OR: use version shipped with linux install (but usually out of date)

cd python1.5.2-ddjcd/
rm -rf Python-1.5.2

gzip -d python152.tar.gz
tar -xvf python152.tar
cd Python-1.5.2/
./configure
make
make test 

--optional
su - root
make install

vi Modules/Setup
--uncomment gdbm and Tcl/Tk lines

# else anydbm uses dumbdbm by default
gdbm gdbmmodule.c -I/usr/include -L/usr/lib -lgdbm
 
# The _tkinter module.
...

# *** Always uncomment this (leave the leading underscore in!):
_tkinter _tkinter.c tkappinit.c -DWITH_APPINIT \
# *** Uncomment and edit to reflect where your Tcl/Tk headers are:
        -I/usr/include \
# *** Uncomment and edit to reflect where your X11 header files are:
        -I/usr/X11R6/include \
# *** Uncomment and edit to reflect where your Tcl/Tk libraries are:
        -L/usr/lib \
# *** Uncomment and edit to reflect your Tcl/Tk versions:
        -ltk8.0 -ltcl8.0 \
# *** Uncomment and edit to reflect where your X11 libraries are:
        -L/usr/X11R6/lib \
# *** Always uncomment this; X11 libraries to link with:
        -lX11


make


[mark@toy ~/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2]$ unsetenv PYTHONPATH
[mark@toy ~/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2]$ python
Python 1.5.2 (#1, Sep  6 1999, 10:46:04)  [GCC egcs-2.91.66 19990314/Linux (egcs- on linux2
Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
>>> import sys
>>> sys.path
['', './Lib/', './Lib/plat-linux2', './Lib/lib-tk', './Modules']

[mark@toy ~/bin]$ unsetenv PYTHONPATH
[mark@toy ~/bin]$ py152
Python 1.5.2 (#1, Sep  6 1999, 10:46:04)  [GCC egcs-2.91.66 19990314/Linux (egcs- on linux2
Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
>>> import sys
>>> sys.path
['', '/home/mark/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2/Lib/', '/home/mark/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2/Lib/plat-linux2', '/home/mark/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2/Lib/lib-tk', '/home/mark/python1.5.2-ddjcd/Python-1.5.2/Modules']
>>>
[mark@toy ~/bin]$ pwd
/home/mark/bin