Document text
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview FOLKLORE
NL YORK
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Terry Roth Sam Schwartz
ADDRESS 47 W. 69th Street
DATE March 6, 1939
SUBJECT ROSSINI
1. Date and ti of _nterview April 4, 1939
2. Place of interview
Furriers Union
250 West }6th Street
New York City
3. Name and address of inforriant Mrs. Sarah Cohen
152 W. 13th Street
4. Name and address of person, if any, wEo put you in
touch with informant. Miss Spiro, Educational Director
5. Name and address of person, if any, acoompanyinL you
Sam Schwartz
6. Description of room, house, surroune.ings, etc.
(Tse as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material refers.)
FORM C
Text of Interview- (Unedited)
STATE New York
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
NAn OF 'A'ORKER Terry Roth Sam Schwartz
ADDRESS 47 IL 69th Street
DATE March 6, 1939
SUBJECT BOSSINI
BOSSINI
152 W. 13th Street
Was my first shop that I worked with trimmings. I didn't
know the trade. I'll tell you the truth. I didn't know a thing
about a union or anything. I didn't have any idea what means a
union. But when I was working in the shop, came up to me the boss.
"Rear, missus, when the inspector will come up and ask you, missus
you should tell him you are the lady Bossini." Just like that.
That point made me to understand what is a worker, a union, and
a boss. As soon I finished my work that day I went up to the
union and I became a worker.
I didn't know the trade. But, you know how a girl knows the
needle. Every girl knows haw to work with a needle. Little stitches
with a needle, with a cotton. Nothing else. Straight stitches.
This word "Bossini" that made me class conscious. It was a dif-
ferent shop, after 1926 strike. I worked in a big shop. The boss,
he knew I was an intelligent girl. I learned in the old country.
-2
So he comes over to me. "How can a learned person be a worker
also?" And he told me. "Mrs. Cohen, yesterday I had in my house
a party. I give my girl for a thousand dollars a check." I look
at him. I already knew from that "Bossini". So he told me, you
will excuse me. "The union should go sit on the toilet. 01, I
should only be able to give my girl more." I am with him as the
goy with the jew. He works and I am helping.