Beginnings of Student Relocation
The rather special problem represented by the Nisei college students was noted as early as March 8 (1942) by a small group of educators and YMCA and YWCA people in the San Francisco Bay area and was brought more sharply into focus on March 19 (1942) by the preliminary report of the Congressional Committee investigating the evacuation under the chairmanship of Representative John H. Tolan. At least a week before the freeze order became effective, a Student Relocation Committee was formed on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley and rough plans were drawn up for facilitating the transfer of Nisei student to midwestern and eastern institutions. On the very day of the Salt Lake City conference this movement was given further impetus when President Robert G. Sprout of the University of California wrote to Representative Tolan calling attention to the problem and indicating that he planned to submit proposals for solving it to the government agencies concerned.
Meanwhile, the Wartime Civil Control Administration (WCCA) had been receiving requests for exemptions for a number of mixed Caucasian and Japanese families who wished to remain in the evacuated area and from the number of other Nisei who wanted to leave the area at once and join family members or continue their higher education father east. At a conference in San Francisco on April 11, (1942) this whole question was discussed by representatives of the War Relocation Authority (WRA) and WCCA, and a tentative plan for handling the exemption requests was agreed upon. Although WCCA was mainly concerned about the mixed family cases, it also felt--and WRA concurred--that permits should be given in a few especially deserving cases to students and others for immediate travel eastward.
On May 5, (1942) Director (Milton) Eisenhower, who had been seriously concerned about the plight of the Nisei students from the beginning of the program, wrote a letter to Mr. Clarence Pickett of the American Friends Service Committee recommending the formation of a nongovernmental agency to deal with the problem of student relocation. Eleven days later Mr. Pickett responded favorable, and on May 29, (1942) the National Student Relocation Council was formed at a meeting in Chicago attended by college and university officials from almost every section of the country. The council, organized practically on the verge of June commencement at most institutions, was to concern itself throughout the summer primarily with the problem of facilitating Nisei student transfers in time for the opening of the academic term in the fall. But throughout April and early May its predecessor organization, the West Coast Student Relocation Committee, had already helped about 75 Nisei students to move out and resume their studies, almost without a break, at school and colleges lying east of the exclusion zone.
Source: WRA. A Story of Human Conservation. U.S. Department of the Interior. J. A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation Authority, D.S. Myer, Director. 1946
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Julia A. Goto (Poston 222-6-B), former Fresno State sophomore, majoring in pre-nursing, was the first to leave Poston to attend (Colorado) College. 7/1942
Helen K. Kazato (Poston block 227), left to attend Smith College at North Hampton, Mass. 10/1942
Kiyo Sato (Poston 229-11-AB), left to attend college at Hillsdale, Michigan 10/1942
Grace Watanabe (Poston block 215) formerly of the Novel Hut (Library) staff, left to continue school in Evanston, Illinois. 3/26/1943
Chizu Nagareda (Poston block 32), formerly pre-school instructor at block 17, left to enroll at the University of Colorado, Denver. 9/9/1942
George Matsumoto (Poston block 306), formerly of San Francisco, left to attend George Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, majoring in Architecture. 9/9/1942
Kiyo Sato (Poston 229-11-AB), left to attend college at Hillsdale, Michigan 10/1942
Grace Watanabe (Poston block 215) formerly of the Novel Hut (Library) staff, left to continue school in Evanston, Illinois. 3/26/1943
Chizu Nagareda (Poston block 32), formerly pre-school instructor at block 17, left to enroll at the University of Colorado, Denver. 9/9/1942
George Matsumoto (Poston block 306), formerly of San Francisco, left to attend George Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, majoring in Architecture. 9/9/1942