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letter
H: 10 in, W: 8 in (sheet); H: 3.5 in, W: 6.375 in (envelope)
ink
paper

Exhibition(s):

Subject Tags
American letters
Arizona
Breed, Clara E.
Candy
Colorado River
Concentration camp life
Concentration camps
Concentration Camps, Poston
Correspondence
Crickets
Dust
Fishing
Heat
Insects
Laundry
Locks and keys
McNary, Helen
Ogawa, Louise
Pears
Postal service
Potts, Chester
Schools
Swimming
Teachers
Weather
World War, 1939-1945

[Letter to Clara Breed from Louise Ogawa, Poston, Arizona, September 16, 1942]

Louise Ogawa [bio]

Poston, Ariz., September 16, 1942

Gift of Elizabeth Y. Yamada

Clara Breed Collection

Description
1 letter and envelope from Louise Ogawa to Clara Breed. | Transcription: Sept. 16, 1942 / Dear Miss Breed, / I have received your post card and I was indeed happy to hear from you. I also received the candies and the lock and keys. They were just what mother wanted. Thank you ever so much. We enjoyed the candies tremendously. Thank you a million times more. Now to get down to business. What was the price of the lock and keys including the tax etc.? Now there is a post office here so I will be able to send the amount to you by money order. I sincerely hope I did not cause you too much trouble. / I hope I did not give you the wrong impression of Poston! This is a wonderful place--way out in the open spaces. It would be paradise if it were not for the dust, heat, and the insects. The dust here seems to be very well known. The heat is very hot. Even though it is September it gives me the feeling of July. / Miss Breed, I have been roasting for the past few weeks. Now I am ready to be set on the table and be carved. Miss Breed, I'll bet you a hundred dollars that you won't be able to beat my tan!! / Yesterday, Sept. 15, the temperature was 127 outside and 115 inside. I knew it was very hot but not knowing how high the temperature was, I washed and ironed after coming home from work (2:00--3:30 the hotest time of the afternoon.) As I sit writing this letter, a little creek has formed in the back of my leg. / The San Diego crickets were harmless but very noisey in the evening. But the Poston crickets are very naughty. It eats clothing. I guess, San Diego has the best of everything! The other day I sprinkled my clothes to iron--before I knew it a cricket had made a nice big hole in the back of my skirt. It's just no use sprinkling your clothes because while ironing one shirt all the other sprinkled clothes become dry. So the heat is terrific here. I wonder how it will be when winter rolls around. I may have complained about my new environment but I know it will be difficult to adapt myself to the new surroundings right away. I am sure everything will brighten up soon and in a few more weeks I will begin to love this place almost as much as my home in San Diego. When I stop to think how the pilgrims started their life, similar to ours, it makes me feel grand for it gives me the feeling of being a pure full-blooded American. / School is going to begin October 5th. Many California teachers are coming here to teach us. Our principal is Mr. Potts. Have you ever heard of him? I was just wondering whether he was from California. I am glad I will be able to finish high school. I imagine the San Diego City Schools will open soon. / The other day we had fresh pears for dinner. It was my first pear in five months. It certainly was delicious!! / Since the Colorado River is three miles from here many boys and girls go swimming and fishing. It certainly is a nice long walk! As yet I have not gone but I hope to soon. If you swim to the other side of the river you are in California, but it is very hard to do because of the strong current. About three boys from Camp 1 and 2 have drowned. / I must get this in this morning's mail so I'll say good bye until I hear from you. I hope you will always be in the best of health. / Most sincerely, / Louise Ogawa / Please give my best to Miss McNary. I heard she was trying to beat Margaret's tan and I can imagine what a hard thing that is to do. Miss Breed, I would love to have a picture of you and Miss McNary!!!!!

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).