[Letter to Clara Breed from Fusa Tsumagari, Poston, Arizona, July 21, 1943]

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[Letter to Clara Breed from Fusa Tsumagari, Poston, Arizona, July 21, 1943]

Maker Tsumagari, Fusa

Date1943

Mediumpaper, ink

DimensionsH: 10.5 in, W: 8 in (sheet) H: 3.5 in, W: 6 in (envelope)

ClassificationsArchives

Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Y. Yamada

Object number93.75.31IK

DescriptionTranscription: Blk. 323-11-D/Poston, Arizona/July 21, 1943/Dear Miss Breed,/Thank you ever so much for sending the books which I received yesterday. As yet I have not finished any of them, but they all look very enticing. Your choice in reading matter at this time could not have been more appropriate. Vocational training especially during wartime is something to think about. Chiyo and I have been seriously considering this matter for some weeks and were having a hard time trying to figure out which is the right thing to do. She has been thinking about taking window display or fashion designing or going into secretarial training. We have been trying to figure out which line would be most practical and which she would get the most enjoyment out of. We see the secretarial jobs as most practically financially as she would like to have her brother get some college education if possible later, yet she would get most enjoyment out of window designing or fashion designing. We have also been tring to figure out whether such jobs would be open to us and effects after the war (or are we looking too far into the future?). Well, what I meant to say is your books really came in a very convenient time./My sister, as well as Chiyo's relatives who are living in Chicago, all advise that we know typing and shorthand. They are all very frank and tell us to have some specialized skilled before going outside if we expect to live decently. Yet we face the situation of being unable to get the much needed education. One of the most difficult things to do here is to actually get down and study. We all try, but the atmosphere (should I say surroundings) are so disheartening it's extremely difficult to keep it up. Since these latest letters I've resumed my attempt at learning short hand (a la homestudy) but I wonder how long I will be able to keep it up. I'll try harder this time./In my last letter I forgot to tell you what to get with the remaining 70 c. I've thought of a million different things, but finally decided on these items: (1) the August issue of Mademoiselle price 35 c. (about) (2) hook and eyes [2 packages] and snaps [2 packages] total 20 c. (about again!) That's about all I guess--but the assignment is rather tough isn't it? The August issue of Mademoiselle is strictly for my own morale--I love to look and wish for the beautiful college clothes. The other is for others morals--they know zippers are hard to get so we're keeping ourselves together somehow!/It has been very hot lately but since we have our cooler all hooked together now we manage to feel the heat less. It keeps our place about ten to 15o cooler than the outside so we don't mind the heat too much. Most of us are surprised that it is as cool as it is this year for we were told that it is unbearably hot here--but we've lived through hot and cold now without a cooler and don't find it too bad. I do know, though that I prefer living in cool places rather than hot places. Hot weather makes us all too lazy. I guess yours truly is about the laziest thing around here!/Some of the younger children have been going out to the Mesquite trees and picking locusts. They bring them back and do they make a lot of noise. They sound like the neon lights in the city that keep buzzing and saying that they need fixing. They also sound like the first electric shaving outfits. Since the crickets have calmed down in their nightly serenades the locusts are beginning on their jive sessions!/The girls of our block challenged some of the younger fellows in our block to a game of softball. We all had fun making many many errors. I played catcher. This was the first time any form of exercise was done by me (other than walking) for more than a month--so my leg muscles went on strike and pulled together so hard that I can barely walk. It's torture trying to sit and stand. I'll get over it soon, but at the present time they really bother me. Other girls have been complaining too, about their muscles, so I don't feel too much like an old lady!/We had a cottage prayer meeting at our house last Saturday and it had me jittery all week wondering what the score was. On the whole it went off very smoothly with a few embarassing moments. We had a quiz session which left half of us (including me) with a very dumb look on our face while the other half was doing all the answering. My face was really red! We had fair eats afterwards so we let it go at that, but gee, never again do I want a quiz on that! I should try to read my bible and study my shorthand every day--shouldn't I? --Every night but Friday which is movie night and Sunday which is Sunday, and Monday which is Monday--gosh! What am I saying!/"Enough of this idle chatter, Foo! O.K. if you say so! You do best! You know it!"/Well, Miss Breed, thank you ever so much for the lovely books. I appreciate them very much. Please give my best regards to Miss McNary and also your mother and sister (whose letter to my brother has been forwarded). Thanks a million./Goodnight--Pleasant dreams./Sincerely/Fusa/10:15 p.m./[shorthand markings] Lesson #1/Fusa;1 letter and envelope from Fusa Tsumagari to Clara Breed.