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Sound / Oral History Interview with Eada Silverthorn

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Title
Oral History Interview with Eada Silverthorn
Creator
Florin Japanese American Citizens League
Yui, Etsu
Silverthorn, Eada
Date Created and/or Issued
1993-03-25
Contributing Institution
California State University, Sacramento Library
Collection
California Revealed from California State University, Sacramento
Rights Information
Copyright status unknown. This work may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, its reproduction may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. This work is accessible for purposes of education and research. Transmission or reproduction of works protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. California State University, Sacramento Library attempted to find rights owners without success but is eager to hear from them so that we may obtain permission, if needed. Upon request to info@csus.edu digitized works can be removed from public view if there are rights issues that need to be resolved.
Description
Caucasian female, born March 17, 1905 Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico to Mormon missionary parents. Eada graduated from Brigham Young University in 1927 and married Kent Silverthorne, a lawyer who worked in his father�s law office. He applied for and was hired by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) to conduct loyalty hearings at Tule Lake Relocation Center. at age thirty-seven, Eada taught two weeks as substitute teacher upon arrival at the camp in 1942. She was then granted a temporary teaching credential. She taught five courses each term in the camp high school. Eada had never seen Japanese people before and knew nothing of their culture. She handled total immersion of Japanese faces, names, and behavior with sensitivity and openness. She was impressed by her students� study habits and eagerness to excel. In her Problems in Democracy class she was surprised by the reaction of students when she asked how they felt about a crisis in camp. An overzealous military policeman shot a Nisei worker returning from the fields as he checked in at the gate. A brother of the victim was in Eada�s class; he expressed opinions but did not show anger. She was to be remembered by many students for her qualities as a teacher and as a kind person. Eada remained in Tule Lake a full year even though her husband was reassigned in six months after the hearings. Still in the WRA, Mr. Silverthorne assisted internees who filed for losses due to internment. Eventually, the Silverthornes moved to Sacramento where Mr. Silverthorne worked in water law and Eada attended California State University, Saramento to become a fully credentialed teacher. She taught at San Juan High School for seventeen years.Additional Descriptive Notes: husband: Kent Silverthorn; teacher at Tule Lake
Type
sound
Format
Master
Audio cassette
Extent
2 Tapes of 2
Identifier
TC324
css_000079_t01; css_000079_t02
Provenance
California State University, Sacramento
California Revealed is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

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