NOTE:

Mr. and Mrs. Vobril are interviewed by Anna Kuthan, Interview NPS-2. Janet Levine, Ph.D, Ellis Island Oral History Project, 1/22/1995

KUTHAN:

My name is Mrs. Anna Kuthan and today is January 31, and I am in Mr. and Mrs. Voboril's apartment and I want to introduce them. I'm so glad, you have no idea, you know, because this is so interesting and somebody has to do it, you know, because the old people are dying and I am so glad that we are going to be, you know, we do something for the old immigrants. And I wish Mrs. Voboril would start telling, you know, where she come from. Would you tell us what country you come from?

LOUISE:

I surely will. I came here, was 1890, and then...

JOSEPH:

1900.

LOUISE:

Yeah, 1900, and I came here on a day when Dr., Dr., President, McMcan, McCan...

JOSEPH:

McKinley.

LOUISE:

McKinley was buried, and my sister took me from Ellis Island. I was there in a cage like, all the immigrants those days, and when she looked at me she said, "My goodness child, you are so small. I thought that when I see you picture that you were much bigger." I said, "Well, that's all right, Anna, I am going to be a little servant girl here." She said, "You need one yourself, you are so small. My God, what am I going to do with you? I said, "Don't worry, I would be all right. I listen to you and everything be all right."

KUTHAN:

Well, your story is altogether different than mine, you know. When I came in 1922 in this country, I haven't got a soul here, I have nobody, and the last dime I spent on Ellis Island and I bought myself four pears for a dime. And then I says, "My God, I am so hungry," and that day they have fish and a white bread and big pitchers milk. I says, "Well, I don't care much for the fish because in my country we hardly eat any fish, you know," so I says, "I wish I get two, three glasses of milk and the white bread, you know." That I remember, you know. So you see, my, when I came here, I says, "My God, where I am going to sleep?" Because my uncle that is suppose to take care of me, you know he didn't show up because I don't know him, I don't know how he look, you know, after, at night, then he says, "My God, I was waiting, I was waiting." Well I don't know him, you know, if he would tell me what kind of clothes he has or how he looked I would know, you know, but I didn't worry. I didn't worry a bit because, you know, always somebody take care of you, you know. So my story is so different from Mrs. Voboril because she has her sister here, you know, and she came to her sister and she stayed there for a while.

LOUISE:

Oh yes, until I grew up.

JOSEPH:

Go ahead, continue.

LOUISE:

Then, should I continue?

KUTHAN:

Yes.

LOUISE:

Well, then we went on a train on Second Avenue and my sister show me things. There was the Indians' graves, there was the farms, there was the everything, and it was a rainy day and I said, "Well, everything is nice, but look I so sad," and my sister said, "Well, of course, it is raining." I said, "Look, when we going to be in American?" She said to my, to her friend, "For goodness sakes, look at that greenhorn, she don't like it here. She is asking for America." I said, "Because it rain and everything looks so bad, and it would be bright I think. This is no American, when we going to be there." Well, my sister only laughed. She said, "You will see the America. Wait, later on." Now I say, "Why did they kill that McKinley?" She said, "Why you so interested?" I said, "Because I feel sorry for him. There are black flags and a lot of black things hanging on houses. What did he do?" She said, "That is big story child. I will tell you when we be home. But we all feel sorry for him." I said, "That is too bad. Why did they do it?" I couldn't get over that it they killed such a leader man, which I know kings and all that and this it also and (?) big (?) they think we were going on. I look at the elevator, I see horses looking out the window on a fourth floor. "Oh, what is this? How the horses get up there?" They all laugh.

JOSEPH:

Fourteen years old.

LOUISE:

You know, fourteen years old. I was a kid. So she said, "Well, you will see all that and I will explain it to you, not on the train." I said, "Look, that black woman looking at me, and she is so black and she still have a black veil over her face." She said, "Well, somebody must have died for her." "Well, she is black enough, she don't need that veil." I said, "I'm afraid of those black people. I see one in Europe in a show and he had such a shiny eyes and she look at me so much, I am going to turn different way." I got so scared of her. So my sister said, "That all will go away. You will be nice little girl and you will listen to me. I got letter already before you came," because I was fifteen days on a boat. There was a accident. We hit iceberg and some of them say rock, but there was a lady, her sweetheart was going on a ship all the time, she said, "No, that was rock, but don't say anything. The boat is hit and they are fixing it." But three days they were calling for help and there was nobody called. Those days wasn't so many boats coming to Europe and back again, so she said, "Well, they are going to come," and for three days they were only whistling, whistling for help and nobody come. After some small boat stop it and they fixed it and we went. Oh, they close us inside. Nobody was allowed to go up. Then before this happened, there was a whale coming around the boat and everybody said, "We are going to have a hard luck," and even the sailor fellow says, "Oh, what is going to happen to us?" Some man lift me up and said, "Come on, kid, I show you the whale, come on." So he put me up because it was too hard for me to look, and I see the whale was rolling around the boat, I said, "My goodness, what a big she, she is just as long as our ship. It is such a big fish." He said, "Don't say much." Then, all right, everything was all over, and see they were through with it and even the sailors said, "We will have trouble." Well, you could imagine how everybody worried when we going to get here and all. I wasn't afraid at all. I thought, I'm going to America, I'm going to get there, I'm going to see that America, and we wouldn't drown.

KUTHAN:

Mr. Voboril, would you tell me what part of a country you come from, Czechoslovakia?

JOSEPH:

I be born in capitol city of Prague in Czechoslovakia in 1899 which is seventy-four years ago, and I graduated there, College of Engineering, and I came 1929, not as an immigrant, but as a student and to practice, and what I would learn here, bring it back for the benefit of the country of Czechoslovakia. However, it happened different thing. Came the Depression and many things, I got married, and I stayed I am never sorry I did.

KUTHAN:

And now Mrs. Voboril.

LOUISE:

Well, of course, was a pleasure he marry me, but before he marry me, he came to place where I was working and he ask if I know any girl. I said, "Of course, I have plenty. I am going to ask some of the mothers. They will bring the girls to you, and you are a nice young man, you stay here this country because I go between a higher class of people and I heard it is going to be war. It would be too bad if you will go. I will try to save you much as I can." Well, I used to send a lot of things to the bakery. I work in a bakery, and I said there was a lot of Depression and people were, a lot of students without eating and so...

JOSEPH:

1929.

LOUISE:

1929, so I sent a lot of stale cakes, something I buy, Mrs. give me some...

JOSEPH:

To church.

LOUISE:

To church, where there is all people without work and some children, some people's children with they would feed them then in church, so this pastor...

JOSEPH:

This is how we met.

LOUISE:

How we me, so they said, "Miss from bakery always send so much cakes here, we will invite her here some evening and I will introduce you to all of you, what a good, how do you, a good, good heart."

JOSEPH:

Good hearted.

LOUISE:

Good hearted lady, bring things, send things to us. Well, the man said... Joseph: Dr. Nowatny. Louise: Dr. Nowatny said, "Miss Bakery, what are we gong to do with this student? He is the best from all. I don't know how we going to take care of him. He is here from the government. He land here from the government invited him."

JOSEPH:

Excuse me, I was sent by Masaryk Academy of Arts by the government.

LOUISE:

So we got to save him. The others are all kinds of a different, how can we help him? I said, "Well, if he is going to write to the Washington for more privilege to let him stay there, because all the immigrants who was here a short time, they had to turn back, and only the students were allowed to stay another month. So I said, "This month we could work for him. How can he do?" Well, I had a lovely apartment. I was never there because my madame was afraid to be in a bakery so she said, "You sleep here with me." I said, "Well, I could give them," there were two fellows, his friend and, I said, "Let them two fellows have my apartment and this, I will help this one and you help the other. What we going to do."

JOSEPH:

So we met that way.

LOUISE:

Well, all right, I just say how it was. So we wrote to Washington that I will give them home.

JOSEPH:

You mean the affidavit.

LOUISE:

Yeah, and he will support them with some money if they need it. So everything was all right. They came from Washington, come to our house, this room... JOSEPH;To investigate.

LOUISE:

Investigate, and I come here in white uniform and he said, "Who are you?" I said, "This is my apartment. I will share it with those poor boys if they be able to stay." But the other one had to leave right away, but my husband was kept here. They were more interested in him. I said, "He is an engineer from Czechoslovakia, it would be too bad. I heard there is going to be war. We could strive to save him." He said, "That is alright lady, you do fine. If you and the doctor is going to help, I think this will work. Another thing would save him most if he gets married." So I am going to get him a nice girl because in the business I meet a lot of people.

JOSEPH:

And she wasn't any selfish at that time, really.

LOUISE:

I wasn't selfish at all.

JOSEPH:

No, truly no.

LOUISE:

This is God's truth.

JOSEPH:

That is what interested me, not thinking about herself, about the other. Louise: I wanted help, I said... Joseph:That I think it will be her.

LOUISE:

...This country needs good engineers and the other one had to leave because meantime the country was taken to the Poland, was took the part of the Czechoslovakia. He had to leave right away. But him, for the month. So he came to me and he said, "Miss, you so good that you take such a (?) of me." I said, "Sure, let the America have good men and after the war," I said, "it's going to be fine. You can go back anytime." He said, but, what smells here Pepo? Nash: I'm having a cigarette. Louise:Oh, I'm sorry. So then it was all right, but he said, "How can I be thanked to you for your kindness?"

JOSEPH:

But I have a surprise for her. I loved her, you know, and I didn't tell her right away, but when she was sending me all the time away, I said, "How about you? Would you take me for your husband?" She refused quite a while because she said, "You are younger and that would be maybe trouble." I said, "No trouble. I used to have young girls and cannot have any fool. I want a woman who is really wisdom." So we agreed, we got married, and then I had to, when I, when we got married I had to go back for my visa to Czechoslovakia because I was an immigrant and couldn't stay, but in two months I was back because she met some two congressmen and they gave me affidavits and asked the consul over in Prague, ask them if it is possible to send me back. So it was in October and I be back on Christmas.

LOUISE:

And this doctor, no Congressman Bloom said, "You are too nice to be without husband. I will work for it and I will send your husband, in six weeks he will be back, otherwise maybe with six months, but I have a friend in Prague and I tell him we got nice wife her, hurry up before somebody will steal her." So that is really happen what he promised to me, but I was nice lady and all, thanks God.

JOSEPH:

I had been working on the New York Central Railroad in the diesel electric department because I had a great experience in Czechoslovakia. I built the Czechoslovak railroads and returned them from the steam to diesel electric, so when I came over here they are just trying to change Grand Central, New York Central, from the steam to electricity. So I had a good experience, they hired me, and I stuck there up to my retirement for about thirty-five, thirty-six years.

LOUISE:

They right away made him as an inspector and then everything was just nice for both of us. Then we travel all around the America as much as we can and then I see the America. When we come to California or the Florida, you know, I said, "That was the America I wanted."

JOSEPH:

And the whole west.

LOUISE:

And the whole west we went. And look at the farmers and all, all the Czechoslovaks love farmers such a hard work people. My cousin's sister was also farmer. We went to see her and there was a fair, some kind of a fair.

JOSEPH:

Farmers' fair.

LOUISE:

Yes, what they produced. And they took me there and I signed my name in a book I come from New York, and they say those farmers, "Oh, she is from New York, bring her in (?) she is," all the farmers around me. I should explain them how New York looks. If it is true, they have such a high houses and everything is so beautiful, elevators and oh what ever they asked me, I said, "Yes, that is true." See, they didn't know anything about the New York, and that much about the America because they work so honest for this ground. They got the ground for nothing and they only pay it sometimes taxes, that's what they explained it to me. Well, what a beautiful fruit, flowers, all what those people made was gorgeous, and then I met some doctor there, he said, "Lady, I am so glad I met you too because it is a pleasure share, talk about those honest, hard working people what we met. Well, when I was leaving, saying good-bye, I almost kiss some of those ladies, they were so cute, healthy looking. Only in house dresses, you know. So then we walked out and they hand me a bouquet. Well, my dear young lady, that was a bouquet, I couldn't hold it like that, gladiolas. We had to put it on the top of the car because it couldn't go in, and then that was the gift to me because they thought I was nice and I explained everything about the New York, and mostly America.

JOSEPH:

And tell them about what kind of school they had.

LOUISE:

Yeah, and my cousin's wife and her husband got married to some teacher from Europe, and he made a little school for those out of boards and he had two, five, eight children to teach, farmer children, boy and girls, so he made a little shudder and everything like in a school, and there he teach them in wintertime. Summertime was no time. Then that's the way I found west. How they were getting along, this Czechoslovaks, how they were helping so much to one another to be a real American.

JOSEPH:

That was about forty-five years ago.

LOUISE:

Yes.

JOSEPH:

That the America was then rather poor yet, comparably, especially the west.

LOUISE:

That is more than forty-five.

JOSEPH:

I remember in Czechoslovakia, when the countryman says Prague, the capitol city, see that was the whole thing. Now the same thing when they say in the west, New York.

LOUISE:

Yes.

JOSEPH:

New York, that is the America for them. You know, really, they were so glad to hear something about it.

LOUISE:

And all stopping and I had (?) speech, but that doctor was another man there, also of New York, he couldn't speak Bohemian, you know, so I speak Bohemian with them and I explain everything, how it went, I said, "When subway was built," I said, "They call Indians, there were nine Indians and they wanted they should go through...

JOSEPH:

They give them a ride.

LOUISE:

They will give them a ride first time when that started, and the oldest Indian said... Joseph:Chief Louise:...chief said, "Oh, no, I don't trust no holes." He wouldn't go with the rest of them went and tell them how beautiful that looks and how practical, you know, all that with those oh terribly wondered, wonder which they would never see it, and I was telling that same thing to those farmer people about it. So they knew so much from me. Oh, the paper were writing about me, that farmer paper, you know, saying that they heard so much about New York. Then every city we went in every state with my husband after, then we told the people a lot of things what we knew, what we saw. So, now what would be next my darling.

KUTHAN:

You see, your story is altogether different from mine, you know, from mine, you know, because you see... (microphone noise) Joseph:Don't push this thing. All right, go ahead.

KUTHAN:

...because you got married very soon, you know, but me I have not a soul here, you know, and I have to, you know, go on boarding. I haven't got a penny in my pocketbook, you know, and one man, thank God, he take care of me, you know. He find a boarding on First Avenue, you know, between 72nd and 71st, you know, Mrs. Kral. She used to give her help, you know. Everybody knows her. All the greenhorns used to come there and they have a little bedroom there, you know. She has only three little rooms and one bedroom there was only suitcases and boxes because, you know, who has suitcase that time, hardly anybody. And we didn't have much clothes anyway, you know. So then, you know, the rich people used to come, you know, and she couldn't speak much English, she just say, "She is all right." And, you know, they hand her five dollars. For five dollars I was...

LOUISE:

I know I would bring her five dollars, I got the servant too when I got there.

KUTHAN:

I was sold for five dollars three days after, you know. So, you know, and I went through hell here, believe me, but you see it is interesting that everybody, no matter how many immigrants came here, everybody has different story to tell, and I wish the people would go together as long as they still living and if they would tell the stories. You see, that is why I was so interested when Miss Margo told me, you know, if I could get some more Czech people, you know, even Slovak people, and if I would get hold of them, you know, and make appointment like.

LOUISE:

Yeah they should go on history. We have wonderful history.

KUTHAN:

Yes, I know, but you see, like there are so many you know, all over the state here, you know, Czech and Slovak and from Moravia people, you know.

LOUISE:

Yes, a lot of educated boys too.

KUTHAN:

And you see, and that is why I am so glad, you know, that I told Miss Margo about you, you know, when I read you letter, you know, in that Czech magazine, I said that would be something because, you know, you start telling her you came to this country and that Ellis Island and that is what they want to know about the immigrants, you know, how they came and what an impression the new Europe and the new land made on them, you know.

NASH:

I would like to know about Ellis Island, what you remember about Ellis Island.

LOUISE:

You want to know about the Ellis Island?

NASH:

Yes.

JOSEPH:

How it looked to you.

LOUISE:

That look very nice to me. Oh, what a big houses and so, and those cages, and men took me by the hand and said, "Come on little girl, I'm going to put you here in a cage." I said, "No, I didn't do anything." I told him I didn't do anything. They want to put me in a cage.

KUTHAN:

Excuse me, excuse me.

LOUISE:

Yes.

KUTHAN:

Wasn't that Castle Garden because you came in 1900?

LOUISE:

Castle Garden, no.

KUTHAN:

Castle Garden.

LOUISE:

Yes, sure, that is what it was.

KUTHAN:

Not Ellis Island, Castle Garden. Later on came Ellis Island.

LOUISE:

I came on Ellis Island, I did.

KUTHAN:

I know, but you have to go through the Castle Garden.

LOUISE:

Yes, sure.

JOSEPH:

That time she was so young she never knows what name it was.

LOUISE:

I didn't know what was it. All I know, they put me in a cage and I said to him...

JOSEPH:

Like a little monkey.

LOUISE:

I said, "I didn't do anything you should lock me in like this." He said, "Yes, you might run away on me." Then sister came and then she talked to him and she said, "Yes, that my sister, I was very lonesome, and I want her to come that I cry and my mother said, 'All right, we sent you Louise and then you are going to be two of you happy,'which we were. Thank God. She took good care of me. My parents, her write to them, "She was so delicate, take good care of her " and all that, she did

JOSEPH:

Excuse me. I had a different experience. When I came I had actually a diplomatic visa as a student and engineer so I had been first even before citizen came out like a diplomat. However, when I came out and then I said, "What good that is. Now I have nobody here, no nothing." I knew English, but no job. I had a money. I had brought about two thousand dollars with me for study and then I landed with a friends, a missionary introduced me to Philadelphia, to Norristown, to Doctor Shaduk, and I had been there about two, three months because I couldn't study there, I quit there and went to New York and then I thought I will be able to go to Columbia University to get the lectures and all those things, so I came here and I been stuck again for a half a year, I couldn't adjust, get the nickel, so I spent the money whatever I could. But then I went to the engineering house on 39th Street and they helped me to with their introduction to New York Central and I got the job there. So everything came fine after all.

LOUISE:

He said, " I think I have to go." But I said, "No, the United States will need you. You are a good engineer. I heard all about you." So he said, "All right, but I like to get married," and so I said, "We'll get you girl." He said, "How about if I ask you? Doctor Nowatny told me that you are fine little girl. You would be just nice for me. You are so sensible and so." "No, no, no, no such a thing. No marriage for me, no."

JOSEPH:

And the same thing, I want to really go back. I wasn't never knew that I would get married, but it came like that. It came just in a one week, I told her, "Listen darling, I have to go and I don't know when I will see you. Maybe God will take care of you while I am not here. I'll come back and God will take care of you." Suddenly something told me about you. Really why I am telling the truth, some inner voice said how about you, and that is what made me, okay, then I pop it.

LOUISE:

I said to him "Well, I have got to tell you to take me. I hope you and I be happy." I never want to get married again because I thought it was the best days of my darling child and then be happy again.

JOSEPH:

Do you want to say something that I came actually in 1929 in terrific Depression. You know, there was a crash on the Wall Street. Everything went down. I had a beautiful papers to General Electric and Westinghouse, I would have been going about four years in the course and I could work there, but when I came they said, "I am sorry, your paper is no good. So look, our people going out of the work, we cannot accept you," and that was the terrific Depression which lasted up to 1937. Louise:Yes, that's about all we will say about ourselves.

KUTHAN:

Well, I am so glad, you know...

LOUISE:

Yes, well, how we got there and we, I know much struggle would come, we took it as a American, love to America. My husband was so great was, so glad he was here, he could study a little. We went to libraries and so, and then I was telling him all about this whole thing when I came here, how America was poor, that was wonderful.

JOSEPH:

I felt always home here, always home. I don't know why. Maybe in the past lives I have been somewhere here before.

LOUISE:

Yeah it was everything, and me too. END OF SIDE ONE, TAPE ONE

KUTHAN:

Well, I am so glad that you feel that way.

LOUISE:

If you ladies listen to me, my little (?), when I was dreaming about the America all the time as a kid, I was playing with red girls and my father said, "You are not going to play with red girls anymore. I am going to throw it out on you." "No, Daddy, please. I will put them myself somewhere. Don't throw them away on me." I felt so bad that he took my dolls, he wanted to throw them away on me. I put it in a little cigar box and I went to the brook and I said, "Good-bye my darlings, I will meet you in America."

JOSEPH:

I dreamed about this country too.

LOUISE:

Yes, but just look at these, my dream of the America. Just from the child. Then my sister before came to this country, she was young lady already. And talk about all kinds of things like teenage girl. She said, "You know, I heard somewhere that if you see star fall down from the heaven and you take a wish and never say anything to nobody, you will surely get your wish true." Well, that was something for me. Every night I went to close the door on a geese, but I take care of, and that evening was such a beautiful sky with a lot of, I said, "My dear stars, if I ever go to that America," and while I see this, the star was just coming more to the east, ah this is, ah oh, I wish, I wish, I could, I am going to keep my wish that's true. Never say anything. I was ten years old already. Nothing to nobody that I see the star coming down. I wish at it. So, sure enough, my sister had a sweetheart, he shot himself, and she wanted to go to America so my brother gave her money and said, "Go ahead girlie, you go." and then when she was here and start to write that she is so lonesome and she cries all the time, so little by little waiting she want me. And my brother was a soldier already so he said, "I'll help you. I will take you with me in Germany anyhow. You too nice for village, you too delicate," and so that is the way it happened. When I came to this country, thanks God I got the America from the sky, I got it from a star. (incoherent mumbling and laughing in background) Star show me the way to go to America. Thanks God. This is the God's truth. I pray to get to this country and I love it and love it and I stay here and I do best I could for this wonderful country and I will thanks God daily that I stay here and I could do lot, and I did. I did help. I work hard and be honest with everybody and God always gave me luck. I lost first husband. That was all right. And for that I never want to get married again, but I met this little faker. He picked me up. He made me. He was so nice, so romantic.

KUTHAN:

And (?) new stars.

LOUISE:

Honest to God, He was so romantic that was something new for me because I didn't bother with nobody and then he come with such a romantic way, I thought it must be so. And my boss lady said, "Look Louise, if you would marry this fellow, you go through a lot of ask me," you know, I said, "No, no, no." That she said...

KUTHAN:

He's going to fool around with other girls.

LOUISE:

Yeah, no she said, my boss lady said, "No, he is too sensible, would do anything wrong. He is a nice fellow. Much as I would lose you, because you run our business, but marry him."

KUTHAN:

I know that store.

JOSEPH:

Of course, you must have seen me there. Ah, when I left everybody missed...

KUTHAN:

And, you know, my husband was working with that Mr. Bucheral's brother, you know, and so we know all about that store. And you see, Mr. Bucheral supposed to marry this other brother's girl friend, you know, and somehow, I don't know what happened, she married the brother. So you know what happened.

LOUISE:

He went to America and he married, she married, the brother. Well, that's the way their life went, but was quite hard. They had very hard...

KUTHAN:

Yes, I know the whole story, you know, yes.

LOUISE:

Yes, that was just too bad. So that's they way the world went with me in that marriage.

KUTHAN:

So it was so nice talking to you both of you and we have, you know, nice story, you know, and Miss Margo is such a nice lady, and.

LOUISE:

If Miss Margaret will allowed me... Joseph:(correcting his wife) Margo. Louise:...tell me now what the heck I did on Statue of Liberty. That is the mostly interesting, (Joseph speaks unintelligibly in the background) would you allowed me? It wouldn't take long. I talk fast and I want you to know it. Now, could I go on?

NASH:

Yes.

JOSEPH:

June 28, '55.

LOUISE:

Yes, June 28, '55, there come fellow in the night, evening, "Miss Voboril, we have invitation to go on, by, Statue of Liberty. There is going to be new museum and they want all the immigrant people from all the world, there is fifty, forty-eight immigrant or fifty, they all should come from costume. We will also invite a Czechoslovaks, so please get your costume and I work on a costume, and I work on a costume till one o'clock in the morning, I should look decent. Press it and fix it up. Nine o'clock in the morning come the limousine for us already, go from the government, and we all, we were about thirteen, fourteen people, three, four fellows, and the rest we were girls, all in costume. So we went by limousine by the boat and then when we got there, oh, at the heel which the statue stand, it was so many people already, and then they were sitting all the nations on those heels and then on the bottom was a table with such a square box and that side was the headquarters, who made it back, it was the musician, hundred some soldiers, and front was really seats under the heel. And they sat mostly nice costumes people never bet because we look so clean and so brightful, they put us in a front line. So I was a first one there which you would see on that newspaper I have since that time. So I, we stood there and he said, "Now girls, show yourself how nice you are and we will take the picture." So from the musician at back, they were taking the whole heel. Oh, it looked so beautiful. All the whole world flags and all pretty, shiny trimmings and also it was just like paradise. That Statue of Liberty stood there like a real immigrant also that had been looking down that hill. So, when this, there was this songs, all the nation songs. You know, first was American, then all prays, and then after a little speech what is this about at the unity date. All right, so then was couple songs and then they say all the nations should bring their dust of their land right to this box on a table. So one come one after the other, the musicians played beautiful songs and so quiet, and then one after the other. Then it came far as almost to the end, and I said, "How is that? They didn't call Czechoslovakia." So I run, there was my leader, Missus, I say, "Missus Don't you have some other?" "No, I got nothing. Mr. from Slovaks, he say, "No, we got nothing. We forgot everything was so fast." My God, all right, I run to the table, "Gentlemens, can I bring, we forgot with everything was in a hurry, can I bring that dust tomorrow?" "Oh, no, young lady, this is all over. You can't come tomorrow. This is for today. That goes all in that little," it looks like a little...

JOSEPH:

Urn.

LOUISE:

Urn, yes, and then as half goes all around and half goes to that. That goes to the ground. I walk from there, "God help me. Why my people can't be there? As I said this word, I touch my garnets. "Oh, I got something." I run back to the table and I said, "Gentlemen, any of you, you got knife?" Everybody was looking, what has happened that I wanted knife. What does she want that knife for? Then he gave it to me. I took this open vest and cut the string and put some garnets in my hand. I put it there. They say, "Oh, the broach is and Czechoslovakia will be also with us. The lady give her precious stones for her land. Look how they shine. These will shine for this America and Czechoslovaks for ever and ever. If all the earth were turned, of this will never do it. This would be something for America and Czechoslovaks, good people." Well, when this was done, then they were making a reel what I did.

JOSEPH:

A newsreel.

LOUISE:

Newsreel. And then they said, "Come on lady, you got to repeat it. This was the greatest act that we never expect." So I went over again with the same thing and then they say I should sign my name and I should put it in that because that be buried with my name and all. I couldn't finish it. The man next to me were many time on the stage together. I said, "Mister, please, could you finish my address there and everything."

JOSEPH:

Same address.

LOUISE:

"I can't no more. I just wrote Louise Voboril, but I can't do it no more. I shake so much." He said, "Don't shake, I'll finish it." So he says, all the music playing and everybody looking.

JOSEPH:

Big applause.

LOUISE:

Then when I did that, such a applause I got. I never forget as long as I live because that was something for me, I did for this country and mine. And so my friend push me, he said, "You know on a stage when we were all right, we had a bow. Why don't you?" So I stood and bowed, thank everybody, even the musician, and I start to cry and then the applause didn't stop at all. And then they said, "This lady surely did something wonderful. She gives her precious stones to this country and her country." God bless this country and me and a whole world with it.

JOSEPH:

Excuse me. They say there were about thirty-four nations from all over the world. There was forty-eight from America and four territories at that time, so there were a lots of nations. Beside that, these museum is going to be visited every year by millions and millions young Americans who will be interested in the stories how the immigrant lived, how he came over here, and how they tried, and I hope these young Americans will try that hard as those immigrants done and will be blessing the America be always the first.

LOUISE:

So I came here I was fourteen and all the American girls in my age and boys, we were working already because there weren't much people here after the Spanish War, so there wasn't many, you know, soldiers were gone almost and some cripples, and we young people had to work. So for that, all the young people had to work so young as me. There was nothing new and nothing wrong that I came so young and I had to work. So this, that time was, this was the America time I come, and then I...

JOSEPH:

Tell them about the custom of New Year.

LOUISE:

Then, you know, when I grew to be young lady, my sister said to me, "You know, you are sixteen, you got to be also younger." I belong to church and my brother too, Aloice, so he said, "Well, it is true Anna," he said to my sister, and "We are going to prepare something for celebration of New York as always, that New York used to be kissing day for New Years in America and they had mistletoe on a chandelier, so my sister go these also...

JOSEPH:

Mistletoe.

LOUISE:

Mistletoe. And then she said, "You are going to have, brother said all the boys are going to come to kiss you too because you are sweet sixteen." Here sweet sixteen was wonderful those days. Right after sweet sixteen, I had to wear long dresses. Short dresses to sixteen. So, sure enough, the day came, new years, was snowing a little bit, and those boys hired carriages, they had chrysanthemum on their coats, either white and yellow, and high hats. That was the style here, high hats, those days. Those were educated boys, nice. And on the church where I, we, belonged to, Saint Cecelia, between girls, and Saint Vincents was the boys, so all these boys were ready for, there were twenty-seven of them, and we lived in a house, 73rd Street, and the landlord was very strict. Anybody knocked the door or kicked the door, she was complaining. Then those twenty-seven boys went up, she said, "Jesus, that house going to shake down. Whose visit is that?' All swell people, maybe that sixteen years old, maybe she is getting married. Lord knows, what is this, all the coaches here and so. So you could see how much they were kissing me. I was so tired when they left I was glad that they went. They all want to kiss sweet sixteen. And then some of them hide behind the door and when the rest of them were done, such a young boy, nice curly-headed, come up behind the door, and he said, "I wait for another kiss from you." That's nice, and I said to my sister.

JOSEPH:

How about the next day?

LOUISE:

Next day, we had to do, they made party for us girls... Joseph:Ladies call. Louise:...ladies call, so we had to go there. There was a little salon where they had big place for us to have our, you know, teacher for the show, we had our rehearsals there. So they made it, that party and that place and then we come there. Their course was eleven o'clock, around half past ten I had to call my sister, wait, my brother got married meantime and sister too. They were waiting for me on Lexington Avenue, they lived, I should come from that party, then we go home together. Well, there was so much snow and slippery, snow was high as, big as, high as me, and horse, horse car, the horses wouldn't go. It was so cold and slippery.

JOSEPH:

There was electric front.

LOUISE:

No, no electric.

JOSEPH:

I mean there was no electric, horse carriage.

LOUISE:

No, only horse car, horse cars. And the man, when he hits the horse, they didn't want to go no more. You know, it was late and freezing. We wore veils over face because when was so freezing. So, I, he stopped for me, I went in, and some lady sit next to the stove sleeping like that, and then I, he hit the horses and they stuck, and then I did, I was slipping. I didn't know what to catch. I catch the chimney. It was cold, but we shook it. I took the chimney. JOSEPH;All the soot went out. LOUISE;Some went on that lady, on my veil, and gee, I shake it off and put it at the horse man. Joseph:What your sister said when you came home. Louise:"Wait a minute," the man said, (Joseph incoherent in the background), "lady, nothing happen now. I am all right, only not down the chimney, that is alright." So we got finally, this was the 63rd and we got 86th Street, we stopped there, I had to stop. Then I wanted to see, shake these and wipe myself a little from the snow, my sister. Then I walked to my sister and open the door. "My goodness, what happened with Louise? What did she went through chimney so well, look how she looks, she is all black. For goodness sakes, what happened?" I had to tell her what I did. But that was the New Years party I ended, ladies call. Now that's all, that's all.

JOSEPH:

All right.

KUTHAN:

You know, I also, I also, I also want to tell people, you know, our friends, that they should visit Statue of Liberty much as they can. I start talking to my friends because they know me here. I am here fifty-one years in New York and I know so many friends and I said, "Please, you have so much time. You ought to try it." (break in tape)

LOUISE:

...and my darling husband to help me and I told you everything what I had on a tape for you. So this is all. Thank you all and God Bless you. And that Statue of Liberty is for all immigrants so she belong to us, all of us, and we are smiling with her and anybody got this country that Statue of Liberty they see, everyone of them, and she welcome every greenhorn in this country, and they were all happy and blessed, thanks God for this wonderful land. It is God's land. God made it because if he wouldn't, she would never come so rich and so wonderful. If it is any little trouble now, everything will pass away. We win again and this country will be first one on the world again. Nobody will disturb this God's country. God is with us, everyone of us who will love this country, I can't help it.

JOSEPH:

I say "Amen."

KUTHAN:

So, you know what we going to do now? When the weather gets a little better, you know, then tell your friends, you know, and I am going to tell my friends, you know, so they could visit the Statue of Liberty because it is so interesting, you know, and it would be wonderful if we would be more of us, you know.

JOSEPH:

I want to next year, about autumn.

KUTHAN:

Oh, I was there a couple of times. LOUISE;I just wish I could advertise more. I have little trouble with my eyes Miss, I can't do much. But my husband is a good leader and he will go with me and do things the best as I want him. Thanks God for, God should bless this wonderful country. Only this little trouble should change it little bit. I hoped God put them in their heads that they will do it and with all the other prayers. We all pray for this country. We got to because this is the only country in the world that God gave us with such opportunity.

JOSEPH:

Excuse me. People think they are running this world, but they don't know that higher power which is helping them and they have to depend a little bit more on it. Louise:Pepo, how about a little drink?

KUTHAN:

No, no, no. Joseph:A little wine.

NASH:

Well, thank you all very much. We had a very good time and I enjoyed being here with you. Thank you Mrs. Kuthan and Mr. and Mrs. Voboril.

KUTHAN:

You are welcome. It was a pleasure. END OF INTERVIEW