[Letter to Clara Breed from Fusa Tsumagari, Poston, Arizona, September 8, 1942]

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[Letter to Clara Breed from Fusa Tsumagari, Poston, Arizona, September 8, 1942]

Maker Tsumagari, Fusa

Date1942

Mediumpaper, ink

DimensionsH: 8 in, W: 5 in (sheet); H: 11 in, W: 8.5 in (sheet); H: 3.5 in, W: 6.375 in (envelope)

ClassificationsArchives

Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Y. Yamada

Object number93.75.31AY

DescriptionTranscription:
Camp #3 323-11-D / Poston, Arizona / September 8. 1942 / Dear Miss Breed, / Thank you again for the many cross-word puzzles and your nice letter. Your account of your Arizona friend was very interesting and quite amusing. / I have enclosed a copy of a song which should be sung to the tune of "Oh Susannah." I ran across it a few days ago and think that it is clever and very briefly tells how the various groups moved into Santa Anita. / Our exit was quite a different story. The first group to move out was the "Volunteer Group" which left for Poston on Wednesday morning. Then, the San Diego group left on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Then the Hollywood group left for Wyoming on the following Tuesday and through the rest of the week. Part of Los Angeles which registered with the Maryknoll Church also went to Wyoming. Many more groups from Los Angeles will leave for Colorado with the remaining groups leaving for Arkansas. / Fuji and Bill will probably leave for Colorado about the 15th of this month. I have not heard from her yet and am wondering how she is. We have been told that we are able to join the immediate family after all are relocated. We are waiting for them to be relocated, and also waiting to see if my brother will be able to get out and go to school. If he should be able to get out we want to join my sister. We may stay here or we may be able to go to Louisiana and join my father there. We have been told that we may be able to join him later, but that it would be impossible for him to join us. /

OH FELLOW CAMPERS / Tune: Oh Susanna / I / To Santa Anita 'Sembly Camp we came / from different parts / And yet the friends we have at home / we still keep in our hearts, / We came in trains and caravans and / trucks and buses, too, / Hoping that we'll soon go back, that / skies will soon be blue. / Chorus: / Oh fellow Campers, Let's do our part / right here / And make this place a kind of home / that can mean something dear. / II / Wilmington and Pedro way, Lomita and / Long Beach, / And Frisco town to Diego land, "good-bye" / We've said to each. / We're all a-mingled here right now / We've found that joy in life, / Means sharing and a helping out through / Happytime or strife. / III / Downey and the Lawndale folks / Came next to join our group / And then we had 10,000 strong / A var-i-ated group. / Los Angeles and San Mateo / Came into our crowd / Our population at its top / You bet we're mighty proud! /

2 / September 14, 1942 / Dear Miss Breed, / You must be surprised at the various assortment of stationary, but I ran out and am now waiting for some new stationary to come in. / A few nights ago it became really cold. Some people say it went as low as 50 F. It certainly was a change from our usual weather. The days are still very warm but the evenings are much cooler. / We are all getting used to the weather and dust and beginning to think that it isn't such a bad place after all. Partitions have been put up in the lavatory and the wash room here is much nicer and much closer. All of us hang our washed clothing inside the house but it is amazing to note how fast they dry. / We have each been given a cot bed and a blanket. Now that we have caught up on our sleep, the cots feel rather uncomfortable. We will be issued either hay or steel army cots and matresses, but as yet no one seems to know when! Something should be done, though, because we need something as a mattress because it is colder at night. / Many rumors are going on saying that our Sears clothing has come but no one has seen them so I don't believe it. My motto here is "Seeing only is believing." I like to tell you of these many many rumors becuase that is just about the best way to let you know what is going on "inside." / We have a daily press bulletin, but they are only issued to offices. I wish they would issue it about two or three times a week and let everyone see it instead. / It seems as though my life is going through a thorough transformation! Here I go to Sewing School, Sunday School, Church, Singsperation, and Girls' Club Meetings. No more of those swell Saturday night dances! Gee, how I miss them! You know that while we were in Santa Anita there was a good deal of excitement--well the people really thought that we were savages before we came in. It's a fact that we were really given a cold reception when we came! The young girls from Reedley, Visalia, and Fresno and thereabouts no longer go to dances cause they are afraid of the "Santa Anita yogores" (a colloquialism meaning "not the best of boys"). Due to this, the young fellows act twice as rowdy and really make us disgusted! / We, S.A. girls no longer go out to dances either! Most of us stay at home and are truly good girls. Sometimes we go to each others house and look up into the dark blue star-filled sky. I regret that I did not take astronomy in school--the sky is truly beautiful at night! / I know I'm asking a great deal of you--but I wonder if you would be so kind as to send me a dictionary. My brother and I are both such poor spellers that we really need a dictionary. If you have one that you don't need, would you please send it to us. If you don't have an extra one I will send you the money for one in my next letter. / Gee, Christmas must fall on Friday! It certainly would be elegant if you could come to Arizona. Visitors here are allowed to enter the barracks and visit people. It doesn't feel like a prison here. Gee, but this is such a desolate place I wonder if your tires will hold out--also your gas will be rationed won't it? / I heard from Miss McNary about a week ago and have not yet answered. Please give her my best regards and tell her I'll bet that even with her sun-tan she'll have nothing on us! / Please give your mother our best regards. My mother sends you her love. / Sincerely, / Fusa / P.S. Please 4-give the stationary!;1 letter and envelope in two parts from Fusa Tsumagari to Clara Breed.