Churches

Religion, which has always been a part of the Japanese life, plays a vital role in camp, regardless of the different sects represented.

The Methodist group was the first to hold a gathering. They met on March 29 with Rev. Frank Herron Smith of the Methodist Board of Home Missions preaching in Japanese and Rev. Hideo Hashimoto speaking in English.

This humble beginning led to the formation of the Buddhist, Catholic and Protestant churches.

Three months after the first volunteers arrived here, the First Buddhist Church held its initial gathering with approximately 150 young people at the morning service and 200 adults attending the afternoon service. Their temporary location was 17-15 and those taking part were Larry Mihara, chairman; Rev. Junzo Izumida, S. Mayeda and Eizo Masuyama.

Since then, the group has expanded and with their permanent location at 13-15, two sects hold their services. The Shinsu or First Buddhist is directed by Rev. S. Nagatomi and the Nichiren or Second Buddhist is headed by Rev. Oda.

At the present time, there are about 1,900 to 2,000 in attendance each week divided into three groups: young children's Sunday School at 9 a.m.; Young People's service at 10; and Adults at 7 p.m. Among the outstanding highlights of the past year was the pioneer day festivities honoring 101 persons over 70 years of age.

The Protestant Christian Church with the purpose "To make God a reality in Daily Living" was organized soon after Manzanar was bullt. In June the Adults' Church Council was formed followed by the YP council. The church was dedicated in August and a mass meeting was held for Dr. Kirby Page. Other outstanding incidents included the organizing of the Young Adults' Christian Forum and the Evangelistic meetings.

The members of the Ministerial Association are the Reverends S. Abe, J. Fujimori, Ichida, Kashitani Naito, T. Nishikawa, Omi, Sakai, Suzuki and Dick Akagi. The Adults' Council is chairmanned by Rev. Kashitani, the YP Council by Hideo Watanabe.

"To enable people to obtain eternal happiness" is the purpose and function of the Catholic church. The first mass was held on March 29. Through Father Clement's efforts moving pictures were brought and shown to the residents. Catechism classes, organization of a library of Catholic books, and the Christian baptisms. Clubs in existence are the Young People's Study Club, Senior Sodality, and the Holy Name Society.

Father Hugh Lavery is Superior, Father Lee Steinback, pastor, with Sister Mary Bernadette and Sister Mary Suzanna.

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Community Activities

The necessity of proper recreation in center life cannot be stressed too much. Just as the five o'clock facial gives a girl a moral uplift, so too does the recreation, by providing worthwhlle leisure time activities for everyone in Manzanar. The Community Activities section covers a wide range of functions which embrace an interests, all ages and both sexes.

Conscious of the fact that this essential work presents the finest means of building morale, the recreation department is working to increase its various branches of activities. The department now fosters arts and crafts (including woodcraft, leathercraft, flower making, needle work and several other home crafts), athletics (including all sports for which there are facilities), entertainment and variety shows, hobby gardening, music, Scout and other boys' activities, social activities (including dances, parties, card games, goh, shogi, and others). Several areas have been developed such as the picnic area along Baird's Creek, golf course around the creek area and west of camp. A large athletic center between blocks 8 and 14, another center between blocks 11, 12, 17 and 18.

A few of the major departments started during the past year which played such an important part were the nursery schools, libraries and English and Americanization courses. Nursery classes for children between the ages of three and six were one of the first things the department developed. As for the libraries, it was realized early that the development of a complete library would help to make the stay of the evacuees more pleasant. English and Americanization courses origin dates back in the early spring.

The various aspects of recreation work having proved wholly successful for the past year, the department intends to weed out the trivia that has little importance and plans to bring about a wider operation for a well-balanced program for the future.

The Community Activities section is under the supervision of Axel Nielsen. The qualified staff includes: Aiji Hashii, superintendent of arts and crafts; Minoru Watanabe, manager of athletics; Ray Mochizuki, director of maintenance and ground crew; Roy Nakama, Henry Onishi, Fukiko Komatsu, Joan Nagao, board of directors of Music Hall; Joe Nakashima, assistant district Scout commissioner; Paul Uyemura, director of boys' work; and Daisy Yamada, director of girls' activities.

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Cooperative Enterprises

The success story of the Cooperative Enterprises reads like a fiction story. Beginning with nothing, overcoming financial difficulties, as well as opposition from misinformed and uninformed parties, the Co-op now stands secure on a firm working basis.

The WRA took over the first canteen when the Army Post Exchange withdrew from the center late in May. Establishing credit the store was turned over to the Consumer Enterprises Division. Under the untiring efforts of Dr. William J. Bruce and Lee C. Poole the enterprise flourished and it was formally turned over to the residents as an incorporated Cooperative in September.

Much of the success of the Cooperative must be credited to the efforts of Matsusaburo Shiosaki, Frank Hirashima and Dennis Shimizu who nurtured the early beginnings of the enterprise. Sho Onodera, Koheiji Fujini, Hiroshi Neeno, Taizo Inazu, George Shiino and George Nakatsuka were others of the workers who added their unselfish work. The managerial staff of Hideo Okada, Sokichi Sugimoto, Shigematsu Takeyasu and Henry Ushijima, selected in October, guided and expanded the Cooperative until the following services are now available to the community:

Canteen, Yas Tatsumi and Bob Nomura, managers; general store, Minoru Hori, manager; mall order service, Harry Hotta; beauty shop, Grace Takahashi and Margaret Uematsu; barber shop, Matsukichi Kamo; motion pictures, Seijiro Betsuin; shoe repair, Tomokichi Shibata. A photographic and watch repair service also have been authorized and are now in the process of organization. The Free Press, the center's newspaper, is also supported by the Co-op.

Education

Education Department at Manzanar started in the corner of one barrack in June, 1942. Education had already had its beginnings with the initiation of adult education classes under Mrs. Elizabeth Nishikawa and a registration for summer school under the Social Welfare Division. A. six-weeks summer session was held to provide an opportunity for students to complete credits that were interrupted by evacuation. Nearly 1,000 pupils were enrolled in the summer session classes, which were taught by resident tutors under the supervision of three credentialed teachers.

There were three serious problems to be worked out by the developing Education Department. First, there had to be building space to provide school housing for nearly 2500 boys and girls. Second, there was a tremendous task of recruiting teaching personnel during war times when there is a shortage of teachers. Third, there was the problem of ordering under government procedure the school supplies essential for classroom instruction. The opening of school in any school district requires much work and consideration, even when there are already buildings established, teachers employed, a supply of equipment and textbooks from the last year, and the previous program on which to build. In Manzanar, every phase of the Education Department had to develop and expand simultaneously.

The enrollment now in the city of ten thousand people, 1300 children from nursery through sixth grade, 1400 children in the secondary school from the seventh through twelfth grades, and 2050 enrolled in the adult education program. It may be surprising to know that about 50 percent of the total community population is going to school. There are 140 teachers, and out of this number 62 are appointed, credentialed personnel.

The whole community is interested in its educational system, and specialists of various types are recruited to serve in the adult program and for special contributions on the grade levels.

Manzanar should be proud of its Parent-Teacher organization. A series of meetings recently held covering all blocks included nearly two thousand parents and community leaders. Manzanar P-TA reaches into nearly every family in the community.

Headed by Dr. Genevieve W. Carter, superintendent of education are the following personnel: Leon High, principal of Secondary schools; Clyde E. Simpson, principal of elementary schools; Lois Hosford, vice-principal of the element ary schools; Elizabeth Moxley, supervisor of physical education and health; and Louise Fairman, supervisor of practice teachers.

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Adult Education

Headed by Charles K. Ferguson, director, Adult Education has offered a varied program of academic, cultural and vocational activities for the post-high school people.

A series of public forums on current topics was initiated and followed by Sunday Evening Lectures by the teaching staff and other speakers Organization of the Inter-Collegiate Association under Henry Ishizuka spurred the interest of the college age group and became the favorite rendezvous of collegians. Student Relocation was speeded as colleges throughout the United States sent catalogues, and representatives of the National Student Relocation Council and college groups conferred with students on their financial and academic problems.

The adult carpentry class exhibited and held a sale of modern-designed furniture in November. As interest in vocational and cultural classes expanded the adult education program responded to the needs of the young high school graduates, and the Manzanar Junior College was launched late in January. Frank Y. Takahashi, registrar, Paul H. Kusuda, planning and program, Sakae Hirooka and Chie Okazaki, secretaries, were engaged in administrative duties. Among qualified teachers of junior college and vocational courses were many who held responsible positions before evacuation: Dr. Kenzie Nozaki, guayule; Miss Kazuko Suzuki, English and Spanish; Kazuyuki Takahashi, physiology; Choyei Kondo, current events; Frank S. Shimoda, fertilization; S. Sasaki, carpentry; and K. Yamamoto, tailor drafting.

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Employment

Although starting late, on June 1, the Employment office with Arthur H. Miller as chief fills an important office in the development of organized work effort in the center and outside.

Since its establishment, harvest workers were recruited twice; once in June, the second in September; the census was taken for the entire population and the indefinite leave for relocation was begun. A separate section was opened to handle this work.

Approximately 1200 persons were assigned to jobs where they receive practical training in the work that may prove useful in later times. After the December disturbance, the work program was completely readjusted.

Each month this office takes care of 1000 transactions, which include new assignments, transfers, reclassification and termination.

Until November, the Housing section was affiliated with the department while the Relocation office moved into its new office in January. Other sections are placement, which takes care of all job applications and unemployment compensations as well as maintaining a record of all classifications and ratings, the Registration section, covering the arrivals and departures; inter-center transfers, indefinite leaves and short-term leaves; the Statistical and Occupational section which makes surveys and serves the WRA offices and other government agencies requesting information, keeping account of each individual and family through charts and graphs.

Placement manager under Chief Miller is Harry S. Shimada with Mary Wada as placement records manager; the Registration section is headed by Mrs. Welter Heath; the Statistical section is managed by Kay Kageyama, assisted by Floyd Fukiu. Statistician is Victor Yokota; occupational coder, Toru Haga; interviewer, Daniel Aiso; draftsman, George Ishizuka.

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