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 (240)
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Education (1518)

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doc Densho eNews, February 2009 (ddr-densho-431-29)

Article titles: "From the Director," "From the Archive: Frontier Colonies or Concentration Camps? Euphemisms for the Incarceration," "Densho News: Executive Director Meets Japanese Diplomats," "A New Chapter for a Key Densho Employee," "Densho Poll: Do You See Us?," "Archive Feature: Look Inside the Archive: A Minidoka Teacher," "National News and Events: Pinedale Day of Remembrance Observance," …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-431-29/

doc Denson High School 1943 Graduation program (ddr-densho-448-1)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-448-1/

doc Letter from Martha Morooka to Violet Sell (ddr-densho-457-3)

Martha Morooka writes to Violet Sell about life in the Tulare Assembly Center. Martha talks about the harsh living conditions, like side effects from the typhoid vaccine and lack of privacy in the bathrooms. She also writes about the jobs she and her family are doing and asks Violet for help with book recommendations and card …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-457-3/

img Minidoka Kindergarten class c. 1945 (ddr-densho-459-1)

Kindergarten class in Minidoka. Back row: 1st on the left Aiko Yanagihara, 3rd to the right: Beth (Fujii) Kawahara, 9th to the right: Janet (Iwaga) Kato. Front row: 8th to the right Haruko Nagaishi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-459-1/

img Miss Wakayama's class (ddr-densho-454-1)

Miss Wakayama's third or fourth grade class in Topaz. Written on the back in the upper left corner is "Yoshiye Handa Class-3rd grade teacher- Miss Wakayama Topaz, Utah" in green ink. Written on the back in the upper right corner is "Yoshiye" in pencil. Written on the in the lower right corner on an attached piece …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-454-1/

img Miss Ino's third grade class (ddr-densho-454-2)

Written on the back in pencil is "Yoshiye Handa" in pencil. Written on the back on an attached piece of paper in the lower right corner is "Miss Ino's third grade 1942" in black ink.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-454-2/

img Kindergarten class (ddr-densho-64-4)

Mako Nakagawa is in the second row, third from left.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-64-4/

doc Report card (ddr-densho-64-7)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-64-7/

doc Autograph book (ddr-densho-64-6)

Mako Nakagawa collected signatures from classmates and teachers when preparing to leave Crystal City internment camp, Texas.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-64-6/

doc Student essay: "Rain" (ddr-densho-171-147)

Excerpt: "The black hovering clouds indicated rain -- heavy rain. The day appeared like night, darker and darker it got."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-147/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-37)

Excerpt: "The first and most important reason for writing is to tip you off that if you receive a call from Father Daisuke Kitagawa, I have sent him." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-37/

doc Student essay: "War" (ddr-densho-171-170)

Excerpt: "'December 7th, 1941, Japs attack Pearl Harbor' 'Surprise Attack in Pearl Harbor!' War! War!"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-170/

doc Student essay: "Hauling Rocks" (ddr-densho-171-169)

Excerpt: "When I woke up in the morning and went to work I found out that we had to haul rocks to Block 3."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-169/

doc Student essay (ddr-densho-171-179)

Excerpt: "One day when I came home from the movie with my sister our parents seemed worried as though something terrible had happened."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-179/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-39)

Excerpt: "I'm taking the day off more as a precaution than anything else..." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-39/

doc Student essay: "What happened when Pearl Harbor was attacked" (ddr-densho-171-136)

Excerpt: "Blood! More blood! Was the frantic cry of the doctors when our horribly burned and mangled boys began to stream in the operating tables."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-136/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-82)

Excerpt: "Just a scribble to tell you I am OK but simply swamped with the closing of the center." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-82/

doc Student essay: "War" (ddr-densho-171-177)

Excerpt: "War is a contest by force bteween two or more nations or states, carried on for any purpose -- a contest which is full of hatred had has an urge to kill the ones of the opposite side."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-177/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-58)

Excerpt: "Here I am starting my third year on the project today!" Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-58/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-14)

Excerpt: "I feel terribly that I didn't get any special greeting to you for Christmas, but there just wasn't time to write and Uncle Sam was discouraging telegrams and long distance phone calls." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-14/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-56)

Excerpt: "We got off at 11 Friday morning, rode to Burley with Mr. Heley on an errand and took the last seats in the bus from there." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-56/

doc Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-41)

Excerpt: "This is intended as a timely greeting in lieu of a phone call or telegram. I hope it will find you having a pleasant, cozy Christmas 'on the home front'!" Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-171-41/