Minidoka Irrigator: Issues 11-15

Volume 1 #11: Oct. 21 1942

Page 1: Fair Labor Board completed and meets with project director; Myer meets planning commission; one-night census set for Thursday.

This is in response to an editorial that was run by the paper. I've broken into sections since the original copy is not easy to read and I needed to get a large size scan. The last part is from page 3 of the newsletter.

Page 2: The paper's staff is listed; The Exchange column; flower shop opens.

An editorial in response to the response to an earlier editorial.

Another article on the farm issue.

Page 3: Permits must be obtained in order to leave the camp; the article about the farmer continues from page 1; the article on Myer and the planning body continues from page 1; one student has left to study elsewhere; feasibility of marriage is a topic.

For those who claim that the camps weren't so bad, does your home have watchtowers built around it?

Page 4: Teachers and assistants listed for elementary schools; Halloween celebrations; a marriage; unaddressed letters are here.

First part of an article.

Page 5: Block 23 is being moved; extra postage is required for forwarding; farm program guidance set; softball; 2 births, 1 death.

The second part of the article.

Another interesting article.

Page 6: A new cartoon, by Eddie Sato; there will be Japanese entertainment for the Caucasian staff; someone from the camp visited a relative at Lordsburg camp in New Mexico; WCAA repatriation forms were received by a bunch of people who never had asked for them.

Page 7: Model apartment readied for exhibition; employment officer setup changed; the hospital got an X-ray machine; a P.A. system is needed; 170 tots take physical exam; staff will stay temporarily in block 23; census article from page 1 continues; there will be a speaker for the arts and handicrafts class; a marriage; some boys have been taking plumbing fixtures.

Page 8: In Japanese, with English listing of contents.

Volume 1 #12: Oct. 24 1942

Page 1: More evacuees are expected, who are expected to help ease the labor shortage; colonists can work and still get old-age benefits; camp's boundaries are defined; a movie is scheduled; co-op workers have gotten their September pay, but the others must wait.

Page 2: List of paper's staff; From the Beet Fields column; clothing allowances to be calculated; drama group to be formed; routine checkups keep lab techs busy; the census office moved.

Page 3: High school plans class in cooking; incoming packages will not be inspected; YWCA leader to organize classes there; a clinic day for children is set up; beet fields article from page 2 is continued; one birth, one death; 2 women get indefinite leaves for work.

Page 4: A bus has been obtained for the camp; patronage stamps are being issued; the Chief Superintendent of Community Enterprises has left to attend a meeting; entry deadline for Halloween race is extended; unnecessary use of cars eliminated through motor pool; education office move; block 12 gets a barber shop.

Page 5: A woman farm worker was killed in an accident; the Fair Labor Board has elected a chairman; church notices; pay priorities and worker benefits articles continued; center boundaries article continued.

Page 6: In Japanese, with English listing of contents.

Volume 1 #13: Oct. 28 1942

Page 1: Qualifications defined for work leaves; colonists might receive their September pay that week; 2285 workers are out on various farms; residents may send for privately-stored goods.

Who will deal with crimes.

Page 2: A list of the papers' staff; the Exchange column; an editorial on the Coal Crew Heroes; a daily bus line has started.

Page 3: Hunt to have sewerage of the latest type; over 2,000 folding chairs are on their way to the camp; forum will discuss co-op; Boy Scout jamboree set.

This is a complaint I have not seen anywhere else (yet, anyhow.) Page 4: An airport for the camp may be set up, but it delayed for lack of land clearers; Heart Mountain second center with printed paper; efficiency study to analyze Hunt jobs on man-hours basis; Hunt will eventually get a weather bureau but, for the moment, no one can predict what will happen weather-wise; one birth, one funeral service.

Page 5: Two people will join the legal staff; one person left their post at the camp to assume another WRA post; labor board meets; girl scouts organize; furlough article from page 1 continues; an All-Russian record concert will be held.

The felon article from page 1 continues, and there's a cute cartoon.

Page 6: Gala holiday doings listed; co-op directors will be elected; schedule for Halloween events; hospital heating system under way; another person has left to take a job elsewhere; the drama group will meet; the Irrigator mascot needs a name.

Page 7, a cartoon about the paper's staff.

Page 8: In Japanese, with English listing of topics.

Volume 1 #14: Oct. 31 1942

Page 1: The Army wants Nisei and Kibei for the Military Intelligence Unit. This is one the same page as the article below pointing out the camp will be surrounded by barbed wire. Talk about contradictory tones. The acting project director has left to take another post; four soldiers visited; four former internees at Camp Lordsburg are at this camp now; a funeral.

I'm sure this is just the type of article everyone at the camp was looking forward to reading; the camp will have barbed wire around it, not just guard towers.

Reference to a famous trial of the time (the layout of the text in the article has a problem.)

Page 2: Listing of the paper's staff; workers hurt on jobs might get benefits; green stamps replace cash register receipts; a classical record concert; national YWCA leader will be at the camp for a conference; another student has left to attend college elsewhere.

Page 3: The colony has received six trucks; 'What's Cookin'' will be the next movie; vegetables arrive from Tule Lake; parking is banned near the administration area; winterizing in progress; returnees must sign with placement office; the article on the Army seeking men is continued; the mess wants dishes returned.

The rest of the article on Hirabayashi.

Page 4: Church group will hold open house; legal aid office will open Sunday to aid voters; WRA heads visit the camp; two parties set for kids; route revised for marathon; article on the drama group; church notices; one person released from hospital.

Page 5: Civic center readied.

The civic center.

Page 6: The page is in Japanese with an English listing of the contents.

Volume 1 #15: Nov. 4 1942

Page 1: Pay for September has arrived; selection of co-op board completed; evacuees with civil service ratings listed; evacuees out on farm work may have leaves extended.

Page 2: List of the paper's staff; the Exchange column; confidential survey of Hunt residents completed; WRA employment head expected.

An editorial.

Page 3: The curriculum for the school is released; a beauty shop will open; an art exhibit will be held; a second barbershop and a second laundry have opened; religious council stresses co-ordination of activities; the hospital gets a morgue room, and a couple got married.

Page 4: A sports page with articles on football and ping pong. Also articles on a shoe repair shop opening, and an educational forum.

Page 5: Placing evacuees in right job, WRA program; 85 fire hydrants have been knocked over by careless drivers; two depart for clothing meeting; War Savings Stamps are available; two articles relating to medicine; a Japanese entertainment program for Caucasians is set.

Page 6: There has been a problem with the way some people have been recruited for off-camp labor projects; the housing supervisor has left to assume a new post elsewhere; measures for health given by head nurse; civil service men article from page1 continues; a co-op meeting; the hospital has received some equipment; one death.

Page 7: A meeting of national YWCA leaders; church open houses; the article on September pay continues from page 1; the mascot still does not have a name; a cartoon.

A crime problem.

Page 8: The Japanese language page, with topics listed in English.



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