<Begin Segment 8>

WH: Dave, here's one more thing I found from your 1967 Christmas letter that I'd like you to read. It has the original dramatic reading from the Topaz high school Christmas play.

DT: [Laughs]

WH: Tell me what you're reading.

DT: Let's see... well, I won't read the whole thing. Let's see. Well, "On this Yuletide, always a time of reflection and meditation, as we look back a quarter of a century, may we share a few thoughts from those strange evacuation days. In Topaz War Relocation Authority Center, we began an original dramatic reading for the Topaz high school Christmas program. This is Christmas. Here in the barren desert of central Utah, though the whole world is ablaze with the fiery holocaust of war, here it is quiet, it is peaceful. Silent is the night. In the silence of this Christmastime, we're forced to think, to reminisce, to ponder about tomorrow, shouted in the misty veil of the future. Yes, we meditate on the significance of this day, of today, and recall in memory the thundering events of the past. Some of the excerpts from the reading 'Christmas 1942', our first Christmas, a Topaz high school girl reminisces. And this Christmas was one of the best Christmas that some of us had. Materially it lacked many things, but spiritually it was more than we ever had. After the pageant, went caroling. It was cold and chilly, but we sang. We felt something inside our hearts as we sang, and we really got the true spirit of Christmas, of Christmas. One teenage lass looking back, pens, 'Life was difficult, but we certainly got some rich experiences in Topaz. In spite of the hardship endured there, as developed in us a deeper understanding of human values and a love of common things.' A senior student writes, 'Let not misfortune bind you strong, for loved ones you have lost, that barracks rafters ring with song, for Christmas always comes.'"

WH: Could you just read that middle one about the lass that pens? Pick it up from there.

[Interruption]

DT: "One teenage lass, looking back, pens, 'Life was difficult, but we certainly got some rich experiences in Topaz. In spite of the hardship endured there, there has developed in us a deeper understanding of human values and a love for common things.'"

WH: Why don't you just read to the end.

DT: "A senior student writes, 'Let not misfortune bind you strong, though loved ones you have lost. That barrack rafters ring with song, for Christmas always comes.'" This is from in here, huh? Was it in there?

WH: So, Dave, having gone through the Christmases in the barren desert of Utah, how do you think it changed the way you looked at the rest of your life?

DT: Well, I think we tried to live life with the philosophy of making the best of everything, and we've done that all along. You know, we lost our son, the evacuation, you see, all that, there are difficulties, but you overcome with your philosophy of doing the best you can under the circumstance. And I think the main thing is to be grateful for all the things you've received in life, all the friends, parents, and all our dear ones, we've received so much, that we can't be selfish.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2005 Densho and The Japanese American Film Preservation Project. All Rights Reserved.