Letter from the editor.

• Author: Rebhun, Elliott
• Position: Editorial

Immigration has played a key role in American history and development and continues to do so today. We hear from teachers that it's a topic of great interest to them. In this issue, we have included two immigration stories, one contemporary, the other looking back.

"A Perilous Journey" follows 205 Ecuadoreans on their miserable eight-day voyage to Guatemala, the first part of their long odyssey to illegally enter the U.S.

And in Times Past, we take a look at Ellis Island on the 50th anniversary of its closing in 1954. The gateway...