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I really enjoyed reading the account of Jannicke Saehle.  She was so happy and enthusiastic in her letter to her brother.  Though she was sick for four days of the voyage, she did not mind.  She was so excited to be on her way to America.  We discussed in class that many unmarried immigrant women suffered tremendously on their voyage over and upon their arrival.  I realize this was true of most immigrant women, however, I found it refreshing to read such a positive account.--E. Hufford

When reading Jannicke Saehle's letter to her brother in the piece titled, "A Norwegian Immigrant in Wisconsin," I was shocked about how cheerful she was regarding her situation.  She was thrilled to be making 1 dollar a week, which was strange to me, for many women mentioned in Sanger's study had made the same salary, had found it insufficient and thus decided to become prostitutes. Perhaps Saehle is so positive about her experience because she had just recently arrived in America, and had yet to encounter some of the harsh realities that other immigrants in New York faced. ~Juliann Boyles

I agree with Juliann.  Jannicke probably was naïve to the realities of her new home. But how wonderful to be as optimistic as she seems to be.---Cheryl

There is also the very real possibility that she did not want to worry her family members at home with a long list of the bad parts of her new life so she focused on the positives. If she was like the other women who left Europe for America then the conditions in her homeland were such that warranted her leaving and trying to make her own in the world. Julie Castanien

When reading Xin Jin's Contract, I remembered what Dr. McClurken had said about how the Chinese were the most exploited of all the immigrant groups.  Although, in the contract, it mentions that Xin Jin had volunteered in her service of prostitution to pay off her debt, more than likely, there was manipulation going on there.  How can someone consent when they don't understand what is being said to them? The language barrier alone must have been a reason why so many Chinese immigrants initially had "consented" to prostitution.  I was a little disturbed when I read the part in her contract where it mentions additional work time in the instances of sickness or pregnancy, in that profession, how can one expect not to face such obstacles?  When reading this piece, I got the impression that prostitution was an endless reality for many of the immigrant Chinese women, one without pay or hope of successfully getting out. ~Juliann Boyles

I was surprised at how similar all of the prostitution contracts were.  Pretty much all of them referred to four or four and a half years of service, time off for the four diseases, if she is sick for more than 15 days then she works for a month extra and if she is pregnant she will serve an extra year.  Was it such a regular and established practice that everyone already knew the "going rate?"--Alex K.

When reading "A Citizen Protests the Rape of Indian Women in California, 1862," I found it interesting that the person writing this was so outraged by the soldier's rape of Indian squaws.  The writer goes as far as to ask that if the Lieutenant of the soldiers was present during this rape, that his rank and position be stripped of him.  I wonder if the writer would have had the same reaction had it been black women rather than Indian women who were raped.--E. Hufford

Mrs. Green’s Account of Frontier Life in Colorado, 1887, did not surprise me how she felt about Colorado’s Great American Desert.  It really is not a desert but a prairie.  To a person who lived all their life in a wooded area, the prairie would look like a desert.  Colorado’s prairies can actually be rather beautiful at certain times of the year.  Many different kinds of wildlife inhabit the prairie especially back in the 1880s.  It was too bad that Mrs. Green was too homesick and depressed to marvel at the different land that she now had a chance to experience.  Though I do understand her feelings because that is how I felt when I moved from Colorado to Virginia. ---Cheryl

Susan Shelby Magoffin seemed to have adapted to her life in Santa Fe New Mexico.  I liked how she was happy to embrace the company of her family and friends.  I thought her descriptions of the people she encountered were wonderful.  I felt it showed just how much she enjoyed her new experiences.---Cheryl

I also was surprised to read such a positive account from an immigrant coming to America.  Although her trip over to New York sounded very difficult she is remarkably cheerful throughout the letter and credits God for getting her through the journey.  In response to Juliann’s comment I’m guessing that Ms. Saehle is pleased with her $1.00 a week wages because they were more than she would have been able to earn in Norway.  At the end of her letter Ms. Saehle makes a note that she received three acres of land for her work as a servant to the Torjersen family.  Was giving land to new immigrants a common way to reimburse them?  This form of reimbursement seems like an excellent way to help immigrants start their new lives in America.  -Caitlin Quinn

Also in regards to Jannicke Saehle's wage, I think she would be happy with the amount because she has the opportunity to earn a raise.  This is probably something that wouldn't have happened in Norway.  - F. Cobb

When reading Sanger's (Woloch) documentation of New York prostitutes I was wondering why he was so sympathetic?  Perhaps it is also a reflection of Sanger's view towards women (women were too weak to resist temptation or seduction)? - F. Cobb