ISLE OF TEARS

 By Judy Parker

Annie Moore, the first immigrant passing through
Ellis Island, and her two younger brothers
 © Bill Canavan


It was a special day for 12-year-old Jane Moore*, who had traveled from County Cork, Ireland to join her relatives in New York. Jane's cousin, Annie Moore, the first immigrant passing through the Ellis Island immigration station had been reunited with her family in America for three years now. Jane and her younger brother, John, arrived at Ellis Island on January 1, 1895, the third anniversary of the opening day of this immigration facility. Among the immigrants passing through Ellis Island, some were escaping religious persecution, others had left their homes looking for a country "paved with gold," and yet others had fled hunger and political upheaval in their homeland.

After stepping from the steerage of the Nevada, the steamboat on which they had traveled, Jane and the other passengers were herded on to the river barge, which would take them to Ellis Island. While the first class passengers aboard ships to America did not have to stop at Ellis Island, Jane and all the other immigrants were denied that privilege. Instead, they were required to undergo a series of tedious physical and other examinations upon their arrival. Of the immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island, about 2 percent were sent back to their home countries as a result of failing these examinations.

Disembarking from the barge, Jane finally set her feet on the ground of America. In front of her was the grand main building of Ellis Island. The guards quickly hustled Jane and the others into line to walk under the canopy, which led them to the building. Upon entering the building and waiting in the Baggage Room, Jane was told to leave her belongings there. Glancing around, Jane saw that almost all the immigrants were carrying as many belongings as they could, and were dressed in many layers of clothing. Their hands were full, and many of them clenched their health certificates in their teeth. "Hurry up! Hurry up!" the guards shouted, pushing Jane and other newcomers into two or three lines for the climb up a steep flight of stairs. At the top, Jane found herself in the Registry Room, or "Great Hall," a crowded and noisy area filled with immigrants from many countries. Their voices mingled together in a jumble of languages, a dissonant song of confusion. Once more, the guards pushed and shouted to organize the immigrants into a single line. Being led up to a wide staircase, Jane obediently followed the guard in front of her. At the end of the stairs stood a group of doctors. As Jane approached, these doctors glanced at her and wrote down notes on their papers. What Jane had just experienced was called the "six-second medical examination"-the doctors had been studying her as she climbed the stairs, looking for signs of lameness.

More examinations followed, the worst being the eye test. The doctor used a buttonhook or hairpin to pull back each immigrant's eyelid, looking for trachoma, a contagious eye disease that was common in southeastern Europe. Medical problems were indicated with a chalk mark on the lapel or coat: an "L" symbolized lameness, an "X" indicated mental defect, and "SC" stood for scalp fungus.

"Jane, I am hungry," little John tugged Jane's coat and complained. Holding hands with her brother, Jane joined others for a meal in the Dining Hall. Looking around, Jane saw people eating bowls of soup. One of the employees in the facility then brought out a bucket of prunes, and another put a scoopful of prunes between slices of bread. "What is that, Jane?" asked little John. "Prune sandwiches," said a woman without facial expression. At the far end of the Dining Hall, Jane saw an Ellis Island employee show one of the immigrants how to eat a banana-that is, that the fruit should be peeled and only the inside eaten.


Bill of Fare for Ellis Island Dining Room
 © Tom Bernardin, The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook, 2003, p. 25
At the end of the processing, Jane and her younger brother successfully passed all the examinations! Followed by little John, Jane descended the "Staircase of Separation." At the bottom were three doors, leading in different directions and to very different destinations: straight ahead was the detention room where more examinations would be done; to the left was the ferry to Manhattan where the immigrants would begin their life in New York; and to the right was the railroad ticket office from which new immigrants would travel to New Jersey and then to other parts of the United States. Jane was brought to the door to the left, which was marked "Push. This way to New York." Pushing the door open, Jane saw her parents and relatives waiting for her behind a wire screen. They were crying, laughing, and amazed that Jane was finally free to enter America.

The whole process of landing at Ellis Island and being examined could take several hours. Some people were detained for days or weeks, depending upon their health and whether or not anyone came to claim them. For those who were rejected, due to their health or a criminal record, the journey back to their homeland was devastating. It could mean going back to shame and sometimes death by their government. Many immigrants could not face this decision; over 3,000 committed suicide rather than be deported.

It had been a difficult journey. The ship had been overcrowded, unclean, and lacking in wholesome, abundant food. But Jane endured the trip to arrive on the island some have called "The Isle of Tears." She successfully passed the examinations by people who did not understand her language, let alone her fear. Now Jane stands on American soil. She is free. Her future stands before her!

* Author's note: Although this article is based on historical fact, Jane Moore and her little brother, John Moore, are fictional characters. The events described in this work of fiction, however, closely mirror those experienced by actual immigrants when they first arrived at Ellis Island during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
References-Printed Materials


. . . If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island
Ellen Levine, Scholastic Inc., 1993
ISBN 0590461346

Ellis Island
Wilton S. Tifft, Contemporary Books, 1990
ISBN 0809244187

The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook
Tom Bernardin, Tom Bernardin, inc., 2003 (3rd ed.)
ISBN 0962919837

Ellis Island, New Hope in a New Land
William Jay Jacobs, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1990
ISBN 0684191717

Gateway to Liberty: The Story of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Mary J. Shapiro, Vintage Books, 1986
ISBN 0394728912

Sam Ellis's Island
Beatrice Siegel, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1985
ISBN 0027827208

In Search of Liberty: the story of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
James B. Bell and Richard I. Abrams, Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1984
ISBN 0385192762

References-Non-Printed Materials


Ellis Island History
http://www.ellisisland.com/indexHistory.html

Ellis Island: Through America's Gateway
http://www.internationalchannel.com/education/ellis/

Ellis Island Records
http://www.ellisislandimmigrants.org/


Photo and Image Credits


Tom Bernardin
Ellisbook@aol.com
Bill of Fare for Ellis Island Dining Room

Bill Canavan
http://www.cobhharbourchamber.ie/
Annie Moore and her two younger brothers, Philip and Anthony

About the Author:


Judy has completed writing courses with the Institute of Children's Literature and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She has been published in Jack & Jill, The San Diego Family Magazine, and Wee Ones and has a children's book, "Prima Donna Duck", with SynergEbooks. Judy lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband, John. You can contact Judy at judy.parker@cox.net.


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