Viewing page 18 of 44
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
Kuniyosh 30 E. 14 ST N.Y 3, NY short waves to[[?]] Japan Garfield School November 8, 1943 [1942] Dear Boys and Girls in Long Branch School, A boy named James Reed in Sheldon School, Grand Rapids, Michigan wrote a letter to Mr. Kuniyo[[crossed-out]]k[[/crossed-out]][[overwritten]]s[[/overwritten]]hi, who is at the present time an artist who lives in the United States, but was born in Japan. In the letter, James told Mr. Kuniyo[[crossed-out]]k[[/crossed-out]][[overwritten]]s[[/overwritten]]hi that his class was studying about "Worthwhile People and the Outstanding Things They Have Done." He said that his teacher had told them about him and his paintings, that they were buying one of his pictures and that they would like to know about his radio broadcast to Japan, what he liked about America, etc. Mr. Kuniyo[[crossed-out]]k[[/crossed-out]][[overwritten]]s[[/overwritten]]hi answered James' letter. A teacher in Long Branch knows Mr. Kuniyo[[crossed-out]]k[[/crossed-out]][[overwritten]]s[[/overwritten]]hi and she let me read a copy of his answer to James. With her permission, I have made some copies on the mimeograph for you to read because I believe the letter will help you to understand and appreciate our democracy better. Yours sincerely, D. Bergen --------------------------------------------------------- Copy of Letter Written to James by Mr. Kuniyo[[crossed-out]]k[[/crossed-out]][[overwritten]]s[[/overwritten]]hi 30 East 14th St. New York, New York Dear James, I was very happy to get your letter and I will try to answer your questions, telling you all about my activities and my attitude concerning the war and myself. I was born in the southern part of the main island of Japan in the town of Okayama a long time ago and I came to America as a boy, all by myself. When I was a boy, I was very romantic. I wanted to see the entire world and all its people, but I didn't have any idea at that time that I wanted to become an artist. I just came here to the U.S. out of curiosity and planned to go home after a few years of studying English. Frankly, that is about all I had on my mind when I first came here. I landed in Seattle and then went to Los Angeles where I attended public school. One of my teachers urged me to study painting because she thought I was talented in that direction. That was how I started my art career-quite by accident. Although I always liked to draw and enjoyed seeing pictures, I didn't dream of being an artist until that time, nor did I think at that time I was going to remain in America so many years. I am glad and happy to say that I have stayed. I will stay all my life because this is my home. America has given me everything; it has taught me the democratic way of life which to me is the real essence of worthwhile living.
