1942 11 Thanksgiving Day, Letter from Kay to Ted
Dublin Core
Title
1942 11 Thanksgiving Day, Letter from Kay to Ted
Description
Page 1
Kay is depressed and upset. She is sad that Ted was not permitted to register at the Univ. of Colorado. She is happy that he is in St. Louis, and outside of the camp (although the Tanforan experience is invaluable to understand the experience of the JA community). Kay mentions how her white friends agree that being "cooped up in a concentration camp" changes the "strongest-willed person, with creative spirit and social conscience."
Thanksgiving was a great celebration- "the whole works", reminds Kay that there are things to be thankful for. Kay heard about Jerome, Arkansas (where Ted's parents are I believe) .
Page 2
She hears from Mrs. French who she worked with at the WRA office in SF, that Jerome camp is in a wooded area with a heavy rainy season. She is concerned about the education system Martha is in, as she heard that "most of the Causcasian trained in the Southern schools [are] deeply imbued with race prejudice." (Apparently there is a "white" dining hall- where Mrs. French, the source of information, heard sickening "rot"). Jerome has better opportunities for farming (next best to Tule), whereas Topaz is looking into raising livestock. Although Kay wants Neich to come to Topaz to be with the Yamashita family, she asks Ted to find out what his parents really want when he visits them. John is helping out building furniture until he leaves for Seminary School in Chicago. Mr. Robert O'Brien, national director of the NSRC, visited Topaz and demanded that he be "permitted to live exactly like the residents" and has "an amazing understanding for our situation" according to Kay. Kay's planning to get a suitable job in the East, but worries about expenses.
Page 3
Greatest problem facing relocation of students is the lack of financial resources of students. She reminisces about Berkeley, which was scholastically superior and a "secluded haven of peace and happiness" which protected her from the "cruel world of reality." Kay and John are wearing blue "mackinaws" in a man's size 38, which were originally made for the Coast Guard. Kay wrote a letter to Gyo and Ki long after visiting St. Louis. John and Iy have been fixing up their barrack and have used the waffle-iron Ted's folks gave them. Kay talks about the town of Delta, the sympathetic Mormans, how Chiz got a leave pass to visit nursing school in Salt Lake City.
Page 4
Kay tells of how she hears that the Arkansas group is the most difficult to relocate from, and that the job opportunities are very limited due to the high Black population. In Topaz there is a shortage of man-power since most young men are out sugar-beet picking. Despite the labor shortage, Japanese-Americans are only offered menial jobs, and make "next to nothing compared to what they should make" for they "go out for any price just to get the freedom."
Kay is depressed and upset. She is sad that Ted was not permitted to register at the Univ. of Colorado. She is happy that he is in St. Louis, and outside of the camp (although the Tanforan experience is invaluable to understand the experience of the JA community). Kay mentions how her white friends agree that being "cooped up in a concentration camp" changes the "strongest-willed person, with creative spirit and social conscience."
Thanksgiving was a great celebration- "the whole works", reminds Kay that there are things to be thankful for. Kay heard about Jerome, Arkansas (where Ted's parents are I believe) .
Page 2
She hears from Mrs. French who she worked with at the WRA office in SF, that Jerome camp is in a wooded area with a heavy rainy season. She is concerned about the education system Martha is in, as she heard that "most of the Causcasian trained in the Southern schools [are] deeply imbued with race prejudice." (Apparently there is a "white" dining hall- where Mrs. French, the source of information, heard sickening "rot"). Jerome has better opportunities for farming (next best to Tule), whereas Topaz is looking into raising livestock. Although Kay wants Neich to come to Topaz to be with the Yamashita family, she asks Ted to find out what his parents really want when he visits them. John is helping out building furniture until he leaves for Seminary School in Chicago. Mr. Robert O'Brien, national director of the NSRC, visited Topaz and demanded that he be "permitted to live exactly like the residents" and has "an amazing understanding for our situation" according to Kay. Kay's planning to get a suitable job in the East, but worries about expenses.
Page 3
Greatest problem facing relocation of students is the lack of financial resources of students. She reminisces about Berkeley, which was scholastically superior and a "secluded haven of peace and happiness" which protected her from the "cruel world of reality." Kay and John are wearing blue "mackinaws" in a man's size 38, which were originally made for the Coast Guard. Kay wrote a letter to Gyo and Ki long after visiting St. Louis. John and Iy have been fixing up their barrack and have used the waffle-iron Ted's folks gave them. Kay talks about the town of Delta, the sympathetic Mormans, how Chiz got a leave pass to visit nursing school in Salt Lake City.
Page 4
Kay tells of how she hears that the Arkansas group is the most difficult to relocate from, and that the job opportunities are very limited due to the high Black population. In Topaz there is a shortage of man-power since most young men are out sugar-beet picking. Despite the labor shortage, Japanese-Americans are only offered menial jobs, and make "next to nothing compared to what they should make" for they "go out for any price just to get the freedom."
Creator
Kay Yamashita
Files
Collection
Citation
Kay Yamashita, “1942 11 Thanksgiving Day, Letter from Kay to Ted,” Yamashita Family Archives, accessed May 19, 2024, https://yamashitaarchives.ucsc.edu/items/show/1979.
Comments