TOPSFIELD | By the time Yoko Kawashima Watkins was 12 years old, she had seen more autrocities and experienced more tragedies than most people might experience in a lifetime.
But she survived. Now 73, the prize-winning author travels to schools to share her story of post-World War II Japan.
The petite Watkins visited the Proctor School recently and met with sixth-graders, toting a microphone to amplify her soft speech and wearing a midnight-blue kimono with a peach sash.
The students read Watkins' book, "So Far from the Bamboo Grove," based on the trouble she faced at the end of World War II. Watkins and her family, Japanese natives, were living in Korea when they were forced back to Japan. Her father was captured and sent to Siberia to work. Her brother Hideyo was separated from them as well. Watkins and her sister, Ko, were reunited with Hideyo, but their mother died shortly after. After almost six years of living on their own, with barely enough money to buy a quarter-cup of rice, they found their father alive.
The sixth-graders sat before Watkins on the carpet, silently listening. Her accent may have been difficult for the students to understand at times, but her passion and warmth overcame any language barrier. She fielded questions from the class, making sure to carefully learn the name of each student who asked.
During her presentation, Watkins elaborated on some of the characters and experiences from her book, but also shared some new stories. She brought dozens of items from her past, including photographs of her parents and her mother's favorite Japanese shoes. The students were fascinated at how difficult the clogs must be to walk in, as Watkins paced around the front of the library effortlessly in a pair of her own.
Elaina Lara, 12, said she learned a lot about the human element of history, and how it affected real people.
"History books are enormous and usually so boring," she said.
"But this was like a character jumped out of the book just to talk to you," interjected Maura Feltault, also 12.
Despite all the hardships she has experienced in her life, Watkins made sure to share some pleasant memories from her childhood as well. She remembered failing all of her classes in school and being afraid to show her father her report card.
"He said, 'Little one, go at your own pace and eventually you will succeed,'" she said.
The students were touched by Watkins' words.
"It was very inpsiring," said 11-year-old Rachel Clay. "She talked about how everything was really hard."
Watkins made sure to hit home another point, a lesson she learned the hard way after her mother's death. Watkins wished she had appreciated her mother more, and urged all the students to apologize when they do something wrong and to let their mothers know how special they are. She suggested it was as simple as taking a piece of paper out of the recycling and making a handwritten note every once in a while. Watkins guaranteed that this small gesture would mean more to a mother than any material possession.
This sentiment did not escape the sixth-graders, many of whom said they wanted to try doing it, except perhaps on a nicer piece of paper.
"You should always tell people how you feel about them," Maura said, "because if you don't tell them they might not be here tomorrow."
