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Jane Addams

Page history last edited by Mrs. K. 12 years, 6 months ago

Jane Addams-Social Reformer

1860-1935

 

Jane Addams was born in Illinois with a curved spine which made her walk pigeon-toed.  When she was about seven years old, she saw the poverty of people living in a nearby town and promised herself that one day she would live in a large house in the middle of an impoverished area.  After graduating from Rockford College, Addams attended the Women's Medical College in Philadelphia, hoping to become a doctor.  However, because of health problems, she left college.  Addams was seriously ill fo two years.  

 

She later traveled to Europe, where she visited a "settlement house" in London.  The house was in and industrial area of the city and offered a variety of educational and job services for poor residents.  When she returned home, she decided to start a similar house in Chicago using the money her father left her after he died Along with her friend Ellen Gates Starr, Addams purchased a large house in a poor neighborhood of Chicago.  Eventually, the settlement became known as "Hull House" and included a nursery, gymnasium, a large kitchen, and a boarding house for girls who worked in the city.  In addition, Hull House offered college classes, training in music and various crafts, reading sessions for working women, clubs for children, and also featured a small theater group.  At its peak, Hull House consisted of 13 buildings along with a camp in Wisconsin.

 

Addams also worked to pass laws that outlawed child labor in factories, required only an eight-hour working day for women, and regulated tenement houses.  She helped build Chicago's first neighborhood park and started a day nursery for the children of working mothers.  Addams actively campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt during the 1912 presidential election, and in 1915 she was elected the chairperson of the International Congress of Women.  For all her work to help the poor, Addams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.


 

Learning from Her Character

1. How could Addams have been discouraged from reaching her dream?

2. What did Addams strive to do with her life?

3. What can you strive to do with your life that can benefit others?

 

Please paste your comment about why you think Jane Addams is a person of character below!  

 

Comments (33)

Autumn L. said

at 8:20 am on Oct 13, 2011

Jane is a woman who really wants to work in a hospital but when she was in college she got ill. She still had much convidence and she helped out her friend for a while, and became living in a house called Hull's House.

Natalie F. said

at 8:20 am on Oct 13, 2011

She became ill and still helped others even if she was ill.

Bailey M. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

She wanted to help people out even though she was ill.

Kimberly R. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

She is a nice lady, that has been through a lot, and she has made all that up by getting by out there and doing what she does best!

Natalie M. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

Jane wants to work at a hospital to help other people.

Gabrielle J. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think that she in a person of character because she completed her goal even though she had a lot of health problems.

kelvin g said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

She was a person of character because did not have a lot of money but she still did a lot for every one.

dustin said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

she was a nice sounding person . She was smart . She was school and awesome.

Derek. E said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think she is character because she has helped out many people. She made parks and hoses for them she helped manly women and kids though. She did so good that she even got the Nobel Peace prize.

Jacob L. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

She started the Hull House, it was a settlement home that could help some of people that needed help. She was always trying to help the poor, and the people in need.

Rebecca M. said

at 8:21 am on Oct 13, 2011

1. Not finishing collage could have discouraged her, her spine, people putting her down, and her sickness were all things that coud have made her not want to fulfill her dream.

2. She wanted to live in a big house, and help other people. She wanted to be a doctor, but didn't finish school so instead she helped children, and poor people.

3. I personally want to be a radiologist, but just being kind to others is a way to help yourself feel good, as well as helping others to feel good.

Rebecca M. said

at 8:23 am on Oct 13, 2011

She is a person of character because she was always helping others, and didn't let anyone stop her!

Kiley J. said

at 8:22 am on Oct 13, 2011

She helped mothers and children, and helped build Chicago's first neighborhood park. She also started a day nursery for children while mothers worked.

Kimberly R. said

at 8:22 am on Oct 13, 2011

Doing what she does best by helping people!

Audrey.C. said

at 8:22 am on Oct 13, 2011

1. Her back because she had a problem with her back.
2. She wanted to be a doctor, but she couldn't because she got seriously ill.
3. I could fight for people that are in jail, but they really do anything wrong.

Leanne L. said

at 8:23 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think she is a person of character because she wasn't selfish and she used her money to take care of people.

Mikayla A. said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think she is a person of character people she helped people even though she had health problems.

Johnny W. said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

She is a person of character because even though she had to drop out of college because she was ill, she still managed to build a house that helped many people and she also helped make the first park in Chicago.

Isaiah.R said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

She wanted to help other people, and she did a lot of stuff like dild a park.

Madeline T. said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

Jane Adamms wanted to help other people even thought she was ill.

Ean P said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think she is a person of character because she wanted to help out others in a hospital but she gets ill so she cant.

Jared K. said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

She was a good lady because she liked to help all other people.

Tess L said

at 8:24 am on Oct 13, 2011

She might of gotten discouraged cause she didn't have a lot of money and how she didn't get to finish collage. I think she is a strong woman that fought for what she wanted.

16acallahan said

at 8:25 am on Oct 13, 2011

She was going to live in a huge house impoverished area after she went to medical school she was ill for two year, I can try to help the elderly by cooking for them and helping them do everyday tasks.

jaymy18 said

at 8:25 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think that she is a person of character because she lived to please others and did everything she could to help everyone else and not herself.

Hannah R. said

at 8:25 am on Oct 13, 2011

1. She could've gotten sick, then people would;ve thought is wasn't eligible of doing what did did.
2. She wanted to help poor people who couldn't afford school, help the sick, and help anyone who NEEDED help.
3. I can help others, be nice, and treat everyone with respect, at the least.

Mitchell W said

at 8:25 am on Oct 13, 2011

She helped people with disabilities get better.

Brian H. said

at 8:26 am on Oct 13, 2011

She is a person of character because she tries to help kids by making laws agains them working, and she built them school. Also when her father died it could have brought her down, but instead she went on and built all 13 buildings.

Madison M. said

at 8:28 am on Oct 13, 2011

Jane was a person of good character because she wanted to help others and she helped pass a law that outlawed children to work in factories.

Josh W said

at 8:28 am on Oct 13, 2011

She might have been a little discouraged because she was sick and she didn't finish college. She tried to make it illegal for some factories to make children work for them. I think that what she did was good for the women and children.

Madelin M. said

at 8:28 am on Oct 13, 2011

She out lawed children factories even when she could be doing something for he self (because she was sick) she does something for other.

McKinley G. said

at 8:29 am on Oct 13, 2011

I think she is a person of character because she helped the poor people, children, and so many other people. Even though she had medical problems to worry about she still help other people and did not alway think of only herself.

Savannah D. said

at 8:30 am on Oct 13, 2011

She was a woman who really believed in helping others and making a difference and because of her many people had a place to live and learn things that most people need to learn

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