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)

Filters

Facilities

Format

Genre

Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

Gallery view
List view

1448 items

img Fourth grade school in Barracks 35-4-B at Rohwer incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-63)

Fourth grade school in Barracks 35-4-B at Rohwer incarceration camp. Teacher is Nareen Oura. November 24, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f28

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-63/

Three students doing steamed crayon work for tablecloths and wall hangings in adult crafts class at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-41)

img Three students doing steamed crayon work for tablecloths and wall hangings in adult crafts class at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-41)

Three students doing steamed crayon work for tablecloths and wall hangings in adult crafts class at Granada incarceration camp. December 10, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f06

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-41/

img Misae Oku receiving instruction from instructor, Mrs. Sadako Yasue (ddr-csujad-14-22)

Misaye [Misae] Oku receiving instruction from instructor, Mrs. Sadako Yasue, in sewing class at Rohwer incarceration camp. March 7, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_022

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-22/

img Alice Hifuni, Nisei high school student at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-10)

Alice Hifuni, Nisei high school student at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 9, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-10/

img Ninth grade classroom at Rohwer incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-21)

Ninth grade classroom at Rohwer incarceration camp. Teacher is Mrs. M.H. Ziegler. November 24, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_021

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-21/

img Grade school library in one of barracks at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-44)

Grade school library in one of barracks at Granada incarceration camp. Photo by Tom Parker. December 11, 1942. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f09

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-44/

img Three high school students with their calves at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-5)

Three high school students with their calves at Granada incarceration camp. December 11, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-5/

img High school students changing classes at Rohwer incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-62)

High school students changing classes at Rohwer incarceration camp. November 17, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f27

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-62/

img Night school class in advanced English at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-59)

Night school class in advanced English at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 11, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f24

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-59/

img High school Junior Class dance at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-43)

High school Junior Class dance at Granada incarceration camp. December 11, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f08

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-43/

doc Desert Sentinel, Volume I, No. 4, November 30, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-5)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and topics include a new superintendent and the choice of "Desert Sentinel" as the name for the school paper; news of campus, sports, and social and holiday events, including the opening of the Butte High School library; items about classes, students and teachers, including a student …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-5/

doc Granada Pioneer, Edition 2, Issue 21, January 15, 1944 (ddr-csujad-17-9)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-07_04

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-9/

doc Deserted Senses [spoof title for Desert Sentinel], Vol. I, No. 9, April 1, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-3)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp; this is an April Fools' Day issue with articles and illustrations making fun of life at camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_04-01_03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-3/

doc Granada Pioneer, Edition 2, Issue 20, January 8, 1944 (ddr-csujad-17-8)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-07_03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-8/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I. No. 15, June 21, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-1)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. According to an announcement on the back page, publication seeks to make known the War Relocation Authority's "plans and policies," the results of Community Council deliberations, and various regulations and news about life at the Gila River Incarceration Camp. Issue features articles about and by the Camp's …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-1/

doc Granada Pioneer, Vol. I, No.5, November 11, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-6)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-01_06

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-6/

doc Granada Pioneer, Vol. I, No.61, May 1, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-7)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-04_01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-7/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I No. 3, December 24, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-4)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and topics include a constitution and new principal for Butte High School; news of campus, sports, and social and holiday events; items about classes, students and teachers; and short prose and poetry pieces. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-4/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I No. 12, May 14, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-2)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and items include a report on a bond drive and on a "Kampus Karnival"; news about the debate team and about a talent show, as well as about goings-on at Topaz, Utah; Manzanar, California; Echoes, Wyoming; Hunt, Idaho; and Amache, Colorado; and illustrations. See this object …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-2/

doc College summer service in a relocation center (ddr-csujad-18-5)

Call for college students to meet a "desperate need" by serving as group work leaders supporting community activities, arts and recreation, church vacation Bible schools, and boys and girls clubs in either the Gila River or Manzanar Incarceration Camp; flier states that such service would provide the students with the opportunity to "serve significantly in these …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-18-5/

doc Invitation to freedom - A proposal for a program of liberal adult education (ddr-csujad-18-1)

Detailed proposal for an "adult education system for the Japanese relocation project at Poston, Arizona"; the author credits the American Friends Service Committee for financial support for research and a trial of the plan. Sections of the report include "Background at Poston"; "Foreground of the Problem"; "The Great Books"; "The Seminar"; "The Schedule and Organization"; "The …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-18-1/

doc Student Relocation (ddr-csujad-19-72)

This article by Robert W. O'Brien discusses about the relocation of thousands of students in colleges throughout the United States to resume their studies, "a year after the mass evacuation of the West Coast Japanese American people into inland camps." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WRA_02-23_02

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-19-72/

doc Manzanar From Inside Out (ddr-csujad-19-2)

Text of address by Roy Nash, Director of the Manzanar War Relocation Project, given to the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco, on July 31, 1942 for the purpose of "interpret[ing] the actuality of a War Relocation Center housing 10,000 evacuees" in view of perceptions of mistreatment of incarcerees in California. Sections of the speech include …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-19-2/

[Minutes of the regular meeting of the divisional responsible men and the Co-ordinating committee of the Tule Lake Center, March 10, 1944] (ddr-csujad-2-24)

doc [Minutes of the regular meeting of the divisional responsible men and the Co-ordinating committee of the Tule Lake Center, March 10, 1944] (ddr-csujad-2-24)

Meeting minutes of incarceree-led Tule Lake Camp government. Described vandalism and profanity incidents within the schools and camp clean-up and fire protection. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0024

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-24/

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/