Ramos, Ofilia
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Rosa Rodriguez: This is Rosa Rodriguez and I will be interviewing Ofilia Lott-Ramos in I don't know if I was Ofilia, where were you born?
Ofilia Ramos: I was born in Spofford, Texas, February 9th, 1943.
Rosa Rodriguez: And, how did your family come to this country?
Ofilia Ramos: My father was here sometime and around 1910. And then he married my mom in 1929.
Rosa Rodriguez: Where did he marry her?
Ofilia Ramos: He married her in Aouda, Coahuila, Mexico. And, then they just came across.
Rosa Rodriguez: So he first was here in 1910. Where did he go when he arrived in the United States?
Ofilia Ramos: He worked on the railroad. So he had different areas that he worked along the, the train line. But he settled in, Spofford, Texas, where I was born.
Rosa Rodriguez: When was the first time that he came to Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: I believe it was 1947. Between 1947 and 1948.
Rosa Rodriguez: And what was the reason they came to Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: Because, the family was growing. Were young men then. And he wanted to have more for his family than than what was offered in Spofford. The there wasn't any jobs. There were the jobs were just railroading. And he didn't want the boys to do that.
Rosa Rodriguez: What did he do when he came to Idaho? Where did he find work and where did he go for school? What place in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: He came here to Idaho Falls, and he worked for the sugar factory, as a laborer. You know, working in the fields. And he, he worked for a farmer and, the little town we call Lincoln right now.
Rosa Rodriguez:
Were they, how many children were born in Idaho Falls?
Ofilia Ramos: Two. The two youngest, the girl, Mary, was born in 1948. And. And the boy was, Bill was born in 1950.
Rosa Rodriguez: So you and your other brothers and sisters, went to school here?
Ofilia Ramos: Just myself. The. Let's see, the four youngest went to school, and we completed our school, but a couple of the older ones started school, but they they dropped out because of work. They had to work.
Rosa Rodriguez: And did they work there in the sugar factory with your dad?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes, they did well in the fields. We worked out in the fields.
Rosa Rodriguez: Did you, speak English when you first started going to school here?
Ofilia Ramos: No. And I remember the first grade, I. I didn't speak English. The only language, Spanish, was spoken at home. And the older brothers and sisters that did spend a little bit of time in school. They knew English, but I didn't. I learned just by being around other kids.
Rosa Rodriguez: Was there other children in the area where you lived that were also Mexican-Americans?
Ofilia Ramos: I don't remember now. I think there was, but we were a family unit and so we stayed just family. Just just with ourselves.
Rosa Rodriguez: What do you remember about your teachers in Idaho? Do you have good thoughts about going into the Idaho schools?
Ofilia Ramos: I, I was probably maybe one of the luckiest because I, the teachers treated me real good. And I started school on first grade in Parker, Idaho. And then I came to Lincoln and and go to school. And most of the school, most of my education is in was in Idaho Falls schools, and I never saw any of the discrimination I, maybe it was there.
I just didn't see it.
Rosa Rodriguez: Where is Parker, Idaho. And why were you there?
Ofilia Ramos: Parker is close to Saint Anthony's, about, oh, ten miles. I'm not sure. North east of Saint Anthony. And my dad worked for, for a farmer there, working in the in the potato houses.
Rosa Rodriguez: And how about your other brothers and sisters? What? How do they feel about going to school?
Ofilia Ramos: The older brothers and sisters spent, well, their schooling was in Spofford, and their schooling was not a good experience at all. The teachers there were very prejudice. And this, just repeating what I heard my sister say. And, they would get beat very often and, But as far as the Idaho schools, when they came to, you know, Idaho Falls in 1948, a couple of them did go to school a little bit.
And, I, I don't remember them saying anything bad that happened to them.
Rosa Rodriguez: What do you remember of the house where you used to live in the Lincoln area? Was it a big house or small house?
Ofilia Ramos: The little house in Lincoln was, if you're familiar at all with Idaho Falls right now, it's on the corner. It was on the corner of Woodruff and Lincoln. And there's a service station there now. But back, you know, when I was a little kid, I think there was two rooms, the kitchen and one room for. Well, there was, I think eight of us by then.
They were all born by then. And, I remember my dad during the wintertime. It's cold here. And we had to put paper on the walls and my dad put paper on the walls. Use the, the flour, you know, for the pace and that and, but it was a happy time. I, at least as a child, I felt like it was a happy time.
Rosa Rodriguez: Did your dad work all year round?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes he did. He worked for, Carla Carlisle Chaffin, and he owned a lot of property there on Lincoln and Woodruff and that area right there. And, we were full time. We just, we didn't go outside of the farm. He he kept us busy, with everything he had. The boys drove trucks and, whatever else was needed.
Rosa Rodriguez: What kind of, food did your mom make for you? And did she have a hard time finding the ingredients she needed for her cooking in Idaho Falls? At that time?
Ofilia Ramos: I don't know. It was all about the food. It was frijoles beans. Tortillas and rice. Very, Just very basic food that we eat meat also. And the farmer always gave my dad, a pig to raise and slaughter when it was, you know, big enough. And and he had sheep on the on the farm, too.
So we always had a pickup. A lamb and, but as far as the ingredients, I, I don't know, I was kind of young that, you know, when they first came and, so I'm not sure about the ingredients.
Rosa Rodriguez: Do you remember when you first came to Idaho? Was it in the summer or in spring?
Ofilia Ramos: Most of this is just by word that I'm telling you is is by memories of what my father used to talk about because I was only about 3 or 4 years old at the at the very start. And,
Rosa Rodriguez: Let me let me interrupt, okay. And ask you. What year your father was born.
Ofilia Ramos: It was late 1800s.
Rosa Rodriguez: I know he lived a long life. How old were you when he passed away?
Ofilia Ramos: He was 108 when he passed away in 1988.
Rosa Rodriguez: And he passed away here in Idaho Falls.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes. He did.
Rosa Rodriguez: Okay. Then he did he live with one of your, another brother of yours, or did he live? And he'd let the his last year? Did he live somewhere in the farm also, or working more comfortable living in, like, a farming area?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. He, he lived with my brother Bill in Osgood, which is a farm and little farming community. And, yes, he liked to live out on the farm, and he'd go camping with us, and he enjoyed that. And, But he lived with my brother until he passed away.
Rosa Rodriguez: Does he ever do he ever talk to you about, The times that he worked in the railroad, was there other Mexican people, Mexican men working there?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. And then I think it was about 1910 when he crossed over to the United States because the revolution was going on in Mexico. So he crossed over and there was all the chain gang, chain gang, or whatever they call it, the railroad gang. They were all Mexican, the way he tells it. They were all Mexican and they have families with them.
There were men with their families, and they moved from camp to camp on the railroad side, laying track. And he said, he said, performance were real men. Of course. That's, you know, the kind of labor, but usually it was white for months. And all the laborers were Mexican.
Rosa Rodriguez: What does, what do you remember about your mom and how she felt when she first came into the United States with your dad? How did you feel about leaving Mexico?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I think she was probably like any new bride. She was probably scared. She never been in the United States. And she was only 16 years old. But dad had already everything arranged for her. She was, they had a home. And the other people that lived in the little community were all, well, not all of them, but probably 80% were were of Mexican descent.
So they didn't have any problem with the language because the, the judges spoke excellent, Spanish. The doctors, the, policemen or whatever, you know, all all of the people spoke Spanish.
Rosa Rodriguez: And that was in Texas.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes.
Rosa Rodriguez: Did your brothers ever serve in, in a war?
Ofilia Ramos: My oldest brother, Ted, he served in the Korean War in 1950. Whatever. He served his time, whatever it was. And, he. Oh. And and the youngest brother, Bill, he was, during the Vietnam he served quite a but nine years total in the Air Force between the Air Force and the Army.
Rosa Rodriguez: And the third, I would talk to you about the Korean War and with their other Hispanics with him. I know if you're not.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes, he did, he have taught that, one of his best buddies and also Bill, one of his best buddies were Hispanic. I'm sure there was a lot of them.
Rosa Rodriguez: So... was one of your older brothers that didn't continue his school in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: That's correct. Yes.
Rosa Rodriguez: Can you remember looking back at your education in Idaho Falls? Can you remember of a teacher that stands out in your mind that helped you?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, probably the one at Parker, because I don't know. She stands in my mind because she gave me a little, a little golden book. And I thought that was the best thing that ever happened. And, and I did learn to read it, and I think I was only in the first grade then, and that was real neat.
That was for me.
Rosa Rodriguez: How did you feel when you came into the Air Force school then? You didn't know any English.
Ofilia Ramos: I the only thing I remember, I remember two occasions, one, I was sitting in a circle and now I know why. Why it was the probably the reading, the reading time. I didn't know what was going on, but I was sitting in a circle and, listening to the other people read. And then another time at the same school at, Emerson, I'm pretty sure it's on Third Street.
Emerson. And, there was this little girl and I. And there was a little boy, you know, all the same age. And I said something and she giggled. The other little girl giggled, and the teacher was standing. It was just there, close by, that she could hear what I said. To this day I don't know what I said, but I got reprimanded for whatever I said.
I didn't know what and she didn't take time. The only thing the teacher told me was, a little girl shouldn't say that. Well, that's great, but I. I don't know what I said wrong. I'm.
Rosa Rodriguez: How do you think education opportunities for Mexican-Americans in Idaho, changed in your lifetime?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, when I first graduated in 1961 from Idaho Falls High. I don't think it probably was. Overall, I don't think there was a lot of government grants. And the only way you could go if you go to college, I wanted to go to college, but the only way you could go was either your parents paid for you, of course they needed to have money or you got scholarships.
And and the only, the only thing with scholarships is that you have to be, I mean, real smart, or at least your grades had to reflect that you were real smart. And mine weren't that that great. But I still wanted to go to school. And then later on, 15 maybe later on. It did get better. And I think it is better because I myself went to school under a grant and I, I really appreciate that.
And I try to work with other young people when I do have, the opportunity or the time to work with them.
Rosa Rodriguez: Do you think that, I hope Mexican-Americans do well in school.
Ofilia Ramos: Oh, I. By the reports I see and I hear they're not doing too well yet. It's. I think they're odd. The the figures have improved, I think more kids, more Hispanic kids. Mexican-Americans are staying in school because their parents are educated. And the ones that are educated, they are staying in school. And I think it's improved. But you're you still have the problem with, with the laborers, with the migrant workers, and that hasn't I don't think that has improved it too much.
Rosa Rodriguez: Describe your first job that you had out of working with them at the Farmers place when you were here in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: From my first job out of high school. Up until high school, I worked in the fields. And later, I still continued off and on work in the fields. But my first job non-related was at a hospital at, the LDS hospital here in town. And I was in the kitchen and I thought, hey, I'm doing really good.
And I was going to secretarial school at night, so I'm rolling. And, they treated me good there. I, I worked, oh, maybe six, seven months.
Rosa Rodriguez: How did your parents feel about you graduating from high school and then getting a job and going to secretary school at the same time?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, they thought that was pretty neat. They really. My both my father and mother, wanted us. The children, to be educated because they knew that without education, without knowing the language. Well, you know, it just doesn't hold your future. Doesn't look too good. And so they really the they really pushed for the education. My father learned to read and write by himself.
Like a lot of people, probably back in the Old West, I call it, they learned by themselves. And my mom also could read a little bit. She didn't know how to write, but she didn't know how to read a little bit.
Rosa Rodriguez: Or other kinds of jobs that you have.
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I've been, I've. I've had a lot of dishwashing and all kinds. And I've also been a secretary for many, many years, and I've worked for the Nampa School District as, a teacher's aide and also a teacher. And I have a degree in, bilingual education that I'm very proud of, at the press. And I'm working at the, in the, in the field side as a technician, and that doesn't seem very related teaching, but, but I do, occasionally tutor on the side.
Rosa Rodriguez: Are you happy there working, as a technician?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. If the teaching I think is my would be the ideal. But because for financial reasons, the technician job holds a little more promise financially. But, my love, I think, is teaching.
Rosa Rodriguez: Do you think of media like Mexican-Americans in the workplace are treated fairly here in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: From. I think it, probably makes a difference where you're working now where I work for EG&G. And that's a very, it's a big company and they have all kinds of methods to, make, make sure that your rights are protected. They have in your office and it's, it's quite good. And, but there are less fortunate people I know.
I don't know of any incidents myself, but I'm sure that, that they are treated fairly. But, since I've worked for the school district and for the and for now for this company, I haven't had that problem.
Rosa Rodriguez: Why did you, to to come back to Idaho Falls? You said you looked, Amantha, and you came back to Idaho.
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I think what brought me back home was my folks know first. My mom passed away, and then my dad moved back to Idaho Falls for the Maine family, where most of the family were are here. And then, just other things in my own private life that happened to me that I decided I, I tried, I tried working at the for the initial and it's been very good to me.
I've, I've had, I've been treated well there.
Rosa Rodriguez: How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Ofilia Ramos: I have, four brothers. Three sisters and one that's living and one that's passed away. And myself.
Rosa Rodriguez: And comparing Nampa. And I don't feel. Where would you rather live? And I'm not. You can just imagine that you don't have your nice job at dying, you know? But in comparison with the community, where would be a more comfortable place for you to live?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, well. I'll pray. It was hard for me to get used to Idaho Falls because I was used to seeing a lot of brown faces and a lot of. And hearing the music, and it just different. It's a different world from Nampa. And but the opportunity is, better here. There's more work here. There's, just a better opportunity.
And, I wish I had done it a long earlier than, than what? Than what I did.
Rosa Rodriguez: Do did your parents ever talk to you about your grandparents? I think you ever known your grandparents?
Ofilia Ramos: No, I never will. I'm sure I did when I was a baby, but I don't remember my grandparents, they died. I was I just found out not too long last year. Matter of fact, that one of my grandmothers died in 1954. And that would have made me 10 or 11 years old, at least.
Rosa Rodriguez: Was she in Mexico when she died?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes. They were they,
Rosa Rodriguez: They never.
Ofilia Ramos: Came here. No, they never came to the I think. Well.
Rosa Rodriguez: Let's talk about a little bit about your mom and dad. Did they ever go out anywhere, like on a Saturday? Do you remember there was dancing where they used to go to church on Sunday?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, the only thing I remember, one of my sisters, the older sister, saying that they like my mom, like the movies. My dad was very, not standoffish in a in a bad way, but I think because he didn't know the language, he rather stay home. But my mom was, different. She was very outgoing. And, as a family, we would they would get us all kids in the pickup, bring us into town.
And this, you have to think, was 40 years ago or so, and probably one movie house, and we would all go to the movies to Sunday or Saturday matinee, and. But my mom like westerns a lot, and so that's what they did. There wasn't as far as, dances, there wasn't any music, Mexican music in the area or whatever you happen, you know, if you had records that you brought from Texas or wherever, and because of the language there was, we stuck together.
And at that time, there wasn't very many families here. There was maybe, another couple more families that we knew well. And when we baptized kids, you know, the kids, we'd all baptized each other kids because we, we needed first to be Catholics and then to be friends. So.
Rosa Rodriguez: So when you went to the movie house on Saturday or Sunday. Was it always packed with people?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, yeah, they said, it was, but it was all English as far, as far as I know. Because like I said, that was back in 48 or something like that. There was always people here, migrant people, but not people that stayed out. And we stayed the Garcias and the Perez's and and, the rumors, we stayed and there I think that's the big difference between.
Rosa Rodriguez: Remember the first time that you stayed and the winter?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. It was, it was a hard winter. They, Like I said, I was little, but, yeah, it was a pretty hard winter because Texas doesn't have all the snow and the ice and everything.
Rosa Rodriguez: How did your parents survive that? How did they, put clothing on you?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I think they had. Oh, my mom was real frugal with her money. And, of course, my dad, too. But when we first came, one thing that my dad did say when we first, first came here, we went to Chaffin. And that's, that's the farmer. And so we don't have any money, you know, we haven't worked or nothing.
But Chaffin said, oh, just go to the little store in Lincoln. They know me. And I told them, and he opened an account for us. You wouldn't do that nowadays for nobody. But he opened an account. And, of course, my mom was very, frugal. And she, you know, she only bought the necessities, but they provided us with blankets and so forth.
Rosa Rodriguez: And so this were this was your dad's first encounter, and I don't with this man. Mr..
Ofilia Ramos: That's right.
Rosa Rodriguez: So he trusted your dad to go and, to the store and get all everything he needed?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, it is, it was it was very unusual because he just told my my mom and sister, just go and tell them who you are and and the accounts they're open for you.
Rosa Rodriguez: Did your mom grow a garden there?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes, they did provide them garden with. We had a little garden space. And then the, also the farmer said, they had green. They used to have those green beans, whatever they call them. And, so he could fatten appeared or a hog, I guess it's called fatten a hog. And then, of course, he could have, a lamb or, a pic of a lamb.
So we were doing pretty good.
Rosa Rodriguez: What kinds of things that they grow in the garden.
Ofilia Ramos: Oh, carrots and probably, lettuce. And she left. And that kind of corn my dad could plant real good corn.
Rosa Rodriguez: What? What is a typical day of your career? What a typical day. And, them of their morning, way back when you were a little.
Ofilia Ramos: Well, if it was a workday, which most of them were, 4 or 5:00 in the morning, my dad would get up. My mom and she would cook breakfast, you know, a good breakfast. And then she would call the boys. Whoever was working, she would call them.
Rosa Rodriguez: And,
Ofilia Ramos: And they'd go up to work, they go up to work, and of course, at noon they'd have their meal, and then at night they would come home. And when I was going to school, by the time I was, you know, six years old or whenever I started to school and, then of course, I'd go to school, they take me either the bus came for me or somebody walked me to school.
Rosa Rodriguez: This is the end of part one of Ofilia Ramos's interview.
This is part two of Ofilia Ramos's interview.
Ofilia, what kind of social life did your two older brothers have when they had some time that they could go out?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I don't don't, remember that my brother Ted was about 18 or so when he was here, and he had a girlfriend back in Texas, which he later married. And, the younger brother and not the younger, but the next brother. He he liked to socialize. So he did have girlfriends. And, I think he, probably dated some girls, some Mexican girls.
And he also dated the Anglo girls. And, later he married an old 1954, 55. They both married them.
Rosa Rodriguez: Going back on the dating. Where would they go on a date?
Ofilia Ramos: I've the only thing that I can think of is that when we have family gatherings, social gatherings among the families, that's probably where they met the girls that,
Rosa Rodriguez: Like, baptism.
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, a baptism, a wedding, something some get together.
Rosa Rodriguez: Yeah.
Ofilia Ramos: But I don't think there was much dating. In those days. Later there. They were that.
Rosa Rodriguez: They tell me about you. When did you first start dating?
Ofilia Ramos: I didn't date much in high school. My, I wasn't allowed. My my folks are real strict. And,
Rosa Rodriguez: How about your other sisters?
Ofilia Ramos: None of them dated. My, Let's see. My. Well, the older sister was already married, and then the other sister, she did date, but she was, 18, 19, I think, when she started dating.
Rosa Rodriguez: How did you feel about her dating?
Ofilia Ramos: My, they never liked it. They wanted, I don't know if, just a good old Mexican boy. To, to, you know, among the families, I think they would have been, but my brother in law is a real wonderful guy. And so that turned out real good. Both of them. Well.
Rosa Rodriguez: When, your younger sister would date, would, would the young men come to the house and pick her up?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes, they had to. Even myself. When I start dating my my husband, he had to come to the house and pick me up. And also we would chaperon by his younger brother. Sister or my younger brother or sister.
Rosa Rodriguez: So your parents never let you go by yourself?
Ofilia Ramos: No. We were never allowed alone.
Rosa Rodriguez: And how did you meet your your husband?
Ofilia Ramos: It was also one of those family gatherings. And, by that time, the community had grown. And this was in the early 60s. So the community had grown and we were having there was some dances in, in the Lewisville and Monaghan area and, a couple of guys that knew how to play accordions or guitars or something.
And so that's what we needed. We need an accordion and a guitar and, and, we got out there dancing shoes.
Rosa Rodriguez: How did your parents feel about you dating, your husband, did they like him?
Ofilia Ramos: My dad liked him, like my husband. But my mom then never didn't care for him. You know, he grew on them after a while.
Rosa Rodriguez:
So then your parents didn't allow the girls to go on dates, but, but your brothers could go any time they wanted to.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes. The brothers were allowed to go. They, they weren't questioned for as long as they come home at a decent hour. And they didn't come home drunk. That was okay. But the women, the girls were well protected. And not only by my parents, but my brothers, too.
Rosa Rodriguez: When you were growing up and you were a teenager. And you were a girl, did you feel that your parents treated your brothers, more thoroughly than they treated you? As far as responsibilities around the house or.
Ofilia Ramos: My brothers were my mom's favorite as far. I mean, you know, I I'm sure she lived all of it, but definitely she showed, favoritism towards the boys and us, my other sisters. And they'll they'll say the same thing.
Rosa Rodriguez: With it, because your two older brothers worked and they had to drop out of school to to go to help the family with Frank. Maybe.
Ofilia Ramos: No, the I don't I don't believe that was the reason. It was just that, I don't know if it's true with all Mexican women or men. I'm not sure. Men, but, but I think a lot of the Mexican women, for some reason, have hold the son more, with higher regard. I don't know why, but.
But they do.
Rosa Rodriguez: So around the house. The girls did the housework. Did you help your mom with the cooking?
Ofilia Ramos: I in my particular house, not home? No, but I did all the, I did do the tortillas. A big stack of tortillas. I wash dishes, on Saturdays. It was, routine that I didn't go anywhere until I, cleaned the house. You know, the, not vacuum. Because back in those days, it was mostly, polish the floors, you know, mop them and then put a polish on them, that kind of thing for my brothers.
Didn't have to do that at all.
Rosa Rodriguez: Even the ones that weren't working.
Ofilia Ramos: That's right. The boys never wash dishes, never did nothing.
Rosa Rodriguez: What did your dad do on a on a day off, like on a Sunday? Or did he work seven days a week?
Ofilia Ramos: Oh, I think Sunday he didn't work. I'm pretty sure he worked all the other days, but he worked by the time I was in high school. He was still working in the potato house, but, and very little money. I remember there was just very little money, but he worked, and, he was very conscientious about working and getting to work.
But on his day off, he left to work out in the yard. You think he'd be tired? But no, he'd come and he mowed the lawn and he'd help mom with, the flower gardens. She loved flowers, so there was always plenty of flowers. But he was a very active man as he kept himself. You know, he was always out and about, busy doing.
Rosa Rodriguez: And I know he had a green thumb. Yeah. I grew a beautiful plant even after when he passed away. Yeah, yeah. Beautiful plant. Yeah.
Tell me about your sister. Your older sister. You said that she she she lives here, and she still lives on that property where you grew up.
Ofilia Ramos: That's my sister Carmen. When we came to Idaho Falls back in 1948 or 47, whenever it was, she was newlywed, and, they followed her husband, her and her husband, followed by followed us here and and my brother in law worked for for Carlyle. Up until he passed away. He never left the farm. He, he learned to do all kinds of things that, you know, they they do.
And during the winter time, he would just fix the machinery and put it in order for the summertime. And, and the boys were all born there. Her sons and daughters were all born there.
Rosa Rodriguez: And how old is her oldest?
Ofilia Ramos: Her oldest son must be about 41, I think. Now something like that. 4142.
Rosa Rodriguez: And that would be her oldest child.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes. That's her oldest.
Rosa Rodriguez: And they eventually bought that property for they are living.
Ofilia Ramos: Years before my brother in law passed away. He had bought a house and, well, he bought the property from Carlisle, and he said he moved the house onto it. And, they remodeled the house, and it's a really nice home. Now.
Rosa Rodriguez: Their house where they used to live when they first moved here.
Ofilia Ramos: No, this is another house. But it's on the same property that they were living.
Rosa Rodriguez: And why? Why you took get to brother and, decided to move here with your family. Bring his bride over. Why didn't he keep her in Texas?
Ofilia Ramos: Probably, probably the same thing. The only thing going right there in Texas was the railroad. And I guess somebody saw that it might be going out. You know, it would become obsolete soon. And, and his, my brother in law's brothers and dad and so forth, they all worked in the on the railroad and my dad really didn't encourage them.
I mean, you know, and, to come down, but he says, no, I want to go. I want to go to see your dad says it's pretty nice. And so they moved down here.
Rosa Rodriguez: And your dad worked in the railroad in Texas. Did you work in the railroad at all here in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: No. He didn't. He worked, I think he worked 30 years or something a long time. But, he was tired of working on the railroad. So when he came to Idaho, we we just worked on the farm in the fields.
Rosa Rodriguez: So what do you call yourself? A senior to call yourself? A Mexican, a Mexican American family. Latina? Or do you call yourself okay? Yeah.
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. Mostly that mostly paid a Mexican American. If I, If I'm to choose, a one of those, I would. I do call myself Mexican American.
Rosa Rodriguez: What do you value most about being a Mexican American?
Ofilia Ramos: My heritage. I have a rich heritage. I'm very proud of, my folks taught me a lot of things. A lot of good things. And not about.
Rosa Rodriguez: Did your parents ever talk to you about or did they ever tell you cuantos or, tell you about Mexico and how they were when they were growing up? And.
Ofilia Ramos: My dad was a real good storyteller. So I got all my I got all the cuantos the stories from him. My mom said they weren't true, but that's, That's okay.
Rosa Rodriguez: So do you remember a cuento that you that your dad or, Mr.. Tell you when you were little?
Ofilia Ramos: No, not, really offhand. It just, a lot of folklore has to do with, with God. With God and, devil, you know, fighting for people. And a lot of my dad's a lot. There was a lot of, spiritualism involved in his stories. I think the fight between good and evil, a lot of his stories told that.
Rosa Rodriguez: When you were little and you were growing up here, did you, do you remember them talking about. Good. There are some good undertones. Was there any here in Idaho?
Ofilia Ramos: I don't think there was any here in Idaho Falls. Could under those, but yes, definitely. My my dad did believe believed in that both my mom and dad. And that's what I couldn't remember, but. Well, a lot of his stories were based on that. On what they believed in or what they could understand and the, you know, the healers and some are good and some are bad.
You know,
Rosa Rodriguez: When you would get sick, what would your mom, what she pray over you and correct there was the a yeah.
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, that's the, a favorite one when you have the if somebody has given you the evil eye, the, the my mom would rob us with an egg and then and then one and say prayers. Okay. And then she'd get a little, a little cup or something to put the egg, crack the egg and, and, you know, crack it, in, in the bowl, in the little bowl.
And then if the egg would turn white, then that means that you're cured, that somebody had given you the evil eye. And,
Rosa Rodriguez: Would you brush you with a brush, a tree branch or something also?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah. And then when the tree branch, that's all, that's the color, a fright. That's, if you're scared. Really scared. Okay. And you start having nightmares and anyway, they would take it to some old lady to to read prayers over you and, and then they would brush you with branches from, I think manzanilla some kind of a, bush that would grow or mint.
Mint that that was a good one to.
Rosa Rodriguez: And that your parents do that to you.
Ofilia Ramos: They would know that also my mom would do that. And the other one, it's a little more expertise for that one. So they would find some old lady that knew how to how to do it.
Rosa Rodriguez: So in essence, maybe that little old lady with a little bit of a.
Ofilia Ramos: I think so, yeah, I think.
Rosa Rodriguez: She knew how to do.
Ofilia Ramos: It and she knew how to do it. Yeah. And, yeah.
Rosa Rodriguez: When you were sick or your brothers and sisters, do you remember them ever being really sick, any of them? Did they take you to the doctor, or did your mom try to have the remedies at home?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, I think, I remember I well, I don't remember, but I remember them telling me I was about six weeks, six months old, and that was back in Spofford. And, I had pneumonia. Really. I mean, I was pretty close to dying, and she did take me to the doctor. So they did believe in if the doctor was where they could get to, they would take us to the doctor.
And but she did do home remedies, you know, for a sore throat or a stomachache. She'd give us tea to drink and, you know, just, acid stomach, upset stomach and.
Rosa Rodriguez: Yeah.
It's the ability to speak Spanish important to you?
Ofilia Ramos: It is very important to me, and I. I don't know whether it's an individual thing, but I always kept maybe because I was the oldest of the four younger ones that were left. But I had to take my mom, you know, I went to the doctor with her. I went to the groceries. I kept her bank account until I got married.
And, but, I've always loved my language. I've always been, I've never said, Viva la Raza all the time. You know, but I've always been proud to be who I am.
Rosa Rodriguez:
Ofilia Ramos: Even back when it wasn't cool to be that. But, And also, since I was the oldest, I and my mom could not read or write in order to keep communications with Mexico, with the family she did have in Mexico, somebody had to read and write for her in Spanish. And that's why I've, I learned, young how to read and write, and then I, I improved that when I went to school, and I went to college.
Rosa Rodriguez: So it was important for your parents to teach you how strong the culture. The Mexican culture.
Ofilia Ramos: Yes. The it, they didn't want to want us to forget, where we came from. It didn't mean that we couldn't go ahead. You know, they wanted us to progress ahead, but they also wanted to know where we came from.
Rosa Rodriguez: As any, member of your family experienced, racial discrimination or sexual discrimination.
Here in Idaho.
Ofilia Ramos: Not that I know of personally. I haven't, I know my brothers and sisters that they have. I, I don't know of,
Rosa Rodriguez: How do Anglos see Mexican-Americans?
Ofilia Ramos: But I don't know if I can answer no. How to answer that?
Rosa Rodriguez: Do you want me to explain?
Ofilia Ramos: Yes, please.
You're going to ask again?
Rosa Rodriguez: I'm just.
Ofilia Ramos: Okay. The stereotype. Of who? What a Mexican is or is not, and it hasn't. Probably hasn't changed too much. They still assume that, you know, we carry knives and all this, and. And the woman is just honey and no honey and whatever, but, we have changed and and sometimes, when there's an and we're not all people forget that we're not all the same.
We have degrees, different degrees of education. And not only education, but who we are. Some of us have morals and some don't, and but a lot of people just, you know, they say, oh, you know, he he minutes, you know, he got busted last night for, for having cocaine or something. And that makes me feel bad because other people are going to say, well, maybe you do the same thing.
And that's not you know, that's not true.
But, the stereotypes are still there.
Rosa Rodriguez: From,
Are there are major events in your life that have a lasting impression, for example, you know, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, when your brother went to the Korean War.
Ofilia Ramos: And the civil rights movement. In regards to, being Mexican or being.
Rosa Rodriguez: What, regards to you being who you are in your life.
Ofilia Ramos: I don't the Vietnam War. Yeah, I think so. I my, the Vietnam War was I don't know what was political and what happened or anything, but I have a a brother the wind and he was 18. He's the youngest one. But, you know, I couldn't believe because we were taught to be very patriotic. I mean, the flag, you know, the country and and my, my dad stressed that to us.
He says, you, you young people or the people from here, even the the Anglo people don't know how good they have it because you can say anything you want and nobody says nothing to you. I mean, you might get slapped on the hand, you know, but you're not in prison, you're not thrown in jail. You're not. Nothing happens to you bad.
And but when I was a young. Well, I, I don't know how old I was, but Vietnam. And that's the word that I remember most. And, And I just couldn't. I didn't know why the young men didn't want to go and fight that. That's wrong. I think later I learned some of the things that happened that why they didn't want to fight.
But,
Rosa Rodriguez: But your parents, expressed how important it was to be to love your country.
Ofilia Ramos: Oh, yes. And that's why, my brother enlisted and both both of my brothers in the Korean War had enlisted, and then Bill enlisted. And,
Rosa Rodriguez: So your dad had a big influence on, their loyalty to the United States?
Ofilia Ramos: Yeah, he sure did, because he taught us from when we were just little kids how how wonderful it was to live here. And I do believe that,
Rosa Rodriguez: What is the single most important thing to you?
Ofilia Ramos: My family.
Rosa Rodriguez: Yeah. Your family. Meaning your son or your family. Meaning?
Ofilia Ramos: Well, my. Well, both my son and. And my brothers and sisters. Yeah, we we have, I think, an extended family that, I shouldn't say a lot of the Anglos don't have. Maybe they do some. But we have a very extended family and we might not see eye to eye on a lot of things. But if something's happened in the family, we are there for each other.
And that's a very strong, tie, a very strong bond that we have. Yeah.
Rosa Rodriguez: This is the end of Ofilia Ramos's interview.