Early 20th-century immigrants had a rough road, too

This article reminds us about immigrants who came here 100 years ago and acted exactly the same as immigrants now. They didn't learn English instantly (or ever), they lived in their own communities, and their children and grandchildren are the ones who assimilated. DP

By JENNIFER VOGELSONG, For The Evening Sun

Eveningsun.com: It's easy to look at dropout rates or labor force data and conclude that the children of today's immigrants aren't progressing as fast as they should; that they are being left behind in ESL classes, low-paying service jobs and cycles of crime and teen pregnancy.

And so national leaders fret, worrying that immigration is pulling apart the threads of American society, rather than weaving into its fabric.

But America has been through this before.

Yes, many of the immigrants who came in the early part of the 20th century were white Europeans. And yes, most of them came to this country legally.

But that doesn't mean they didn't set up shop in ethnic enclaves, face language barriers and struggle with prejudice and discrimination.

Nancy Foner, a professor of sociology and immigration studies at Hunter College in New York City, said there is a tendency to romanticize the past and come to dire conclusions about the present situation.

"People look at the great-grandchildren of these immigrants and see their success and don't remember the struggles," she said. "They think the children (of earlier immigrants) grew up and immediately went to Harvard to become doctors and lawyers."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.