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Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen Records
94.116.23
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Title: Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen records
Dates: 1935-1993
Collection number: 94.116.23
Creator:
Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen, 1915-1993
Collection Size:
4.5 linear feet
Repository:
Japanese American National Museum
Los Angeles, California 90012
Abstract: The Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen (Los Angeles Uptown Second Education House) was a Japanese language school established in 1915
and attended by local Japanese American students, with a break during the years of World War II, until its closure in 1993.
The collection contains a variety of administrative and instructional materials, newsletters, correspondence, memoranda, personal
papers, and photographs. While the majority of the collection is in Japanese, certain records are in English.
Physical location: Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
By appointment only.
Please Contact the Collections Management and Access Unit by email (collections@janm.org).
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 (collections@janm.org).
[Identification of item], Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen records. 94.116.23, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.
This finding aid was created as part of a project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
The project started in 2007. Project Director was Yoko Shimojo and the Project Archivist was Marlon Romero.
Biography / Administrative History
In 1915, the Rev. Setsu Yamazaki, a priest at the Rafu Nipponjin Seikokai, established the Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen, a Japanese
language school, in Los Angeles. Initially, Rev. Yamazaki taught students in his church at 1011 S. Mariposa Street. In 1917,
a school board consisting of the students' parents was formed, and in 1922 the school moved to a building at 1035 Fedora Street
purchased with funds donated by parents and community members. In 1925, a mothers' association, the "Midori Kai," was established
to help school administrative functions and organize special events and cultural programs such as movie nights, Hina Matsuri
festivals, Japanese cooking classes and English lessons. The school closed temporarily in 1942 with the removal of Japanese
Americans to concentration camps. After the war, the school functioned as a temporary residence for Japanese Americans as
they returned to the area. In 1948, the school reopened and resumed classes, reaching its peak activity in the 1970s and 1980s
but eventually closing its doors in June of 1993, partly the result of the changing demographics of the neighborhood.
Scope and Content of Collection
The principles of provenance have been closely followed to preserve the natural order of the records. As a result, the arrangement
of the school's papers and documents reflect the functional organization of the school. Hence the following series were created:
Administrative Records, Educational Records, Mother's Club, Photographs, and Special Activities.
Series 1: Administrative Records (3 linear ft.)
This series consists of annual reports, by-laws, correspondences, financial documents, newsletters, school closure and re-opening documents, PTA (Parent Teacher Association) minutes, and World War II evacuation claims. The bulk in this series consists of the school newsletter, Gakuen Dayori. The entirety of the newsletter collection is in Japanese and spans the years of 1930 to 1988. The newsletters provide an insight into the school's daily activities, and numerous announcements about different school celebrations (e.g. movie night, camping trips, undokai (Sports Day), etc.). The school re-opening sub-series contains resumes of teachers, a prospectus for the opening ceremony, student applications, and the placement tests of students. The Administrative Record series is arranged alphabetically by the title of the sub-series folder and chronologically within each sub-series folder.
This series consists of annual reports, by-laws, correspondences, financial documents, newsletters, school closure and re-opening documents, PTA (Parent Teacher Association) minutes, and World War II evacuation claims. The bulk in this series consists of the school newsletter, Gakuen Dayori. The entirety of the newsletter collection is in Japanese and spans the years of 1930 to 1988. The newsletters provide an insight into the school's daily activities, and numerous announcements about different school celebrations (e.g. movie night, camping trips, undokai (Sports Day), etc.). The school re-opening sub-series contains resumes of teachers, a prospectus for the opening ceremony, student applications, and the placement tests of students. The Administrative Record series is arranged alphabetically by the title of the sub-series folder and chronologically within each sub-series folder.
Series 2: Educational Records (1 linear ft.)
This series contains documents pertaining to students and teachers including graduation ceremonies, instructional materials, student records, and personal papers of two of the school's teachers, Masako Okamoto and Yasumasa Yoshizumi. The student records sub-series includes attendance records, compositions, report cards, etc. The teachers' personal papers include immigration documents, resumes, and correspondence. The Educational Records series is arranged alphabetically by the title of the sub-series folder, and chronologically within each sub-series folder. The documents that had no date are located towards the end of their designated folder.
This series contains documents pertaining to students and teachers including graduation ceremonies, instructional materials, student records, and personal papers of two of the school's teachers, Masako Okamoto and Yasumasa Yoshizumi. The student records sub-series includes attendance records, compositions, report cards, etc. The teachers' personal papers include immigration documents, resumes, and correspondence. The Educational Records series is arranged alphabetically by the title of the sub-series folder, and chronologically within each sub-series folder. The documents that had no date are located towards the end of their designated folder.
Series 3: Mother's Club (.5 linear ft.)
This series contains records and activities of the Mother's Club which supported and sponsored many school activities. It includes records from 1968-1981 and 1988-1989 as well as financial documents such as a ledger from 1952 and1988-1989 financial statements. These records contain a variety of information regarding the daily activities of the Mother's Club such as meeting minutes, budget accounts, food recipes, members' lists, and election facsimiles. These records came in their own binders or notebooks and are arranged by year.
This series contains records and activities of the Mother's Club which supported and sponsored many school activities. It includes records from 1968-1981 and 1988-1989 as well as financial documents such as a ledger from 1952 and1988-1989 financial statements. These records contain a variety of information regarding the daily activities of the Mother's Club such as meeting minutes, budget accounts, food recipes, members' lists, and election facsimiles. These records came in their own binders or notebooks and are arranged by year.
Series 4: Photographs
This series is arranged by different events such as graduations, speech contests, talent shows, etc. Each event is then organized chronologically. There are captions attached to the photographs in the Graduating Class sub-series that explain the year and education level of the class portrayed. For the Miscellaneous sub-series folder, there is no information on the event or the date the photographs were taken.
This series is arranged by different events such as graduations, speech contests, talent shows, etc. Each event is then organized chronologically. There are captions attached to the photographs in the Graduating Class sub-series that explain the year and education level of the class portrayed. For the Miscellaneous sub-series folder, there is no information on the event or the date the photographs were taken.
Inventory of photographs: Graduating Class (thirty-one 8"x10" b/w; four - 8"x10" color);
Fiftieth Anniversary (seventy-one - 5"x7" b/w; four - 5"x7" color); Miscellaneous (four 5"x7" color); Speech Contest (one
8"x10" b/w); Storytelling Conference (one 8"x10" b/w); Talent Show (eight 5"x7" color).
Series 5: Special Activities
This series contains programs, flyers, publications, and miscellaneous materials on numerous activities held by the school. Some of the activities include movie nights, graduations, undokais, and summer camps. Ledgers for activities can be found in Series 1: Administrative Records. There are also essays from Campton Gakuen included. In the Summer Camp sub-series there are fliers as well as camp newsletters, The Metakan and Whispering Pines from Camp Metaka and Camp Siwinis in Los Angeles, California.. The Special Activities series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
This series contains programs, flyers, publications, and miscellaneous materials on numerous activities held by the school. Some of the activities include movie nights, graduations, undokais, and summer camps. Ledgers for activities can be found in Series 1: Administrative Records. There are also essays from Campton Gakuen included. In the Summer Camp sub-series there are fliers as well as camp newsletters, The Metakan and Whispering Pines from Camp Metaka and Camp Siwinis in Los Angeles, California.. The Special Activities series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Rafu Uwamachi Daini Gakuen
Schools, Japanese
California
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Japanese language