The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 5

MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1982 5 mDn6WS nnw it' SURPRISED The Princess of Wales registers surprise during yesterday's visit to the Dick Sheppard School, Tulse Hill, South London. The Princess and the Prince of Wales were lending their support to a fund-raising campaign. "St Home News photos by Marc Ascher Between 1892 and 1924, the detention center on Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the main point of entry for immigrants coming to the United States from Europe. Ellis Island attracting prospective developers taurants, shops and hotels and other faculties on the historic, 27-acre Island, which sits in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. David Moffitt, Park Service superintendent of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, is proceeding with plans to show the island to prospective developers during the next several weeks.

As restless and shifting as New York's landscape has been, Ellis Island has remained an anachronism. Mass immigration to the island ended in 1924, when many immigrants began undergoing the bulk of the "inspection" procedures at their countries of origin although the island still served as a deportation center and immigration station until 1954. After 1924, the island also was used as an auxilliary U.S. Coast Guard station and, during World War II, as a de tention center for enemy aliens. The island was opened to tourists in 1976.

Today, its 33 buildings are in various stages of decay. Even before President Reagan announced his budget cuts, the Park Service, which administers the island, was able to do little more than conduct preventive maintenance. Citing potential safety hazards, the Park Service has opened only parts of three buildings to tourists. When the fiscal 1982 federal budget was unveiled, it became clear that the private sector would have to be enlisted for any serious restoration efforts. So last month, the Park Service announced it would accept proposals for the development.

Already, there has been a stream of applicants. While the NPS is keeping applicants' names confidential, spokes- By WARD MOREHOUSE III Christian Science Monitor NEW YORK Ellis Island. For more than half of the immigrants entering the United States from 1892 to 1924, the immigrant detention center in New York Harbor was their first contact with U.S. soil. Many of these weary travelers were grateful for the simple, hot meal they got as they stepped off the boats from Europe.

It may not be too long before modern visitors to the island can choose their meals from crepes, souffles and caviar to a Big Mac. And instead of the cot and a horse blanket the immigrants were offered, visitors may be able to stay in a luxury hotel. The National Park Service is accepting proposals for development of res Jj, I szs iHH I 1 ni it pn lr man George Berklacy said that "large and distinguished firms" are have expressed serious interest in opening shops and hotels on the island. According to federal guidelines, developers may renovate and expand most of the existing structures, provided their architectural proposals blend aesthetically with those structures. The Rouse one of the nation's leading "adaptative use" developers, has evaluated the prospects of development on Ellis Island and Scott Ditch, a company spokesman, says that the island has "exciting possibilities." He is quick to add, however, that the company has as yet no definite plans to submit a proposal to the park service.

The prospect of developing the island has stirred controversy as well. Peter Sammartino, founder and past president of the Restore Ellis Island Committee, a group of private citizens devoted to preserving and restoring the island, said, "The proposed use shows a lack of sensitivity for one of the most historic monuments of the nation. Let us remember that probably 85 percent of the people in America have some relevancy to Ellis Island." While Sammartino's figure may be high, some immigration experts say that as many as half of today's Americans are descendants of immigrants who first touched U.S. soil on Ellis Island. Moreover, Sammartino, former chancellor of Fairleigh Dickinson University, said it "would cost too much to adapt the existing space (on the island) to any other use." And Park Service officials admit the price tag for converting buildings will be high one estimate foresees development costs in excess of $150 million.

Still, NPS officials say they don't expect price to be a major stumbling block to development. They liken the expected development of Ellis Island with the metamorphosis that has taken place in Boston's Quincy Market area or the steadily progressing development of New York's South Street Seaport. Phillip Lax, current president of the Restore Ellis Island Committee, takes a more flexible stance on development than does Sammartino. The committee The 33 buildings on Ellis Island are in various states of disrepair. The National Park Service is accepting proposals for development of restaurants, shops, hotels and other facilities on the historic, 27-acre island, which sits in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

has signed a "letter of agreement" with the Park Service to support the agency's development initiative. But Lax says that any new construction "would have to be compatible" with the historical character of the island to avoid the committee's Another point of contention is the availability of ferry services the only way to get to the island to carry potential visitors. But this doesn't seem to worry Park Service officials. They argue that if there is enough demand, someone will furnish adequate ferry service. Ellis Island, administered by the National Park Service, was opened to tourists in 1976.

Relaxation a major benefit for North Brunswick artist S3 i -If Jul t4l will 5 'XdP -r 1 if 1 By VANESSA JEFFERSON Home News staff writer NORTH BRUNSWICK For as long as she can remember, Marie Linde, a painter who has never taken a painting lesson, has been dabbling in paints as a hobby. This month, a collection of Mrs. Linde's crafts and paintings are on display at the Public Library. "Even before I could write, I was able to draw," said Mrs. Linde.

"For as long as I remember, I could do it. I always thought that if someone else could do it, I could too." Although she has won several awards at Middlesex County Fair exhibits, Mrs. Linde says she has never considered selling her work. "I've sold one or two, but I never thought I was really good enough to do it," she said. Using a variety of tools, including oil and acrylic paints, colored pencils, feathers, chalk, wood materials and papier-mache, the 71-year-old has created a number of artworks, including still-life sketches of people animals and the environment, wood carvings and toys.

"I don't know why, but I love trees," Mrs. Linde said. "Whenever I have go someplace, I have a (sketch) book with me." One of the items on display at the library is a papier-mache, three-dimensional piece that features three birds in a nest. The collection also includes acrylic, pastels, pen and ink drawings, carved plaster birds, bead work, crochet dolls and an embroidered turtle. "I guess the right way to do artwork would be to make a sketch, but I usually Just start right in and put little dabs here and there" Mrs.

Linde said. "When I work with wood, I just start carving, take out what I want and use what's left. No plan, no pattern." iiihnnoh she eniovs naintine. Mrs. Linde said "It's relaxing.

If I'm depressed or worried about something, I just go ahead and paint," she said. "Ten minutes later I've forgotten all about what was troubling me. "It's such a nice way to forget your worries." Recalling the days when she was a child, Mrs. Linde said she would come home and paint for hours. "When I was young, I always forgot about the time and before long my mother would be calling me for supper," she recalled.

"I never think about the time when I'm painting." According to Florence Shimko, the director of the library on Hermann Road, the exhibit has generated a lot of attention. "I know that people are taking the time to look at it and discuss the collection," Mrs. Shimko said. "In the past, one artist sold three paintings." The cost of individual pieces in the collection at the library range from $2 to $75. "I've given paintings as gifts, but I never seriously thought about selling them," said Mrs.

Linde. "Any money that I make from this will be used to buy more art materials." In a note to the library board, Mrs. Linde said, "Thank you for the opportunity to show my work, it proves that being 71 does not mean it is time to retire to the old rocking chair does it?" Having raised a family, Mrs. Linde contends child-rearing does not have to interfere with other pursuits. Mrs.

Linde and her husband, Charles, who live on Spruce Road, have two children and five grandchildren. "They (the children) had to go to sleep sometime. So I always managed to do a little something when they went to sleep," Mrs. Linde said. And what does her husband think of the exhibit of her artworks? "Believe you me, we've had our ups and downs In the past 48 years but I never regretted the day I married her," Linde said.

"I'm so very proud of her." miirttWrnmnrnnnini HKitfrffrr-rnrnrinin-iifininitfirirtr-'Y-iff-liniilf 'f-'f'fei'iifriiiiin minimum iitniinnnWWifiiiimliili Horn Ntwt pholo by Marc Atchtr IN THE STUDIO Marie Linde, 71, works on a painting In the studio located In her home In North Brunswick. working on a piece of art also acts as a personal sedative. i i.