Twenty Years at Hull House PDF

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Twenty Years at Hull-House...

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Twenty Years at Hull House The first settlement house in the United States was founded by Jane Addams. The settlement house was called the Hull House and it was located in a rundown section of Chicago. Addams believed that if we help others when they were in need, then everyone would benefit. This belief led Addams to open the settlement house and eventually led her to write Twenty Years at Hull House. This book is about Jane Addams and her experiences at the settlement house. Early Years Jane Addams was born in Cedarville, Illinois, on September 6, 1860. Addams was the eighth of nine children. Apparently, Addams was raised in an environment that exposed her to religious and moral concepts. She attended church with her father who “taught the large Bible class in the left-hand corner of the church next to the pulpit” (page 6). Even as a child, Addams seemed to have a deep conviction about right and wrong. On one occasion during her childhood, she lied to her father. It bothered her so much that she could not sleep. “It must have been from a very early period that I recall “horrid nights” when I tossed about in my bed because I had told a lie” (page 2), She believed that if she did not confess her sin, then she would die and go “straight to that fiery Hell” (page 2). Although the thought of going to Hell bothered Jane, she was more concerned about deceiving her father. Addams had a close relationship with her father. Basically, her father was her hero. Her father was a prosperous miller and local political leader. He fought in the Civil War and was a friend of Abraham Lincoln. When Lincoln wrote to her father his letter began with “My Dear Double D-ed Addams” (page 31). Jane loved her father dearly, was devoted to him, and she admired him. In her eyes, he “was a most imposing figure” whose “fine head rose high above all

others” (page 7). When Jane was a child, she was so concerned about embarrassing her father that she chose not to walk with him. Apparently, Addams had some sort of handicap and she did not want anyone to associate her father with this “ugly, pigeon-toed little girl, whose crooked back obliged her to walk with her head held very much upon one side” (page 7). Addams father was also highly regarded by many throughout the state of Illinois. After his death, a friend and the editor of the Chicago Daily wrote, “while there were doubtless many members of the Illinois legislature who during the great contracts of the war time and the demoralizing reconstruction days that followed, had never accepted a bribe, he wished to bear testimony that he personally had known but this one man who had never been offered a bribe because bad men were instinctively afraid of him (pages 33 & 34). It’s apparent that her father was a man of integrity. Although his example would serve Jane Addams well throughout her life, at one point, it actually haunted her when she was offered a bribe of fifty thousand dollars from some local businessmen. In return, Addams had to encourage the residents of Hull-House to “drop this nonsense about a sweatshop bill” (page 33). This hurt Jane to her very core to think that these businessmen had seen some sort of weakness in her that made them believe she would actually take a bribe. Jane refused the bribe. Obviously influenced by her father’s relationship with Abraham Lincoln, Addams held Lincoln in high regard. One problem that many of the immigrant parents were experiencing was their children’s lack of interest in maintaining their language and customs. Addams used Lincoln as an example to the immigrant children of how to retain and use past experiences effectively. She maintained that he was the “greatest American” and “he never forgot how the plain people” looked at him (page 37). In Addams opinion, this gave Lincoln a “marvelous capacity for growth” (page 37).

Years Prior to the Hull House At the age of seventeen, Jane Addams attended seminary at Rockford boarding school. At first, Jane was very homesick but she eventually became very absorbed in her studies. Rockford Seminary had a rich tradition that “reflected much of the missionary spirit of that pioneer institution, and the proportion of missionaries among its early graduates was almost as large as Mount Holyoke's own” (page 44). It is at this institution that Addams began to develop a deep intensity for preparation. Even so, she and her fellow students did struggle with the time devoted to study. For example, she stated “So much of our time is spent in preparation, so much in routine, and so much in sleep, we find it difficult to have any experience at all” (pages 45-46). Although Addams seemed to be very stubborn when it came to Rockford’s goal of graduating students into the missionary field, eventually she would give into the convictions that she experienced at the Rockford Seminary. After graduating from Rockford Seminary, Jane Addams was hospitalized for medical problems that resulted from her handicap. According to Jane, “she was literally bound to a bed in my sister's house for six months” (page 65). Following her illness, she spent two years in Europe before returning to America. During this time, Jane discovered that the poor needed much more than medical care. One particular incident left a deep-rooted impression on Addams. When she was in London, a missionary took Jane and a group of tourist to “witness the Saturday night sale of decaying vegetables and fruit, which, owing to the Sunday laws in London, could not be sold until Monday, and, as they were beyond safe keeping, were disposed of at auction as late as possible on Saturday night” (67). Jane watched intently when she witnessed a man winning a bid for a head

of cabbage. After receiving the cabbage, the man sat down immediately and began to devour it. He was so starved for food that he did not bother to clean it or cook it. Jane came to the conclusion that all men must struggle to understand different aspects of morality. Jane understood that, "In his own way each man must struggle, lest the moral law become a far-off abstraction utterly separated from his active life" (page 66). This understanding and conviction would eventually lead Addams to speaking to Miss Starr, an old school friend, about opening a settlement house. First Days at Hull House Addams enlisted her good friend, Miss. Starr, to work together and open a settlement house. Both ladies worked tirelessly to promote the settlement house through speaking engagements and eventually the newspaper. I did not take long for Jane to locate a house in Chicago. “The house had passed through many changes since it had been built in 1856 for the homestead of one of Chicago's pioneer citizens, Mr. Charles J. Hull” (page 93). After making necessary repairs, Addams and Starr moved into the house on the 18th of September 1889. The next year, Addams was given a “free leasehold of the entire house” (pages 94-95). Although Addams and Starr started several children’s clubs and also established a kindergarten, her vision was to help both children and adults. To address her vision, Addams had receptions for the neighborhood and started adult classes. On many occasions we were asked why we chose to live in the settlement house when we could afford to live in a better area. Addams response was very simple, “In time it came to seem natural to all of us that the Settlement should be there. If it is natural to feed the hungry and care for the sick, it is certainly natural to give pleasure to the young, comfort to the aged, and to minister to the deep-seated craving for social intercourse that all men feel. Whoever does it is rewarded by something which,

if not gratitude, is at least spontaneous and vital and lacks that irksome sense of obligation with which a substantial benefit is too often acknowledged” (page 109). Necessity for Social Settlements Addams seems to indicate that American society was out of balance in regards to prosperity, social aspects and educational opportunities. The Hull House was an “experimental effort” to bring these aspects and opportunities to the needy (page 125). Addams believed that by improving the state of the destitute, would improve the state of the whole. In exchange for these opportunities, the destitute would “devote themselves to the duties of good citizenship” (page 127). Early Undertakings at Hull-House Addams held that part of their mission was to recognize needs in the community and address them whenever possible. This is one of the reasons why Addams chose to live in the community. Early on, a coffee-house, gymnasium, and kitchen were started to address social needs and nutritional needs. The coffee-house and gymnasium were very successful from day one. The coffee-house became a social center for “business men from the adjacent factories and school teachers from the nearest public schools” (page 132). The gymnasium was used for social gatherings including dancing. Addams and her team identified a need and addressed it. Problems of Poverty Addams had a genuine concern and heart for the poor. She witnessed first hand what poverty could do to hard working citizens. Poverty seemed to be harder on the elderly and the very young. On one occasion, two men were trying to take an old German lady to the County Infirmary. The old lady latched on to an old chest and would not let go. As she clung to the chest she “squealed like a frightened animal” (page 155). Jane understood that this woman was

actually “clinging to the last remnant of normal living” (page 156). In an effort to address this problem, Addams decided to invite “five to six old women to take two weeks’ vacation from the poorhouse which was eagerly and even gaily accepted” (page 156). She reasoned that if these ladies had a couple of weeks of normal life to look forward to, it would make the poorhouse more bearable. Pioneer Labor Legislation During the Hull House Years, Addams worked diligently to promote protective legislation in their community. During their first Christmas celebration at Hull House, Jane noticed many of the little girls refused to eat the candy that was provided. When the candy was offered to the little girls they refused it and said they “worked in a candy factory and could not bear the sight of it” (page 198). Jane learned that the little girls had been working fourteen hours a day for weeks and they were just exhausted. This was Addams first exposure to the child labor problems and the sweatshop problems in the community. To address these problems, Addams solicited the help of Mrs. Florence Kelley who presented information to the Illinois State Bureau of Labor about the “sweating system in Chicago with its attendant child labor” (page 201). This information resulted in an investigation and the Legislature approved the “provisions which afterward became those of the first factory law of Illinois, regulating the sanitary conditions of the sweatshop and fixing fourteen as the age at which a child might be employed” (page 201). Again, Addams and her team identified a problem and addressed it. Public Activities and Investigations One of most visible problems in the community was the accumulation of garbage. “The system of garbage collecting was inadequate throughout the city but it became the greatest menace in a ward such as ours” (page 281). Additionally, it was actually a health hazard for the

community (page 281). The Hull House Woman’s Club decided to address this problem by gathering information on the “conditions of the alleys” (page 284). They documented many violations of the law and reported them to the Health Department. Although the health department had reassigned three different inspectors for not doing their jobs, the problem continued. Addams decided that one way to get their attention was to submit her on bid for garbage removal to the city. She did not win the bid but she was given the job of “garbage inspector of the ward” (page 285). Addams and members of the Woman’s Club setup a system that improved the garbage problem. Socialized Education One of the major accomplishments at the Hull House was the system that was setup to address educating the community. The goal was to improve the education of both the children and the adults. To support this mission, the Hull House “opened what we called College Extension Classes with a faculty finally numbering thirty-five college men and women, many of whom held their pupils for consecutive years” (page 428). The faculty was continually looking for new ways to teach their students. Although one of the major areas of focus was teaching immigrants the English language, the Hull House also provided cooking classes and trade training classes. “The ample Boy’s club building presented to Hull-House three years ago by one of our trustees has afforded well-equipped shops for work in wood, iron, and brass; for smithing in copper and tin; for commercial photography, for printing, for telegraphy, and electrical construction” (page 439). Obviously, these classes were very popular and they were taught by the actual workingmen in that particular field. This gave each student an opportunity to learn a trade from someone who is actually involved and has working knowledge in that particular trade.

The Hull House gymnasium was also used to help teach the community through athletics. Many of the boys in the Boy’s club were only interested in opportunities to participate in some sore of recreation. Instead of having too much free time to get into trouble, Addams saw this as a much better option for the boys. “And yet tournaments and match games under supervision and regulated hours are a great advance over the sensual and exhausting pleasures to be found so easily outside the club” (page 443). Religion at Hull House The religious beliefs at Hull House and in the community were very diverse. Although Addams educational background included extensive exposure to religion and the good works that follow, Addams seemed to want the Hull House to be known for its good works. The Hull House was not associated with any religious denomination. Although Christmas was celebrated at the Hull House, there was no direct mention of prayer being conducted. Addams focuses on the moral aspects that can be achieved if a community cooperates and is willing to take action in the areas of education and civic responsibility. “It seems impossible to set any bounds to the moral capabilities which might unfold under ideal civic and educational conditions” (page 452). Conclusion After the Civil War, America entered into a period referred to as the Industrial Revolution. This manufacturing age would catapult America into the elite status among other nations. At the same time millions of foreigners entered the United States looking for fame, fortune, and opportunity. Unfortunately, the United States did not have the resources to support this rapid growth of immigrants. Many immigrants had no alternative but to settle in areas that most would consider slums.

Although many would eventually step forward to serve these immigrants, Jane Addams was leading the way. Addams recognized a need and did her best to address it. She founded the Hull House and devoted herself to improving the lives of these immigrants and their children. Although Jane grew up during a time when women were expected to be homemaker’s, she knew that she must do something different. Additionally, she recognized that she wanted to help the poor. In an effort to address the needs of the community, Addams led the way for social reform, including housing and sanitation issues in addition to labor reforms for women and children. America and its immigrants owe a great debt to Jane Addams. She identified problems and addressed them to the benefit of both poor and the society as a whole.

Works Cited Addams, Jane. Twenty Years at Hull-House. New York: New American Library, 1961....