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VOICE ONE:
Millions of people came through Ellis Island on their way to newlives in the United States. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Faith Lapidus. Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA, from VOASpecial English. This week, we take you to Ellis Island and tellabout efforts to save more of this historic place.
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VOICE ONE:
Ellis Island is in New YorkHarbor, near the Statue of the Liberty and the tall buildings of NewYork City. For years it was America’s major immigration center.Twelve-million people arrived at Ellis Island betweeneighteen-ninety-two and nineteen-twenty-four. They came on shipsfrom Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia and many other countries.
About forty percent of Americans have at least one family memberwho passed through Ellis Island.
The immigration center closed in nineteen-fifty-four. Thebuildings fell into disrepair.
In the nineteen-eighties, a private group, the Statue ofLiberty-Ellis Island Foundation, led a restoration campaign. LeeIacocca, a leader in the automobile industry, directed the effort.This work rescued one-third of the island from ruin.
Ellis Island reopened, this time as a museum and memorial. Sincenineteen-ninety, the National Park Service has operated thisrestored area for visitors.
VOICE TWO:
Today there is another organization. It is called Save EllisIsland! This group is working to restore the remaining two-thirds ofthe island. The goal is to raise three-hundred-million dollars topay for the work.
Save Ellis Island! also wants to establish a research center.This institute would study such issues as immigration policy andpublic health. Judith McAlpin is president of the group. She pointsout that for sixty years, the island served many different groups ofpeople.
Judith McAlpin says the lessons learned by immigration and publichealth officials could be valuable today. The institute would alsohave exhibits and performances about the history of Ellis Island.
VOICE ONE: The Save Ellis Island! organization is working toraise money from public and private givers. At the same time, theNational Park Service is completing a project to prevent furtherdamage to the island. The Park Service, Congress and the state ofNew Jersey are paying for the project.
About twenty-thousand square meters of Ellis Island lie in thestate of New York. The remainder — eighty-nine-thousand squaremeters — is in New Jersey.
The project in the nineteen-eighties restored three buildings onthe New York side. One of the buildings contains a huge room, theGreat Hall. Each month, thousands of people visit these buildings.
But twenty-nine buildings on the New Jersey side are closed tothe public. Weeds cover much of the area. Some buildings are fallingapart. They include the three buildings in what is called the MainHospital Complex.
VOICE TWO:
All of the immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island had to have ahealth examination. People could not enter the country if they weresick or pregnant. They were offered care at the hospital buildings.Most were later permitted to enter the country. More thanthree-hundred-fifty babies were born on Ellis Island.
But over the years, about three-thousand-five-hundred immigrantsdied on Ellis Island. It became the final resting place for theirdreams of life in America.
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VOICE ONE:
The year is long ago. A ship sails into New York Harbor.Passengers crowd each other to see the Statue of Liberty. The statuestands with her arm raised high. In her hand is a light, torepresent freedom.
Now the people are marched off theship to a small island. Everyone feels tense. This place – EllisIsland – is a door to an unknown world. No one can be sure what ison the other side.
VOICE TWO:
The immigrants enter a big building. It is made of red brick andstone. It looks like the home of a king. Inside, the immigrantsclimb steps to the Great Hall. Doctors and nurses examine themclosely. Anyone who shows signs or sickness might be sent back home.
Medical inspectors mark the clothes of those with possible healthproblems. An “E” means eye trouble. An “H” means heart disease. An”X” means mental disorders.
Next comes a different kind ofinspection. Officials sit at tall tables at one end of the GreatHall. They ask questions, quickly. “Do you have a job? Do you havemoney? Can you read and write?”
VOICE ONE:
Hundreds of immigrants wait their turn in the Great Hall.Sunlight flows in through the windows, big and rounded. Outside,across the water, the people can see the tall buildings of New YorkCity.
The Great Hall is noisy with the sounds of different languages.There are joyful meetings. Family members and friends welcome newarrivals from the old country.
The inspections usually last a few hours. Then the immigrantswalk down a set of steps. These are called the “Stairs ofSeparation.”
The steps to the left lead to the boat to New York City. Thesteps on the right lead to the railroad office. Immigrants can buy aticket to travel to other parts of the United States.
VOICE TWO:
The steps in the middle are for those who must stay temporarilyon Ellis Island. About twenty percent remain for several days orweeks. Some are sick. Others are held for legal reasons.
Two percent of the people are sent home. Most often, these peoplehave diseases that can spread. Some people are sent back becausethey have no money or job skills. Some are unmarried women,traveling alone. Some are criminals. Some have unpopular politicalideas.
Many immigrants permitted to stay in the United States did notstay for long. One of every three who came to America during thenineteen-hundreds chose to return home.
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VOICE ONE:
During the early nineteen-hundreds, five-thousand immigrantsmoved through the immigration center on Ellis Island almost everyday. There were thirty-three buildings where people ate, slept andreceived medical care.
Representatives of forty religious, cultural and social serviceagencies worked on Ellis Island. These groups helped immigrants findwork or join family members already in the United States.
Some people called Ellis Island the “Island of Tears.” There werenot enough beds for everyone. The food was often bad. Those who hadto stay waited days or weeks without knowing what would happen tothem.
VOICE TWO:
Nineteen-oh-seven was the busiest year on Ellis Island. More thanone-million immigrants passed through. At the time, America neededworkers. Immigrants were accepted quickly.
Then, an anti-immigration movement arose. Congress passed laws torestrict immigration for people of some ancestries and nationalgroups.Some immigrants continued to come to America through EllisIsland after nineteen-twenty-four. But most already had beenapproved for immigration at American embassies in their homecountries. The government began to use Ellis Island mostly as aholding place for illegal immigrants.
VOICE ONE:
The United States government finally closed the immigrationcenter on Ellis Island in nineteen-fifty-four. The wet air of theharbor had begun to destroy the buildings. Workers spent two yearsjust drying the main building.
The workers found places where immigrants had written on thewalls as they waited for word of their future. There were littlepictures, poems and prayers.
In the nineteen-eighties, President Ronald Reagan called for therepair and restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Hewanted to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the statue innineteen-eighty-six. The work cost more thanfour-hundred-fifty-million dollars.
Today, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum stands as a memorialto honor all immigrants.
VOICE TWO:
One of the structures on Ellis Island is the Ferry Building. Thiswas where immigrants permitted to enter the country could get on aboat to New York City. It was built in nineteen-thirty-five duringthe Great Depression. Last year, public and private money restoredthe Ferry Building. But a boat still lies on its side in the water,at least for now.
Many people who visit Ellis Island today say they hope it can becompletely restored. They want the nation to remember the part thatthis island played in the largest movement of people in recordedhistory.
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VOICE ONE:
Our program was written by Shelley Gollust and Jerilyn Watson.I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Faith Lapidus. Listen again next week for another reportabout life in the United States, on the VOA Special English programTHIS IS AMERICA.