewey was stressing Cajun music too much. He needed to promote all cultural expression/music;
-Playing for an audience, Dewey's in a different world. Marc Savoy and Dewey playing a soundtrack for a movie. Ry Cooder sat in the studio, Dewey felt like he was floating and there was nothing he could do wrong with that rhythm. He hadn't felt like that since playing with Rodney;
-Rodney and Dewey wrote songs and planned to do an album. Dewey would like to have Ry, Marc, and Tony to record, even songs in English. Tribute to the culture;
-Culture has to change, it's a living thing. When it stops changing, it dies;
-Staying within the guidelines of the culture (eating a gumbo from someone out of the area). Alice Gerard (Mike Seeger's wife) can cook a gumbo just like a Cajun;
-Young musicians playing traditional and new musics;
-Dewey can listen to Camey Doucet, Ralph Richard, and Robert Jardell, who is in the guidelines. Respecting what they are doing;
-Michael Doucet doesn't know what he would like to do, he can stay within the guidelines if he wants but he can also go really wild and tear it up;
-Doc Guidry's Over the Waves;
-Fine lines. Tracy Schwarz playing Cajun music. People not of this culture playing this 'chanky-chank' music. Playing it not to become popular or rich, but because it's from the heart;
-Direct line from Dewey's heart to his fingers, no mind. Dewey's in tune when his strings please his ears, it feels right;
-Dennis McGee said he can tell if he's in tune when he's no longer out of tune;
-The Folk Process. Knowing the questions. Dewey vs. Dennis. Dewey can answer the question unlike the others that Barry has mentioned. They loved the culture just as much as Dewey, they just cannot explain themselves;
-David Marcantel--people who think about their culture too much change;
-Nathan Abshire and Dennis McGee don't think about what they do, they just do it. Thinking about it sets Dewey apart?;

-Dewey has a mission to do while also driving a schoolbus, owning a furniture store, etc. Cajun music has found its place. Dewey wouldn't change a thing in his life, no regrets;
-Trip to France and realizing how fortunate to have the little schooling he had and the travels and experiences he had. People are the best education. How unfortunate his ancestors were;
-1977-Dewey gave the first lecture on Cajun music at USL. The prophet in his own land, people are finally listening. Dewey sees he has a special gift. If he would've had a college degree, he would've never have done what he did. He had enough education, understanding, knowledge that someone had to do this work. Feeling uneasy about talking about the culture at home. Easier to talk about it outside of the area. The hardest lecture he's ever given (recorded);
-Nobody is going to support you even if you think they should. Get a tape recorder, give up beer. Win the pot with a trump. Barry feels privileged to work with Dewey;
-The importance of this program. Dewey would dare any elected official that this program is not important in the schools;

-Politics of culture;
-Barry's students doing fieldwork projects with their grandfathers. Hilda in the hospital in New Orleans, oldest daughter from Breaux Bridge got into religious discussion and she couldn't believe that Dewey could answer all of these things. Taking it for granted that her father didn't have the faith that he did;
-Generations coming together, realizing who her father really was. She never saw him as a faithful man, only as a musician;
-Dewey hitting a lot of the 12,000 people in the audience too, not just the people in power. Only listening just to dance. The first Festival Acadiens et Créoles made people actually listen to their own music, it was beautiful;
-Marc Boudreau who played with Octa Clark in 1977. Going to the first festival and picking up his father's accordion;
-Fiddle workshop with Jules Losier?;
-Effect from the outside and the inside. Newport vs. Lafayette;
-Dewey always saw himself and his brothers/group as not very popular because they played the old style of playing. Thinking about going to the 'nightclub sound' like with the record with Sonnet. Sticking to the traditional sounds even when people may have like more modern sounds;
-History at the first festival in 1974. No other musician could do what they did. Harder at home than away from home;

Dewey Balfa (54)
***Either 1981 or 1982, date unknown***
Comes after AN1-193

Dewey Balfa, Tony Balfa, Nonc Allie Young, and Rockin' Dopsie at Creswell Elementary in Opelousas, Louisiana:

-Talking in English. Honor for Dewey to come and talk about the Cajun culture;
-What the word Cajun means. From corruption of the word Acadian, from France. Came to Acadia and exiled in 1755 to Southwest Louisiana;
-Hard lives, music pulled them through. Playing music and telling stories after a hard days of work;
-Acadians brought violins/fiddles. Difference between a violin and a fiddle--same instrument, just depends on who's playing it. Classical music-violin, Cajun music-fiddle (can't read and write music, plays his feelings and not what's on paper). Tuned the same way (EADG);
-Bow made of hardwood and horsehair. Tightening and loosening the hair. White horses? Bleaching hair to make it white;
-A bow needs rosin to make a noise. From a pine tree and makes the hair catch the strings;
-Learning where the notes are on the instrument in order to play a song in mind;
-Tu peux cogner/Keep a knockin';
-Country fiddling (single notes) vs. Cajun fiddling (drones). Blues mans plays his blues, Cajun plays with drones;
-Seconding-chords and rhythm with the bow. There was no guitar or anything else to keep rhythm;
-Started teaching kids rhythm (triangle). Everything has an art (cutting grass, painting, etc.);
-Tony playing triangle without choking it (without feeling) and with choking it (feeling);
-Scott Playboys Special (Old Crowley Two-step) with spoons;
-Very few people had money to buy instruments. Using fiddlesticks (with cross-tuned fiddle);
-Sponsors for Dewey coming to the schools to teach school kids about Cajun and Creole culture;
-Fiddlesticks are used to keep rhythm, like a drummer. Cross-tuned (BGDG). Hitting the bigger strings. Certain time to hit the big and small strings;
-J'ai été au bal hier au soir (similar to The Rabbit Stole The Pumpkin, Joe Falcon's Ne Buvez Plus Jamais)/Lost Indian (from Appalachian fiddler);
-1890-1900-arrival of the accordion by the Acadians, Mexicans, and Blacks (Amédé Ardoin), German origin. Popular because there was no amplification and the accordion could be heard. 4 sets of reeds, 4 times louder than a fiddle;
-Accordion can bass himself too, whereas you'd need at least two fiddles (one to play melody and one to second);
-Diatonic-different notes when you push and pull;
-Sundown Playboys Special (without and then with bass). Fuller with bass;
-Late 1920s-1930s, Cajun adopted guitar. At one time, fiddles had 5 strings. Adding a string to guitars and putting frets. Can't sliding up on a fretted instruments, sliding up on fiddle. The fiddle has any note within the reach of his 4 fingers. Picking or rhythm on guitar;
-Tous les Soirs and Tu Peux Cogner/Keep a knockin' sung;
-Tous les Soirs with accordion and guitar;
-Accordions and fiddles playing solo until they could tune together. Creation of bands;
-Same melodies, different titles. La Vasle à Allie Young/Rockin' Dopsie/des Opelousas. Where or whom the person learned the tune from;
-Always a leader in the group. Dewey telling people it's time to end the song;
-Triple-row accordion, can play any kind of music. Zydeco music (French music mixed with blues and jazz). Sounding like an accordion, saxophone, violin, harmonica, organ;
-Changing buttons. 12 bass buttons on the bass side. Breather/blower/whistle/air button-Asthma Waltz;
-Rockin' Dopsie plays accordion upside down because he plays left-handed. Learning how to play instruments. Dewey learned harmonica opposite with the big notes to his right;
-Rockin' Dopsie learning on his father's accordion while he was working in the field. He thought it was the right way;
-Joséphine, c'est pas ma femme (without, then with bass and full band);

-Opelousas Waltz;
-Zydeco and Cajun music can play together, except for the blues. Nobody can the blues like a Black person;
-Rockin' Dopsie playing the blues until 4 am, he got home and his wife said he didn't live there anymore;
-Untitled Zydeco/Blues number (same as on AN1-197). Did the organ part on the last round, really bluesy and wanna cry. Dewey playing the blues on triangle;
-Why Nonc Allie doesn't play when Rockin' Dopsie is playing;
-Learning what buttons to push/pull. Driving down the street and turning left, not right. Bringing a bite of food to your mouth. Ray Charles plays piano blind, he know where the notes are;
-Only 6th graders in band, these are only 3rd and 4th graders. Who has a desire to play music. Music as a universal language;
-Practicing just like doing homework, you've got to study. You have to work at it. Music is just as hard as education. Dopsie can only sign his name, he didn't go to school;
-Kids fortunate to go to school;
-Not forgetting the hard times. Music kept families together and the happy life going;
-Diatonic Accordion with explanation;

Dewey Balfa, Tony Balfa, Nonc Allie Young, and Rockin' Dopsie at Creswell Elementary in Opelousas, Louisiana

Franco Payet, Gervais Picot, Jospeh Huet, M. Picot:

Musique Rodrique/Réunion:

Musicians:
-Franco Payet (age 30 Caucasian)--the Caisse a fil--stringed instrument;
-Gervais Picot (age 25 Caucasian)--Four string banjo;
-M. Picot (age 59)--Accordion;
-Joseph Huet--(age 24)--Violin;

-Sega--'La rose tombée' played on the Caisse a fil;
-Tout ça qui me regrette, c'est mon marmaille la Réunion;
-Valse--Vous avez de grands yeux noirs;
-Polka--des 400;
-Sega--Petit morceau grinqembre;
-Quand un déchire la anise volaille;
-Sega--Mange un bouchée, mon cuiller la tombée;
-Scottishe de St. Pierre;

Varise Connor, Lionel Leleux, Edgar Benoit:

-Mermentau Stomp. Parler de Bascom Mouton (Port Arthut Blues/Tu Vas Me Faire Mourir-Bobby Leger));
-Lake Arthur Stomp. Varise cross-tunes and play a reprise;
-Joe Turner Blues. Varise still had hair when he heard that song last. He couldn't play the last time he came over. Judging a fiddle contest in Ville Platte with Raymond ? and Wallace 'Cheese' Reed;
-Lake Arthur Stomp. Varise can't make his fiddle whistle anymore. Similar to a song Amédé would play;
-Varise wishes he could play like he used to;
-Lake Arthur Stomp reprise;
-Chère Toutoute;
-Le Two-Step du Vieux Temps/Attrape Mon Chapeau;
-Talk about Les Flammes d'Enfer (similar to Tante Adèle) and J.B. Fuselier;
-J'ai été au bal hier au soir (similar to 'The Rabbit Stole The Pumpkin'). Reprise;
-The Rabbit Stole The Pumpkin--danse à Bascom Mouton;
-Son père jouait 'La Valse Des Cadiens'--la mère de tous les autres (similar to one of Dennis McGee's waltz--Guilbeau Pelican?);
-La Valse de Caroline--une danse à son père;
-Une valse à deux temps; Reprise: une vraie valse à deux temps;
-Une mazurka. Le monde danse à ça comme une polka;
-Un polka=a shoddy?;
-Grand Mamou suivi par Grand Basile--du monde qui joue la même musique pour les deux et ça joue juste un bout;
-Mon Cher Bébé Créole (La Valse de Samedi Soir);
-Une valse à Bascom Mouton. Recalling all of the parts. Reprise;
-Perrodin Two-Step;
-Part of an untitled waltz;

Varise Connor, Lionel Leleux, Edgar Benoit

Bud Fentroy, Parks, LA (English):

-Bouki and Lapin raising sweet potatoes/corn (crop division). Lapin always fooled Bouki (fox);
-Bouki and Lapin raising crops with bucket of butter for lunch. Christening babies 'Lick the Top' then 'Halfway Gone' and 'Lick the Bottom'. Playing Godfather/object of Battler (Brier Patch). -Lapin fooled Bouki to throw him in the bushes;

-Hearing these stories and others from his mother & grandmother (5:52);
-The Little Boy and the Old Lady ("Look down in the sack") CT 327c. Lil Boy who ran away from home (back in the times of cannibalism). 3 bigger brothers told him he couldn't follow them.
-Found shovel to give to the little brother, then found some marbles, then an old house to sleep in where an old lady lived. Tied heads of the bigger boys to know who they were. She had 3 daughters and put rags around their heads. Old lady came around 2 AM and chopped her own daughters heads off. Called their names Marion, Suzanne, and Ouzane in the morning and told them she had fresh meat. They never came/woke up. Boys had left and ran after them in her boots. The boys climbed the big tree with the lady after them. The older brothers fell in the sack.
-She climbed the tree going after the little boy and got stuck. The little boy jumped, let out his brothers and caught the lady in the sack and tied her up there;

-Jesse James stories from his dad (11:39);
-Jesse James and his brother Frank James were outlaws and took from the rich to give to the poor. He liked to fight. He wanted revenge for the people who killed his mother. Robbed banks and trains and the rich, but never the poor;
-Jesse was the mean one, Frank always tried to quiet him down. They were working in the field when mother was murdered;
-Informant heard this story when he was 5 years old;
-They were viewed as heroes by poor. Not talking about it too much;

-Not many people still tell stories to their children. So much television now (14:43);
-Thinks his children might be too old to enjoy these stories, some of his stories told to classes on Fridays. Taught for 24 years. Only 6 years he's a supervisor principal;
-Children would sometimes tell stories they heard from their parents & grandparents;

Mary Fentroy, Cade, LA (Creole):
-Bouki et Lapin faisant la récolte (patates douces et maïs) (same story as above);
-Lapin's always getting something and Bouki gets nothing. Hanging/drowning Lapin would be a sin?;
-Throwing Lapin in the briers. Lapin always won;

-Red Riding Hood & Goldilocks and Three Bears (23:41);
-Three brothers who ran away from home (same story as above) (can't remember the latter part);
-Little brother rescued big brothers from old lady who ate children;
-Little brother didn't sleep well, maybe he was worried. Old lady brought him some tea to soothe his stomach or having her build a fire to warm him. Woke up brothers while she was gone and left. Put logs under sheets to make as if the boys were still there;
-'Fresh meat';
-Boys would've died if their little brother wouldn't have been with them;

-Bedtime stories to children after they got their lessons (31:35);
-Mary was an only child. Learned these stories from her father;
-Telling stories at school on Fridays. Country schools;

-Little Red Riding Hood
-Grandmother made her red cape. Why she's called 'Little Red Riding Hood';

-Bouki et Lapin baptiser. Bouki priest. Butter for lunch (same story as above) (37:50);
-'Juste commené,' 'La Moitié,' et 'Licher le fond';
-La paix avec Lapin. Lapin mange tout. Hanging/throwing Lapin in the well would be a sin?;
-Throwing Lapin in the briers. Lapin always outsmarted Bouki;

-Rabbit and Cat roasting chestnuts. Cat chasing mice (46:00);
-L'éléphant, le serpent?, et le temps frais. Il a peur de gêler. Monter une montagne, ça fait plus froid en haut;
-Le serpent mordant l'éléphant. Ils ont marché et ont été voir Lapin. Mettre le serpent au côté de la plage et le laisser là;

***Copy of AN1-089-B and AN1*112***

Edward Morin (82 (origianally cataloged as 67)), Revon Reed, Mrs. Morin:

Edward Morin:
-Laurent et Télismar à la pêche avec Délai le chien dans la Rivière Mermentau (conte fort: motif X1215.8 (ba) ('man tosses a dollar into river the dog dives and comes up with 16 pound carp and 35 cents in change') avec introduction formulaire;
-Vieux Narcisse Mayeux;
-Le cheval aux sabots creux (Bol) (conte fort: X1241.1);
-La mule qui avait du gaz (Shine) (conte fort);

-La cheminée (conte fort: X1767.2*(a)) (3:08);
-La truie avare tournée à l'envers (conte fort: X1611.1.5.1 *(a));
-On a tué le cheval à Pépère (farce: X584.2*);
-Contes étaient dit quand le monde se veillait. Tout ce monde est mort (75 years ago);

-Le maïs en turpentine (conte fort) (6:02);

Revon Reed:
-Le melon aux graines de benné;
-Tous ces conteurs étaient des menteurs;
-Ils y avaient pas de TV, radio, gazette. Ils visitaient;

Edward Morin:
-Jean-Pierre à la chasse (conte fort: 1890) (8:35);
-La hache à Auguste (conte fort: X1622.3.3.2*(a));
-Nonc Tarre et la journée chaude/froide (11:21);

Mrs. Morin:
-Le tourbillon (conte fort: X1611.1.16*; X1611.1.8 *(g)); X1318*);

Edward Morin:
-Notre mariage (anecdote);
-Prêtre Père Lavasseur. Honeymoons;

-Sa vieille tante et le chien (15:56);

-Les trois Irlandais (farce) (17:08);
-Des jardins plantés;

***Only estimate of month and year was included in original notes, no specific day***

***Copy of AN1-90***

Festival de Musique Acadienne:

Sunday, September 21, 1980
2:00-3:30 PM

Tim Broussard & the Cajun Ramblers:

-Creole Stomp;
-Chère Tout-Toute;
-Reno Waltz (Welcome Club Waltz--Lionel Cormier);
-Les Flammes d'Enfer (Tante Adèle--Austin Pitre);
-Steel guitar player broke a string, fixing it. Needing more accordion in the monitor;
-Fi Fi Poncho;
-Homesick Waltz (Adam Hebert);
-Hathaway Two-Step (The Cajun Freeze);

-Chère Chérie (25:23);
-J'ai été au bal hier au soir (pour le monde de Kinder);
-C'est ça qui me fait du mal (Camey Doucet);
-Comme un Cadien (Jim Olivier);
-Le Rêve du Soulard (Cleveland Crochet & Shorty LeBlanc);
-Checking the drums. Lost "Vidoz?" girls by the bingo table;
-Wedding Bells (Belton Richard);

-Medley (52:08). Sugar Bee (Cleveland Crochet & Shorty LeBlanc). World in a Jug/Bosco Blues. Lucille. Pine Grove Blues/Ma Nègresse. Sugar Bee;
-Thanking Festival for letting them come play;

3:30 PM Workshop Stage:
-Dennis McGee, Sady Courville, and Preston Manuel;
-Piece of an untitled reel (Marcantel Reel???);
-Chère Tout-Toute (Dennis calls it something else);
-Mon Cher Bébé Créole (La Valse de Samedi Soir/C'est Pas la Peine Tu Brailles/La Valse de Platin);
-Dennis and Sady discussing what song they'll play next;
-Dennis says they don't play "La Porte d'en Arrière/The Back Door");

-La Reel des Deshotels (01:10:53);
-J'ai Passé Devant Ta Porte (Mon Coeur T'appelle);
-Dennis calling for Barry;
-La Valse des Balfa;
-Adieu Rosa, demain c'est pas Dimanche;
-La Valse de Bamboche(ur) (Evangeline Waltz);
-"Quand j'étais petit, je braillait pour des patates?" (Untitled Reel/Two-Step);
-La Valse à Kathleen/La Valse de L'Anse Maigre;

Paroles et musique II (Presentation Littéraire à la Maison Française de USL):
-"Situez Situation" - Poème de Debbie Clifton (Louisiane);
-"Histoire sans Paroles" et "Musique de Fleurs de Lys" (Québec);

-Debbie Clifton lit une de ses poèmes. Quand elle entend la musqiue Cadienne, elle a de la misère à cause qu'elle entend ses ancêtres criant pour la jusstice;
-"Situez Situation";
-Un peu d'un satire;
-"Cocodril prend un goût de poésie"? en Créole;

-"Histoire sans Paroles" sera lit et remericer Barry et tout le monde qui est venu écouter. Musique sans paroles (8:01);

-Pause in the music and laughter (14:42);
-Music reprise;

-Fin de la musique (16:26);
-Band intro. Maurice - flûte?, ? - bass guitar, ?, et Bob Schever?;
-Forum pour les louisianais. Ne pas garder des affaires dans les tiroirs. Si on rit et applaudit dans les bonnes places, on a un p'tit message à donner qu'est pas trop mal;
-Remercier Chris Chirinton?, Philipe Gustin, Bob Schever? et tous le Québécois;
-About 10 people from Alexandria need a place to stay;

Paroles et Musique II (Presentation Littéraire à la Maison Française a USL):

-Cher Bon Dieu--Poème de Beaucarne lit par Aline Porerie (France);
-Elle--chanson de Chelon interpretée par Frank Bruynbroek (Belgique) et Mary Mahone (Louisiane);

-Monsieur interroge monsieur--Poème de Tardieu lit Marie-Joelle Levignat, Donimique Martin et Catherine Le Cour (France) (5:21);

-Medley Acadienne--Musique de Beausoleil (Louisiane) (9:22);
-Reel Canadienne intitulé/Reel de Coquin/The Rabbit Stole the Pumpkin/Acadian Two-Step;

-Two-Step de Frère Mathieu (Port Arthur Blues/Tu vas me faire mourir)--Beausoleil (13:59);
-Travailler, C'est Trop Dur (Rye Whiskey);

-Les Bars de la Prison by Canray Fontenot from Welsh, LA (20:28);
-Madeleine;

-La Valse du Pont d'Amour (27:33);
-Triangle Solo;
-J'ai vu le loup, le renard, et la belette;

Martin Latiolais, Revon Reed, Irving "Tout Tout" Reed:

Martin Latiolais:
-Bouki et Lapin et le bonhomme en coal tar. Bouki fouiller un puit. Lapin a installé le bonhomme en coal tar. Lapin est venu collé au bonhomme et Bouki l'a attrappé. Il a fair un feu pour brûler Lapin, le jeter dans les éronces là où il a été élevé;
-Récolter des patates. Lapin a choisi ça qui était en bas de la terre et Bouki a eu ça qui était en haut (juste les lianes). Récolter du maïs, Bouki a choisi l'opposé et Lapin a eu tout le maïs;
-Le gros baril de beurre (contes d'animaux). Lapin allait baptiser des enfants tant que Bouki travaillait. Commencé, Un Quart, La Moitié, Trois-Quarts, Fini pour la dernière fois. Lapin était malin;
-Les yeux rouges et la queue bleue (50th Wedding Anniversary joke). Aller à la même place qu'ils ont eu leur Honeymoon. Vieille est aussi belle qu'ils se sont premier mariés. Elle avait les yeux blues et la queue rouge, asteur, c'est l'opposé;
-Jokes from old guy he worked with. He died not long after he retired;

-Discussion on the meaning of Bouki. Bouki un chaoui, un ours?;
-Bouki à la chasse dans le bois et l'ours qui dormait. Lapin a dit à Bouki de tenir sa queue. Reveiller l'ours et Lapin criait, "Tiens bon, Bouki!" (farce);
-Perdre ta mémoire que tu deviens vieux. Il avait une mémoire quand il était jeune;
-Cendrillonne (The pot and the "bouillie", conte merveilleux). Une vieille femme avec deux orphelins (un garçon et une fille). Casser des branches pour manger. Chaudière avec deux bâtons pour cogner dessus. Faire de la bouillie. Ils ont oublié comment arrêter la chaudière et tout était détruit;
-Le rat ou la souris / the Rat or the mouse (farce). Chicanner de quoi c'était;
-Mike Mitchell of Parks heard that as kids from his grandfather;
-Willie Johnson, he had a good memory. Il disait qu'il allait tout le temps au bal (Il se mettait dans la farce). Il dansait avec une jolie fille. "Tu pourrais mentir" / "You Could Lie" (farce);
-Recorder can go 2 hours;
-La Conte pour David lui échappe au moment;

-Bougre de 75 ans qu'était malade. Il est mort et ses parents s'assisait à chaque bord du lit. "Je t'ai dit c'était un enfant on aurait pas sauvé." (16:06);
-Teller talks about his life. Déménader à Catahoula quand il avait 14 ans de Grand Anse (son 'tit enfant reste là). Les bois en 1912 quand il avait 11 ans. Rester en bas du lac au ras du cimetière;
-Pêcher, dredge boat pour faire une vie. Cypremort au ras de Henderson jusqu'à Sandy Cove?;
-Travailler au Texas 6 ans straight;
-He's disabled now and is on welfare;
-David's school teacher learned stories and jokes from Martin. David avait 3 ans quand son père est mort (15-16 ans passé). Sa mère avait 25 ans). Finir son école et rester chez Martin pour réparer leur maison. Mother went to trade school in New Iberia. David stayed 5 years. She's now working in Lafayette after graduating college. Martin raised David and learned his jokes/cochonneries;
-David is now dredgeboating;
-Dr. Gérard venait faisait un jardin. David planter des cocombres, prendre son portrait;
-Aller voir l'eau;
-Willie Johnson, a creole. Almost no "Américains" around here. Everyone spoke French, no one spoke English. Martin can speak okay English;
-Martin learned English through work. A young boss avec des grandes culottes;

-Cajuns and Creoles (Nègres) in the American context;
-Commencer un job, mettre les tuyaux pour pomper. Les ordonner en "Américain." Macwell talked them to like they were fools and Martin told him he didn't need to talk to them like that. Martin telling Mac something. Not stupid just because he can't speak English. He's smarter than Mac;
-A lot of Americans think Cajuns are stupid, but they aren't. He knows he's stupid;
-Borrell guy. Everyone was at the same level, getting the same wage. Big wig because he was capitain;
-Going in the service;
-May 1974;

Revon Reed:
-Jean Sot (quelques farces). C'était un passetemps, some from 14-15th century France. Juste le vieux monde parce que les jeunes parlent pas français. Des idots dans le passé, le présent et le futur. Jean Sot un idiot ou un fou malin/farce/distingué (le parangon) (30:44);
-Jean Sot and the giant. La vieille femme et l'enfant de 17 ans bien simple (Jean Sot). Barguiner la vache avec des fèves. Jack and the Beanstalk. Il devient riche avec une oie qui pond des oeufs en or;
-Jean Sot goes to sell butter. Il aimait TOUT. Quart de beurre pour aller vendre. Traverser un marais sec et graisser les crevasses avec le beurre. Foutté quand il est revenu;
-Jean Sot in charge of the homestead. Tirer les vaches et faire un gombo d'oie avec du sel et du persil (des chiens dans le gombo). 4 vaches morts et les chiens dans le gombo;
-Jean Sot's mother needs a needle. Emprunter un aigle. Il a perdu l'aiguille dans le wagon plein de paille. Attache-la à ta chemise. Charrue-double dans le clos, il a essayé de l'attacher à sa chemise;
-Road-stretcher with the police juror. Jean Sot disappeared and maybe went to college and became a professor, other say he fooled the King for his daughter, others think he's still alive;
-Un petit rien tout neuf. Couteau sans manche avec plus de lame;
-The old axe +200 ans;
-Travailler un habitation tant un homme est parti en vacanes. Téléphone Jean Sot. Fido est mort (Jean Sot in charge again, farce). Belle-mère a eu un attaque de coeur, la maison et le magasin avec les mulets ont brûlé et Fido a mangé cette viande qui l'a fait malade. Sa femme a elope avec un domestic et a occasionné la mort de sa mère;

-Pascal, contes et chansons au ras de Mamou. Olide, la vieille tante (40:41);
-Pascal and his incredible speed, you couldn't see him going to L'anse Grise;
-Left his dog at his aunt's, the people only saw the dog jump;
-Pascal rides his bike on telephone wires. Jumping gear to jump the poles;
-Recounting the craziest story/joke;
-Pascal catches the lightning energy to go the Moon. Olide had a little bit of money. He used an old sewing machine and used the collected lightening to get to the moon. He tried to get to the moon, but it had just set and he couldn't find it since he forgot a flash light;
-Man on the moon, moon made of cheese, etc.;
-Jean Sot aller voir son cousin à Japan;
-Pascal the incredible swimmer. 2-3 mois pour nager le Pacifique, 3,000-4,000 miles. Mayo (cousin) faisait des hamburgers et les tirer dans son slingshot de San Francisco (contes modernes, not traditional);
-Paul Bunyan;
-Cajuns like to brag, natural;
-Le chien qui marchait sur l'eau, il nageait pas (farce). Qui c'est qu'a le meilleur chien de chasse. $10,000 pour un chein mieux que celui à Pascal. Aller à la chasse de canard. Le chien ne connaissait pas comment nageait;
-La jarre de cornichons / The jar of Pickles (farce). Model-T Ford, drummers going from farm to farm. Commis voyageur. Vieux homme et sa nouvelle jeune femme. Le commis voyageur passant la nuit.
-Des cornichons de navets. Juste un lit pour partager. Reveiller de bon heure. Le vieux homme dans le milieu. Voleur de poule, l'homme a pris le fusil et a été à le magasin. La seule chance le commis voyageur aurait eu, il a mangé tous les cornichons qu'il a pu;
-Kid games:
-Pigeon vole. Un petit rond et chaque enfant mettait un doigt dans un rond. Crieur crie certains affaires qui volait ou pas, pigeon, poule, tourte. Et les autres levait leur doigts et le répétait. Quand il disait quelque chose qui ne volait pas comme une brique, celui qui levait son doigt et le répétait était "punis";
-Pin Pi Poloron (tous le doigts ensemble, O-U-T, you're like, or like hide-and-seek) et autres (jeux/games). Barry explaining Pin Pi Poloron;
-Red Dot;
-Barry explains Rond, Rond, Rond, 'Tit Marais (des canards, le gourdmand);
-Revon isn't sure if these games come from the old country;
-Cajuns and Creoles not mixing too much;
-Bois-Sec Ardoin. Ségrégation des noirs et blancs. Des noirs-jaunes avec du sang blanc. Pas de mariage entre eux;

Irving "Tout Tout" Reed:
-Va laver la vaisselle (farce) (59:18);
-Salesman broke down. Washing dishes. Working until it was dark, staying at the people's house. Old man did the dishes.
-Lazy and didn't want to do the dishes. Whoever speaks first washes the dishes. Vieille fille piquée a jamais dit un mot, elle ne voulait pas faire la vaisselle. Le vieux homme a été faire la vaisselle (old English Tale, "Get up and boil the dough");

Revon Reed:
-Fermer la porte, ça faisait frais et ils gêlaient (pendant l'hiver). Deux jeunes hommes qui se sont venus voir. Voulant faire l'amour à la vieille femme, son mari a crié aux hommes et la femme lui a dit d'aller fermer la porte (old English Tale);

Irving "Tout Tout" Reed:
-J'ai passé au long du bois (chanson);
-August 1974;

Martin Latiolais (white, 73), Revon Reed (white, 56) and Irving "Tout Tout" Reed (white, 53)

Revon Reed:
-Pascal et l'aéroplane. King des witches, Diablesse. Tuer Pascal. Elle l'avait saoulé et mis dans l'aéroplane. Pascal avait 6'4" et pésait 89 livres, fin comme une aiguille. North Pole. Goodbye Pascal.
-Flèche de sauvage, passer en dessous la glace. Female seal et la faire l'amour. 3 jours après, des petits Pascal ont sorti (des pingouins minces, tous des males. Ils ont pas pu breed et elle l'a divorcé. Elle pésait 900 livres);
-Le bicycle à Pascal. Pendant la guerre. Pascal a ôté les tires et courrait les files de téléphone dessus ses rims. Bicycle parlait "Américain." Il avait un "jumping pole" pour sauter les pôteaux. 110 miles à l'heure;
-Gas rations during the war. Paire d'éperons pour son bicycle to "hit the road";

-Jim et Mayo? ont été à la lune dessus un emballeuse de foin. Rauly (horse) et mort et Jim l'a converté avec un 'tit lawn mower motor. Tante guêttait et disait goodbye, aller dessus la lune.
-Rejoindre des bougres verts, ils parlaient français (14 langues). Les demander le chemin back à Mamou, ils ont été 20 fois. Un ou deux qui va à la messe, ils étaient tout Catholique. St. Jim;
-Un tas de gaz dessus la lune, ils rôtent un tas. Rôter dans le tank de gaz (1:15:42);
-Jim était mort, il aimait beaucoup du foin. Il a mangé 2 bâles d'Alfalfa et a bu 6 gallons d'eau;
-Emballeuse à Reddell. Gold-plated with 14 karat gold;
-La vieille bâle a crystalisé, plus dur que du diament. Toujours dans l'emballeuse;
-Jim est mort, mais il vit toujours. Mayo a retourné;
-Mayo a fait d'eau sur la lune, il y a pas d'eau sur la lune;
-Des pierres de la lune. Chercher les ours sur la lune;
-? plus dangereux qu'un hyrdogen bomb, un pétard peut pas faire à rien;
-1" stainless steel. Why you don't see the moon pass;
-Bande de macaques dessus la grande file. Gros pond;
-Pascal à la pêche de baleine. Got a bite, boat started to sink. Pacific Ocean drained to plant rice, soybeans, sweet potatoes, etc. because kids were hungry;
-Mouiller de la pluie 10" tous les 30 min., remplie la mer. Jim a passé une GROSSE aiguille/railroad spike, 19' de long de riz;
-La mer rempli avant 30 jours. Les poissons bâttaient;
-Salir la mer;
-12' d'épais;
-Glacer la mer, tout le bâteaux plantés;
-Faire l'amour et câler? Des 'tits males Pascal (see above);
-Saute Crapaud. St. Martinville, les portes verts, cheval et chaoui. Le gros diner de noce du docteur, plein de cochon;
-Snippet of "J'ai passé au long du bois";

***Part of tape Copy of AN1-101?***

Victor Aubry (63, Broussard, LA):
-Bouki et Lapin in Creole. Riding horse. Lapin was jealous of Bouki. Mounting the horse;

Arthur R. Williams (33, Lafayette, LA):
-Bouki et Lapin in Creole. Bouki digging a water well. Lapin drinking water from the rose bush?
-Lapin stole Bouki's water and Bouki noticed the following morning. Bouki caught Lapin, kicking/punching/head-butting/etc. Lapin and staying stuck.
-Bouki came back the next morning, cutting Lapin's throat or throwing Lapin in the brier patch. Lapin didn't want to be thrown into the briers, so Bouki did so. Lapin fooled Bouki;

Marie Del Norte Theriot Haynes (originally catalogues as "Harris"; 72, Rayne, LA):
-Bouki et Lapin. Lapin est plus smart que Bouki, qu'est couillon. Bouki se roulerait dans la boue et Lapin le ferait croire c'est un matelas de plume. Chercher du beurre. Prendre Bayou Cocodril pour revenir. Lapin manger tout le beurre qu'ils rammenaient. Bouki n'est pas bête, ils savait c'était Lapin.
-Lapin guêllait et disait c'était Bouki qu'a mangé tout. Reposer en bas d'un arbre. Nique avec de la mousse. Bouki ronfler. Lapin a pris le beurre et l'a mis sur la figure à Bouki tant qu'il dormait.
-Lapin a accussé Bouki d'avoir mangé le beurre. Bouki a corru à la coulée et a regardé dans l'eau pour voir le beurre dessus sa figure. Il s'a cru d'avoir mangé le beurre sane le gouter. Il s'est noyé dans la coulée. Lapin sort tout le temps en avant, il est tout le temps plus smart;

Wilson "Ben" Mitchell: Bouki et Lapin (12:35);
-Le baril de beurre. Bouki travaillait dur, Lapin a parti. Lapin pars et reviens, baptisant des enfants (4 fois). Les noms: Commencé, Half-and-half. Trois-quarts. Licher le fond.
-Lapin a mangé tout dans le baril de beurre, Bouki avait rien à manger. Bouki aurait ouvert Lapin. Fourrer Lapin dans les talles d'éronces. Là il était élevé;
-Lapin sort toujours avant;

Barry Jean Ancelet (22, Lafayette, LA): Bouki et Lapin;
-Bouki demande pourquoi Lapin est aussi gros et a tout le temps du manger. Bouki a faim et a pas de manger. Lapin va pas lui dire où le plat est. Bouki creve de faim. Finalement, Lapin est d'accord de lui emmener là, mais Bouki a pour faire tout Lapin le dit à faire.
-La Place du Diable. Aller quand Lapin dit "Allons." Bicoin, la grande porte est ouvert. Bicca, la porte est fermé. Tout sorte de manger. Bouki était bien gourmand. Partir après 5-10 minutes.
-Bouki a continué à manger, Lapin a parti par la grande porte. Bouki est pris et s'est caché. Le Diable est arrivé, et Bouki n'était pas capable de s'échapper. "Bicoin, Bicca," la porte s'ouvrait et fermait. Le Diable venait après Bouki avec un couteau, il a coupé un de ses oreille Bouki s'a rappelé du mot "Bicoin" et s'a sauvé dans le bois;
-Bouki et Lapin travaillait ensemble l'automne. Bouki voulait planter des patates douces. 15 Mars, un mal-entendus. Bouki allait chercher des lianes, Lapin a vu Bouki dans le clos. Le promis du tireur de cartes qu'ils auraient eu une bonne récolte
-ils auraient planté ce jour là. Lapin a laissé Bouki faire (la première fois qu'il le laisse arriver depuis qu'ils sont amis). Diviser les patates. Lapin prend tout en bas de la terre et Bouki prend tout en haut de la terre. Bouki a été raconter son tracas à Lapin, Bouki crevait. L'année prochaine, Bouki aurait pris tout en bas de la terre et Lapin aurait pris tout en haut. Ils ont planté du maïs;

Mrs. Marius Babineaux (75) and her granddaughter, Kathleen Domingue (15) (Both of Carencro, LA): Jean Sot (28:39);
-Sa mère va à la grocerie et dit à Jean Sot de soinger son 'tit frère et guêttait l'oie qui couvrait. Tuer une mouche qui était dessus le front de son 'tit frère.
-Tuer la poule qui faisait du train et couvrir le plat? de l'oie. Sa mère est venu à la porte et Jean Sot l'a dit ce qui est arrivé;

Mrs. Walter Boudreaux (65, Carencro, LA): La meule de fromage;
-Les enfants jouer au près du puit carré. Jaune dans le puit, c'était une meule de fromage. La pleine lune était réflectait dans l'eau. Deux baquets, descendre dans le puit pour chercher le fromage. Le 'tit garçon tombé dans le puit et ils ont jamais trouvé la meule de fromage;

Richard Guidry (24, Gueydan, LA): Gris Gris Tale;
-Une femme qui lavait la tripe de cochon au bord du bayou. Chien étrange--"Tu veux passer!" Couper le nez du chien. Chien devenir homme, ôter son gris-gris.
-Il avait bu le sang du poule noir à une croix de chemin à minuit pour devenir n'importe quoi qu'il voulait. Changer sa forme;

Mrs. Walter (Evelia) Boudreaux (65, Carencro, LA): Les 'tits ouaouarons;
-11 bandes? de 'tits ouaouarons;
-Assez gros pour sauter, manger, et jouer. Maman va à la chasse et averti les petits d'aller pas trop loin et de se bien comporter. Ils ont été jouer trop loin. Le gros boeuf.
-Le 'tit ouaouaron s'est gonflé pour montrer sa maman comment gros la bétaille était, mais il n'a pas pu avant de se gonfler de trop et de se casser ouvert;

Wilson (informant says first name is "Michael") "Ben Guiné" Mitchell (72, Parks, LA):
-Froumi et Grasshopper (La Fontaine's fable, "The Ant and the Grasshopper";
-Froumi travaillait tout l'été. Grasshopper avait pas le temps à travailler, il jouait l'accordéon pour faire sa vie. Tout glacé pendant l'hiver. Froumi étiat dans sa maison, Grasshopper est venu cogner à la porte.
-Froumi a dit à Grasshopper à jouer l'accordéon pour faire sa vie. Grasshopper a gêlé dans les cannes de maïs;

Anna Belle Hoffman Krewitz (70, Breaux Bridge,LA): Acadian songs;
-"La Douce Tristesse de la Séparation" sung to the tune of Home, Sweet Home (sung at the end of dances). Shakespeare's idea of farewell from Romeo and Juliet?;
-"La Délaissée" - chanson d'amour. Pangs of unrequited love after an amorous adventure;
-Saute Crapaud;

Marie Del Norte Theriot Haynes (Originally catalogued as "Harris") (75, Rayne, LA):
Creole songs;
-Ah, Suzette, toi pas l'aimais moi;
-Suzanne, Suzanne, jolie femme;
-Fais Do Do 'Tit Nègre et Ton 'tit Bec est Doux;
-Danser Colinda Boo Doom, Boo Doom (Valse ou Mazurka);
-Mr. Bangeau/Banjo? (Jim Crow?);

Odette Coussan (55, Carencro, LA):
-Bicoin et mes choux (44:05);

Tante Hélène Lacy Dugas (91, Carencro, LA):
-Un 'tit bonhomme pas plus haut qu'un rat (Pas manger mes pommes quand je suis pas là);

Barry Jean Ancelet (22, Lafayette, LA):
-Rond, rond, rond. Le 'tit gourmand;

Mrs. Walter Boudreaux (65, Carencro, LA):
-L'étymologie de Carencro: Deux hommes à la chasse. Nommer la place après le premier oiseau qu'ils auraient trouvé. La bétaille du bayou crevé;;

Eula? (Originally catalogued as "Enola") Dugas (57, Lafayette, LA):
-L'homme dans la lune. Il a travaillé le dimanche, et c'était ça sa pénitance;
-Pas fouiller la terre le Vendredi Saint. La terre aurait seigné. Respecter ce jour là;

Nita Benoit (64, Lafayette, LA):
-Grosse serpent dans la vieille maison qui tétait la maman et a donné sa queue au 'tit bébé. Le bébé perdait du poids tous les jours. Tirer le serpent et le lait voler partout;

Samuel and Leon and Gauthreaux:
-Legends + Superstitions;

Mrs. Walter Boudreaux (65, Carencro, LA);
-Argent enterré dans le temps des guerres, il y avait pas de banques. Oublier où c'était, et d'autre monde venir trouver le caveau.
-Chercher les bons outils et fouiller le caveau de brique. Un ouragon, des boeufs qui soufflaient du feu.
-Faire peur aux hommes, ils ont jamais trouvé l'argent. C'était pas pour eux, mais leur hérités. Ne pas parler tant qu'ils fouillait pour l'argent non plus;

Samuel (62) and Leonard (57) Gautreaux (Cecilia, LA);
-3 gros oiseaux dans l'air, les ailes fasaient comme des jets. Chercher leurs vaches, la déluge. La Coulée Boscoyo. Stunned, il avait sa carabine avec lui. Marcher. Des vaches ont sauté le canal, ils beuglaient. Il y avait quelque chose, mais ils ont pas plus trouvé rien des vaches perdues;
-Le nègre et le caveau d'argent;
-Au Nord du Lac Charenton et le sauvage appelé Jam? Le chêne avec une marque. Un gros boeuf est venu quand ils fouillaient le caveau d'argent. Revenir. Le temps de la vigilance, KKK. Le contrôlleur d'esprit demande le droit d'avoir le caveau. Ils l'ont trouvé;
-Entendre le bois craquer;
-Rencontrer un homme à Marero. Chercher un trésor avec le contrôlleur d'esprit. L'homme dessus le cheval est devenu un chien. Ils se sont sauvés et il a perdu son chapeau. Faire un homme pleurer, c'est aussi vrai. Il mentait pas;
-Bayou Coquille, au ras de Lafitte, d'en Ville (Nouvelle-Orléans), le gros chêne. Une dame en blanc assis dessus une branhe. Une reine et Lafitte avait emmené sa couronne dans les entourages;

***Recorded throughout January of 1974***

***Copy of AN1-212***

Dennis McGee (first Fiddle); Sady Courville (second Fiddle); Mike Doucet (Rhythm):

Live at Mulate's 1984:

-La Reel Fruge;
-Dennis thanks the few people that are there;
-La valse qui a fini dans le coin de la maison. Sady explains how this is one of Dennis' favorite songs. Things got pretty serious when they got to the corner;
-Talking about playing "Adieu Rosa." Preston got lost with it once and Dennis never played it with him again. Dennis just celebrated his 92nd birthday. Playing 68 years with Sady. First Cajun twin fiddle record in 1928. Keeps them Young;
-Adieu Rosa (Demain, c'est pas Dimanche). One of Barry Ancelet's favorite;
-Dennis thinks the people aren't excited, they aren't dancing. Sady tells them they're eating right now;
-Dennis imitating Mike tuning his guitar;

-Mon Cher Bébé Créole. One of their records from 1928 (10:00);
-Dennis told Sady he wasn't going to sing tonight because he's sick. He gets carried away when he starts playing music;
-Madame Young. Flip side to 'Mon Cher Bébé Créole.' Dennis married Maria "Mayo" Young (Dennis' second wife), then Sady's sister after. Sady introducing Mike and himself and Dennis. Sady and Dennis playing at the festival in Lafayette. Thanking the owner and Mike. Dennis talking about her face swelling. "She died, poor thing.";
-"Madame Young" is now called "Allons Danser, Colinda." Sady talking about how the music changes throughout time;
-Old-time music their fathers used to play (reels). Called "folk music" at that time. Cajun music comes from folk music. Music from the late 1700s. Sady heard these stories from his grandmother;
-McGees and Fruges were musicians, not Courvilles. Sady gets his musical talent from the Fruges. All fiddlers (21:05);
-Fiddles were the first instruments in South Louisiana. Accordions came in the early 1900s;
-Keeping the culture alive and going. Younger people like Mike;
-Dennis says Sady talks too much all the time;

-Sady introducing "La Valse du Côteau." Songs named after communities or family members. Dennis made it first, playing the fiddle by himself in his room. A friend, Lee Miller, helped him name it;
-Dennis and Sady have been on tours to different parts of the country. Sady's hair turned white, Dennis' didn't. People think Sady's older than Dennis, when it's actually the opposite;
-La Branche du Mûrier?;
-Sady asks if Dennis is tired, he's not;
-Sady likes to play "La Reel des Deshotel(s)"
-Dennis likes to play "La Reel des Marcantel";
-La Reel des Deshotel(s);

Dennis McGee, Sady Courville and Mike Doucet

J.C. Alpough, John Stewart Rideaux
Palmetto 1/29/85 VETS
(WWI Vets. #2)

***There is a dub cassette Maxell Communicator Series C60***

J.C. Alpough:

-Drafted in the service in June 1918? He can't remember;
-Camp Funston, Kansas, then overseas in France. He got lost. He got pneumonia, then the flu. Transferred back to the states. Discharged in Camp Shelby, MS? Camp Lee, Hoboken, NJ;
-He didn't see any battles, he was lucky. Rained everyday. He's just lucky to be here;
-First time he left home, left his family;
-3rd hospital in New Orleans? Back with a hemorrhage, no good since;

-Brest, France;
-Weather was bad, cold and wet. Kansas tent/pup tents, where he took the flu;
-Meeting French people. He can understand French, but he was lost because they talked so fast. They treated him alright, he wasn't mistreated at all;
-$30/month was all they got. He didn't care if he got a penny, he just wanted to come back and be with his people. Money doesn't mean a thing. He's 90 years old;
-Wounded soldiers, none he saw killed. War was over, coming back. Some in the hospital where he was. Terrible. In danger anywhere over there;
-German prisoners. He didn't know what was going on in there;
-Meeting German prisoners, no talking with them though. Talking English as good as he can. Concerning? Eating in a kitchen, mud around the stove. Tough. Contrary?;
-Cleaning up different places. Truck. Different things everyday day. Told what to do early each morning. Paid once in French money when he was over there?;
-Meeting French people. He understands French, but they talk too fast for him;
-Worked everyday, no day off?;
-Very seldom being able to visit town. Lost in town;
-X-rays, putting him in the bed. Transferring to a big building with others. Getting in the ambulance. Transfer to U.S. Coming in back in 8 days, took 2 weeks to go. Coming back on a German ship, 60' high, 60' wide;
-Morris? Breaux. Uniform?;
-Coming home in March on a train from Camp Shelby. Paid his way to Eunice. Bought a ticket and got off at Palmetto. $60 bonus and something you couldn't do anything with for 10 years?;

-He farmed before going into the army. Walking to school, raining. Managed getting to 7th grade (15:50);
-Good parents, Catholic. 90 years old now. Live quietly, peaceful. He's got a soul to save and he's the only one who can do anything. Daughter died Jan. 2nd, it's a burden on him. Daughter was just like his mother;
-Going back to farming and got married. Public works to get a job, $100 was plenty money. Things were tight, but things were cheap;
-WWII vets;
-Not being able to vote when he enlisted into the army. Colored soldiers, coming back mixed up. Separated White and Black soldiers. He just wanted to come back home to his family and friends. Thanks God for his age;
-806 Pioneer Infantry, Mr. George Holmes was in 816 (Natchez, MS). Company #27. Here in Palmetto, Lebeau now. Birthday was June 6th, 1894, not the 16th (possibly his baptism?). Birth certificate. Old people didn't tell you too much in those days;
-Never heard a law suit;

John Stewart Rideaux:

-Seeing plenty on the news;
-Colored registering for the service. Man from New Orleans came to a meeting and got beat up and died from the injuries. Not in Opelousas;
WWI;
-Born in Jackson, LA on September 6th, 1888. Drafted, no choice but to go. Farming? Railroad fireman after the army. When he was 18 yrs old, he worked on the railroad, then army and came back to the railroad;
-Father was a cotton farmer, he'd pick cotton until he couldn't;
-Drafted and sent to Camp Funston, Kansas by train from Donaldsonville, LA. Drilling/training at camp. Tear gas training, mask leaked and messed up his eyesight. Rejected because of his hip?;
-806 Pioneer Division. Rainbow Division? First men overseas. 806 took over. Stayed in Kansas because he got rejected;

-Drilling and training the whole time he was there (31:35);
-White soldiers in his company and trained and marched together. Otherwise, separated;
-Food was plenty. Paid $7.50/month while he was there;
-Not getting along? Paying someone day and night to do for him. Taking money. He needs every dime he can get. He does the best he can. $420 from the veterans, now $362?;
-Coming back from Kansas in 1918 after the war was over and going to work. Worked until 1920, coming to Baton Rouge to work for Standard Oil until 1924, went to railroad fireman;
-Not too hard for him to find a job. Going back to his same job;
-Leaving the army, he got a bonus and paid his way back home. No camps in Louisiana. Hattiesburg, MS. Happy to get back home;
-Mr. Skip told him to go into the army and do what he was told/do the right things. Never had any trouble, never missed role call. It was like a job for him. Wanting to go back, but they wouldn't take him;
-Leaving family and friends at home, they didn't have any choice. He got his draft card, mother felt a little bad, but there was nothing she could do;
-Not being able to vote when he left for the army. Felt alright going into the army. Following orders, not doing what you wanted to do;
-Happy to see his family and friends when he got back. They didn't know anything about the war. Young people know more about the war, trained at home?;
-He wasn't scared to leave home;
-Family didn't meet him. Hattiesburg, MS. People waiting for him in New Orleans;
-Ending up in Palmetto, coming from Baton Rouge/Plaquemines. Used to have a big mill in Palmetto. Need of fireman for the boiler;
-Family in Palmetto?;

-He remembers things pretty good. No whites left at all? (44:46);
-Fireman at the Brewer's? sawmill until they closed down. Working some in Texas, coming home in 1952 on the Friday before Labor day;
-Hospital, operated on. He can't stand up on his leg;
-Tested with the gas masks, running through the tear gas. Not being able to see out of one eye, going to the infirmary to see about it;
-Stayed in Kansas, disability prevented him from doing things. Discharge papers;
-He left all his papers and everything;
-Stories and jokes. Rabbits, raccoons, opossums, deer. He hasn't hunted since he's been in Palmetto;
-Left Jackson in June 1908?. Picking cotton;
-Born in East Feliciana Parish;
-Nothing to do in the old days. Working 10 hours a day for 10 cents an hour ($1 a day). $6 a week?;
-Parents. Father never served in the army. Civil War time. Hearing about how it was;
-This country was like the other country? Texas and Mississippi as countries? United States was divided, they had to unite together. Civil War;
-Not remembering anything and not counting his money?;
-First memory he has, first welfare? in St. Louis, Missouri. 3 days to St. Louis? "Can't keep a good man down.";
-High waters/floods of 1912, 1922, 1927. He was in St. John/St. Jules for the flood of '27;
-Fireman. Mr. Dixson;
-People working in the mill/railroad sang songs while working. Happy making money. He remembers the songs, but he can't sing or recount the lyrics;
-Still a deacon in the Church (which church?);

J.C. Alpough, John Stewart Rideaux

***Date unknown***
***Continued on AN1-232***

Circa. 1984

Claude Hebert, Scott I
WWI Vet 1895

-Claude Hebert, born 5 miles southwest of Youngsville, a real country boy. Born Aug. 30th, 1895;
-Finished 8th grade in Milton, high school in Abbeville, 1 year of Commerce at Southwestern (certificate in 1917);
-Volunteered in WWI to be a baker. 400 bakers from New Orleans, 14 from Abbeville volunteered. Peck's Bakery in Lafayette and Wilfred David became bakers;
-They put him in an office when they found out he took a book-keeping course at Southwestern;
-Lining up and following commands in the barracks. Weeding out those who could work a typewriter, book-keeper. Digging ditches at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans;
-San Antonio, they put him in an office taking care of shoes. Then, hats, coats. Making him a Corporal and putting him with Sergeant Kennedy in the finance department writing checks;
-Captain caught a mistake of paying one guy $5 too much, paid another guy too little. No third mess up because he didn't want to lose his job;
-Armistice (Nov. 11th) until March. Writing checks based on mileage, (5 cents a mile) back to San Antonio;
-Asking the Captain to write his discharge. Promoting Claude to sergeant. Claude wanting to go back to school. Writing to his old job to get an affidavit, working for the superintendent of education in Abbeville. Working there a few months and going to LSU as a freshman until Christmas;
-Transferring credits to Southwestern and finishing 2 years later in Agriculture. Diploma. LSU;
-$100/month to go to college or to work on a farm (from the Veteran's Administration). June-Aug, living on a rice farm in Welsh. A.E. Lyon.
-Driving cattle to the dip. Offered Claude a job to run his cotton farm in Opelousas at $100/month + 5% of the crop. Claude wanted his college degree;
-Drilling and living in the barracks;
-Veterans standing up in a bunch drilling, waiting to get their checks. Don't have to drill you spent 2 years in the army, go see Sergeant Hogan. He brought his discharge.
-Barracks for the young boys, going live in town with Sam Garbo?, a man from Broussard he took Chemistry with at Southwestern.
-He worked most of the time and was hardly home because he was working in the lab late at night;
-He wanted to finish in Commerce, book-keeping, CPA;
-Cousin worked at Dr. R.O. Young's hospital in Abbeville. Head nurse Ms. Bass asking him what he'll do. Claude had $150 and would work until he had $500 and then go to college (1919, $500 paid for one year of college).
-Working a year and working a year, it would've taken 10 years. Borrowing money from Dr. Young? Meeting with Dr. Young.
-Dr. Young wanted to know what major, what college, and how much money it would cost;
-Dr. Young suggesting he take Agriculture because he speaks French, the language of the Cajuns. Coming back and helping them. He was a chairman of the agriculture board. Putting agriculture in all high schools in the state. Claude could get a job teaching;
-Mr. Casanova, Vermilion Parish, telling Claude to go to college in Mississippi. Teaching in Youngsville ($125/month), promoted to Carencro ($175/month);

-September, Preston Guilbeau in charge of vocational agriculture for the state. He spoke with a French accent (16:10);
-Mr. Courvin? an assistant in Haiti. Getting a man who can speak to the locals. Asking Mr. Guilbeau and interviewing Claude and Pierre Hernandez. Hiring Claude to go to Haiti for 6 years;
-Mr. Guilbeau picked Claude over the other because he was taller by 2-3 inches. Already short men in Haiti, he didn't want Haitians to think all Americans were short;
-Director of Extension in Haiti (Agriculture agents, 32 over the republic and 120 agriculture teachers). Building schools. Some teachers lived in the schools. 1925-1931;
-People were real nice, they weren't fighting like you read about now. Living cheaply. Claude always lived in hotels traveling.
-They never had kids, his wife could speak a little French, but not too much. Never renting a house. $150 a month, for room, 3 meals a day, and garage;
-He's traveled the most in the republic. Botanist studying plants;
-First month, he was put in a large room/office shared with other people. Professor of Greek and Latin asking why Dr. Freeman brought him here. Voyager (on land) vs. Naviguer (on water);
-Learning Creole words/phrases;
-Traveling on foot, donkey, horse, sailboat, steamer between ports. Going into the mountains on horseback;
-Setting up agricultural programs, running schools;
-Fairs in May. Printed catalog with different prizes. 2 fairs in one day at different places. May 1930, he slept only 5 times at the hotel. 17 days of no English, white men in the mountains;
-Living on an island off of Haiti (Grande Cayemite). Dr. Summers was stationed there. Man with leprosy, he only had two fingers left at the joints.
-Him, his baby and his wife, slept on the ground/dirt floor. The baby was in a hole. He smoked tobacco, but he didn't have any. Claude gave him some tobacco. Taking his picture with a Kodak. -Sending the picture, but the doctor didn't get to him. It got "lost";

-Why Americans were in the World War, he doesn't know. Marines occupied Haiti, 2-3 years prior to his arrival. Germans went to Haiti to buy coffee during WWI, also buying liquor and staging a mini-revolution on the other side of the island so the Germans could steal the coffee;
-English and French told the Americans the Germans were giving them trouble in Haiti. Antoine Simon (Haitian President) executed some prisoners. Murdered him, he ran away to the French Embassy.
-He was between two mattresses, but his belt was hanging out, the dog was barking, the horse and buggy was parked outside. He grabbed the wheel as he was dragged out, they cut it off.
-Then, they cut off his head and put it on an iron picket;

-Claude didn't see that, that's what the locals told him (31:28);
-Old woman took his intestines and put it on her face. Another man took his hands and put it in his mouth and said, "Look my pipe";
-Fairs at the school close to there the president was buried. Voodoo ceremony, candles, yelling, singing. Claude and the mayor received the delegation.
-White goat. Man in charge cut the goat's head and drank the blood. Claude didn't drink any blood because they could've poisoned him. He just put it to his lips. The only voodoo he attended.
-Danced, yelled, sang in Creole;
-Native chauffeur, asking Claude if he could drive. Americans teaching Haitians to drive. Returning with the mayor and his councilman. Fair next day;
-As a civilian. Having natives planting more coffee. Growing some sugar for themselves. Coffee was the main export.
-3 cents per tree from the government. 2 more cents for living trees after a couple years. Claude had to pay out that money.
-Wrapping 100 gourdes (20 cents USD. 5 gourdes to the US dollar) in newspaper;
-Leaving with 7,500 gourdes ($1,500) to go around and pay people. Inspector, assistant. Going up on the mountain to farmer's hut on a young mule who didn't know the route.
-Agent was on an older one. Trying to pull his donkey. Whipping the donkey, started to kick back. Claude fell about 15' back and he thought he broke his leg, he couldn't walk.
-Lying down next to the stream. Sending the guide to the farmer's house. 1.5 hours to get a horse for Claude to go back + 1.5 hour to come back. 4 hrs total, past midnight when he got there.
-Foot would hurt if he'd let it hang, tying it to the horse where it wouldn't hang. Women wrapped his foot in a plastic made of sour oranges and ashes.
-Sleeping on the old man's bed, brown pillow on a board. Not sleeping until 7 am the next morning.
-Having to go back to his car where he'd be picked up by a motorboat. Going in the mountain. A day to come down;
-Native carried him down on his back. White man's heavy, he eats well. 10 gourdes ($2) to pay the man for carrying him. Motorboat;
-Sending a telegram in Haiti. Telephone office (1 in town) to get a motorboat from Les Gens d'Armes/Les Guardes d'Haiti. It took a day to go get him. Getting to his car, native chauffeur waiting for him;
-Getting to the hospital in the first big town, taking his x-rays. Bones were set;

-Going to pay some money when it was raining. Agent ahead of him, he didn't have a poncho. They saw a little light and followed the trail until they got there about 9 pm. Ate a can of pork and beans (44:49);
-Dirt floor, thatch roof, mud walls. 8 other natives sleeping there. Bed in the corner (pile of banana leaves). Mr. Scott (agent).
-Sleeping next to the wall near the hole so he could get some air from outside. Using the saddle (English saddle) as a pillow, it was soft. Mosquito net about 4' high;
-Pig came through the hole because it was raining outside. Sleeping with Claude, he'd throw him out and he'd keep coming back in.
-Tying the pig outside, the horse got loose just as the he began to fall asleep and it woke everyone up. Horses were not castrated;
-Tropical storm in 1928 devastated. Farm had a landslide, on the other man's farm. Bananas and coffee together? Government sent aide by motorboat.
-Marines kept peace, Navy assigned "nurses", Claude had seeds to replant gardens. Codfish as food. Marine had a marmoset/monkey.
-Captain Swenson chewed the codfish. The monkey threw the fish off the boat. The Swede and the Cajun eats the stuff, but the monkey throws it overboard;
-Coming back to his car. Boat belonged to a Frenchman. Native lawyer standing on the boat, leaning against the side, Hitting a log and the lawyer fell overboard.
-The Frenchman put it in neutral and went get the lawyer. "Takes his bath early" conversation between Frenchman and lawyer;
-Claude joined because he was going to be drafted. Volunteering as bakers;
-Germans sunk U.S. ship (Titanic?), cause of the war. Bringing food to the English, the Germans thought they were armed. Lusitania;
-American woman and German woman at the hotel in Haiti. German woman borrowed $200 from Claude's first wife to bring her son to Haiti from Germany.
-Diamond ring for security. Husband gave Claude $100, they never finished paying on it so Claude took it and used it as his current wife's engagement ring;
-English and France in the war. Italy and other European countries fought with Germany. U.S. going to war because Germany sank U.S. ships;
-President Wilson;
-Morman from Utah, Bill Brandon on K.P. Serving time in K.P. Acting up after supper, President Wilson didn't know how to fight the war, French and English didn't know how to fight.
-Getting over there and joining the Germans, finding a German girl. M.P.'s came the next morning and arrested;
-Barry didn't go to the service;
-Broomstick with a nail to pick up paper. Soldier behind him. He wrote to his Senator, dishonorable discharge. Pictures (he was a mail clerk on the train before) back on his job distributing mail.
-Stealing. He got his job back. Talking like that scared Claude, shooting;
-Claude didn't know anything about Germans before the war. Good German friends after the war in Haiti;
-Other Acadiana natives. Claude and Mr. (Fernest?) Crochet were in the same outfit, but they got separated in San Antonio;
-Claude enlisted in New Orleans, Quarter Master Corps. Each outfit has it's own corps. New Orleans, San Antonio (Fort Sam Houston). 5 days waiting in San Antonio. Kelly Fields, airport south of San Antonio. Airplanes were unarmed (no bombing), just observation planes;
-Going to boot camp/basic training. Jackson Barracks, never drilled, just waited to get assigned and put in an office. Not drilling his outfit until after the war/armistice;
-Knowing anyone who went over, they were not in the same outfit as Claude. Never training for battle. Training once, wanting them to apply for officer training. Only 3 were high school graduates, the others didn't;

***Date unknown***

Wade Gajan:

-Getting drafted. Dying like flies? Aspirin and ice (freeze them to bring the fever down). Keeping him here. Trying to make soldiers comfortable. Camp Beauregard;
-Born in New Iberia in 1895;
-High school education by the time the war broke out. Father farmed plantations, making money. Sold it three times and ended up back with it three times. 500 acres;
-Going to Schriever, where his father died (of diabetes), with sugar mill (3 plantations combined). Milled by hand. Coming to see his wife by train. Nurse stayed with him, high fever of almost 104 degrees. Dr. Burken? Father was dying fast. He was not married yet;
-Mother wanted to sell the plantation. When the first world war started. $100,000 owed another hundred thousand. Just a giveaway when his father bought it;
-Coming back to New Iberia. She came live with him and his wife. Moving to his grandmother's who had just died a half a block from the Catholic church in New Iberia. She died at 98 years old;
-President Wilson? When he got out, he wanted to forget it all. It made such an impression on him and never left him;
-Drafted, Camp Beauregard. Enlisting in the army there and staying. People at the hospital didn't want him to leave, kept him until the war was over. Whistling the morning the war was over.
-Staying 2 months after the war before going home;
-Camp Beauregard only had people that got sick (fever) while they were there. Deadly. No medicine, but aspirin;
-Out in tents on the ground/wooden floor, mud on the street. Snow wold tear the tents. Stove pipes, getting wood to burn. He gets chills just thinking about it;

-He believes in destiny. Dying when you're supposed to (10:01);
-Tents coming down. It snowed that year;
-Drilling/boot camp. Boys off the farm not used to it. Boys from their homes/offices (city);
-Bad enough to go to war. The life they took going into the war. Getting on the fighting line. Soldiers taking care of soldiers;
-Not knowing what the war was about, why they were fighting. Not knowing about the Germans. So much work over here, caring for the dying;
-Speaking Creole, he understands French. Country boys. People in charge didn't know what soldiers were saying. Serving as an interpreter;
-Some just cried like babies, because of the language barrier. Hanging around Wade because he could interpret;
-Private, even in the hospital;
-Food was alright. Either ate or went without. Yankee cooks, white gravy. Not Cajun. Hard time in those days;
-First time away from home. 18-20 years old when he joined the army. 6 months to save his crop before entering the service;
-Sugarcane crop. Used to have 3-4 tenants. Current tenant does 3 rows at a time. Tractor vs. mules. Keeping his old tools and showing people;
-Getting discharged. They kept him there, then came home. Paid his trip home and a few extra dollars;
-Economy had changed a little. Father wasn't a drunkard. 2-3 bars in New Iberia. Treating his friends, giving people what they wanted. Spent $200-300 on drinks. Spending the money to get him -back home, money was nothing to him. He knew his son (Wade) was coming back;

-Returning to farming when he came back. Keeping his horses and mules (20:16);
-People wanting to learn how to ride horses. A lady from Texas who wanted to ride horses. Check rein. Telling her to sit up straight, holding the saddle horn. Taking the line off, trotting. She wasn't scare. Coming tomorrow and going in the back of the field. Getting on her horse and leaving the others behind;
-Daughter got the same way, saddles still there, but the leather's all rotten. He had one daughter;
-Business people of New Iberia were still there when he came back. Some people couldn't pass and join the army. People from the country as well as the city;
-Father hid his emotions, his mother lost weight;
-Some didn't go back to work, not too much work before the war. Men from France whipped, having seen terrible things, not wanting to talk about it;
-Using gas to an extent;
-Soldiers came back and shocked to see how much things cost, things were cheap when they left. Inflation;
-Those that stayed behind couldn't go to war, but could stay and do work;
-Hard time for soldiers to get jobs when they cam back. Doing without them while at war, no need for them when they came back. Wade's job (farming) was waiting for him when he got back;
-Relatives were doctors and lawyers. Only had one sister. Some didn't like farming;
-Kramer (mother's father) raced horses. Loreauville, renting horse and buggy. Sample suitcases. Memory of his grandfather sitting with his cane. Washing the mud off, because it would freeze the hair off the horse's legs. Abbeville;
-Feeling lonesome for the past. People dying for others. Jacques Meaux's funeral home, coffin. They had nothing?;
-Getting married. Mother and daughter would give food? Good mother and wife. Wife was one of 11 children, who all had an education and taught school. Her father was a contractor, boys worked with him building. White brick on main street;

-Seeing a lot of changes over the years (31:47);
-A lot of things come back whenever you start talking about something;
-A lot of men didn't know what rifles were, much less having shot them;
-Inspection, handling those rifles rough. Every (two) weeks. Giving the Captain the rifle the proper way. Dirty screws;
-Not learning how to shoot canons. Only using rifles, bayonets stayed on the gun even though they were scared someone would get hurt from it;
-Dying thinking about you;
-Most farm boys didn't know what a line was, uniforms, barely spoke English (Cajun French). Different phrases in Creole/French;

Lionel Bourque:

-He volunteered. The limit was 21 years old, not 18 like it is today. Wanting to join with friends (? and Labbé, a lawyer in Lafayette and his brother James);
-St. Charles College, Catholic University. Accepting people who wanted to join the service, unit there. Grand Coteau;
-Being a high school graduate in order to be an officer. 30% students sick with dengue fever (like a flu);
-Joining at USL around August. 60 days after the dengue epidemic hit them. Permit from Dr. Stevens to go home. Staying 60 days. Released, $300, no more claims on Uncle Sam;
-Good time, entertainment in Lafayette. He was going to get shipped to France in 60 days;
-Not wanting to be drafted, he wanted to volunteer (better for him). Better chance of getting promoted. Never got a chance to do so. He didn't care either;
-Commercial college in Texas. Friend over there, French trenches, torture to carry 65-70 lbs through mud in the trenches;

-Mr. Stemmon? and Lionel working for Southern Pacific Railroad. Germans were the best people because the French people didn't treat him as well as he wanted to. German family treated him the best. He was a German. maybe that's why he loved it over there (41:10);
-Relieving the French and English. President Wilson declared war;
-Dan Olivier Chevrolet? Company, cousin who worked there was an interpreter in the war. Stories about the French people. He was on guard duty one night, Lionel then stops himself for sake of what actually happened. Funny stories while in France. With officers strictly, serving as an interpreter. Behind the line, not seeing much warfare;
-After he was put as guard duty one night, place to use the restroom. Seeing if it was a man or woman in there. Halting a lady in stall;
-He spoke French. French speakers used by the officers as interpreters in France. Good job, not seeing any warfare. Dan (cousin) married a Buchanan from Lafayette and is still living;
-Not a lot of WWI veterans still living. Mr. Gajan a draftee staying at Camp Beauregard;
-Father from Cade farmed sugarcane on 80-90 acres. Only time he'd get a little money, when he'd sell it. One year, his crop didn't get 2 feet tall, he couldn't even bring it to the Billeaud mill;
-Leaving school to help his father farm;
-High school education. Commercial school in Tyler, TX after the war. Father couldn't afford to send anyone to school. Borrowing money himself from the bank. He learned bookkeeping, telegraphy, (train) station knowledge;
-Everyone wanted to be an engineer or work for the railroad, best jobs around at the time. $150/month. White-collar job made $75-80 or even less a month. 2-3 jobs, west Texas. Job in Lake

Charles, Vinton:
-Born about 10 miles from Cade, a little beyond Cade. 90 acres of farmland (50:07);
-He moved to New Iberia when he was 21 yrs old. He was in Texas for a couple of years. Coming back, never going back to Cade. Sold the farm 10-15 years ago. $10,000. Father got killed by the train, getting rid of the old farm after that. Moving back here in 1921, at 24 yrs old;
-Getting married. She was teaching school. Together 60 years. Compatible. Both like plants, seeds from all over the country. 75 cents for camellia seeds. One of the best collections of camellias, some from all over the country/Europe;
-Mr. Eloi Gerard. Oil Center is now, state senator for one term. Going around the country visiting gardens. Corsages. Shipping camellias, wholesalers in Chicago. Hobby for him;
-Getting back from Lafayette. Only two that he knew from New Iberia? Hard to travel, all gravel and brick road. Going to Lafayette in 30 minutes;
-Going back on the farm for a little while, but not for long. Going to the college in Texas, not seeing many who had come back from war. He'd really only see Claude;
-Stemmon. Rainbow division, tough. He? never stopped talking. Died 4-5 years ago;
-Few WWI veterans left;
-Living for so long;
-Volunteering for the service would be better than getting drafting. Potential of serving as an interpreter. He though 90% would've known French, only about 25% actually did;
-Not knowing much about Europe other than what he learned in school;
-Dark ages;
-Trains, automobiles traveled on dirt and gravel roads. No trains. Should do like Japanese and Europeans and use trains. U.S. jamming highways;

-Communist revolution, little interest in the Bolsheviks/Russian. Not as much interest as was in WWII (01:00:06);
-President Regan? Russians trustworthy?;
-Was cut off, not lost. Raised on a farm, 25 acres here. Old gardener who makes a garden for him. Came back with $7-8. During the Depression. Before he built where he lives now;
-Weeks and Weeks (lawyers), going after he lost his job on the railroad. Banks are all closed, can't have your money. Saving him from paying rent. Getting in touch with Mr. Hetch?, the man in charge. He finally got his money, but was asked not to broadcast it. $3,000;
-No work in 6 months, family was starving.$1 a day, one the best mechanics in town. $150 to build his home, with second-hand lumber;
-Saw mill in Patterson, Williams Lumber Co. Cypress. The mill went bankrupt, sold all homes out there. Mayor Joe Daigle, getting lumber for pretty cheap. $175 for an old two-story home 75' long, all cypress except for the floors. Camped in the building with 2 other men. 8-10 cans of nails;
-$3 more to bring the lumber to Cade? Piano, sold 75-80 oak chairs for 75 cents to $1 a piece. Bargain. It looked like a lumber yard here on his property;
-Gravel road. Gajan family. Huey Long, paving the road. Trying to get land vis-à-vis to the pavement. Headquarters in New Orleans, negotiating via telegraph. 15 acres at $100/acre. He preferably wanted the high spot. He could buy the rest of the 60 acres for $4,000, but he didn't have the money;
-Old 80-85 yr old man living in the back. He bought the most wonderful spot. Indians used to tie their canoes right there when Spanish Lake would rise. He inherited that land from his father.
-Darby Land Co.;
-Weeks and Weeks came after and wanted to write a book about the historical significance of his land. The old man died in transit in Japan before he could write the story;
-The old Darby home, someone set fire to 4-5 years ago. Developing Squirrel Run. If only he had the money to buy the rest of the property. Youth don't know what their generation had to go through;

-Colored men, you could trust people back then, black and white (01:10:32);
-Developing the property. Engineer in Lafayette. Asking Lionel to divide the street. Brother-in-law from Lafayette (Chastant) urged him not the break up the road, part of the Old Spanish Trail.
-Changed his mind, paved the road. Cost a lot of money;
-Railroad companies took care of their employees. Not starving, making money. Lake Charles, Schriever, New Orleans. Not giving up the job. Raising livestock and a garden, he had food;
-Not a lot of money during the Depresson. Farmers didn't hurt too much, they could still eat. Kids in the offices hurt/couldn't do anything;
-Lionel stayed on the farm too long. Valuable during the Depression;
-Agricultural depression after WWI. Everything was high, no one had any money. Economy was out of balance. Some suffering;
-President Roosevelt in 1933. Federal jobs. Elevation, 32' above sea level here;
-Flood of 1927. 10' of water. 4 railroads were there (Southern Pacific, Missouri Pacific, Texas Pacific, and Santa Fe). No train could stop him?. Passing through water to go to his bed. 3' of water in the streets;
-The levee broke or there was no levee. Small levee before. It shouldn't happen again. Flood of 1940 wasn't too bad, worse west of Lafayette (rain flood);
-This past summer, something terrific;
-Only 8' above sea level above the dip. Lafayette higher;
-Spanish Lake, indians would anchor boats here. Finding arrowheads and giving them to Nelson, teacher at USL;
-He learned to really speak English well at age 8-10/15 yrs old, heard some conversation before. Learning English in school. They didn't want kids to speak French in school;
-His first teacher asked him to stay after school. She washed his mouth because he said a dirty word. Parents were in accord with that;
-When his wife was teaching school, a kid was cursing. Learning from his father who curses his mother out;
-Grandfather planting chéroquis to stop mules from going. From France. Going rabbit hunting in the briars. He shot his first rabbit. Plenty around Youngsville. Chéroquis planted as fence lines. -40' all the way down;
-Growing in a straight line, planted?;
-Dr. Chastant bought the old farm. 36-40 acres;

Wade Gajan (New Iberia, 1895) & Lionel Bourque (1898)

Leonce Broussard:

***There is a dub cassette Maxell Communicator Series C60. The only different information is the date of 4/6/85 instead of 2/6/85 on the Memorex***

-Né le 26 de Décembre 1894 dans la campagne au ras de Maurice. Revenir à Kaplan;
-Merchant Marines pendant la guerre? 1917;
-Il faisait récolte quand la guerre était déclaré. Un an, appelé le 26 de Mai pour aller dans l'armée;
-Camp Beauregard, praquiter les canons en bois et les machines guns. Ils n'ont pas pu avoir des canons en fer toute de suite;
-Drafted. Il restait au ras de Kaplan après la guerre, 1935/1945;
-Aller à New York et traverser en bâteau. Casser des bâteaux. Augustine Victor? Irene???;
-Portrait de sa compagnie. Battery E, 141st field artillery. Le Capitain;
-Aller en France, St. Nazaire. Ils ont arrivé là et ont parti de là;
-Jamais vu la bataille. Coroneur de sa compagnie. 142 se battait, ils ont demandé pour l'aide. Le coroneur était trop vieux. Pratiqué les machines guns et les canons. 3". 75? Tirer n'importe quoi;
-Il ne parlait pas l'Anglais, apprendre dans l'armée. Apprendre quelques mots, il n'a jamais fait l'école. Il a fait l'école dans le service. Faire l'école ici après la guerre;
-Rencontrer des français. Pas comme nous autres. Du bon monde, content de voir des soldats Américains. "Il parle français." Il connaissait tous les commandements aussi;
-D'autres dans sa compagnie qu'il connaissait. Eraste Labrie? et Edias? dans la même compagnie?;
-Aller dans les tentes des docteurs?;
-Il n'a jamais tiré dessus quelqu'un et personne n'a jamais tiré dessu lui. Personne l'a bomb;
-Passer dans le gaz. Chapeau de fer, gas mask. C'est tout cassé, où tu soufflais par. Il n'a plus le chapeau;
-Avancer dessus eux. Coucher où ils se battaient. Gaz masks en tout cas les Allemands auraient tiré;
-Le vent changeait, regarder nuit et jour tant c'était sur le bord des Allemands;
-Arriver dans l'Allemagne just avant de rentrer en bataille?;

-Fouiller des trenchers creux. Il y en avait qui se tuait. Les Américains Noires, les français ne savaient pas quoi c'était des nègres (14:57);
-Partie de l'Afrique était pour la France. Pas des nègres noirs, ils ressemblent aux français;
-Il n'a pas fouillé, n'a pas été dedans;
-Les canons dessus un platform. Ils penchaient. Trencher. Les cartouches, les carabines, les capsules;
-L'hiver était mauvais. Retourner en France au début de Novembre. Des éronces. C'était mauvais;
-Les français étaient content de les voir. Des petits bourriquets dessus des charrettes/des wagons;
-Egouter les toilettes?;
-Arracher ton estomac?;
-Il n'a jamais vu des blessés, il voyait des portraits. Il n'a jamais eu peur. Il a parti de Camp Beauregard 11 PM pour aller à New York. Ils étaient supposé de répondre tout, "I don't know," où ils devenaient, où ils allaient, s'ils étaient fou;
-Les aéroplanes à 4 ailes, les petits. Pas des gros comme aujourd'hui. Il n'a pas vu de bataille à aéroplane;
-Il ne connait pas où il a été dans la France autre que St. Nazaire. Comment loin c'est, un demi-heure ou une heure?;
-Le Bon Dieu était avec lui, il pense;
-Après qu'ils ont signé la paix, le régiment 141e avait pour faire la garde le soir des canons, personne fallait les toucher. 142e était bien près. Ils ont pris a crier, l'Allemagne aurait signé l'armistice le lendemain (le 11 de Novembre);
-Un Broussard de Maurice se couchait par terre? Couhce-toi, couche-toi! Il était chanceux;
-Revenir. Tout le monde pouvait pas revenir au même temps. Revenir à New York après y rester un mois.
-Sears Roebuck, grand cabane comme ça. Des tables tout partout, toutes qualités de manger. Mettre leur linge pour être nettoyer. Un a mis ses souliers dedans, ils n'ont sortit;
-Discharged à Camp Shelby, MS après New York;
-Epidémie de flu?;
-Plus faire des portraits comme ça;
-A la garde, la cusine. En France autour de St. Nazaire;
-Ses papiers en français. Camp Coëtquidan;

-Revenir aux Etats-Unis (30:25);
-Un band avec eux quand ils sont descendu du bâteau. Toute sorte de manger. Le monde était aussi content quand l'Amérique ont gagné la guerre;
-L'homme qui a été se déguiser dans un autre pays, il n'était pas tué. Il avait disparu. C'est mieux comme ça;
-Il ne causait pas beaucoup em anglais. Maison en brique. Officer de la guerre, grand Américan. Il était à la garde, Poste #1. Il l'a arrêté, il a proche tiré aux pieds. Pas laisser les Allemands passer, peut-être un spy;
-Le monde proche tout devenait de la Louisiane. Au ras de 30 de sa compagnie parlait français. Les officiers ne parlaient pas fraçais;
-Hikes avec 50+ livres. Ils fesions expres. Des officiers criaient "attention" just parce que;
-La première fois qu'il a parti de chez lui. Aller à la poste à Abbéville. Presque pas de monde là. Il restait pas loin de la Coulée Kenny;
-Rencontrer des Allemands, il ne serait pas capable de causer avec eux. Des prisoniers et les montagnes. Faire la garde des prisoniers;
-C'était tout habillé pareil;
-Howard Romaine?, son garçon était dans l'armée. Mettre des suits d'Allemand en tout cas ils auraient échappé, les Américains les auraient reconnus et les auraient tué? 6 pris prisoniers et les -Allemands les nourissaient. Tirer les canons, ils ne savaient pas quoi faire? Les canons et les cartouches restaient là. Faire signe avec sa lettre. Ça restait au ras de Maurice. Ils avaient 200 acres de terre, ils ont perdu la moitié;

-La grosse maison à deux étages dans le village, c'était dans la campagne. Ils l'ont hâlé au village (40:43);
-Cuire avec du bois, garder le bois;
-Partir de Camp Beauregard, 2 tanks? de chars. Des gros trucks. Il fallait battre. Remplire 2 tanks? de chars. Emprunter du pain? d'un camp?;
-Arriver ici après la guerre, ce n'était pas trop dur de faire une vie;
-Une homme dur, tout a tombé pendant la Depression. 1819? 60+ années, 68?;
-Il a été à l'école, mais pas pour apprendre rien;
-Le chemin tournait, un demi-mile, le tranfers d'école passait. Il était petit, 60-something years. Forçait de le prendre. Des écoles de campagne où tout les petits pouvaient marcher. Des transfers à chevaux, pas de gas;
-Sa famille était content de le voir quand il est revenu. Ça avait 6 semaines qu'il était marié quand il a été draft. Sa femme a retourné avec son père. Cogner à la porte. Mettre tous le noms, personne a vu son nom. Il y avait un tas des Broussard dessus son bâteau. Role call, il avait pour dire, "Léonce";
-Descendre à Ibérie, ésperer le train le lendemain matin. Linzey Comeaux? Un 'tit dégot l'a conduit à Abbéville avec un vieux Model-T. Arriver en avant de la maison de court. Eric? Broussard, le shériff les a dit qu'ils ne pouvaient pas y rester le soir;
-Isaac Ardice??? qu'avait été tué. Il n'était pas dans l'armée. L'argent, un gros billet de mille piastres. Un tas des banques qui ont été broke. Tuer une soeur du shériff. Rentrer dans le clos, l'homme qu'a été tué?;
-La soeur du shériff tué. $5,000?;
-Lafayette. La 'tite maison. c'est lui qui s'a tué?, Il ne connait pas pourquoi. Une marque dans le plancher comme s'il avait lâcher le pistolet. Il était jeune, une trentaine d'année vieux;
-Il a fait récolte après la guerre quand il est revenu;
-Esperer le gas, lâcher le gas? Filer dans l'estomac. Juste une porte pour sortir. Voir s'ils pouvaient stand le gaz;
-Mettre cette enregistrement à USL dans les archives;
-L'eau salé en 1957, ouragn Audrey. 8" de l'eau. Un lac d'eau salé;

Leonce Broussard

Leo L. Lafleur:

-Born not far from Ville Platte, L'Anse des Cavaliers. Like L'Anse des Bélaires. L'Anse aux Chaudières;
-Explanation of "Anse/Cove";
-L'Anse aux Pailles named by his great-great-grandfather. Lee's army, Fredericksburg. Jean-Baptiste Lafleur;
-Between L'Anse aux Pailles and l'Anse des Cavaliers, a lot of hickory trees. Building wheels for automobiles;
-Buick dealer, wooden bodied-cars and wooden wheels. 1922;
-Going to school, father sold that place and bought a doctor's home in Plaquemines Point, near Church Point/Opelousas. Pitreville Road;
-Opelousas to Eunice (Hwy 190?);
-Big timbers. Boards were called "singles." Before Lawtell was built;
-Western? Pacific from New Orleans to Houston, frisco railroad;
-Moved to Opelousas in 1908. Creole ponies ride and swim better;
-Rasing animals. Physician and a surgeon. 1st coroner of Evangeline Parish. St. Landry Parish has a narrow strip, politics. Mamou, Chataigner, and Ville Platte in Evangeline Parish;
-Model T days;
-Living in Opelousas when the war broke out. He volunteered;
-Parents separated and mother came to Opelousas. Jersey cows in Plaquemines Point near Lawtell. Saddle horses;
-1902, (he was 5 years old). Slave to the Chachere. First cotton gins. Planting cane for syrup and giving the mill a percentage as pay;
-Adobe smokehouse always had something hanging, hams, ribs, bacon, etc.;
-Uncle Fred, had 7 girls and 7 boys;
-2.5 miles to go to school. Making it in 0.5-0.75 miles by cutting across fields;
-Moving to town when he was 4 years old;
-WWI was declared April 6th. He was a mechanic studying internal combustion engines and running a picture show on the side. Learning how to make engines run;
-Direct current;
-1919, coming out of the war. Quit his job when it was declared. Good garage. Graduate engineer from New York was an alcoholic. Promising his grandmother he'd never drink and he's kept that promise to this day. His father and brother killed themselves drinking;
-Grandmother's family drank too much, the Lafleurs drank too much. The Fontenots (from Grand Prairie/Ville Platte) were good people, but drank too much;
-Going to the 9th grade, mother got sick and he went to work. $9/week, then $15/week. Average was $12/week or $2/day;
-Labor cost 75 cents a day and he'd bring his lunch. A bucket of meat for soup and T-bone steak was 3 cents/pound. Cattle around Mamou Prairie;
-Selling timber;
-19.5 years old (born 1897). 1917. Bought his ticket and told everyone bye. Brother working a taxi. Wanting to remain a mechanic. Walking to the depot Monday evening after Easter and getting on the train;
-Getting his discharge papers;
-1909 - Boy-scouts and Episcopal Minister. Old priest from Holland, nothing to do with religion (he's Catholic);
-Discharge;
-Jackson barracks in New Orleans. Riding bicycles around the depot with Stanley Guidry (Noah's oldeest brother - Farm Bureau). Joining the Marines with Stanley;
-Driving Model T Fords, came out in 1904. Never drank, married twice. First wife (honeymoon never got good and started) died. Mrs. John White was his second wife, their best friend. Building garage and concrete building;
-1922;
-Joining the army in Jackson barracks, 12-14 Louisiana boys together on the train. Drilling in Houston, 15 cents a day April-May. 28th/29th of April, first-class privates in the marine corps.
-October, raise from 4 cents a day to $1 a day ($33/month). Corporal, first-army air service;
-Built Kelly Field?;
-Joining aviation corps. Top sergeant, old war soldier. He knew what war was. One of the best companies at Kelly Field;
-August 9th, 1,500-1,800. Cooks. Complete companies;
-Hauled them off without telling them where they were going. Walking to the coaches, baggage cars. 4 companies were going to Canada for training. St. Louis by daylight. Heavy clothes August 12th;

-Passing through Chicago (21:39);
-Toronto, Canada, Camp Lee side. Drilling for 2-3 weeks, like an English soldier;
-Drill sergeant in American/British Army;
-Stanley got to be a rigger;
-Planes made like kites out of good wood;
-Before he left, castor oil because thick and pretty. Told his boss that castor oil can't be good. Father was a doctor and would prescribe that all the time. Heating castor oil and water. Using castor oil in engines;
-Crew chief. New York and crossing on a boat. They were supposed to get to France for Christmas, but someone got measles and they were quarantined;
-Left New York Jan. 31st. French boats coming in to serenade them. Marseillaise. He understands some French, not much. He can't sing;
-Training? English or American good, not halfway;
-19 more boats in Halifax had to have icebreakers. Crossed the North Sea route. Drill around the decks so many days. Nurse and doctors on the upper decks. Adriatic (name of his boat);
-1,500 nurses and doctors. Soldiers stayed in the holes. 3 naval hammocks on top of one another. Couldn't turn over;
-Drilled 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. Each company took its turn;
-Irish Sea. Life preservers. Submarine. Englishman telling him they were entering the "green" Irish Sea. Landed in Liverpool on Feb. 17th. Liverpool was one of the 7 wonders of the world with its docks. River;
-Landing at high tide. Unloading at low tide, steep (17-18'). 4-wheeled trains and whistles. Rode to 7 miles out of South Hampton. Drilling to get their sea legs off. Getting food to the soldiers;
-Crossing over on a lighter/ferry boat. English Channel 20-somewhat miles wide (narrow);
-Weights on mines to hold them underwater. Ticklish because not knowing how to swim that good? Landing in France;
-3.5 miles of winding road and light snow after dark. Separating men (30-40 men). Taken to a camp in Dunkirk;
-Stanley and him got separated;
-Long-range gun. Trench warfare and some cavalry (but not much);
-Repairing trucks engines in Dunkirk. Staying there for 60 days, bombing 57 days out of the 60;
-He could speak French, they put him in charge of convoy. He could read some signs. Truck sergeant with the British. Royal Naval asset. Scots were there;
-Germans capturing men an mutilating them;
-Covering the front wasn't so good for the Germans;
-Stanley and him and went out on a volunteer trip to Dunkirk. Wanting to see the country and driving trucks, 25-30 people for 4 days;
-Killed company commander and soldiers after they left;
-Deans on the English Channel. Vincent Mosley (rich) was attached to the Air Force. Oxford College, England. Serving with the Americans. Post-Commander of the V.F.W. He died, a little older (90 years old now);
-Leo will be 88 years old in August. He's been a fireman all his life;
-Not meeting French people while there. They weren't supposed to associate with them, but they were nice people;
-Planes were still in use. Armistice Nov. 11th?; Sending some home around Christmas time;
-Château-Thierry/Paris. Marines and company there. Springfield rifles and ammunition. Never taking a shoe off during the battle. 8 men/squad was all a truck could fit. Arming planes and taking off to the front;
-His bunch killing a wild boar;

-Having a good time after the war. Holding together. Not going to kiss women and get drunk (he's never taken a drink in his life) (39:31);
-Mother telling him not to take any bad habits;
-Two younger brothers, one ran off to the Navy at 17 years old. Boys scouts fighting for their country;
-They (Germans) sunk a boat and they were against us. Kaisers were pretty rough to the English;
-Garage is a good garage, studying mechanics;
-Castor Oil;
-Crew chief. 5 gallons of Mobile Oil 40? to break in the engine. Really sticking pistons in those days. Various brands and various mechanics;
-No oil in the base of an airplane. No oil when going upside down/acrobatics;
-Meeting with the engineering officers. Gasoline doesn't affect castor oil, except water, it comes right out;
-His knowledge of oil helped win the war overseas. He was a good soldier, ready to go. Going to the other side of the trenches, he had a plane down the hill;
-As a boy scout, he knew the bullets couldn't pass through the hills. Eating out of cans;
-No man's land. Plane shooting down Germans;
-He could speak and read French. Working as a mechanic during the war. Wild rides/drivers making his hair go through his hat several times. Soldier from Rochester, NY;
-Getting afraid a little bit;
-Seeing some air fights, just like in the picture show. We had the best airplanes. SPAD with two 50 lb bombs, it was a pursuit plane;
-First time planes had been used in war. Kelly Field and fixing planes/motors in Canada;
-Killing more Germans. He just wanted to win the war;
-Famous fights during the war. Rickenbacker? Caching up;
-Red Barron, he knocked in down. Dough-boys killed him;
-Leo used to have a book on that;
-Preparing officers. Had to be a lieutenant to get into a plane, Cadet until then. College degree, good-hearted man, not afraid/courage;
-Flying all which ways, pilots had control;
-Seeing people get killed. German and English fighting. Crash landing in the English Channel. North Sea blow it to pieces;
-Numbing man who died shortly after (he told him he would make it to console him). Die flying a plane;
-Jumping from observation balloons;
-Between Paris and Château-Thierry. Serving with the British for a long time. Americans not being taught how the British fought;
-Shooting soldiers. Marines killed and moved on. Night fighters too. Old men;
-English Sailors. Only 19 miles from Newport/Dunkirk. Belgium was almost all under German control. Fought to get into Dunkirk;
-Shell-shocked soldiers (those who were afraid) were immediately moved out of the camp. Slapping a young soldier, he got mad and started acting like a man;
-57 air raids out of 60 nights in Dunkirk;
-Americans wanted 20-somewhat volunteers to go to Belgium. All the Americans stepped out. 50 somewhat who stayed got killed. All Americas went to the front;
-Fixing broken trucks. He didn't work on tanks. Patton in WWI;

-Tanks rolling across the trenches was a turning point in the war. One jug of gas. The tanks wasn't going too far (01:00:24);
-Meeting Germans after the war. Knocking some down in planes during the war;
-Sergeant with a 45-automatic with extra clips. Shooting wild hogs;
-Armistice was Nov. 11th, 1917, but Leo didn't come home until June 1919. They didn't have the boats. German boat that could bring 12,000 people a load. U.S. Louisville brought 3,000 back;
-Left at Brest, not going back;
-Not meeting too many civilians. Waking up early for drilling. Keeping the men straight on the way back, but not drilling too much. Coming back to New York and 12 men leaving for Fort/Camp Pike in Arkansas and then the train to Opelousas;
-$50 bonus when he got out. Ticket home;
-No reception. Just Stanley and Leo. Everyone was so excited to see them home;
-After the whole experience, he was just himself, an old Cajun. Fire department before he left for the war. Boy scout helping out before the war. Getting a job with his old boss, mechanic;
-People were trying to get organized. Good job offered in South America as an airplane mechanic, but his mother said no. Building his own garage in Opelousas. 1922. Sold it in 1960. School Board;
-Staring at THI trade school?;
-So unreal/happy coming back from the army. Given 89 pints of blood. Good fireman and gentleman. No dirty jokes/words around him. Mother wanted him to stay that way, she died in Nov. 29th, 1960 at the hospital of cancer. First wife died Oct. 7th, 1960;
-Leo had cancer, he had a hernia and found cancer after taking the x-rays. As big as a grape fruit. Apple cider vinegar and honey is good medicine. He attributes that to the cancer coming out all together in one piece;
-Giving 3 pints of blood a month;
-Serving his country;
-Times were tough when he came back from the war, no money. 1921, all the banks were broke. Opening his shop, paying $10/month. $200/month now. Leo just wanted to work. 75 cents/hour as a mechanic;
-Bootlegging - millionaires selling whiskey. Telling his mother he was a liability because he only gets enough to get by and paying rent while she takes care of him;
-House built for an ex-sailor, boy scout;
-Stanley Guidry died in 1942 of a heart attack. He ate too much. Dying going on a call to go to a fire. He loved motorcycles and chased women, Leo didn't Stanley was married twice. They were fishing buddies. He drank a little;
-Contact between Americans and French. Honky-Tonks, bootleggers made money;
-Promising his mother to come back just as he did. Dying young;
-Leo will be 88 years old this year and he eats anything he wants. He's been operated on;
-Jumping out of a boat. Miller's lake, Ville Platte. Dredge boat;
-Testing machine guns. Bombing. Shelling the road, hitting the trucks? Leo was in charge of that truck;
-Using gas. Getting mean and putting out a good gas barrage. Wind blowing back on them and killing themselves;
-Caught up in barbed wire;
-Living in the trenches terrible;
-Americans didn't stay in the same trenches long. Moving the trenches up;
-That winter was horrible, so cold. Water trucks going 10-12 miles to get fresh water. One truck got stuck with 4-wheel drive. Walking out there and not being able to push it out. Draining them and pushing them out by hand. Carrying water by hand for about 12-15 hours non-stop;
-Having to do things, not sitting on your butts;
-We were better men, could take care of ourselves;
-Heater and light he just bought;
-Leo offering Barry some coffee;
-"Too green to burn. Too tough to freeze. And if you kill one too, you got too many kills anyhow. You don't miss 'em";

Leo L. Lafleur

Ulysse Arceneaux:

Part II of interview, see AN1-223;
World War I, Stories;

-No-named man from Lafayette;
-Soldiers falling in love with French girls, none got married to them though;
-Fighting on the front. Moving right into Germany after the war was done, waiting to come home. Walking through Belgium to Germany;
-Most soldiers fell in love with German girls, staying there longer and living with the Germans;
-Officers making room for the U.S. Soldiers;
-Stationed about 12 km from Koblenz? right on the Rhine;
-Not being allowed to interact with the German girls. His encounter with a Belgian girl. He was kept overnight in Koblenz, brought to the officer the next day. Box of cigars for the captain, cigarettes for the lieutenant, candy for the first sergeant;
-Coat Marshall?;
-Officer was eating supper the afternoon they brought him back. Inviting him to eat supper. 30 days hard labor, he was doing the same thing he was doing before;
-3 officers asked if he was guilty or not. Girl was trying to sell him souvenirs and he was trying to tell her he didn't want it. 30 days hard labor;
-No pull with the officer, you were out of luck;
-Germans were way nicer than the French were to the U.S. soldiers. The French didn't appreciate them? French charging soldiers rent;
-Maybe the French didn't care to have American soldiers there?;
-Barry meets with the higher class since he's going to school;
-Higher class, the people would their hats to them. Not talking back;

-Nothing but Farmland. Man playing the bugle and giving him the news (herald) (9:50);
-A lot of sheep. All government land?;
-Going to the target range;
-Man going fishing with his wife and daughter;
-Stationed in the Pyrenees? Thanksgiving. Getting some wine;
-3 ladies ran the winery. Mother was a widow and the two daughters were in the army. Getting some wine to sell to the soldiers (instead of coffee) and giving them the afternoon off so they could have a snow fight;
-Officer finds a good looking girl. Setting up the date;
-Getting whatever he wanted, beer, wine, etc.;
-Talking to the wife of a First Lieutenant in the French army, comparing salaries (same as a sergeant). Ulysse was getting $47.60 a month? Ulysse was making a few Francs more. The French thought the Americans were all millionaires;
-Working in Patterson, LA. Getting there on Saturday, going to church on Sunday and a man shaking his hands. Never going back to work. Joining the army before going back to where he worked;
-No one helped WWI vets get housing, jobs, etc. like they did WWII vets;
-Like he had been on a long trip;
-$60 bonus for one month's pay;
-Placide working with him, 20% pension as a veteran?;

-Scar on his leg, he would've gotten some government assistance if he would've been in WWII (18:55);
-Not knowing anyone who suffered from the war, who had a hard time getting over it;
-Guys who were shell-shocked, running into the German lines, he was told that. Deserting your post and getting killed/a medal;
-Pictures of the 1927 flood?;
-Things have changed since Ulysse was little, born in 1897;
-Taking a picture a couple years ago, he was 85. Seeing daylight? in Carencro;
-Going to school in Patterson. He didn't know how to speak English. Going to a one-room country school in Carencro. Going some days depending on how much work had to be done;
-His uncle didn't believe in school;
-His mother died when Ulysse was 2 years old, lived with his Aunt and Uncle until he was 8-9 years old (his aunt died). Moving with his cousin(s);
-He was an orphan. He couldn't take living with his cousins too much. One day, his uncle told him to take the rust off the plow blades and his cousin told him to do something else. He told his cousin his uncle told him to do something first;
-Hitting him with a buggy? Throwing bricks at his cousin?;
-Going to Bayou Carencro to another cousin's. His brother took him to Patterson shortly after;
-Adventurous life;
-Ending up moving to Rayne, his daughter lives here;
-Used to be an open field with cattle. Coming here one day about 6 years before he moved. Asking his son-in-law, he said they were going to make a subdivision. Buying a lot and building within a year. Father-in-law needs to sell before he can build. Building on the corner;

Ulysse Arceneaux

***Continued from AN1-222***
***There is a dub cassette Maxell Communicator Series C60***

Claude Hebert (born 1895):

Circa. 1984

-Drilling there. Quarter masters and medics didn't know how to drill. Squad was alright, but a company made a lot of mistakes;
-Marching the whole company against the building, not knowing commands;
-Sleeping in trenches, dirt falling in your face;
-Snowing in Leon Springs? 5 miles north of San Antonio. Walking his beat, light in the canteen. Square box on the landing by the canteen where they'd unload the freight. Pulling on the box until he got on the ground. Getting in the box. Maybe shooting him if they found him sleeping?;
-Lost his bayonet, drilling without it. Not punished for it;
-Reporting to the artillery company. Wanting to pay for it again, he hadn't sold it, just lost it;
-All quarter masters and medics (non-combatant) who want to go back to their outfit, won't pass. Same rank and pay they had in their outfit;
-Corporal after he got back. Extent of his fighting;
-Getting back in March;
-Everybody was busy trying to do something. Going back to the superintendent in school, $80/month. Living with his grandfather, then going to a hotel (not wanting to give his grandmother any trouble);
-Cousine Fémie (Mrs. LeBlanc). Friend Lede? Landry living at her hotel too;
-Grandfather didn't want him to pay $15/month. No welfare. He had a big garden from which he'd sell vegetables;
-Growing sugar cane and making a little money before moving to town;
-Living with them and working with Dr. Williams (superintendent);
-Finishing college at LSU. Officers were younger and less educated than him. He had to salute them. They wore leather leggings. Getting a degree so he could be an officer and people could salute him;
-Getting a Master's degree when he got back from Haiti. 1931, during the Depression. You couldn't buy a job;
-Saved $6,500. Plantation near New Iberia. Corporation of New Iberia. Southwest Louisiana Fair to the Cypress Swamp. 175 acres of land for exactly $6,500. $1,300 cash and 33 years to pay the rest at $130 a year;
-It hadn't been planted on 5 years;
-Blood Weed/Herbes à Cochon (break them and their red inside). Old barn with no roof, doors hanging. No house. Couldn't sell, maybe steal during the Depression;
-Spending his money and not having anything in 10 years. Paying more with a Master's degree;

-Farm now has 5 oil wells in the swamp (10:37);
-Land next to New Iberia sells for thousands-of dollars an acre - first time he missed being rich;
-Smoking 50-cents cigar and drink some good whiskey if he'd be rich. He wouldn't be 89 years old now;
-Coming to Scott. Got his Master's and various work. Teaching for 24 years;
-82.5 acres of land right by the Church. School given by the people that owned the land. Coco Shoe Store in Lafayette was selling it for $3,000. He could've bought it and developed it;
-Measuring the 10 acres the school had for $1,500/acre. Houses paid more than that;
-The first wife wanted to be close to the church, but she didn't want to see dead people. She didn't go to funerals, not even her father's (he was in Donaldsonville and she was in Youngsville);
-Place for sale where you don't see dead people. Bought this (1 acre of land and the house) for $5,000. Garage cost $10,000 30 years later. Addition cost $27,000 plus the cost of furniture;
-Not that things are worth more than it was in the past. Money is worth less;
-Ms. Onézia Beatle? Interviewing her and him on tv. His hobby or his life: agriculture;
-Haiti, he wasn't teaching. He'd visit the schools and give a speech in French or Creole;
-Hotels over there, walls are 8' high, and 4 more feet without a wall to allow for ventilation. Could climb into the other rooms;
-Drinking rum and talking Creole. Haitians talking about whites. They mistook even his accent as local;
-Talking English, French, and Creole. Thinking in each respective language. Not thinking in one language and translating into another;
-She doesn't have an education like him. She started at the telephone company at about 16 years old in 1914. It didn't take her long to learn, needle-system;
-Operation the telephone system, directing calls. Working at night, fire or emergency was exciting. Calling the police;
-Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Bares?;
-During the war, 14 girls before the flu epidemic. 7 after. Hard work. So many people dying. Too busy, not enough operation/work;
-WWII, working in Leesville. In New Iberia during WWI. She was born in Patoutville/Grand Marais;
-12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls;
-?, Eisenhower, Bradley, Paton, etc.;
-Soldiers coming in. Soldiers calling their families?;
-Simpler?;

Claude Hebert (born 1895)

Mrs. Sidney Lasseigne:

-Le Conte à Bee Albert. Deux docteurs, un vieux et un jeune. Le jeune embarassé d'aller aux maisons. Traiter l'homme qui buvait trop de café/bière (les tasses de café/les bouteilles dehors.
-Traiter la femme avec trop de "calottrisie?" (les pieds du prêtre en bas le lit);
-Un 'tit nègre et une 'tite négresse. "To fais to(n) l'idée, to fait to(n) paquet.";
-L'homme avec les poules et le gaïm. Donner des rides à 4 ou 5 femmes. "Bourru? Descend." Toutes les poules avaient descendu, il restati juste le gaïm;
-Shop à Parks. Camille Lasseigne. Il ne se sentait pas trop bien, mais il ne savait pas comment le dire en anglais. Il a dit à la maitresse, "I don't think I smell too good."

***Copy of AN1-153***

Frank Blanchard, Wilbur Theriot:

Frank Blanchard (age 74):

-Il y a du changement dedans le printemps (chanson);
-J'ai rencontré trois jolies demoiselles (danse ronde)--les danses rondes. Chanter en dansant sans musique;
-En revenant des noces en étant bien fatigué (chanson). Toute la bande chantait (9:55);
-Le vieux buveur (Le vieux soûlard et sa femme/Mon bon vieux mari) (chanson). Apprendre dessus un graphaphone à peu près 60 années passé (Joe et Cleoma Falcon);
-Faire toute sa vie à Pierre Part;
-J'ai fait serment de plus boire (J'ai été au bal) (chanson courte);
-Je suis la délaissée (chanson des vieux);

Wilbur Theriot:

-La troisième chose (memorat). Embrasser et caresser et faire quelque chose d'autre aux filles quand ils étaient jeunes;

Frank Blanchard:

-Laquelle marirerons-nous (chanson de soirée);
-Les bals de maison et les danses (histoire orale). Des violons et des guitares aux bals. M. Clébert et M. Varisse. M. Blanchard. Principalement ds joueurs de violon;
-Jouer du violon, jouer des bals (2 valses et 2 two-step). Il a fini le bal, il était mieux que celui qui jouait le bal déjà;
-Types of dances: quadrilles et mazurkas pour ses parents, pas lui (il était trop jeune) (20:44);
-Vive Jésus, vive sa croix (cantique en français et en latin). Pour carême, le chemin de la criox;
-J'ai pris mon violon et j'ai pris mon vieux cheval (chanson). (Rye Whiskey/Travailler, c'est trop dur);
-Marbrough s'en va-t-en guerre (chanson de guerre);
-Hier après-midi le char a tué Fido (chanson);
-Avec le lait de ces moutons (chanson);
-Devine devinage qu'est-ce qu'il y a? (chanson);

-Il y a pas de Christmas pour les pauvres (chanson à D.L. Menard appris au country club) (30:04);
-Qui c'est qui va soulier tes pauvres 'tits pieds? (chanson);
-Le violon et le guitare sans chanter. Pas trop des chanteurs;
-La délaissée (violon puis chante);
-Chorisse sans titre (air de violon);
-Jouer mieux que le joueur du bal;
-Petit cochon rôti (Rosina?). Il y a plus que 40 il joue ça. Son beau-père jouait ça. M. Varisse Guillot et Clébert Labbé?;
-Jouer à deux violons, un dessus les 'tites cordes et un dessus les grosses;
-Chanson sans titre (air de violon). Appris dans les bals. Un two-step;
-Ses parents dansaient des mazurkas et des polkas;
-Un petit bonhomme pas plus gros qu'un rat (Pas voler mes pommes quand je sera pas là) (chanson);

Sidney Lasseigne, Frank Blanchard, Wilbur Theriot