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)
1448 items
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Education Program in War Relocation Centers (ddr-densho-171-190)
Publication of the War Relocation Authority.
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Student essay: "Freedom" (ddr-densho-171-132)
Excerpt: "Within the waters of the seven seas and on many distant land wanders forever the souls of brave men."
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-5)
Excerpt: "Daddy's letter mailed the 19th finally arrived today. He sounds as though he were really making his mark!" Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Text of high school speech (ddr-densho-171-129)
Excerpt: "Many people will say that the solutions that we have discussed are idealogical, that they are impractical, and that they are hopeless."
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-22)
Excerpt: "Sunday I slept most of the time I wasn't churching or eating or finishing my grades to give out yesterday." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-78)
Excerpt: "I feel positively luxurious now that we have both hour lunch periods and Saturday afternoons every Saturday." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay: "War" (ddr-densho-171-181)
Excerpt: "While I scanned through the dictionary my eyes lighted on the word 'war.'"
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-63)
Excerpt: "If I thought I was busy at any time during the last two years, it was a mild form of self-indulgence!" Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-47)
Excerpt: "Jerry has officially received his unsatisfactory rating and will appeal within 15 days." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay (ddr-densho-171-111)
Excerpt: "A bugle call fades away softly. Memorial Day -- U.S.A."
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Student essay "Teachers Can Take It!" (ddr-densho-171-182)
Excerpt: "The noisy classroom is full of confusion and bitter remarks accented by unfavorable adjectives are heard: It's report card day!"
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Student essay: "My Opinions about War" (ddr-densho-171-96)
Excerpt: "Although wars are very destructive, I think that it has some good aspects about it."
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-67)
Excerpt: "I've just taken care of my income tax. When I get the Idaho forms I'll be all set." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay: "Hope" (ddr-densho-171-119)
Excerpt: "No matter how we go against the evil spirit of war, sooner or latter tangle in its 'web of death.'"
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-42)
Excerpt: "First of all, thank you for my lovely Christmas!" Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-51)
Excerpt: "Monday evening Miss Tate and I went for a walk down to the canal..." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay: "Wounded" (ddr-densho-171-137)
Excerpt: "It is spring and you are walking down the road. As you look around admiring the scenery you suddenly see a young man in crutches."
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Student essay (ddr-densho-171-107)
Excerpt: "I think that war isi the most useless way to settle problems among nations, but as long as there are people on this world there will be war."
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-81)
Excerpt: "I think I wrote to you on the weekend that Joe was away. Elmer took Evelyn and me to dinner in Jerome and supper in Eden that day." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-88)
Excerpt: "Second, if you haven't already, will you send the pictrues of Pooch to Ren? I'd like him to see 'my baby.'"
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-69)
Excerpt: "This should be an afternoon of great accomplishment -- I can't be outside because it's windy and dusty..." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay "Eighteen Seventy Five" (ddr-densho-171-131)
Excerpt: "A low fast enemy plane swoops down upon the lone American outpost somwhere in the South Pacific, firing all six guns in unison."
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Letter from a camp teacher to her family (ddr-densho-171-72)
Excerpt: "Not much has happened since I last wrote, but the weekend is booked full and I'm not sure when I'll get another chance." Sent from Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho.
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Student essay: "War" (ddr-densho-171-162)
Excerpt: "The battle fields of every war are just a human slaughter house, where a person if he's lucky will come out alive..."
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Student essay: "WAR!!!" (ddr-densho-171-118)
Excerpt: "War, the root of all evil has again descented upon humanity."