Willie Brown Interview (page: 2 / 8) Former Mayor of San Francisco	Print Interview

What was your education like in that one-room schoolhouse?

Willie Brown: It was really interesting, now that I reflect upon it. The teachers, although not well qualified, gave each of those students lots of confidence. They built lots of self-esteem, and they helped equip us for competition. They made me believe that there was absolutely nothing I could not do. I still have that. I just think I may be delayed in when I do it, but I know I can do it.

It was not unrealistic. For an example, everybody had to play some sports in this little school. I chose football. Clearly, I was much too small for football. I weighed 110 pounds or something. In addition thereto, there were no rules about how long you could play football. Kids who were no longer in high school were still playing football. The quarterback on our team was a seven-year veteran. I played quarterback behind him, which means I would never play, because he was so good, and so experienced.

But they gave me the confidence. I knew that I could never do what Theodore was doing, as long as Theodore was there doing it. But for whatever reason, in all other categories they made me believe I could. So, I got something out of that nothing education, and those used textbooks.

I used to have a great pride in my ability to recite narratives, to recite entire sections of books, and stories, and poems. And it was pointed out to me on occasion -- when I was in California, long out of high school -- a girlfriend of mine pointed out that I missed a whole three stanzas of "The Ancient Mariner." And I said, "Oh no, I did not. I know it verbatim." She said, "No, you missed three stanzas. I want to show you." She showed me the book, and then I realized that there was obviously a page missing in the book that I had committed to memory, where I got it. And so from that point on, I've never again recited any poetry, any narratives, for fear that my training in the text room materials that I had available to me may have created a gap, which means I would sound like I really didn't know what I was talking about.
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So I dropped it. I know "If" backwards and forwards, but you never hear me doing it. I know "The Signifying Monkey" backwards and forwards, but you never hear me doing it, because I fear that I may miss some stanzas, by virtue of the fact that they were not there.

But being forced by these teachers to commit all of this to memory, gave me the confidence that I can take text material and at least regurgitate what I've read, just by virtue of the memory training that I went through.

I took geometry from my coach in high school. Charles Gregory knew nothing about mathematics. He knew even less about the geometry part of mathematics. And he said up front, "I didn't want to teach this class. They don't have anybody else to teach it. I need the job. I'm your coach, there's not much else I can do for you except to tell you, commit the geometry book to memory." And I did. I got an "A" in geometry, only for having committed the book to memory. Can I solve geometrical problems? Absolutely not. Can I quote Theory 109? Absolutely. But the memory training that Gregory gave me equipped me in my world of law. I can literally cite you, chapter and verse, subject matter that I was required to take as a freshman in law school, almost 40 years ago. Only because of that training that I got in that little school.
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It was a horrible little segregated school. It was not a second level education, it was a fourth or fifth level education, but there were pieces of it that represent lifelong building blocks for everything that I've done. Self-esteem, personal confidence in what I can do, a sense of optimism about problem solving, and memory training, is what I carry with me from that educational experience.

What books inspired you?

Willie Brown: All literature. In my early years I was a prolific reader of every subject matter, of every story. It was one way I survived the horror of living in a segregated community like Mineola. There, in those books, were my dreams, my Walter Mitty life. I still find myself daydreaming about being a part of some text. I've gotten away from the reading that I used to do, and I'm sorry I have. Vision and age sometimes dictate another set of circumstances. But I read and loved everything I could get my hands on, trash and otherwise.

Were there values and experiences you brought with you from Texas that helped you when you got to got to college, and when you entered politics?

Willie Brown: I think so.

I think that moving into adulthood at 11 or 12 years of age, self-sufficiency, independence, decision making in a responsible fashion, never allowed to be a flake, or never tolerated to be a flake, all constitute qualities that have been of immeasurable value in every aspect of my life. Just the discipline of being able to set your time when you went to school, when you did your homework, when you did the work you had to do, your household chores. And you always had those, every kid in my household was assigned those, and every kid that I knew in the community. Plus the fact that you had to help produce that which sustained the family, and you could not be selfish.
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Part of that six bucks I made went to help take care of my brothers and sisters who did not have a job. The ability that I had to develop of getting along with adults in a segregated world, all of that has stood me in great stead.

The thing that I marvel about in my situation is that by all rights I should really hate white people for the kind of treatment that I received. But there, at this stage of my life, and probably for the last 40 years, I can't even conjure up how horrible it really was. So there's no way for me really to describe it. And I carry no residual displeasures towards any race of people. I think the experience that I had there made me a more tolerant person than I ordinarily would have been.
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