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| Photo of Fred Kawano featured in the Los Feliz Community Guide |
Shigeru "Fred" Kawano was born in Stockton,
California on February 9th 1923. He distingueished himself in the Los
Angeles Unified School District as a teacher of social studies, having
founded the first African-American history program at George Washington
Carver Junior High School (now a middle school) in 1965. He also proved
instrumental in the reestablishment of a free school lunch program in
1969. Fred celebrated his 90th birthday in February at one of his
favorite establishments, the Dresden Restaurant in Los Feliz, CA. They
rolled out the "Red Carpet" (as they always do) for this distinguished,
educated, humble, pleasant gentleman who is as interested in you as you
are in him. He smiles constantly and laughs often. He rarely has an
open seat next to him, as he always has an interesting story to tell,
especially if you want the history of the LAUSD, or the secret of
longevity. (the preceding story regarding Fred is from the summer
addition of the Los Feliz & Silver Lake Community Guide, which, I
would mention featured my photo of Fred -above).
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| Fred with Steve, Rod, Steve, Terri and James @ the Dresden. |
On a personal note. Fred is one of the most
interesting fellows I have ever met. As a young man he (along with his
family) was placed in an internment camp, only to lie about his age and
join the USAF just prior to the end of World War Two so he could "go and
fight Nazis". He ended up a student at Ohio State University where,
since his contemporaries felt he had taught himself the ability to
publicly speak in an amazing manner, he was asked to give the
valedictorian speech (and, by the way, if you ever meet Fred, you
quickly become aware of his heightened skill with language.) Freddie
has told me some of the best stories I have ever heard. Examples: On a
lark he took an acting class with Agnes Moorehead, he got in serious
trouble with his mother because he accepted a lunch trade from the non-
Japanese kids at school, he was picked up and taken on a "drive" by the
FBI when in the late sixties he went to a protest and, unknown to him,
he sat right next to the student who was the leader of a radical
underground movement. Talking to Fred is like meeting Walter Mitty..,
he is certainly as colorful as Danny Kaye (who I believe played Walter
Mitty in a movie version of the story, albeit, Danny Kaye would not be
able to play Freddie, since, after all Mr. Kaye is neither Japanese nor
alive).., I only point out that Freddy's accounts are very animated,
yet, they are real, but, more amazing then the stories themselves is the
manner and joy with which Freddy conveys his tales. Fred came into the
Dresden last night, bought me a drink, then proceeded to charm two
young ladies for several hours without interruption. I have a great
story about how some whacked out girl was trying to roll Freddie in the
men's room.., however, I will leave that for another time. If you ever
bump into Fred on a bar stool, well.., you're in enlightened company to
say the least. Just ask him to tell you about himself. I can assure
you, you will be entertained.
