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)
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Education (1448)

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img Painting of a cooking class at Manzanar High School (ddr-manz-2-48)

"A cooking class. What vitamins do potatoes have? Miss Smith teaches her girls in what used to be the kitchen of mess hall 7."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-48/

img Painting of the Manzanar High School 1944 graduation (ddr-manz-2-11)

Caption: "Manzanar High School commencement of 1944. Our democratic country has people representing all nation[s] - Mr. Ralph P. Merritt."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-11/

img Painting of a Manzanar High School gym class (ddr-manz-2-47)

Caption: "Did you ever see such individual dress attire? This is a high school gym class I ran into on the dusty field next to block 7. Facing each other in a circle, they would clap their hands, say something, laugh. Off in the corner another class came dashing by."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-47/

img Painting of a classroom scene (ddr-manz-2-49)

Caption: "'Gee, that angleworm's my name' said Haruo, slouched over the classroom steps as Mr. Lamphere showed his shorthand pupils how to write their name in the Gregg manner."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-49/

img Painting of an administration scene at Manzanar (ddr-manz-2-43)

Caption: "I visited Dr. Carter today because school has opened and I am to make drawings of class scenes. It seemed a hundred people were rushing in and out of her office. All over her desk; the telephone rang all the time."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-43/

img Painting of Manzanar High School (ddr-manz-2-51)

Caption: "Manzanar High School. Studies took on great importance in these barrack classrooms. This was a day before the week-end holiday."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-51/

img Painting of a scene at Manzanar Grammar School (ddr-manz-2-46)

Caption: "'Teacher, I know - ' At the other end of the same barrack. First graders of Miss Joh sit awkwardly about the mess table. A question has just been asked. Little Hiroshi, on the end slowly lifts his hand 'Teacher, I know.'"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-46/

img Painting of the nursery school at Manzanar (ddr-manz-2-44)

Caption: "It's nap time, but there's more noise than rest. The youngsters wriggle around, won't lie still. The teachers look exhausted. The scam in the foreground turns around. 'Hiya popa, watcha doin'?' Rest time in the nursery class."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-2-44/