Lecture Notes: Jane Addams and Her Impact

Introduction

• Speaker: Mr. Beat
• Subject: Jane Addams, a pivotal figure in American history and the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s)
• Significance: Known as the face of the Progressive Era, her work impacts beyond the U.S.

Early Life

• Birth: September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois
• Family: Youngest of eight children, well-off family
  • Father: John Addams, businessman, Illinois Senate member, acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln
  • Mother: Died in childbirth when Jane was two
• Health: Suffered from Pott’s disease, leading to lifelong health issues
• Influences: Step-mother Anna Haldeman’s devotion to the poor; inspired by Charles Dickens' novels

Education and Early Challenges

• Education: Attended Rockford Female Seminary (now Rockford University), graduated top of her class in 1881
• Inheritance: $50,000 after her father's death (equivalent to $1.3 million today)
• Medical Education: Attempted to study at Woman’s Medical College of Philadelphia; withdrew due to health issues and a nervous breakdown

Search for Direction and Concept of Settlement Houses

• Europe Travels: Sought purpose from 1883-1887
• Influences: Conversion to Presbyterianism; realization she didn’t need to be a doctor or have a man to help the poor
• Settlement Houses: Inspired by a magazine article and Toynbee Hall in London

Founding Hull House

• Establishment: Hull House in Chicago, opened September 18, 1889
• Facilities and Services:
  • Art gallery, public kitchen, coffee house, gym, swimming pool, library, employment bureau
  • Services: Free meals, medical care, job training, education, and social services
• Social Impact: Research on housing, diseases, child labor, and educational reforms

Advocacy and Legislation

• Child Labor Reforms: Influenced laws limiting work hours and banning child labor under age 14
• Progressive Era Influence: Advocated for women's suffrage, children’s education, and political empowerment of immigrants

Further Contributions and Recognitions

• Sociology: Key role in establishing the first Sociology department at the University of Chicago
• Garbage Inspector: Addressed poor sanitation around Hull House
• Juvenile Protective Association: Addressed juvenile justice before government involvement
• National Influence: President of National Conference of Charities and Corrections, VP of National American Women’s Suffrage Association

Peace Activism

• World War I: Vocal opponent of U.S. involvement
• Post-War Efforts: Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, denouncement of Treaty of Versailles

Legacy

• Nobel Peace Prize: First American woman to receive it in 1931
• Death: May 21, 1935, buried in Cedarville
• Obituary: Praised by the New York Times as "the greatest woman in the world"

Conclusion

• Herstory Collaboration: Part of a series highlighting important women in history
• Call to Action: Encouragement to celebrate women's history beyond March

These notes provide an overview of Jane Addams’ life, her contributions to social reforms, her role in the Progressive Era, and her legacy as a pioneering reformer and activist.