My Father by Michi Watanabe The arrival at a new country so entirely different from that which he had left was quite a bewildering shock to Father, but this was only a temporary experience. As adjustments were made, he immediately set out to realize his plans. As soon as he had earned a sufficient amount of American money, Father bought his first small piece of American land over which he slaved, day in and day out. The white people often wondered at his energy and ambition, as they watched Father work by moonlight and start the day two hours before daybreak. But to Father these were really not hardships, for he remembered the unproductive farms he had previously toiled over in Japan. The new farm produced whatever energy he put into it, and his incentives were only stimulated more. He saw a future, a possibility to profit, expand and attain some of the things he had been deprived of in his youth. Work meant to him the mechanism by which he could achieve it. As his farm prospered and money was earned, Father purchased more and more land, piece by piece. He gloried with each new addition, and his interests were increased accordingly. As the profits mounted, he accumulated and invested them in turn either into additional land or into the latest labor-saving farm machines until it wasn't long before his financial status became definitely established. Thus, one of Father's youthful hopes had been realized through tact, long hard work, and an unfaltering perserverance. Father was however, not contented with simply, these monetary factors in life. He himself having, missed early education, knew its disadvantages and was set on giving to all of us the opportunities of development. He set up an example of himself by learning to speak and write the English language fluently; he tried to establish a cultural background by supplying our home with books, works of art, etc., he encouraged us to take advantage of all educational facilities that were open to us. There was a time I remember when Father unexpectedly brought home from town a whole set of books which were entirely irrelevant. They were medical books, I think, and not one of us were in the leas: interested in pursuing that particular profession nor did we ever expect to become interested in it. Of this, Father was fully aware, but his purpose was merely to supply us with a good background for a thorough education. Piano, art pieces, saxophone, clarinet, typewriters these were all included in the inventory of his purchases. Whatever he thought would add to the aid of our education he furnished. As we children grew older, Father persistently encouraged us to take advantage of these things. He tried to instill within us a desire and respect for knowledge and often used the offering of rewards as an attracting feature. He financed our elementary and high school education together with the music lessons which were taken separately. Upon our graduation from the twelfth grade he promptly gave us opportunity to enter college and in most cases completely financed this aspect. His attitude was always towards that of letting us develop without restrictions so that we might succeed where he had been undeveloped. Though he often advised us to do certain things, I feel that my Father has never really interfered with our freedom. After describing his preferances fully, he then always allowed us to make our own choice of friends our vocational and recreational activities. Unlike many of the other Japanese parents living in America, he allows us to have fun to enjoy our youth to its fullest extent. As a matter of fact, he himself joins us in our recreation occasionally promenading to town to see a movie, to roll a vigorous game of bowling, or even to enter a mild gambling joint to see the real nature of the place. One might expect a person who had received such strict discipline in his youth as my father had, would in adulthood enforce the same strictness upon his own children but this is a wrong assumption. Having experienced the extreme inconvenience in his own youth served only as a stim-ulent for a stronger motive for Father to avoid using all such measures on us. Among all of his goodness the one weakness of Father is, in my opinion, sense of economy, he spends quantities of money at a time without regarding budget or income. Oftentimes we remember Father going to town in his older model car, only to come streaking home proud as a peacock driving a brand new Buick His actions were so unexpected, but we learned to expect him at any time bringing home a new radio, a (Continued on page 16) Page Fifteen