Vol. 65, No. 10, September 8, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue
Todd Endo’s account of a summer as a master teacher opened the issue. Working in a Vermont experimental program, he concluded that many teachers and administrators seemed more concerned with their own convenience, security and status than with students’ education. JACL news followed. National President Jerry Enomoto wrote about projects coming to fruition, and the EDC-MDC Convention in Chicago heard from Japan’s new ambassador, Takeso Shimoda. Ray Okamura urged repeal of the 1952 McCarran Act to prevent any revival of detention camps, and Mike Masaoka replied in the same story.
Other columns include Bill Hosokawa on ethnic bonds, Jeffrey Matsui on aiding the poor, Yosh Hotta on meeting Gordon Hirabayashi, and Harry Honda on the idea that Nisei are inscrutable. Masaoka also reported from Washington on the Senate fight over the civil rights bill. A short item on page 5 reported two Honolulu soldiers killed in Vietnam, bringing Hawaii’s death toll to 98.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Public School Teachers More Worried About Job Security Than Education, by Todd Endo, page 1. Endo describes his summer experience as a master teacher in a Vermont experimental program for junior high underachievers and in-service public school teachers. He concludes that many teachers and administrators seemed more concerned with their own convenience, security, and status than with students’ education.
- Ethnic Bonds, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa discusses a Wall Street Journal story on ethnic resorts on the East Coast and the desire of some Nisei parents to see their Sansei children marry within the community. He observes that younger generations often find such nostalgia boring.
- Aiding the Poor, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Matsui notes that thousands of Japanese American households live in poverty in areas with JACL chapters. He urges chapters to assess these social needs and consider volunteer programs as part of their service role.
- The Fugitive, by Yosh Hotta, page 4. Hotta discusses the difficulty of recruiting adult chaperones and advisers for Jr. JACL activities. He then recounts meeting Gordon Hirabayashi, whose Supreme Court case and subsequent wartime detention he describes.
- Inscrutable Nisei, by Harry Honda, page 5. The writer rejects the stereotype that Orientals are inscrutable, arguing that Nisei simply play it cool and that classic Japanese art requires patient understanding. He suggests that the characterization reflects a lack of understanding rather than any real mystery.
- Letters: On Mixed Marriage, by Vaughn M. Greene, page 6. Greene argues that mixed marriages between Japanese and Westerners can benefit society by bringing new blood and bridging cultures. He cites historical examples and notes that children of such unions have often been successful.
- Ye Editor’s Desk: Executive Reorganization, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. The column reviews the Eastern District Council’s proposal for executive reorganization of the National JACL Board, including a five-member executive committee. It argues that increasing reliance on paid staff and the president’s unpaid status necessitate clearer lines of responsibility.
JACL
- Plentiful Harvest, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Enomoto reviews several projects coming to fruition, including civil rights guidelines for chapters, a public relations brochure, and a membership drive kit. He also thanks chapters for newsletters and notes that the NCWNDC has exceeded its financial quota.
- EDC-MDC Convention Highlights: Economic Development, Social Upkeep of Asia Is Japan’s New Role: Shimoda, page 1. Newly appointed Japanese ambassador Takeso Shimoda addressed the 7th Biennial EDC-MDC Convention in Chicago, describing Japan’s new role in Asian economic development. He also recalled the Midwest’s warm hospitality to evacuees 25 years earlier.
- Enomoto Challenges JACLers to Strive for More Meaningful Record, by Ellen Nakamura, page 1. At the EDC-MDC Joint Convention luncheon, National President Jerry Enomoto challenged delegates to build an even more meaningful record in the next 25 years. Awards and recognitions were presented, including the crowning of a new convention queen.
- Quarter Century After… Only the Beginning, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 3. Wakamatsu reflects on the progress Japanese Americans have made since the wartime evacuation and credits JACL, the Nisei military record, and sympathetic Americans. He outlines current JACL projects and the challenge of civil rights involvement.
Incarceration & Redress
- Nisei Urges Repeal of 1952 McCarran Act to Bar Detention Camp Revival; JACL in Strong Reply, by Ray Okamura; Mike Masaoka, page 1. Ray Okamura urged JACL to work for repeal of the Walter-McCarran Act to prevent any revival of concentration camps. JACL Washington representative Mike Masaoka replied that the detention provisions came from the Internal Security Act of 1950 and defended the 1952 immigration law.
- Eye Count of Minorities in Gov’t Ordered, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Civil Service Commission directed federal agencies to count minority employees every two years, starting next November 30. The count will be used for statistics only, replacing the earlier self-identification cards that drew privacy complaints.
National
- Civil Rights Maneuver, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka reports on a parliamentary maneuver by Majority Leader Mansfield to force the Senate Judiciary Committee to report the House civil rights bill. He also describes Senator Eastland’s counter-move of proposing a fair housing amendment, and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court.
- Japan Ambassador Shimoda and Nisei Achievements Noted in Brief Items, by P.C. Staff, page 5. News capsules report Nisei achievements in entertainment, business, government, and sports, along with national developments involving Asian Americans. The items include appointments, awards, and promotions for Nisei professionals.
Military & Veterans
- Staff Sgt. Henry T. Aragon and Spec. 7 Naoto Yamashiro Killed in Vietnam, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Two Honolulu soldiers, Henry Aragon and Naoto Yamashiro, were killed in action in Vietnam on the same day, raising Hawaii’s death toll to 98. Aragon had returned to Vietnam only 17 days after leaving his wife on rest and recreation leave.
Community
- Hollywood JACL Community Service Round-Up, page 5. The Hollywood chapter describes its community service activities, including a donation to a fire-displaced family, Easter and Mother’s Day hospital visits, and baking cookies for Hollygrove children’s home. Volunteers are sought for the Baker’s Dozen group.
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