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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015
SMS eighth-graders ‘visit’ Ellis Island ferry
www.shoppelocal.biz
Eighth-graders from Siuslaw
Middle School went to Ellis
Island.
Sort of.
Thanks to an arrangement
with SEAcoast Entertainment
Association (SEA), the local
students were able to interact
with a live performance about
immigration in the early 20th
century, titled “The New
American” by Rachel Atkins of
Living Voices.
“For me, working with
Living Voices has been one
of the high points for our con-
cert season. They brought a dra-
matic,
artistic
element
to enhance the students’ year-
long studies about immigra-
tion,” said Rachel Pearson,
SEA’s education outreach coor-
dinator.
Living
Voices
is
a
non-profit educational group
from Seattle that presents
solo performers and integrates
audience interaction to teach
history.
Oftentimes they use archival
film as their stage’s backdrop.
SEA is the Florence-area
non-profit that brings high-cal-
iber arts and entertainment to
the Florence Events Center.
“They turn history into a
moving, personal journey to
help young audiences under-
stand and access the past,”
explained Pearson.
“The project furthers the stu-
dents’ studies this year on the
history of immigration, and
allowed for an informed discus-
sion and comparison of histori-
cal immigration to the issues of
immigration today,” she said.
The imaginative story began
in 1912 in rural Ireland where
students met Bridget Rose
Fitzgerald.
The Fitzgeralds barely man-
aged to hold onto their farm in
bad times.
Her father sent Bridget to
America in hopes she would be
able to send back enough
money to save their home.
Bridget was placed in
steerage on a steamship headed
for New York.
At Ellis Island, she was
tagged and numbered, along
with thousands of immigrants
crammed into a huge, noisy
facility.
After a barrage of tests and a
long list of confusing and
embarrassing
questions,
Bridget was taken to Manhattan
where she began work at a
sweatshop.
After many challenges, and
COURTESY PHOTO
Maggie Doud, Sandra Kuhlman, Rachel Atkins as “Bridget Fitzgerald,” Ernie Doud and Heather Wiggins,
eighth-grade teacher at Siuslaw Middle School
after studying and passing the
citizenship exam, Bridget fully
embraced her new homeland.
Through it all, students
learned what American liberty
and opportunity mean to people
around the world.
“During the production, stu-
dents had so much fun
that they probably didn’t
realize
all
the
lessons
they learned about history, cul-
tural differences, character
development, and the immigra-
tion process,” said Pearson.
Eighth-grade history teacher
Heather Wiggins was provided
a teacher’s guide for pre- and
post-performance instruction to
assist students in gaining a
greater understanding of the
process
of
immigration
and assimilation of the early
20th century, and then to
draw parallels between then and
now.
Included
were
hands-
on activities to reinforce new
concepts through a variety
of media: writing, art, presenta-
tion and discussion on topics
emanating from the presenta-
tion.
Partial funding for this
SEAcoast arts and culture out-
reach came through a $1,000
grant provided by the Lane
County Cultural Commission.
Last
year,
SEAcoast
contracted with Theatreworks
USA to present the Lewis and
Clark expedition to local grade-
schoolers.
For more information about
SEAcoast
Entertainment
Association and the remaining
performances of its 2014-2015
concert series, visit www.
SeacoastEA.org.
1/2 Off First Service
Siuslaw News
Photo Gallery
Coming Soon
Now Showing
Crab Crack
Winter Folk Festival
CROWʼs Share Your Heart
Siuslaw Awards
SHS Boys & Girls Basketball
Home and Garden Show
set for March 6 through 8
The 19th Annual Florence
Home and Garden Show, set
for March 6 through 8, has
filled all its available vendor
space, according to organizers.
“We were full by the end of
January,” explained Show
Director Jon Thompson.
“We’ve been told numerous
times that our show is one of
the best, even in comparison to
much larger venues.”
Custom wood products,
kitchen ware, hot tubs, spas,
skylights and dozens of ven-
dors featuring products and
services for both the home and
garden will pack the Florence
Events Center, 715 Quince St.
Laurel Bay Gardens’ center-
piece
landscape
design,
“Garden of Artful Delight,”
will highlight this year’s show.
The landscape design will
feature local crafted garden
art, including sculptures,
plants and glass art.
The urban design will high-
light planting ideas to create a
haven for wildlife. Low main-
tenance and native plant selec-
tions will give homeowners
great ideas on enhancing their
yards to add color, texture and
wildlife habitat.
Laurel Bay Gardens also
will feature a new line of certi-
fied organic compost and
soils, colorful outdoor pottery,
statuary and water features.
Gibs RV, featuring homes
on wheels, will join Cedar
Works Spas outside the
Florence Events Center.
Show hours are from 2 to 6
p.m. on Friday, March 6, 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday,
March 7, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
on Sunday, March 8.
Admission is $2 for adults
and $1 for children 12 and
under. Admission is free from
4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and
half-price coupons will be
available at Bi-Mart two
weeks prior to the show.
Coast Radio and Siuslaw
News present the show.
View at
www.thesiuslawnews.com
Photos available for purchase*
5x7 – $5 00 • 8x11 – $7 00
WORD
Purchase at 148 Maple St. 541-997-3441
*Photos online are reduced quality –
Actual photos purchased are
high resolution, high quality.
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STREET
HAVE A QUESTION WE SHOULD ASK?
E MAIL : E DITOR @T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM
How do you feel about Gov. Kitzhaber resigning?
“I think he did the right thing.
There was too much controversy
in what was going on in his per-
sonal life involved with his
political life.”
—M ARCIA L EAMING , 63
O AKRIDGE
“I think it is a good idea.
There is too much controversy
about his fiancée. They have
gotten into trouble that is just
going to continue. We don’t
need another leader we can’t
trust.”
—B EVERLY P ERRY , 86
F LORENCE
“I’m very happy we have a
new governor. I think the last one
was shady and so is his fiancée.”
—K RISTINA W ASHINGTON , 42
F LORENCE
“I haven’t really lived here
long enough to know anything
about him, but yes, that is what
should have happened. Even if
he’s not guilty, she was.”
—B ARBARA M USSON , 68
F LORENCE
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed above are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Siuslaw News or its advertisers.
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