Today In History: Jane Addams Is Born
A significant leader in the history of social work and women's suffrage in the United States, Jane Addams was born September 6th, 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois. She was the eighth of nine children and daughter of John H.Addams, a wealthy miller who was not only a local politician, but a Civil War officer, friend to Abraham Lincoln, and long time state senator. Her mother died when she was an infant, and with a broken family, her own physical health was poor. Despite these difficulties, Addams had a strong sense of family which fueled her passion for social good. As an activist and social reformer, Jane Addams set the model for the Settlement House Movement in the United States after she travelled to Europe, learned of practices in England, and successfully set her ideas in motion.
Addams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 for her contributions to social service, in which she, together with Ellen Gates Starr in 1889, founded Hull House, a settlement located at the corner of Polk and Halsted streets on Near West Side of Chicago. A mansion originally built by real estate developer Charles Hull, the property was left to his cousin, Helen Culver, who leased it to Jane Addams and eventually left it to her. Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr opened their home to thousands of newly arrived immigrants, meeting their basic needs (housing, food, clothing, and healthcare) while to helping them become assimilated with American society through classes in English, civics, and more.
Social Services at Hull House included legal aid, an employment office, childcare, and -- similar to the early curriculum at Teachers College, Columbia University, whose roots date back to the Kitchen Garden Association and philanthropist founder Grace Hoadley Dodge, training in domestic skills and crafting. Addams was influential in passing critical legislation and establishing public policy on public health and education, free speech, fair labor practices, immigrants’ rights, recreation and public space, arts, and philanthropy.
The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.
- Talks by Teachers: Busy Day at National Educational Association. (1897, Jul 08). Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1922)
- Spencer, L. R. (1912, Jan 04). Jane Addams of Hull House. The American Israelite (1874-2000)
- Hull House Founded as Haven of Cheer for Lonely People: Steps in Notable Endeavor Like an Architectural Nest. (1933, Jan 27). The Christian Science Monitor (1908-)
- Jane Addams a Foe of War and Need: Her Whole Life Devoted to Relief of Suffering and the Cause of Peace. Hull House Her Shrine Work at Chicago Settlement Sets Standards for Much Social Legislation. (1935, May 22). New York Times (1923-)
- Jane Addams Won Fame for Her Humanism: Acclaimed by World, She Preferred to Be Known As the Foe of Poverty Never Visionary Crusader. (1935, May 22). New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962)
- Lewis , L. (1940, May 19). The House That Jane Addams Built: For Fifty Years Hull House Has Exerted a Wide Influence Over Social Services in All America. New York Times (1923-)
- Spiegelman, J. (1960, Aug 29). Jane Addams Centennial Spotlights First Settlement House in U.S. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-)
- Plan Tribute to Memory of Jane Addams: Hull House to Mark Her 100th Birthday. (1960, Sep 06). Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963)
- Libman, N. (1991, Apr 07). Peace Prize: Work That Transcends Boundaries Merits a Special Award. Chicago Tribune (1963-1996)
- Kasten, E. (1997, Jun 01). Walking the Path Blazed by Jane Addams: Gordon Johnson Keeps Hull House on Track. Chicago Tribune (1997-)
Tips:
- Addams, Jane. Democracy and Social Ethics, by Jane Addams. New York (State): The Macmillan Company, 1907. e-book
- Addams, Jane. Newer Ideals of Peace, by Jane Addams. New York (State): The Macmillan Company; Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1915. e-book
- Addams, Jane et al. The Selected Papers of Jane Addams. Volume 2, Venturing into Usefulness, 1881-88. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2009. e-book
- Addams, Jane, and Ellen Condliffe Lagemann. Jane Addams on Education. New York: Teachers College Press, 1985. Stacks, TCANA Stacks ; LB875 .A33 1985
- Knight, Louise W. Citizen Jane Addams and the Struggle for Democracy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. e-book
Images:
The Hull House, Chicago (front), Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Poster Image: Jane Addams, Courtesy of Library of Congress
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