Tanforan Totalizer, Issues 6 through 10

Vol. 1 #6 June 20, 1942

Page 1: The results of the council elections are given. There's also an article on Father's Day, and an article on election sidelights, along with an article listing the actual results of the voting.

There was also a plan to build some kind of lake/park in the old lake bed.

Page 2: There's an article saying that thirteen residents went to donate blood to a local blood bank. There's also an article on funeral services for someone who had died, and an article noting that there had been 4840 visitors in a period of a month.

Then there's an article called "The Reviewing Stand" which has more information on the lake/park project, and a note about messengers and visitors.

Page 3: The men who were elected are quoted. There's more on the election, and a short article on the birth of five babies. There's a short article saying that permits are needed to hold parties in the laundry room, and an article on an optometric clinic that will be opening at the camp.

There's also a Notices article. 100 clerical workers are needed, some people need to pick up things at the dead letter offices, change of address forms are available for Selective Service registrants, and a siren was used for roll call.

Page 4: There's an article on what is going on at the churches, an article on scouting, and an article noting that the library will start charging for overdue books. In an article on education, it's noted that eight high seniors graduated that week. Classes in English for Issei and Kibei were started. There is also work underway to prepare students to attend colleges in the East.

Page 5: The women's page. There's an article about one resident who's a singer and danger, an article about how often to wash one's hair, and an article called "With the Womenfolk."" There's also an article on a girl that works in the mess hall.

Page 6: There's an article on a legionnaire group that's at the camp, and that really surprises me since the American Legion was one of the chief movers behind the anti-Japanese feelings on the West Coast. There's an article on people who work in the kitchen, and a Previews and Reviews column which notes the camp now has a dance band, there will be folk dancing, hula dancing, a musical, and an art exhibit.

Page 7: Brief editorials, and another opinion article. The question is "Should Nisei girls smoke?"" Then there's an article on another of the camp's residents.

Page 8: The sports page, with an article that someone will be teaching boxing. Most of the rest of the page is devoted to softball.

Vol.1 #7, June 27, 1942

Page 1: There's an article on the new council, and an article about one of the residents getting a $200 inheritance from an actress that his father had worked for.

There's an interesting article about a search done at the center. I find it especially interesting that any Japanese literature was taken by the searchers. This is another good indication that people in the centers were not living a normal life as some of the anti-Japanese people would have had others believe. In normal life, you are not subject to unannounced searches and seizures at any time.

Page 2: The Reviewing Stand, news of the camp. A banking service will be available to the residents, and all incoming packages will be examined by the postal department. Again, another good example of how the residents were not living under normal conditions. There's a report on a town hall meeting that was held to figure out how to coordinate Issei and Nisei interests.

A young boy through a rock through a guard window, but there was no severe punishment or anything like that since it was determined he was just showing off for some girls. Still, this is an example of a type of violence that I had not read about in any of the books.

There's also an article on the center's establishment of a file system on all residents.

Page 3: The normal article on the lost and found is on the page, along with an engagement announcement. The Reviewing Stand is the normal article of what's been going on, and it's noted that 500 books and magazines have been donated to the library. There's going to be a discussion of dance music, a musical, a barn dance, glee club, and art center news is also included as part of the On Schedule article.

There has been one birth and two deaths. Theres a Note of Thanks for people attending a funeral service, and an article on some first aid classes that will be held.

Page 5: The column with short editorials, and the survey column. The question is "Should We Dress Up on Sundays?"" There's also a Letter Box column.

Page 6: There's an article on recreation, one on a treasure hunt game, and one about sailboats (small) built by residents.

Page 7: There's an article about people in barracks 2 through 6. Theres also the “With the Women” column, and the Kitchen column.

Page 8: More softball news, an athletic control board has been established, and a variety of other sports are briefly discussed.

Vol. 1 #8: July 4, 1942

Page 1: A very good editorial for the fourth of July. The editor pays attention to the fact that the people in the camp have had an injustice done to them, but he, at the same time, is basically saying everyone needs to pull together for the greater good.

There's also an article on the selective service, one on a Fourth of July program that will be held, one on a Council Constitution being drafted, and one on House Managers.

Page 2: The Reviewing Stand is the normal bits of camp information, but there is one very, very interesting part:

Apparently there's a crackdown on signs in the Japanese language. It also says that only citizens (Nisei) will be allowed to run for camp office or to vote in camp elections. Finally, roll calls are supposed to be stricter.

It would be interesting to know just why this series of things was being done. To announce them on the fourth of July seems sort of like a slap to the internees who were trying to still go along with the idea of American ideals, as noted in the Editorial on the first page.

There's also articles on insurance policies, a town hall meeting, and visitors.

Page 3: The Reviewing Stand continues. There's an article on the Canteen, and one on an occupational survey that was done. Farmers formed less than 5% of the camp's residents. There's an article on employment and paychecks that should be arriving, an article on the maternity ward (which houses nine babies), an article on the Red Cross and its involvement in helping get messages from the residents to people in other countries, including Japan.

Page 4: There have been four births and two deaths. Two people, including one a doctor, left for Tule Lake. Four residents left to teach in the Naval Intelligence Language Division. The Medical Center has a column about diptheria and other shots. There's a couple objects in the lost and found; the post office talks bout COD packages, and someone is thanking people for attending a funeral service.

There's also more on the camp's constitution, and notices that Script Books and clothing would soon be made available to the residents.

Page 5: An education article, with a lot of space devoted to the person who heads the education department. The schools have 2976 students, 89 teachers, and 19 "others."" There's also an article on the library which, apparently, was set up where the grandstand bar had been located. (Remember; the camp used to be a horse-race track.)

An exam schedule has been set up for the students, so we learn that the subjects taught (that use exams) include agriculture, history, natural and social sciences, math and English.

There's also an article on the continuing effort to relocate some students to inland colleges.

Page 6: There's an article on scouting and one on correspondence courses for adults.

There's something I'm not sure of here. How do you give correspondence courses in auto mechanics, chemistry and a couple of the other subjects? Still, it was a good idea to have as many courses for adults as they could.

Some books have been donated to the library, and Issei sewing classes are starting. There's also the church schedules, and the Previews and Reviews column which talks about the July 4th dance, the glee club, the symposium on music, and some movies that will be shown which include one on the principal plays of the 1941 football season, one about Mexico, and one entitled They Do Come Back.

Page 7: the normal editorial shorts, and the Your Opinion Please column, which is asking "Should Nisei Marry Now?" Current magazine articles about the assembly centers are mentioned, and an article about the copy boy.

Page 8: The Kitchen and With the Womenfolk columns. The Kitchen talks about the ever-present problem of missing milk bottles, and the womenfolk column talks about there being no weddings so far. There's also an article about one of the residents.

Page 9: There's an interesting article about the Kibei having a meeting on how they can "become better assimilated into the general recreational life of the center."" Kibei were the ones who were born in the U.S. and then went back to Japan for part or all of their schooling, and then returned.

(Note; in these newsletters, Issei, Nisei and Kibei always seem to be done with lower-case letters. I will be capitalizing the first letter in each, though, as that's how I'm used to seeing them in present-day literature.)

The "Events" column talks about a hobby show, a kite contest, a planned golf course, and a decathlon. There is also training going on for recreational leaders.

Page 10: There's news about boxing, badminton, softball and football.

The Fourth of July Derby.

Volume 1, #9: July 11, 1942

Page 1: Paychecks are in, and the script books and clothing will be available. A laundry/dry cleaning service will soon be opened.

Page 2: The Reviewing Stand, with bits of camp news. Activities of the house managers is discussed, a barbershop will be opening, and supplies from two closed centers will be arriving. Some of the evacuees are entitled to Social Security payments.

Page 3: An article on another section of the camp and the people who live there. There's also an article on the Medical Center, one on the post office, one on the lost and found, one noting three births, and one about a Red Cross graduation.

Page 4: Previews and Reviews discuss a art and hobby show, a dance, a Mardi Gras festival, a musical, a talent show, a concert, and some movies. Also, a Center Garden has been established.

This is an interesting article for two reasons. First, it's sort of an off-the-wall type of strange happening at the center. Second, it's a good lesson for those who hunt for ghosts; they need to do plenty of investigating and eliminate all possible logical reasons for something strange being seen.

Page 5: An article on Education, one on co-ops, one on report cards being issue, one on a high school election, and one on visitors to the education department.

This is very important, as it shows an effort being made to help both Issei and Nisei adapt to the American culture. Notice that all the subjects being offered are geared towards practical, day-to-day types of things that the Issei and Nisei would encounter once they leave the camps.

An excellent editorial, noting the cultural isolation of the Nisei and how they need to work hard to be better able to fit into general society, and not just end up in areas with a concentration of Japanese people and few others.

There's going to be a section on news from other camps, and this one has news from the Tule Lake center. It seems that, if a person is able to work, they will be required to; it will no longer be voluntary. This seems just a little high-handed to me.

Page 7: The short editorials, and the survey article. The question was something about what the conception of America was for the Nisei and the Issei. There's also an article by the copy boy.

Page 8: The Kitchen and With the Womenfolk articles. There's also an article about housekeepers.

Page 9: A marionette troupe will perform. There's an article on scouting, and one noting the art department is turning out ten posters a day. There's going to be a kite contest, and they has already been a regatta of model boats. A schedule of the various recreation halls is also given.

Page 10: The results of the 4th of July Derby are given. There are also references to boxing, sumo, ping-pong, table tennis, football, softball, and one about someone looking for someone to challenge him in chess and/or checkers.

(Note: there were no copies of Vol 1, #10 available.)

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