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Container
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Title
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
00:30
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BACKGROUND OF NATHAN SWEET
: Born in Kapule, Russia, on June 15, 1887. Parents born in same area, as were Sweet's brothers Israel, Moshe Mordechai, and William, and sister Sarah (Mrs. Meyer Eglash) of Milwaukee.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
04:15
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FATHER'S JOB ON RANCH FARM
: Father was jack-of-all-trades. Sold milk cattle in town when they did not produce. Sold fruit during the fall.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
06:25
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HEBREW EDUCATION
: Older sons went to Hebrew School in the city. Younger children attended cheder on the farm.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
07:05
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ROLE OF JEWISH FAMILY IN VILLAGE
: Jewish families in each village operated small stores which sold kerosene, sugar, salt, and pepper. Typical job on the ranch farm was cow-chasing at milking time.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
09:10
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TRAVELING RABBIS
: Cheder taught by traveling rabbis, hired by father. Neighborhood children came to the farm for cheder. Rabbi remained on farm through summer but returned to city for High Holidays. If rabbi was good, he would return for winter; otherwise, another was hired. Rabbi prepared boys for Bar Mitzvah at age 13.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
11:15
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MORE ON HEBREW EDUCATION
: One brother learned Gemorrah and became a rabbi. The neighbors helped to form a minyan on the farm. Sweet learned Chumash.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
13:15
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ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE CITY
: Gentiles on farm were friendly towards Jews. There were fights and arguments between Gentiles and Jews in the cities. No pogroms in Sweet's village.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
14;55
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NEWS THROUGH JEWISH PRESS
: Family kept in touch with world events through Jewish newspapers. Covered international Jewish news as well as events in Russian cities.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
15:50
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UNCLES IN AMERICA
: Family had several uncles in Madison who wrote. Sent boat tickets to Sweet's four brothers for emigration after serving in Russian Army. All brothers, except for oldest, went directly to Madison.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
17:00
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NATHAN SWEET LIVES IN LONDON
: Father unable to buy ticket for Sweet to travel to Madison. Instead, he lived in London from age 17 to 2O.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
17:20
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ESCAPE FROM RUSSIA
: Father hired guide to take Sweet to a border town, where guide bribed border police with money to buy liquor. Escaped at night with others and slept at boarding houses along the way.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
21:20
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LIFE IN LONDON
: Sweet's brothers wanted him to come to Madison, but London too exciting to leave. Attended dances and Yiddish theater, where he saw Tomashefsky and Adler perform.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
23:10
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RECALLS LONDON THEATER SCENE
: Remembered scene in which a prepared wedding table was destroyed by son of widow soon to be married. Her husband-to-be, an old rabbi, was assaulted by the angry son.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
25:00
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END OF TAPE 1, SIDE 1
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
00:30
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RECALLS LONDON THEATER SCENE, continued
: Detailed wedding scene and destruction of prepared table by Tomashefsky.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
02:50
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REMEMBERS ANOTHER PLAY
: Described another Yiddish play in which rabbi advised parents of Jewish girl to accept her back into the family after she eloped with Gentile.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
05:00
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ARRIVAL IN LONDON
: Arrived with only one trunk and surprised friends; lived with family friends who were old neighbors from Kapule who would open their house to Sweets in the city during High Holidays.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
08:10
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APPRENTICESHIP AS CARPENTER
: Worked briefly in London as brushmaker. Apprenticed to builder for three years at $25.00 annually. In third year, met other apprentices who made more money and worked briefly for their contractor, until father forced him to return to original contractor.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
10:55
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WORK IN CHICAGO AS BRICKLAYER
: Left Madison for three years to work in Chicago. Was walking around city and sighted group of builders. Asked one where he could find the contractor, and the man said, “Don't I know you?” He was Sweet's second boss from Russia. Discovered that builders had specialties and bricklayers paid six cents more per hour. Thus, became a bricklayer.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
15:30
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LEAVES LONDON
: Brothers sent him ticket to Madison via Canada. Mad at brothers because he did not want to leave London. Boat trip lasted six days during which he ate only herring and potatoes.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
17:05
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BROTHERS' EMPLOYMENT IN MADISON
: Oldest brother worked at shoe factory for $4.00 per week. Younger brother also worked there but got fifty cents more because he was foreman.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
17:50
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ARRIVAL IN MADISON
: Arrived in 1908. Lived first few weeks with oldest brother, who sent ticket to fiancee in Russia, Brothers bought tickets for parents and sister ten to twelve years after arrival of Nathan Sweet.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
19:45
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FIRST JOB IN MADISON
: Found a job cutting ice from lakes around Madison. Boss sold ice in summer, wood in winter. Blocks cut 2' x 4' and stored until summer. Straw placed between pieces to prevent adherence of blocks. Job lasted three weeks, after which he went to Chicago.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
22:45
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WORK IN CHICAGO
: Met old contractor from Russia and worked as builder in Chicago. On hot day was working on skyscraper and begged for water. It arrived in a pail with no dipper and was fought over by the workers. When Sweet got it, there was nothing left in bottom but tobacco juice. He threw it out a window, quit, returned to Madison.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
26:05
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WEEKEND RETURNS TO CHICAGO
: Would take train to Chicago on weekends to see girlfriend Molly, whom he married. Were married for 64 1/2 years.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
27:15
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END OF TAPE 1, SIDE 2
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
00:30
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NAMES OF CHILDREN
: Had four children: Norman, Lillian, Bernice. Could not remember the name of second son.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
02:20
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AGUDAS ACHIM CONGREGATION IN MADISON
: Was one of original members of Agudas Achim Congregation on Mound St. German Jews built Gates of Heaven Synagogue on West Washington St. as a conservative temple. Agudas Achim was orthodox. Oldest brother left Agudas Achim to form B'nai Jeshurun Congregation.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
07:25
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MADISON BUTCHERS
: Morris Stein and brother-in-law Shapiro (no first name) were kosher butchers who fought constantly over customers.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
08:10
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B'NAI JESHURUN
: Fighting between older and younger members of Agudas Achim led to establishment of B'nai Jeshurun. Did not last long and was torn down by city to build low-income housing.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
10:35
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SEPARATION IN JEWISH COMMUNITY
: German Jews and Eastern European Jews separated through synagogue affiliation. Not much interaction on social or business level. Most German Jews moved from Madison to bigger cities.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
12:30
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WOMEN RAISE MONEY
: Jewish women in Madison raised money for Palestine. Sweet's wife active in Jewish fund-raising.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
15:35
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WORKMEN'S CIRCLE
: Workmen's Circle, or Arbeiter Ring, hired teacher for the children. Had building on Mills St., which Sweet constructed. Only two members now surviving.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
17:50
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SOCIALISM IN MADISON
: Sweet not much of a Socialist, because he believed in teachings of orthodox congregation. Socialists came to Madison to speak to Workmen's Circle, but Sweet never convinced.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
20:00
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JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES
: Abe Mintz president of Chevra Kadisha (burial society). Sweets active members of Chevra Kadisha and Hebrew Free Loan Society. Women engaged in fund-raising for Israel although Jewish community as whole not too generous.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
21:25
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CAPITOL CONSTRUCTION
: Helped build north wing on Capitol. Did not mean anything special to him other than having a job.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
22:50
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OTHER CONSTRUCTION IN MADISON
: Worked for John Kelly as foreman on two high schools - one on east side, one on west side. Also built two public schools.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
25:45
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ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE JOB
: Encountered anti-semitism from Irish laborers while building West High School. Kelly got contract on Tenney building but did not name foreman. Laborers shocked when Sweet offered position.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
29:30
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END OF TAPE 2, SIDE 1
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Tape/Side
2/2
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
2/2
Time
00:30
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ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS
: Sweet allowed to gather crew for Tenney job. His Irish enemies were working with him on West High and wanted job on Tenney building. After Sweet hired them, they became friends. Wanted him to run for union presidency, but Sweet not interested.
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Tape/Side
2/2
Time
05:00
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CHANGES IN MADISON
: Not much change in Jewish community. As a whole, changes in society for better. Youth well off and smarter now. Times better for families. Children no longer forced to Hebrew School or to work at early age.
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Tape/Side
2/2
Time
08:15
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NEVER SHOULD HAVE LEFT LONDON
: Never very fond of Madison, small and uninteresting. If he could have changed his life, would have stayed in London, where life was exciting.
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Tape/Side
2/2
Time
09:35
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END OF INTERVIEW
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