Two concerns arose for Japanese Canadian families regarding education.
The first: their children were struggling to transition to public school since their first introduction to English was often only in Grade 1. As described by William T. Hashizume, the children initially sometimes “could not say they wanted to go to the washroom. Some cried and wetted the floors. Some could not understand what the teacher was saying which in turn made it very difficult for the teacher.”[1]
The second concern: they did not want their children to forget their early knowledge of Japanese in both spoken and written form.
In response to the first concern, at least in Mission, an English kindergarten was established, which is further explored in the section Highlighted Individuals. It also naturally became easier for the second born to transition to public school since the older child would teach some of their English to their parents and siblings.[2] Other families, such as those in the Clayburn area, hired a friendly neighbour to teach their children English.[3]
In response to the second concern, Japanese Language Schools were established and became central fixtures in their respective communities, especially as the population increased. After public school, their children would attend these schools for up to two hours to study reading and writing.[4]
In the early 1920s over 60 Japanese Canadian families lived in Mission, and in 1922, the first Japanese Language School was opened in an unused packing house, with tables, chair, and blackboards made out of lumber scraps.[5] In Clayburn, a school was built on land donated by the Sasaki family sometime in the late 20s or early 30s.[6] In order to understand how the Japanese Canadian communities organized themselves to create these schools, it is important to be familiar with two organizations, the Nohkai and the Japanese Language School Educational Society.
Unfortunately, little remains of these important buildings, even in photographs, which is another consequence of the displacement in 1942.
[1] William T. Hashizume. History of Haney Nokai, trans. Yasutaro Yamaga (North York: Musson Copy Centre, 2006), 46. Mission Community Archives, Mission, BC.
[2] History of Haney Nokai, 46.
[3] Riichi Sasaki. The Reach, Abbotsford, BC.
[4] The Japanese Community in Mission, 18. Mission Community Archives, Mission, BC.
[5] The Japanese Community in Mission, 18.
[6] Riichi Sasaki. The Reach, Abbotsford, BC.