[Letter to Clara Breed from Katherine Tasaki, Poston, Arizona, March 16, 1944]

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[Letter to Clara Breed from Katherine Tasaki, Poston, Arizona, March 16, 1944]

Maker Tasaki, Katherine

Date1944

Mediumpaper, ink

DimensionsH: 10.5 in, W: 8 in

ClassificationsArchives

Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Y. Yamada

Object number93.75.31EH

DescriptionTranscription:
3/16-44/Poston, Ariz./Dear Miss Breed,/How will I do it? Do what? Why, thank you, of course. For what? For the simply splendid books, naturally. Every single one is almost as dear as you are, but not quite. But for books, they're the best ever./Well, I haven't even started my book yet, but I wrote a few articles and children's short stories. I figure that's better than just coming out and write a book, all of a sudden./Miss Breed, did you ever have trouble in the 6th grade? But I guess mine are pretty silly. My worst are the boy's in our class. I never saw such roughnecks--and I'm sure out teacher hasn't either./My other trouble is the blackboard. Every time I'm asked to write in front of the class, I get the jitters. Making a report is much easier./I certainly do go off and on a subject, don't I? The girls in our room have started a club called the Dramatic Damsels--Dee Dee. We have appointed different committees, and I was chosen for one of the play writers. That's quite an honor./I had an idea for a play, but it was a perfectly impossible one. Three reasons make it very hard for me to think. It has to be our own, it has to be about Norway, Sweden, or Denmark, and I was absent for so long that I didn't get much information on either of those countries. But I'm determined to write a play. I just feel like writing./We had a swell sand storm day before yesterday. Yes sir! Arizona is the place for a sand company./With the opening of the new audotorium, every thing is happening. Almost every night there's a play or show. And the stage certainly reminds me of the audotorium back home. /Today is my lucky day. Besides receiving your books, our trunk came, and we had two square meals./Our cook is so cock-eyed, we feel like throwing the food at him sometimes./Everybody seems to be dying all of a sudden. My mother's make-believe mother, the baby of a friend of ours in Arkansas, and my teacher's grandmother all died in March. /Summer started coming all of a sudden, and as suddenly changed its mind. I hear California had some cold weather, too./My father says the natives of Detroit all agree that this year was a very mild winter, but he doesn't think so./I'm pretty proud of my library record. The one at the school doesn't have any blotches, and the public library has only one over-due mark. Of course, there are a few who don't have any over-dues in our room, but they all lost at least one card. And I'm already on my third one./Pen Pals are lot's of fun. I have 20 right now, and every single one is swell. Especially our club. There are 3 others besides me. I feel flattered that I was asked to join, and I happen to be the youngest one--also the silliest./One night my mother and I went to a play given by the high school. The title was "What a Life," an episode from the life of Henry Aldriech./Have you heard of the Pacific Citizen? My father wants it, so we buy and read it every week. I have noticed that Poston and San Diego are used often./I've run out of news now, so will close. But not without thanking you again for the books./Love,/Katherine;1 letter and envelope from Katherine Tasaki to Clara Breed.