The Poston (Colorado River Relocation Center) Tailor School
Licensing |
After the inital trama of imprisonment, the Japanese American inmate community with the help of the Office of Indian Affairs (OIA) and the War Relocation Authority (WRA) wanted to to ease the stress of imprisionment. (The OIA managed Poston for the WRA for the first 2 years.) Stress was successiful eased by adding educational, recreational, and sporting activities for almost everyone. One major success was the Poston Tailoring School where hundreds of inmates learned tailoring and were able to make clothing for themselves and their families in the camp. See the photo of the large graduating class of 1945. The school was headed by Kesajiro Urata a 71 year old tailor from Los Angeles. Sewing machines were in short supply in the camp but fortunately for the inmates, a Los Angeles Japanese American owner of a sewing factory was interned in Poston. He offered to lease his machines for a small fee and his sewing machines were sent to Poston. Mr Urata gathered up inmate tailors and trained inmates to become teachers of Poston Tailor School. My mother Michiko Kakuda became one of these teachers and was very honored to teach under Mr Urata's tutorage. Cloth and tailoring accessories were purchased via Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catologs or the Poston Cooperative Store. Banking services were supplied by the Bank of America at Poston.
Slides in this album |
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Poston Tailoring CenterRecreational Hall Block 35. Kesajiro Urata head to tailoring school sitting center. |
Tailoring teachers lesson plansTailoring school teachers with Head Tailor Mr Kesajiro Urata. My mother Michiko Kakuda is left in foreground. |
Teachers and Students of the Poston Tailor SchoolTeachers and Students in class room. Head of school K. Urata and assistant.
Teachers and Students of the Poston Tailor School |
Teachers Poston Tailor SchoolTeachers with K. Urata Head of Poston Tailor School. Michiko Kakuda top row second from the left. |
1944 Commencement Exercise AnouncementFirst commencement of the Poston 1 Tailor School. |
Teachers and Students at 1945 Graduation of Poston Tailor SchoolPoston 1 Adobe school and auditorium in backgrond. Teachers are wearing badges. Head of school K. Urata 3rd row on right of photo. Michiko Kakuda 7th from the left in front row wearing skirt made from Army blanket.
Teachers and Students at 1945 Graduation of Poston Tailor School |
Display of Poston Tailor School ClothingSuit tops vests and dresses made at the Poston Tailor School. Photo taken at the Poston Fair. Note the Poston families Gold Stars represented with wooden rifles and flower arrangement. |
Display of Slacks made by the students of the Poston Tailor SchoolDisplay at the Poston Fair where produce, products, hobbies and clothing were shown.
Display of Slacks made by the students of the Poston Tailor School |
Display of Poston Tailor School ClothingSuit tops made at the Poston Tailor School. Photo taken at the Poston Fair. |
Kesajiro Urata presenting at the Poston FairK. Urata showing the clothing made at the Poston Tailor School.
Kesajiro Urata presenting at the Poston Fair |
Kesajiro Urata teaching at the Poston Tailor SchoolWomen taking a tailoring class.
Kesajiro Urata teaching at the Poston Tailor School |
Women sewing at the Poston Tailor SchoolNote the sewing machine covers and inmate made benches. |
Poston Tailor School studentsWomen sewing. Note the sewing covers and the tags on the sewing machines. |
Sewing at the Tailor SchoolNote the space heater, the dusty wooden floor, and gaps in the door and walls. |
Students of the Tailor School cutting patterns and hand stitching.Cloth and tailoring accessories purchased via Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catologs or the Poston Cooperative Store.
Students of the Tailor School cutting patterns and hand stitching. |