Maude H. Boen is 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.
A. 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 Relocation Center at Jerome, Arkansas. Jerome was one of two Japanese Relocation Centers in Arkansas, and was about 11 miles from Dermott. Mrs. Boen was chosen for the position.
At the time of her appointment, Mrs. Boen was the widow of Harry Steele. While teaching in the relocation camp, she married C. C. Boen and they lived in the Center barracks. In 1987, Mrs. Boen lived at the Heritage Center, a retirement facility in Conway, until her death in 1994.
The papers consist of a small amount of correspondence, school programs, memorabilia and photographs of the Relocation Center at Jerome, and two booklets describing the educational program of the Relocation Center at Topaz, Uath. They are arranged in one box.
NOTE: When requesting materials, please specify collection number [M87‑6] and file number.
Tracings: Cities and Towns ‑ Jerome, Japanese Relocation Centers, Racism, World War II
Photograph Tracings: Boen, Maude H., Japanese Relocation Centers, World War II
Box 1
File 1 – Correspondence, Programs, and Memorabilia (undated)
File 2 – Photographs
JEROME RELOCATION CENTER
Photo 1 – The barracks at the Jerome Relocation Center – Densen, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 2a & b – Barrack apartment for appointive staff at Jerome Relocation Center – Densen, Arkansas – Block 24 Jerome – 1943
Photo 3 – M.P Watch Tower at the Jerome Relocation Center – 1943
Photo 4 – Steam Plant at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 5 – Sewage Disposal Plant at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 6 – Pump Station – Reservoir at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 7 – Hospital Area at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 8 – Fire Department Crew at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 9 – Warehouses at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 10 – Administration Building at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 11 – East Wooded Area at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 12 – Kindergarten group at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1944
Photo 13 – Faculty – Elementary & Pre-School at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – c. 1943
Photo 14 – Maude Boen in front of her office at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 15 – Baton group in Elementary school at the Jerome Relocation Center – Mr. B.S. Thompson and Terry Chono (Director) – Denson, Arkansas – c. 1944
Photo 16 – Preschool group at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1944
Photo 17 – Yoko Ogata – Student at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1945
Photo 18 – Miss Hoshiko’s 5th grade class at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 19 – 5th grade assembly program at the Jerome Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – 1943
Photo 20 – 4th and 6th grade assembly pageant at the Jerome Relocation Center – 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 Relocation Center – Denson, Arkansas – c.1944
RELOCATION CAMP IN TOPAZ, UTAH
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 Relocation Camp Internee (2003)
End of Box 1
End of Collection