1. NEWS BRANTFORD-BRANT
Charlotte Villa residents share all of their stories
By MichelleRuby,BrantfordExpositor
Monday,February1,20108:55:06 ESTAM
The buildings of Laurier Brantford and Charlotte Villa Retirement Residence neighbour each other, but the paths of their
occupants rarely cross.
A unique school assignment has created some unlikely pairings between and taught a group of budding journalists that
everyone has a story to tell.
"I can look out the window and see the students walking to class," said Arden Redfern, director of marketing at Charlotte Villa. "I
wanted to somehow get the students and the residents together."
Redfern approached the university with an opportunity for journalism students to "tap into some of the rich history and
wonderful experience" of seniors at Charlotte Villa through one-on-one interviews.
The result is a book of more than 25 captivating stories collected from conversations with ordinary people.
Student Scott Manson was partnered with 91-year-old Yoshio Hyodo, who lives at Charlotte Villa. A Canadian of Japanese
descent, Hyodo talked about living in Vancouver during the Second World War and how he became a victim of prejudice and
discrimination.
"We were actually fighting two wars," Hyodo told Manson. "Did you know that? The great war and the war against discrimination
in Canada."
Reunited with their interview subjects recently in the lobby at Charlotte Villa, the Laurier students reflected on their
conversations.
"Yo had a very compelling story to tell," said Manson. "I let him talk about whatever he wanted. The hardships, the racism he
experienced, it was an incredibly interesting story. What was supposed to be a 30-minute talk turned into 90 minutes.
"I wasn't sure what to expect out of the assignment. It's hard to ask a stranger to tell you their life story. But I was amazed at
how easy-going the conversation was."
Laurier instructor Richard Beales, who assigned the project, asked students to emulate the interviewing style of Pulitzer Prize
winning oral historian Louis (Studs) Terkel, who wrote 17 books full of interviews with plain folks.
"He would just turn on his tape recorder and carry on a conversation," said Beales. "Terkel had a gift for making people feel at
ease and open up to him. Their stories, as he recorded them, were as rich and full as biographies of kings and generals."
Charlotte Villa resident Catherine Moxon, 86, said her interviewer, 21-year-old Katie Brickman, has the same gift for making
people feel comfortable. Another Laurier student, Ashley Allen, also interviewed Moxon.
"She was able to draw out so many things," said Moxon. "She put me right at ease. I told her things I never tell anybody"
Moxon shared memories of working as a nurse for more than 20 years at a large food processing plant east of Windsor. She
recalled horrific industrial accidents, among them the tale of a young man who had his scalp torn off when his long hair was
caught in a conveyor belt.
"It was an extraordinary experience," Brickman said of her interview with Moxon. "You think, 'Wow, what a life this person has
had.' And she's probably thinking she doesn't really have a life story."
Laurier journalism student Rita Wong felt that same kind of connection with Alto Hall, a Charlotte Villa resident and former
teacher who has lived almost a century in Brantford.
"We spent almost two hours talking," said Wong. "I learned a lotfrom her"
Alex Denonville, who interviewed former city mayor and now Charlotte Villa resident Max Sherman, believes there is potential
for more partnerships between the university and local seniors.
Beales said Laurier is interested in making the interview project part of an annual course.
There will be no shortage of material.
"I think everyone has two or three stories in their lives," said Moxon.