Pak, Yoon K. (2002) Wherever I Go, I Will Always Be a Loyal American. Reviewed by Joshua P. Stager, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York University

Pak, Yoon K. (2002) Wherever I Go, I Will Always Be a Loyal American. NY, NY: RoutledgeFalmer Press. Pp. ix + 204         ISBN 0-415-93235-1 Reviewed by Joshua P. Stager Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York University July 28, 2007 "Wherever I Go I Will Always Be a Loyal American: Schooling Seattle’s Japanese Americans during World War II” is Yoon Pak’s attempt to expand her similarly-titled 1999 dissertation into book form. And while it fails to cover the depth expected of a scholarly work or the compelling frame of a narrative, it settles into an entertaining and informative mixed-bag of anecdotes and historical analysis. The subtitle to Yoon Pak’s work, “Schooling Seattle’s Japanese Americans during World War II,” is a bit misleading. Rather than covering the range of experiences of all Seattle’s Japanese Americans throughout 1941-1945, Pak instead develops a case study involving Washington Junior High School seventh and eighth grade students just prior to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066 to April of 1942. The focus of this case study is the reaction (in the form of letters) to Japanese middle-school students’ evacuation, nestled in Yoon Pak’s analysis of policies and traditions of schools. In her study, equal weight is given to “what students say, and how they say it” (p.6) and official school documents. This mixed-media approach anchors student personal communiqués to a homeroom teacher, Ella Evanson, in the context of how school officials dealt with the conflicting values of instilling Americanization/patriotism alongside the virtues of democracy. Although mostly informative and appropriate, Pak’s discussion of the social events that occurred prior to the evacuation (from immigration restriction policies to curriculum considerations) occasionally slips into a wordy history lesson rather than a critical lens to view the Japanese students’ letters. In fact, the letters, which are arguably the most enjoyable and empathy-provoking content of the book, are only presented in Chapter 1 and again in Chapter 5. And while historical information does help put these letters into context, the three chapters devoted to it inevitably detract from the pacing of the book as well as the emotional-impact of the raw letters. A case in point follows, written by an evacuating Japanese student: I am very sorry I will have to leave Washington School so soon. As long as I am here I will try in some way to appreciate what you’ve taught me. We all hope we will win this war (not the Japs) and come back to Seattle for more education.... (p. 12) Yoon Pak is absolutely right to concentrate on the subtext of these letters, for a great deal is expressed that is not necessarily written. And her work in this aspect is not without a great deal of merit. However, the work as a whole could benefit from less historical background and more letter analysis. A good model might be Thomas James's Exile Within: The School of Japanese Americans, 1942-1945 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1987). This is an award-winning book, also done as a dissertation under David Tyack. James uses purely historiographical methods from data sources widely scattered and is greatly respected by historians of this subject. Chapter 1 contains both the Japanese and non-Japanese students’ response to the up-and-coming evacuation. Yoon Pak’s analysis of these letters is minimal, but far from simplistic. She teases out the nuances contained in these writings into complex theories of relationships the students had with their own identities and understanding of the world. These letters and Pak’s engagement with them are the highlight of this book. Curiously, Yoon Pak uses Chapter 2 to set the stage for the student letters discussed in Chapter 1 by summarizing anti-Japanese activities and the ethnic breakdown of Seattle instead of placing this historic framing in the forefront. The reader’s understanding of the Japanese attitude toward education as a social equalizer and family bonding tool is crucial to appreciating the students’ letters, made possible by Pak’s concise and articulate prose. Chapter 3 offers a fascinating look into the attempt of administrators to instill Americanism/patriotism through activities (saluting the flag, pledge of allegiance), curriculum (teaching “thrift”), and services (English for foreigners). A key issue I have with Pak’s work reveals itself here: the acceptance of general policies as gospel and the assumption that these policies affect a specific population while lacking data in an already small sample set. For instance, while it may be taken for granted that “the brief analysis of programs nationwide indicates that for some ethnic groups, Americanization was a euphemism for racial discrimination policies,” it should not be assumed that these programs were necessarily used to discriminate in Seattle, let alone the students in a single school (p.70). Pak admits that “the Seattle perspective comes solely from an administrative point of view and lacks views from students and non-English-speaking parents,” but this simple acknowledgement does not alleviate the blatant methodological weakness in her data gathering (p.70). It is hard to believe that an Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies assumes that all administrative policies are executed by instructors in both the form and spirit that might have been intended in their original drafting. This flaw runs throughout Pak’s work. Although it does not completely nullify the emotional power of the students’ letters or intellectual consideration of the historical background, it does detract from the work as a whole. Pak uses Chapter 4 in much the same way she uses Chapter 3, this time focusing on instilling values of tolerance and democracy through progressive education. Pak states that “at the very least, it may be safe to assume that teachers implemented a modified version of ideas proposed (in curriculum guides)…” (p.85). This is a dangerous assumption, one made possible for the author perhaps by never having taught in a public school. Despite this, Pak provides valuable insight into possible progressive influence on students. Student letters return in Chapter 5, this time in response to a general school assembly. Again, to read the raw power of middle school students trying to make sense of their world is by far the strongest draw of Pak’s work. Pak concludes her work in Chapter 6, “Dissonance Embodied: Personal Accounts of the Eve of the Incarceration” (p.111). In this chapter, she engages in analysis of oral histories of four narrators who had authored some of the letters earlier in the book. Like the heart of Pak’s work, the students’ letters, her final chapter mirrors the greatness of her research concept and the ultimate failure to raise it to its potential. Although her narrators enrich the background story with their memories of camp or Japanese Language School, these memories are spotty at best. There is very little data about the narrators’ actual experiences at the school at the time they were writing letters. This is to be expected, but regrettable. Yoon Pak had the fortunate opportunity to shine her light on a darkened corner from the annals of history. Unfortunately, while the residual light illuminates some interesting anecdotes, the main beam isn’t nearly steady or focused as it could be. About the Reviewer Joshua Stager is a member of Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons faculty. He attends Columbia's Teachers College, where he is pursuing an Ed.D in Public School Leadership. He was previously a dean and high school English teacher, having obtained a BA from Mary Washington College and an MA from City College. His future aspirations include returning to New York City's Department of Education as an administrator... and solving the American Educational crisis.