The Trying First Day in America for an Italian Family

By: Abraham Stron (Oliver) 

LOWER EAST SIDE-  It is 1916 January 12th and an Italian family that just immigrated from Venice has been found by a settlement house worker and has taken them to 97 Orchard Street to help them get settled in their new home.

An Italian family with eleven children and two grown-ups has just finished immigrating. They got off the boat and they were the very most dazed. They took one glance at Ellis Island and had to blink twice before the kids started running around in joy.

The parents did not. They stood there and stared in terror as if they knew what the evil secrets of the island held. “Come here children, I have something to tell you about this island.” “What is it mother?” asked the one who looked to be the youngest of them all. “You must look your very best from the moment you step in, to the moment you step out.” “Okay,” said all the children.

They stepped into main building at Ells Island and the children had followed their mother’s advice very well, they looked their very best. They walked up the stairs and they were in the Great Hall.

It was the first time in days that the family could be standing on hard surface with no wibble wobble. They were fed jello and bananas when they heard their last name called over for inspection.

They had made it through the first the second the third the fourth and now came the fifth and final inspection test. “Have you committed any crimes?” “No.” “Well I’m sorry to say but here it says that you stole someone’s shoes on the boat ride here.” “What!” “Oh! Wait that was someone else. Congratulations, welcome to America!”

They went down the Staircase of Separation to the boat and got on it with joy as they made their way to the Lower East Side.

When they got off the boat, they were confused as for where they were supposed to be. The mother decided that they were just going to walk around until they found something or someone that could help them.

The family had been walking around for awhile until a settlement house worker came over to them and asked them if they needed help “YES” said the entire family. The settlement worker told them to follow her. They did exactly that and they were led into this tiny apartment to this little room where lots of young immigrants were being taught how to be American.

The settlement worker said, “I’m a little busy right now as you can see so I will take you to this other young immigrant who has been here a while and might help you settle in a lot more then you are.” The family agreed and they followed her into this very tiny apartment where they were introduced to this young woman by the name of Victoria Confino.

“Come in, come in,” said Victoria with a little nervous laugh. “The chairs and the bed are open for sitting. Ok. Do you have any questions?” said Victoria with another nervous laugh.

“I do!” said Wyeth in the back. “

What is it,” said Victoria.

“How did you find a place to live because are looking for one?”

“Well…”, said Victoria with another nervous laugh. “I did the same that you are doing, our settlement house worker pulled my family and I over to come stay here and we have been living in this tenement ever since!”

“Thank you Victoria”

“Any more questions?”

“Yes,” said everyone in the family. Victoria answered question after question after question after question until there were no more questions. They had figured out everything they needed to know. Where they lived, where the baker and fishmonger were and everything else.

“Thank you so much Victoria” said everyone. They were on their way out to their new tenement and they knew that they had a very long first day in the Lower East Side.