Title:
Letter from Paul H. [Kusuda] to [Afton] Nance, 1943 Apr 13
Creator:
Kusuda, Paul H., 1922-
Subject:
"Nance, Afton Dill "
Japanese Americans-- Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
Description:
Typed letter from Paul H. [Kusuda] to [Afton] Nance, 1943 Apr 13.
WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY APRIL 13, 1943 In reply, please refer to: P. H. K. 32----------3-----------3
Manzanar, Calif. Dear Mrs. Nance, Thank you very much for sending the folder (enclosed) on the University of Michigan.
It would be rather nice to go there, but it does sound slightly expensive—or don’t you think so? Anyway, I am certain that
I will not be allowed to enter that institution. Thus far, it is not open for the Japanese Americans. There is a list of
about four hundred schools which have been cleared by the Army, Navy, F.B.I., etc. for the admittance of Japanese Americans
and Michigan is not on that list. That means that I shall not journey towards that institution. The program at Michigan
seems to be rather intensive, but does not look as though it might be all-encompassing in courses. I need many basic courses
such as psychology, sociology, etc. I don’t believe that I would be satisfied with the course since I don’t have the basic
prerequisites. Today, I received a letter from Woodruff J. Emlen, Placement Department. It reads as follows: Thank
you very much for keeping us up to date as to your Army status. We think it will be a big help to you in your future contacts
and applications to have enlisted your services in the Army, and we are very pleased that now you can go ahead into furthering
your education with a clear conscience. We have just prepared a list of institutions offering engineering, which are on the
cleared list, and in which there are possibilities of openings. We think that in making applications to any of these schools,
it would be helpful to you to have us contact the school, as we have such excellent references and recommendations for you,
which supplement so strongly your past academic record, which is not too strong in itself. We wish you the best of luck,
and would certainly be pleased if we could see you again if you should ever come to Philadelphia. Please keep us in touch
with your progress, as we are very anxious to help you. We are afraid that the Columbia opportunity will probably not materialize
for you. Well--that means that there is no use in trying to go to Columbia. Now, I shall have to cast around for something.
Perhaps you may know that up to this time, the majority of the schools which compose Columbia U. have not been cleared for
the Nisei. I hope that some other Nisei will have a chance to go there. It will provide an excellent opportunity.
A list of 28 institutions offering engineering was enclosed with the letter which I just quoted. The Relocation Council
must imagine that since I could not get into Columbia, I dropped the idea of post-war work. I suppose that I shall send them
a letter tomorrow setting them right about my intentions to drop engineering work entirely. That work (engineering) seems
to be too impersonal for me. After I work for a while--it may be more than one year--and save some money, I s hall go
on to school. Since Columbia did not materialize, I shall go on to some other small place to do my undergraduate work. In
the mean time, I shall hope that the Government will take the matter of reconstruction work seriously enough to begin training
men and women for it. You have been mentioning the portfolio job a couple of times. Please forget it. I didn’t do too
much on it. The helper is satisfied because I took the liberty of giving her the pieces of cloth which remained in addition
to the glue which was left over. We used some of her own glue instead because she was more used to handling a certain type.
She is satisfied; so am I; so must you be (or something). Now, the matter is closed. You spoke of the money which was
left behind by the evacuee group. The idea of spending it for books written to encourage world friendship and race equality
is sound. LACC (through Mr. Richardson) has sent some good books with the following inscription: Let us not to the marriage
of men’s minds admit impediment. Please let me know when you receive an administrative credential. Then, I could brag
to people I know that I correspond with an executive! Also, if you made a copy of your term paper on Philosophical Origins
of Racism in America and What the Schools Ought To Do About It, PLEASE let me have it to read. I shall return it. The title
sounds very intriguing. For a time, I have been working to try to get out of here on April 20, Tuesday, but it looks
as though I won’t. The Hostel has not accepted me yet and it doesn’t seem that it will for some time. The place is packed.
I have enjoyed two weeks of non-work. It appears that it might lengthen into two more weeks or more. Oh well, ishkabibble.
Cordially, Paul H.
Publisher:
Japanese American National Museum
Date:
1943 April 13
Type:
text
Format:
1 item ( 2 p. letter) ; sheet 27 x 21 cm.
Identifier:
JANM_013
2001.175.49
Language:
eng
Relation:
Coverage:
Manzanar (Calif.)
Rights:
Copyrighted
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki
National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).
Japanese American National Museum
Letter from Paul H. [Kusuda] to [Afton] Nance, 1943 Apr 13