Face To Face - Students Observe The Immigration Process At Ellis Island
Introduction
The article "Face to Face: Student Observations at Ellis Island" from January 1908 describes a visit by thirty-five college students to Ellis Island. They observed the immigration process firsthand, witnessing the emotional reunions and complex challenges faced by arriving immigrants.
United States Immigration Service Boat. Assembly Herald, January 1908. GGA Image ID # 218fd39878
They had gone down from the Battery to Ellis Island—these thirty-five girls from an eastern college—on the little vessel that carries into the United States more aliens than any other afloat.
On the lower deck had been many swarthy faces whose broken English had brought them here for a time that was more or less short. Their eager eyes and animated manner bespoke their errand. No academic students of immigration, they themselves had come into our country not so long ago, half uncertainly, on that very same boat.
Now, full of assurance, they faced Ellis Island to greet those to whom the separation had been long—fathers and mothers, children, sweethearts—for the reunion meant, in many cases, a new home and a new land.
Looking down from the upper deck upon this motley and noisy gathering, the college girls had been discussing the "hordes of undesirable immigrants."
Yes, they had voted wisely in the recent debate on the question of immigration when they decided there should be more bars to keep out immigrants. They were now proving their theory.
They were promptly received and shown through the various departments of the huge establishment in New York Harbor, where Uncle Sam's deputies swiftly and discriminatingly sifted the applicants for admission to his domain.
At last, they sat in the Commissioner's room. He was passing judgment on the cases which, debarred by the judges, appealed from the sentence of deportation. The guests rejoiced that here, at least, they would see admission refused to aliens who, from the first, should have stayed at home.
A man entered. The record showed he had come from Italy to join his son in Virginia, with whom the officials had vainly tried to make a connection. The man was sixty-three years old. Probably in a land with strange customs and climate, with all the competition of young life, a man past three scores would fall by the way.
Therefore, as all are excluded and seem likely to become a public charge, it was decreed that he should be returned to Italy that day—after six clays' fruitless waiting to hear from the silent son—by the ship on which he had come.
Was there an error in the record? An interpreter's aid was invoked. Question and answer elicited the facts as already stated. The interpretation of the question and answer went on. "And you believe you will hear from your son?" the Commissioner asked. "So, you want me to say you may wait here longer?"
"That is just what I want."
"Suppose you do not hear from your son at all?"
"But I surely shall hear from him."
"Suppose, however, you should hear nothing." persisted the Commissioner, "do you suppose you could earn your living here in America?"
Many people had asked the older man many questions, and he had been half shy and always respectful. He still was respectful, but with a self-respecting gesture of independence came the answer.
"No man has ever been asked to do anything for me. I can earn my way anywhere."
"But America is full of strong young men. What chance would you have among them?" Again, the man's head was erect and his frame tense.
"I may not be as strong as I was thirty years ago, and I may not be able to do as much as men half my age. But I can still do a man's work. I can earn my living anywhere."
"You are sixty-three?"
"Yes."
"Well, what made you leave your country at your age and come to a strange land? Why didn't you stay at home, where you were well enough off? Tell us."
Irish Immigrant Family - One of the Immigration Commissioners is on the Left. Assembly Herald, January 1908. GGA Image ID # 218fdb3aac
The Commissioner asked wisely: Why had not the old Italian stayed in his own country and saved all this fuss? The college girls listened to his answer.
"I'll tell you. I lived in a little place in Italy. I had married my wife there. It had always been her home. There came to us one son. We three lived there, worked together, and were happy."
The shadow on the older man's face deepened, and his figure bowed more. "But eight months ago." he went on, "my wife died. Our boy said after a little, he couldn't stand it any longer there without his mother.
Everything spoke of her. He said he was going far away to some other place—bigger, with more things to do—since she was gone. So he went to America. I was left alone. Four months ago, I heard from him. He was in Virginia, doing well.
He sent me a ticket and wrote to me to come. He was earning two dollars and a half a day, and he could take care of me so we could be together in a new home. So I came. And I know he is waiting for me."
"But why does he not answer our telegrams?"
"I do not know. But he will."
"We have telegraphed four times already."
"Yes."
"How do you explain it?"
"I do not—cannot."
"Maybe he has forgotten you?"
"Oh, no! He would not forget his father —he could not forget!"
"Why, then, does he not reply in any way?"
The father's face showed a strange look of mingled assurance and doubt, with the assurance uppermost.
"Oh, perhaps his work took hint away, far away, for some days. Maybe Saturday night, he will come back and get one—two—three four telegrams, and then you will hear from him. But he has not forgotten me. He could never forget me."
Children's Roof Garden at Ellis Island. National Geographic Magazine, May 1907. GGA Image ID # 1d9d0c19a8
Hurriedly, a messenger came to the Commissioner. The father's heart had divined the truth. When the young Italian had the word that his father was at Ellis Island, he trusted no uncertain device of steam or electricity. Still, he came in hot haste, fearful lest he should be too late to keep his father from the threatened return. "Bring him at once."
The Commissioner's words were English and had no meaning to the father whose faith was so near its reward. The young man came in and, obeying a gesture from the Commissioner, stood directly behind his father, who had not seen him enter.
Again, question and answer brought out the story of the unshaken trust of that father's heart in the son whose silence might have any other interpretation save that he was either forgetful or uncaring. And then the Commissioner asked.
"Would you know your son?"
"Oh, yes !"
"Would you know hint here?"
"I would know him anywhere—I would know hint among a million !" And so he would. "Look around in this room and see if there is anyone like him."
Bewildered as he saw only the Commissioner and interpreter with the bevy of girl guests, the older man protested that his son was not hidden among the young ladies. "But look all around the room. Do not stop until you have looked everywhere." urged the big-hearted, father•hearted man in the official chair.
And so, from side to side, he turned until—led by the others' glances—he turned completely round and found himself face to face with his son. Neither spoke. Swiftly, their hands were locked. Slowly, their arms were extended until they stood close, and kisses and sobbing at last expressed their steadfast love. "My son! My son! My own son!"
The father repeated it over and over as if, long ago, the exact words measured the love of Israel's king for a less worthy son.
As the young ladies filed out of the room, they were less sure than when they came in that the college's vote on immigration had been right.
"Face to Face," in The Assembly Herald, Volume 14, No. 1, January 1908, pp. 25-28
Conclusion
The experience at Ellis Island offered the students a deeper understanding of the immigrant experience, highlighting both the bureaucratic obstacles and the profound personal stories. The visit challenged some of their preconceptions about immigration and emphasized the resilience and hope of those seeking a new life in America.
Key Points
- 🛳️ Observation of Immigration: Students observed the immigration process, including medical and legal checks.
- 👥 Diverse Immigrants: Immigrants from various backgrounds were seen, each with unique stories.
- 💬 Language Barriers: Communication difficulties were apparent, complicating the process.
- 😢 Emotional Reunions: Witnessed emotional family reunions, highlighting the human aspect of immigration.
- 📜 Bureaucratic Challenges: Students observed the complexities of immigration law and the decision-making process.
- 👨👩👦 Family Dynamics: The narrative focused on the strong familial bonds among immigrants.
- 🕊️ Student Perspectives: The visit influenced the students' views on immigration.
- 🌍 Cultural Insights: The experience provided cultural insights into the lives of immigrants.
- 🚫 Exclusion Decisions: Some immigrants faced possible exclusion, adding to the emotional tension.
- 🧳 Personal Stories: The students encountered personal stories of hope and resilience.
Summary
- Students Visit Ellis Island: A group of college students observed the immigration process at Ellis Island, witnessing the challenges faced by new arrivals.
- Diverse Backgrounds: The students saw immigrants from various countries, each with unique backgrounds and stories.
- Emotional Impact: They observed emotional reunions and the emotional toll of the process on families.
- Language and Communication: Language barriers were a significant challenge for immigrants and officials.
- Complex Bureaucracy: The students witnessed the complexities and sometimes harsh realities of the immigration system.
- Impact on Students: The visit influenced the students' perceptions of immigration and the people involved.
- Human Element: The experience emphasized the human element of immigration, including hope and resilience.
- Cultural Understanding: The visit offered cultural insights and a deeper understanding of the immigrant experience.
- Decision-Making Process: Observations included the decision-making process regarding immigrant admissions.
- Reflection and Understanding: The visit led to reflections on the students' previous views and a greater empathy for immigrants.
