Description Rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard 2019.0.3
Summary Information
Repository: University of Central Arkansas, Torreyson Library, Archives and Special Collections
Creator: Maude H. Boen
Title: Maude H. Boen collection
ID: M87-05
Dates Bulk: 1943-1944
Dates Inclusive: 1943-2003
Physical Extent: 1 box (0.209 Linear feet: 1 Half Hollinger)
Language of the Material: English
Preferred Citation: (Bibliographic) Maude H. Boen collection, M87-06, University of Central Arkansas Archives and Special Collections, Conway, Arkansas.
(Footnote/Endnote info) Description of item, File or Item number, Box number, Series number, Subseries number, Maude H. Boen collection, M87-06.
Biographical Note:
Maude H. Boen was the daughter of William Robert and Mattie Morgan Hairston of Conway where she was born in 1906. (Hairston Street in Conway is named for her father.) Raised in Conway, Mrs. Boen became a teacher and taught a total of 60 years. G. Thompson, Supervisor of Education in the State Department of Education was asked by the War Relocation Authority to appoint a teacher for the Japanese Internment Camp at Jerome, Arkansas. Jerome was one of two Japanese Internment Centers in Arkansas, and was about 11 miles from Dermott. Mrs. Boen was chosen for the position due to her professional qualifications; she was enrolled in a master’s degree program at the time of her appointment.
At the time of her appointment, Mrs. Boen was the widow of Harry Steele. While teaching in the internment camp, she married C. C. Boen and they lived in the Center barracks. In 1987, Mrs. Boen, widowed for the second time, lived at the Heritage Center, a retirement facility in Conway.
Scope and Contents Note: The papers consist of a small amount of correspondence, school programs, memorabilia and photographs of the Japanese Internment Camp at Jerome, and two booklets describing the educational program of the Japanese Internment Camp at Topaz, Utah. They are arranged in one box. The oral history of Tooru Nakahira, was conducted in 2003 by former University of Central Arkansas archivist Jimmy Bryant.
Arrangement: This collection has no series or subseries.
Administrative Information
Publication Statement: University of Central Arkansas Archives and Special Collections
UCA Archives
Torreyson Library
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, AR 72035
Phone: (501) 450-3418
Access Information: Please call (501) 450-3418 or email archives@uca.edu prior to your visit to ensure availability of records.
Conditions Governing Use: This collection is open for researchers.
Processing Information: The collection was donated to the University of Central Arkansas Archives and Special Collections by Maude H. Boen on August 7, 1987. The collection was processed under the direction of archivist Tom W. Dillard. The oral history conducted by archivist Jimmy Bryant was completed and added to the collection in 2003. The finding aid was edited by Shelbea Gentry in 2025.
Immediate Source of Acquisition: Boen, Maude H. (Donor, Person)
Note: The oral history conducted in 2003 contains harmful language that is not supported or endorsed by the UCA Archives.
The Japanese Internment Camps were referred to as Relocation Centers; in keeping with archival best practices, specifically reparative metadata, instances of relocation center or relocation camp used within the finding aid has been updated to internment camp.
Controlled Access Headings:
Arkansas–History–1865-
Boen, Maude H. (Person)
Japanese Americans–Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945
Jerome (Drew County), Arkansas
Nakahira, Tooru (Person)
Ogata, Yoko (Person)
Photographs
Photographs–Psychological aspects
Photography–Social aspects
Photography in education
Photography of children
School photography
Topaz (Millard County), Utah
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945–Photography
Yoshimira, Nobu (Person)
Collection Inventory
Box 1
- File 1 – Correspondence, Programs, and Memorabilia (undated)
- File 2 – Photographs
- Photo 1 – The barracks at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 2a & b – Barrack apartment for appointed staff at Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – Block 24 Jerome – 1943
- Photo 3 – M.P. Watch Tower at the Jerome Internment Camp – 1943
- Photo 4 – Steam Plant at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 5 – Sewage Disposal Plant at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 6 – Pump Station – Reservoir at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 7 – Hospital Area at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 8 – Fire Department Crew at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 9 – Warehouses at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 10 – Administration Building at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 11 – East Wooded Area at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 12 – Kindergarten group at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1944
- Photo 13 – Faculty – Elementary & Pre-School at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – c. 1943
- Photo 14 – Maude Boen in front of her office at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 15 – Baton group in Elementary school at the Jerome Internment Camp – Mr. B.S. Thompson and Terry Chono (Director) – Denson, Arkansas – c. 1944
- Photo 16 – Preschool group at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1944
- Photo 17 – Yoko Ogata – Student at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1945
- Photo 18 – Miss Hoshiko’s 5th grade class at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 19 – 5th grade assembly program at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
- Photo 20 – 4th and 6th grade assembly pageant at the Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – c. 1944
- Photo 21 – Evacuee teachers and Mr. Thompson at farewell party for Thompson who was leaving to accept a position with Arkansas Education Association – Jerome Internment Camp – Denson, Arkansas – c.1944
- Photo 22 – Preschool Center D – Recreation Hall 37 – Miss Yukiko Maruyama, Head Teacher – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- Photo 23 – Preschool and Elementary school faculty – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- Photo 24 – Group of women – undated and unidentified
- Photo 25 – May Day Festival – 4th graders – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 26 – Classroom with children (names identified on back of photo) – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- Photo 27 – Caucasian living quarters – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 28 – Civil Service employee’s housing block – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 29 – Children in front of library – Desert View School Block 8 – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 30 – Living quarters for civil service workers – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 31 – Preschool Center C – Recreation Hall 27 – Miss Helen Fukuchi, head teacher – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- Photo 32 – First grade – Desert View School – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- Photo 33 – Sixth grade teacher – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 34 – Some kindergarten children in Desert View School Block 41 – Topaz, Utah – c. 1944
- Photo 35 – Preschool Center B Recreation 13 – Miss Nobu Yoshimira, head teacher – Topaz, Utah – 1944
- File 3 – Newspaper Clippings
- File 4 – Brochures, Education Central Utah Project, War Relocation Authority (1945)
- File 5 – Brochures, Summary Curriculum Report of Topaz City Education Program (1942-1945)
- File 6 – Biography and interview of Tooru Nakahira, a Jerome, Arkansas Japanese Internment Camp Internee (2003)
End of Box 1
End of Collection