Drama DRAMATIZATION a story based on true events The FIGHT for WHAT’SFor some, California in the 1940s was a dream: palm trees, beaches, glamorous movie stars. But for others, it was a RIGHT place of great injustice. Sylvia Mendez (right) and her family helped change that. Page 16: R. Gates/Getty Images (top left); Hulton Archive/Getty Images (top right); Underwood Archives/UIG/REX/Shutterstock (middle); William M. Graham/Hulton Underwood M. Archive/ right); Archives/UIG/REX/Shutterstock William (top Images Archive/Getty (middle); Hulton left); Gates/Getty (top R. Images 16: Page Bettmann/Getty left); right); (top Images (top Photos Freed/Magnum ©Leonard 17: Page Getty right). Vintage (bottom Stock/Corbis Images Getty Kirn via left); (bottom Images Mendez) (Sylvia prohibited. is reproduction or Duplication only. permission with used be to family Mendez the courtesy of Pictures By Spencer Kayden 16 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 17 Secretary: Those two may SEPARATE Characters enroll here, but not the AND UNEQUAL In the 1940s, Mexican- Circle the character you will play. *Indicates large speaking role Mendez children. Americans faced terrible Aunt Sally: Excuse me? prejudice. Many restaurants, *Stage Directors 1 & 2 (SD1, SD2) *Aunt Sally, Sylvia’s aunt Miguel, a classmate SD2: The secretary points at stores, and movie theaters Storytellers 1, 2, & 3 (ST1, ST2, ST3) Secretary *Mr. Marcus, a lawyer displayed signs like this one. Sylvia and Jerome, who have *Sylvia Mendez, an 8-year-old girl *Mama, Sylvia’s mother, Felícitas Mr. Harris, the superintendent Inset: First-grade students at dark skin and dark hair. Hoover School, a run-down Alice & Virginia, Sylvia’s cousins *Papa, Sylvia’s father, Gonzalo Judge Secretary: They have to go school that Mexican-American Jerome, Sylvia’s little brother Miss Wilson, Sylvia’s teacher Mrs. Hughes, an education expert children like Sylvia Mendez to Hoover, the Mexican were forced to attend. school. Aunt Sally: But they are American. As You Read What does it take to change society? Secretary (shrugging ): That’s the rule. Aunt Sally: Either all of them will go to school here, or none of them will. Aunt Sally: Good morning ! I’d like to register these Prologue SD1: Aunt Sally storms off with the children for school. Scene 3 SD1: Three storytellers stand in front of the curtain. children. The entrance to Westminster School Secretary: Names? SD2: As they start to speak, the Mendez family crosses Sylvia: Why can’t we go here, Tía? SD2: A group of kids walks onstage to Aunt Sally: Sylvia and Jerome Mendez. Alice and the stage, carrying suitcases. Aunt Sally: Don’t worry, Sylvia. It must the front of a modern-looking building: Virginia Vidaurri [vee-DAR-ee]. ST1: The year is 1944. be a mistake. Westminster School. SD1: The secretary looks at Alice and Virginia, who have ST2: Sylvia Mendez and her family have just moved to SD1: The sound of buses pulling away can be fair skin and light-brown hair. Westminster, California, from a nearby city. heard in the background. Scene 2 ST3: Sylvia’s father was born in Mexico. Her mother The Mendez family’s kitchen SD2: The white kids enter the school. A group of was born in Puerto Rico. They are both American SD2: In a small kitchen, Sylvia’s mother chops carrots Mexican-American kids, including Sylvia, Jerome, A BETTER LIFE citizens. and celery. Aunt Sally stirs soup in a large pot. Alice, and Virginia, linger behind. Sylvia’s parents, Felícitas and Gonzalo Mendez, moved their family ST1: Sylvia and her family are excited about their new to Westminster, California, to run their own asparagus farm. Both Mama: I don’t understand why my kids can’t go to SD1: They watch as the last of the white children life in Westminster. had faced years of discrimination, and they were school at Westminster. disappear into the building. Then they turn away and determined that their children would be treated ST2: But they are about to experience more fairly. Aunt Sally: I am sure it will get sorted out. begin to walk slowly across the stage. terrible injustice. Mama: What if it’s not a mistake, Sally? All over this area, Sylvia: Why can’t the bus take us all the way to Hoover? ST3: The family will take a stand. Mexican-Americans are segregated at restaurants, Virginia: I guess we’re not worth the trouble. All Storytellers: And they will change parks, swimming pools, movie theaters . Alice: Yeah, that’s why they put us in that shack they the course of history. SD1: Papa walks in, fuming. call a school. Mama: What did they say? Jerome: It isn’t fair. Scene 1 Papa: The principal and the superintendent said that Sylvia: No, it’s not fair at all. The office at Westminster School Sylvia and Jerome have to go to Hoover. SD1: The curtain rises on a school office. Mama: Why? Scene 4 SD2: A secretary sits behind a desk. Papa: They just kept saying, “That’s the way it’s done A classroom at Hoover School SD1: Sylvia and Jerome enter with their Aunt Sally and here.” SD2: The lights come up on a cramped, dimly lit their cousins Alice and Virginia. Aunt Sally: But Hoover is farther away. Plus, it’s very classroom. Sylvia: Our new school is so big and beautiful! run-down and right next to a smelly cow pasture. SD1: Sylvia and the other students sit at wobbly desks. Alice: Did you see the palm trees? Papa: This is not acceptable. Miss Wilson: Today the girls are going to learn how to Virginia: And the grassy fields? Mama: What can we do about it? sew, and the boys will build crates. Jerome: And the playground? Papa: I’m not sure. But a good education for our SD2: Miss Wilson passes out scraps of fabric to SD2: Aunt Sally approaches the secretary. images) (all prohibited. is reproduction or Duplication only. permission with used be to family Mendez the courtesy of Pictures at Texas of University Thee American History, for Center Briscoe Dolph Werner), (Russell Collection, Lee creator: Photograph (Russell) Lee the From photo) (class prohibited. is reproduction or Duplication only. permission with used be to family Mendez the courtesy of Pictures (sign); Austin children is worth fighting for. the girls and pieces of wood to the boys. 18 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 SCOPE.SCHOLASTIC.COM • DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 19 Scene 6 SD1: Papa sits at a table near the front of the court. The Mendez family’s farm Sylvia and Jerome, dressed in their finest clothes, sit in SD1: The lights come up on a field of bright-green the gallery with Mama. asparagus. Mama, Sylvia, and Jerome are stooped over, SD2: Mr. Marcus questions the superintendent of the packing asparagus stalks into wooden crates. Westminster School District. Mama: Thank you for getting up early and helping with Mr. Marcus: Mr. Harris, is it true that children of the crops again. Mexican descent must attend Hoover School? SD2: Jerome yawns and rubs his eyes. Mr. Harris: No. Students who need extra help or don’t FIRST STEP TO EQUALITY When the Mendez family won their court case in Jerome: When will Papa be back? speak English go to Hoover. California in 1946, it inspired similar cases in Mama: Soon. He’s found three other families to join the Mr. Marcus: Do you give the students a test to see if they other states. Eight years later, the U.S. Supreme lawsuit so far, but he wants to find at least one more. know English? Court outlawed segregation in public schools throughout the entire country. Sylvia: If we win, will we go to that big, beautiful school? Mr. Harris: Yes, the principal speaks to them. Mama: That’s right. Sylvia (whispering to Mama ): That’s not true! The SD1: Sylvia raises her hand. Jerome: What if the kids at Westminster don’t like us? principal never talked to us. Sylvia: Miss Wilson, are we ever going to Sylvia: Sometimes they call us names in the park. One Mr. Marcus: Are there other reasons you send Mexicans read books or learn math? Scene 5 boy shouted, “Go back to Mexico!” to a different school? Miss Wilson: You don’t need to. I am teaching Mr. Marcus’s office Mama: If they don’t like you, it’s because they don’t Mr. Harris: They need to learn manners. you something more useful. SD1: The lights come up on a small office. know you. That’s what prejudice is—when you decide SD1: People in the courtroom shake their heads, SD2: Sylvia’s brow furrows as the lights fade. SD2: A man in a suit sits behind a large desk strewn you don’t like a certain group for no good reason. appalled. SD1: A moment later, the lights come up on the with books and papers. Jerome: I don’t like eating asparagus. Is that prejudice? Jerome (whispering ): I have better manners than he opposite side of the stage, where students are scattered SD1: He stands as Sylvia’s father, Mr. Mendez, walks SD1: Mama ruffles his hair. does. across a bare yard, eating their lunches. through the door. Mama: No, papito, prejudice is about something like Mr. Marcus: So if a Mexican child speaks English and has SD2: There are no tables or benches. The students stand Papa: Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Marcus. people’s skin color or religion. Now finish up—it’s good manners, could he or she attend Westminster? or sit on the ground.