Sammy Goldman, the 16 year old Jewish boy against whose deportation Governor Smith and the New York State legislature protested was examined again by a board of psychiatrists at Ellis Island. After tests which lasted for three hours, the Board decided that the boy was feeble minded.
Dr. Mark A. May, a psychiatrist at Syracuse University who appeared before the board in the boy’s behalf said that Sammy’s voice “had a squeak in it” and his eyes were dull. “His personality unfortunately is against him” Dr. May said. “If I could put a bag over his head and let him talk, I believe he would pass the test. I believe if he had the schooling opportunity his intelligence would be higher, and for this reason I cannot regard him as a mental defective.”
Commissioner of Immigration Todd declared following the hearing that in view of the Board’s finding, he had no alternative except to again recommend that the boy be deported.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
