title: numpy .reshape function changes array element type
body: <p>How can you use the numpy .reshape function on an Array without changing the Array element type in the process? Here is what I mean:</p>
  
  <pre><code>letters = ['A', 'B', 'C']
  letters_array = np.array(letters)
  print letters_array
  #['A' 'B' 'C']
  print type(letters_array[0])
  #&lt;type 'numpy.string_'&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>now, I use .reshape</p>
  
  <pre><code>letters_array = letters_array.reshape(3, 1)
  print letters_array
  #[['A']
  #['B']
  #['C']]
  print type(letters_array[0])
  #&lt;type 'numpy.ndarray'&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Why does the element type change from a string to an array after using .reshape and how can one keep the same data type?</p>