oxy_students

	Mary Kariya, current student, was a sophomore and working in the library when the U.S. entered World War II. She was a member of the Varronians, i.e.“builders of libraries” a club for female library workers. In April 1942 She relocated to Berea College in Kentucky, a Christian institution with a strong tradition of interracial education. While a student, she worked in the business office of the Berea College library. She received her degree in 1945. She later became a system analyst at USC. She died in 1995. Photos: La Encina '42: pages 61, 142. Browse related correspondence
December 10, 1942	Sinpachi Kanow, current student, left school in December 1941 or in the spring of 1942. He worked as assistant minister at the Santa Anita Assembly Center and later was ordained by the Presbytery of Little Rock in order to serve at the Jerome Relocation Center in Arkansas, where he was interned. He died in 1998. No photo available. Browse related correspondence
Christmas Card, 1944	Helen Matsunaga, prospective student, graduated from J. Francis Polytechnic High School in 1942. Bird served as a judge for an oratorical contest at Polytechnic which Helen won. Matsunaga and her family evacuated to Santa Anita Assembly Center interrupting her plans to attend Occidental. Matsunaga helped by Bird and the the National Japanese Student Relocation Council was accepted to Rockford College, Illinois. She was an active community speaker for the Council during her college years. Deceased. No photo available. Browse related correspondence
	Russell Nakata, current student, grew up in Pasadena and entered Occidental College in 1938. Near the end of his Senior year, in mid-April, he was forced to leave Occidental by the evacuation. His parents advised him to move to Chicago to avoid having to go in to an internment camp. Nakata was granted his Bachelor of Arts degree on June 1, 1942 (after his departure). He was ordained to the ministry of the Presbyterian Church and then voluntarily entered the Poston Relocation Center in Arizona to serve as the English-speaking minister to the interned Japanese Americans. He continued his studies at Presbyterian Theology Seminary, Chicago and received his Master of Arts, Theology from University of Chicago. Rev. Nakata went on to be a minister in Colorado and was an active Oxy alumnus. He died in 1996. [biographical information provided by Arthur Nakata, ] Photos: La Encina '42: pages 58, 171. Browse related correspondence
	John Nishiyama, current student, was ending his junior year in 1942. He was helped to relocate to Oberlin College before being caught up in the evacuation. After a year at Oberlin, his class credits were transferred from Oberlin to Occidental where he was granted his Bachelor of Arts in Physics in 1943. Then, Nishiyama served in the U.S. Army where he was trained as an interpreter for Military Intelligence and sent to Hawaii. He was in Hawaii when the war ended. Nishiyama returned to California and worked until his retirement as a chemist. His sister Kiyoko Nishiyama, '39, is pictured with Sophie Tajima in a student group photo in the 1938 edition of La Encina. Photos: La Encina '42: pages 103, 138. Browse related correspondence
	Akira Shiraishi, prospective student, was a distinguished member of the 1942 Polytechnic High School graduating class awarded an Achievement Scholarship to Occidental. Shiraishi was evacuated and relocated to Heart Mountain, Wyoming, and could not commence his studies at Occidental. President Bird wrote letters on behalf of Akira's father, Kinjiro Shiraishi, in order that he could be re-united with his family at Heart Mountain. President Bird wrote a recommendation for Akira to Springfield College and followed up with Akira on his plans. He and his parents returned to Los Angeles after internment. Shiraishi did not attend college. Deceased. Browse related correspondence
	Ted Tajima, current student, was feature editor of The Occidental writing The Japanese Exile. He voluntarily evacuated to Japanese Church of Christ, Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1942, Remsen Bird wrote on his behalf to Wooster College in Ohio. Tajima was accepted but did not attend. Ted briefly attended the University of Utah but left to join his family who had voluntarily relocated to Cleveland, Ohio. Marrying in Ohio, Tajima returned to the West Coast and Occidental. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1946. After a year of military service, he returned to Occidental for his teaching credential. Recognized for a lifetime achievement in teaching, Tajima taught journalism at Altadena High School for 35 years. Photos: La Encina '46: page 90. Browse related correspondence
	Shizona Tanaka, graduate of 1926. While a student at Occidental, Tanaka was captain of the baseball team and held many honors, including being a member of Phi Beta Kappa. When war broke out, he was a florist at S. Murata & Co and may have been president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce. He was picked up by the FBI shortly after war was declared. President Bird contacted Tanaka offering his assistance and wrote to Fletcher Bowron, Mayor of Los Angeles, as well as to the Owens Valley center director on behalf of Tanaka. Bird supported Tanaka’s request to be relocated to the Owens Valley Evacuation Camp (which later became Manzanar Relocation Center) and to be given meaningful work during wartime. Tanaka died in 1985. Photos: La Encina '26: pages 178, 50. Browse related correspondence
	Iko Tanzawa, left Occidental in the spring of 1942, her senior year, to evacuate with her family to Ririe, Idaho. The family moved to Ririe, where her father once had a business, to avoid internment in a relocation camp and to enable that her younger brothers to continue in the public schools. Tanzawa was granted her degree in June of 1942, after her departure. While her parents returned to Pasadena around 1944, Tanzawa did not. She married and has lived in New York and Chicago. Tanzawa currently resides in Bellevue, Washington. Photos: La Encina '42. Browse related correspondence
	Sophie Tagima Toriumi, graduate of 1938, married to Don Toriumi, the newly installed pastor of Union Church in Little Tokyo when war was declared. While a student she had worked in the President's office with Olive Hutchison, secretary to President Bird. Toriumi corresponded with Dr. Bird and Olive Hutchison while she was interned at Santa Anita Assembly Center and Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming. Sophie, Ted and their brother Calvin Tajima are Occidental alumni. Photos: La Encina '38. Browse related correspondence
	Shig Okada is included in the list of prospective students by Dr. Robert E. Fitch. The files do not contain any correspondence related to Okada.

This project is made possible by a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation.
© 2005 Occidental College