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 Frosh (ddr-csujad-44-22)

A large group photograph of young Nisei men and women incarcerated at Tule Lake, California, with a teacher. They are high school frosh students. The group is posing in three rows outside a barrack. The people in the back two rows are standing. The front row is seated in chairs. Photo inscription on back: "Frosh." Title …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-44-22/

img Nisei women working at desk in front of barrack (ddr-csujad-44-45)

A photograph of four Nisei women incarcerated at Tule Lake, California. They are all seated at one large desk in front of a barrack and looking down at books and papers on the desk in front of them. Two of them are writing with pens. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-44-45/

img Photograph at Heart Mountain (ddr-csujad-45-95)

A facsimile of a photograph depicting life at Heart Mountain. In this photo two young children walk outside the barracks in the winter time. The annotation is transcribed from the back of the original photo which reads, "(Back) This is what some of the camp looks like. Row after row of tar-papered barracks. Burt West took …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-95/

img Class photographs at Heart Mountain (ddr-csujad-45-96)

A facsimile of three group portraits of students and teachers at Heart Mountain. A transcribed annotation from the back of the top class portrait reads, "(Back) Grade 4 Heart Mountain in Background." A transcribed annotation from the back of the middle class portrait reads, "(Back) W.R.A. Ht. Mountain 1942-1943 Grade 4." A transcribed annotation from the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-96/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 39th session (June 12, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-33)

The council minutes feature planning of a general meeting to discuss problems concerning the school problem within the camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_062

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-33/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 41st session (June 19, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-36)

The council minutes feature the decision on how to handle the school problem during summer vacation. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_065

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-36/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, special session (June 11, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-32)

The council minutes feature the discussion on how to handle schooling problems for children remaining in the camp when the fall term begins. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_061

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-32/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 25th session (April 24, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-27)

The council minutes feature the motion to recommend at the All Center Conference that the camp's schools stay open while the camp is still open. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_056

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-27/

img Photographs of Heart Mountain students grades 4 and 6 (ddr-csujad-45-94)

A facsimile of three photographs of school children at Heart Mountain. An annotation for the top photograph of a classroom reads, "Grade 4 Ht. Mountain." A middle photo is another view of a classroom taken from the rear of the room. An annotation transcribed from the back of the bottom photo of six male children reads, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-94/

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/

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/