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6th-graders get a taste of history, visit Lady Liberty in NY harbor

By Claude Haton

CAIRO — The Cairo-Durham sixth-grade class recently embarked on an educational field trip that brought them to the very edge of immigration in America.

Four busloads of students, teachers and parent chaperones left the middle school early on a rainy, overcast June 6 morning to begin their trek to visit Ellis island, the Statue of Liberty and the Liberty Science Center.

Arriving at the site of the former Central New Jersey Rail Road station just across the bay from New York City, the group boarded a ferry and began the first leg of their adventure. The brief boat ride landed them at Ellis Island, where at least 12 million immigrants (estimates range as high as 20 million) were processed between the years 1892 and 1954.

Kiosks inside provided opportunities to research family histories of persons who had been processed through Ellis Island. Visitors roam the site freely, viewing various elements of Ellis including the hospital wing where immigrants carrying communicable diseases could be cared for.

Among the many persons who went on to achieve fame and fortune after passing through Ellis Island were Bob Hope, Irving Berlin, Knute Rockne, Bela Lugosi, Max Factor, Claudette Colbert and Ettore Boiardi (Chef Boyardee).

Next stop was a brief visit to Lady Liberty. Although confined to the ferry because of time limitations, the group got an up close and personal look at the grand colossus that dominates Liberty Island.

Dedicated in 1886, Lady Liberty was a gift from the nation of France as a symbol of universal freedom and democracy. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue of copper which stands 151 feet tall. The pedestal and foundation add another 154 feet to bring the height to 305 at the tip of the torch.

Her classical appearance in Roman dress derives from Libertas, ancient Rome’s goddess of freedom. The seven spikes of her crown represent the seven continents, her torch signifies enlightenment and the tablet in her left hand represents knowledge. At her feet lie the broken shackles of oppression as she strides toward freedom.

Back on the Jersey shore, a brief bus ride brought the group to the nearby Liberty Science Center. This spacious facility focuses on the environment, health and invention featuring dozens of hands-on exhibits on three floors. It also boasts the world’s largest IMAX dome theatre, which that day featured a graphic skydiving film that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Then it was back on the bus, with a stop for dinner along the way. All in all the trip was a terrific opportunity for youngsters to experience history in a manner they will likely not soon forget.

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