Skip to main content
Collections Menu
[Home Movies of Japanese School Picnic in Terminous, CA, with Foot Races, Tug-of-War, Judo Matches and more / circa 1940]

[Home Movies of Japanese School Picnic in Terminous, CA, with Foot Races, Tug-of-War, Judo Matches and more / circa 1940]

Dateca. 1940
Mediumacetate
DimensionsFilm Format: 16.00 mm
ClassificationsMoving Images
Credit LineGift of Dr. Kin Jiro Futamachi, Rose Keiko Sasaki and Ethel Akemi Toda in Memory of Harry Tadaichi and Kimiyo (Shingu) Futamachi
Object number2006.51.3
DescriptionColor and black and white home movie footage, filmed by Harry Tadaichi Futamachi circa 1940. The first half is color footage and includes the beginning of the event with principal and children; teen volunteers setting up the scoreboard; running races and other field day team activities. The second half is black and white footage of more field day team and individual (judo) activities. Teams are co-ed but most games are divided by gender, except for the activities with the youngest children.

Timecode list:
(color)
0:30 -- Driving down a state highway, over a drawbridge; “Empire Farms” sign
1:15 -- Shots of people including a dog gathered outside, a wooden house, and an American flag with a koinobori flying together
1:27 -- Scoreboard; one half is red and the other is white. A “0” sign hangs on each side.
1:31 -- Two men (one is possibly Principal Nakamura?) speaking to six rows of children of all ages, split by gender. From left to right: row of teenage girls, row of girls wearing red headbands all lined up from shortest to tallest, row of girls wearing white headbands all lined up from shortest to tallest, row of boys in red caps all lined up from shortest to tallest, row of boys in white caps all lined up from shortest to tallest, row of teenage boys
2:24 -- Three teenage girls preparing the scoreboard; children wait under a covered seating area
2:37 -- Boys’ foot races
3:08 -- Girls’ foot races (including jump-roping while running in dresses)
3:31 -- Boys play tug of war; red team wins
4:29 -- Scoreboard: 18 red, 14 white
4:31 -- Girls’ races, including running through a jump-rope; a couple of female participants are wearing pants
5:27 -- Scoreboard: 28 red, 15 white
5:32 -- Spectators, a boy doing high jump
5:41 -- Children playing “back-o-ball” or some variation (two teens with baskets strapped to their back run around the field and the children try to put the balls with their team colors into the basket); white team wins
6:26 -- Scoreboard: 24 red, 20 white
6:28 -- Refreshment break; children, including a white boy around 10, in line for sodas
6:42 -- Team race (10 member-team, everyone’s left leg is tied to a long rope and is running together)
7:13 -- Scoreboard: 29 red, 21 white
7:15 -- Spectators and more foot races
8:10 -- Team game where each member takes turn pulling a tin with two balls inside it; drawbridge in direct background?
10:35 -- Scoreboard: 38 red, 36 white
10:37 -- Egg-and-spoon race (colored team balls in place of eggs); two white girls with no team headbands also participate
11:01 -- Boys’ obstacle course; a couple white boys with no team indicators also participate
12:01 -- Various girls’ foot races, including three-legged race with teenage girls

(black & white)
12:42 -- Scoreboard: 39 red, 41 white
12:44 -- Young children (approximately 4-6 year old) including one white girl participate in a ball-collecting game
13:18 -- Boys’ teams play some variation of freeze tag?
14:09 -- Scoreboard: 44 red, 42 white
14:12 -- Various games (fishing game, girls’ foot races) and footage of the field
14:45 -- Boys play team ski game
15:12 -- Children play another version of “back-o-ball” where the baskets are mounted high on stationary sticks instead of strapped onto the back of a moving person
16:06 -- Scoreboard: 51 red, 58 white
16:09 -- Boys’ judo matches
16:14 -- Children racing, including relay races
16:40 -- Scoreboard: 60 red, 67 white
16:43 -- Families departing
16:53 -- Film ends

One reel of film shot pre-war in Terminous, California, showing "a big Japanese School picnic organized by Principal Mr. Nakamura. The footage documents various games, judo matches, races, etc." 1 film reel : si., 16 mm. original reversal pos. , Title supplied by cataloger.

Support the understanding and appreciation of the Japanese American experience.

Become a MemberMake a Gift