Education

Schools were quickly organized in the concentration camps, but they suffered from crude facilities and lack of teaching materials. Instruction was given for nursery through high school, and adult education was offered. Trained teachers were in short supply, however, and uncertified Japanese Americans with college degrees often filled in. The War Relocation Authority (WRA) deliberately emphasized Americanization in the education program. Some found it painfully ironic to watch incarcerated youth recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Education (1448)

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1448 items

img Schoolchildren (ddr-densho-161-56)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-161-56/

img Elementary school princesses (ddr-densho-20-3)

Elementary school princesses. Left to right: Unidentified, unidentified, Miyuki Hasegawa, Julie Hikida, Marianne Okawa, Haruko Nishimura, Kazuko Noji, Frank Sato, unidentified, Harumi Iwakiri.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-20-3/

img Elementary school class (ddr-densho-20-1)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-20-1/

img Sewing class at Topaz (Central Utah) concentration camp (ddr-densho-22-464)

Women sewing stars onto a service flag during a sewing class in camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-22-464/

img Minidoka concentration camp safety patrol (ddr-densho-77-3)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-77-3/

doc Safety patrol certificate (ddr-densho-77-1)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-77-1/

img Camp elementary school class (ddr-densho-77-2)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-77-2/

img Students in front of school building (ddr-densho-91-7)

Back row, fourth from left is Emiko, a Japanese American Nisei, who volunteered to teach English. All the other students are Japanese Peruvians. Art Shibayama is in the front row, fourth from left.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-91-7/

doc "Manzanar Students Begin Work Under Poor Conditions" (ddr-densho-68-58)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-68-58/

doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Eva Koyama (ddr-one-5-67)

Envelope addressed to Dr. Keizaburo Koyama in Santa Fe Detention Center. The envelope is postmarked August 30, 1943. Written in red pencil along the top of the envelope is “9/8-43.” On the left side of the envelope is a cartoon drawing of a yellow train with the words “United Nations” in blue on the side the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-67/

doc Letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Eva Koyama (ddr-one-5-38)

Letter dated Oct 5, 1942, to Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from his daughter, Eva Koyama. In the letter Eva writes about life at Minidoka: Shin came to visit, school is starting soon, Mr. Mita's funeral, lunch, and Girl Scouts. Eva sends her regards to Dr. Tanaka and Mr. Ikeya.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-38/

img Minidoka Classmates (ddr-one-5-68)

Black and white photographic print of 11 girls standing outside a barrack at Minidoka posing for a picture. Three girls in the foreground are holding books.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-68/

doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from William Koyama (ddr-one-5-64)

Envelope addressed to Dr. Keizaburo Koyama in Santa Fe Detention Center from his son, William Koyama, at Minidoka. Envelope is postmarked August 3, 1943. In red pencil "8/10-43" is written above the receiver's information. The letter from William Koyama is yellowed and water-damaged. At the bottom of the letter is an "EXAMINED" stamp with unknown initals. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-64/

doc Letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from his daughter Miriam Kiyo Koyama (ddr-one-5-16)

Letter dated June 21, 1942, from Miriam Kiyo Koyama to her father Kei Koyama. She wishes him a happy Father's Day, tells him that she joined 4H, and hopes that next year they will be together for Father's Day.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-16/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 85, No. 23 (December 2, 1977) (ddr-pc-49-47)

Selected article titles: "Supreme Court Refuses Appeal from Young-Chin" (p.1), "Nisei Growers/Pickers in Wage Row" (p.1, 5), "Schools Built by Evacuees at Poston I and II to Be Razed" (p.1), "When Sachio Left Town, Even the Cows Were Blue" (p.3), "Anti-Minority Backlash" (p.4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-49-47/

doc Memo from Co-ordinating Committee to the Advisory Council, March 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-100)

Memo regarding employment of priests as social workers and educational lecturers. Recommends employing nine Buddhist priests, stating that they will have greater influence over the students and parents ("colonists"), the majority of whom are Buddhist, than the Japanese Language School teachers would. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0101

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-100/

doc Memo from Harry L. Black, Assistant Project Director, to Willard E. Schmidt, Chief of Police, re: disorders in Block #54, June 2, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-83)

Discusses imprisonment in the stockade of 12 incarcerees and tension concerning the Japanese Language Schools and the schools in the camps, detailing what it terms "terrorist tactics" on the part of the Japanese Language School's proponents and concluding that the Project Director is justified in using the stockade for disciplinary purposes. The document also includes the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-83/

doc Card from Parker Valley High School to Mitzi Naohara, August 30, 1944 (ddr-csujad-38-366)

An invitation card to the opening ceremony of the Parker Valley High School's new auditorium at the Poston III in Arizona. It was sent to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara at Block 318-2-C in the Poston camp in Arizona. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (csudh_nao_0400), page 12. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-366/

img Kay, Terry, Aiko, Grace, Emily (ddr-csujad-38-177)

Photographed are Kay, Terry, Aiko, Grace, and Emily at the Poston incarceration camp in Arizona. They are probably teachers of the preschool at the camp. The caption reads: Kay, Terry, Aiko, Grace, Emily. Title from caption. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 3. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-177/

img Poston High School being built (ddr-csujad-38-170)

Photographed is the construction of the Poston High School in the camp. The caption reads: Poston High School being built. Title from caption. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 2. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_02_005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-170/

doc Commencement exercises (ddr-csujad-38-371)

A program of the Parker Valley High School commencement exercises held at the High School Auditorium, the Poston camp in Arizona on Saturday June 10, 1944. It includes names of the graduates. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (csudh_nao_0400), page 14. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_03_15_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-371/

doc Table 5 (ddr-csujad-38-370)

An item used at a party for teachers held at the Adobe High School at the Poston camp in Arizona. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (csudh_nao_0400), page 13. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_03_14_004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-370/

doc Card to Mitzi Naohara, October 29, 1944 (ddr-csujad-38-414)

An invitation card to a meeting with Mrs. P. Teener held at the Poston camp in Arizona on October 29, 1944. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (csudh_nao_0400), page 36. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_03_37_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-414/

img Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (ddr-csujad-38-341)

A scrapbook compiled by Mitzi Masukawa Naohara. Contained are items collected by Mitzi Masukawa during her incarceration at the Poston camp in Arizona, which include postcards, greeting cards, birthday cards, and invitation cards to events, such as, weddings, farewell parties, and dance events. She was a preschool teacher at the Poston camp and the collected items …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-341/

doc Card to Miss Mitzi Masukawa, May 25, 1945 (ddr-csujad-38-415)

An invitation card to the farewell party, "Sayonara party," held in honor of the teachers and staff of Poston III camp in Arizona, on May 25, 1945. It was sent to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara who was a preschool teacher at the camp. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook (csudh_nao_0400), page 36. See this object in the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-415/