Jane Addams Essays - 2774 Words

Jane Addams Jane Addams was a Victorian woman born into a male-dominated society on September 6, 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois. Her father was a wealthy landowner and an Illinois senator who did not object to his daughter’s choice to further her education, but who wanted her to have a traditional life. For years after his death, Addams tried to reconcile the family role she was expected to play with her need to achieve personal fulfillment. Jane was born into a rich family and could have very easily become a housewife with few worries. As a little girl, she once tried on a beautiful coat and asked her father, John Addams, if she could wear it to church. Jane’s father advised her to wear an old cloak instead, which would keep here†¦show more content†¦Jane was sent to Rockford Female Seminary in 1877, but desperately wanted to one day attend Smith College, where she could earn a respectable degree. Although the Seminary was not considered a college when Jane enrolled, it was a respected institution that was mostly attended by white, Protestant, middle-class women. However, Jane could not fit into even those broad categories. She was constantly asked to declare her faith and pressured to become a foreign missionary. But Jane never could accept Christ’s divinity. Writing to Ellen Gates Starr, a religious friend she met at Rockford and a lifelong friend, she said of Jesus, I think of him simply as a Jew living hundreds of years ago, surrounding whom there is a mystery (and) a beauty incomprehensible to me. I feel a little as I do when I hear very fine music – that I am incapable of understanding. Jane was elected president of her class and was adored by her classmates. One of them would write, However mopey it might be elsewhere, there was intellectual ozone in (Jane’s) vicinity. Yet Jane struggled at Rockford to find a sense of direction and purpose, eventually deciding that she would study medicine after graduation. It was a difficult time for her and she would later write that women were not educated to become leaders, but to be a symbol of her father’s protection and prosperity.Show MoreRelated Jane Addams Essay1214 Words   |  5 Pages Jane Addams founded Hull House in 1889, along with her friend Ellen Starr. Jane had a very compassionate heart from the time she was a young girl. Everywhere she went, Jane had a desire to help people less fortunate than herself. Janes father helped shape her to become more charitable to others less fortunate. Even as a young girl Jane wanted to know why all people did not live in nice homes with yards like her own. One day she saw a part of town that was run down and she could hardly believe thatRead More Jane Addams Essay1370 Words   |  6 Pagesfor their time period. Despite her family’s honorable place in society, one woman rose above the gap between the classes in order to help individuals, who were less fortunate than she. Her name was Jane Addams and this paper will focus on her life-long contributions to help the poor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860, in Illinois. Her mother died when she was only three years old leaving her with only a father and 8 siblings. Her father became her backbone of her life and was responsibleRead MoreJane Addams : A Life Of Dignity1109 Words   |  5 Pagesever seen or thought of an ongoing problem and wanted to do something about it. Well Jane Addams did that, she took action in a problem at a very young age. She saw all the poor and the less fortunate and helped them. Through the hardships, life in the fast lane, and medical issues, she helped many people start their lives all over. So, how did Jane Addams go from a life of privilege to a life of servitude? Jane Addams was many things. She was a pacifist which means she was anti war supporter. She wasRead MoreJane Addams And The Hull House1577 Words   |  7 PagesJane Addams and the Hull House Can you imagine living in a run-down neighborhood, with streets full of garbage? How about having to watch young children play in the streets wearing dirty, ragged clothes? Jane Addams grew up in a place like this, and she wanted to make changes in the world, so she founded the Hull House. How did the Hull House have a positive impact on people and America? It helped create new laws, teach immigrants important skills, improved education, and inspired others to fightRead MoreEssay about Jane Addams1930 Words   |  8 PagesAn American pragmatist and feminist, Hull-House founder Jane Addams (1860-1935) came of age in time of increasing tensions and division between segments of the American society, a division that was reflected in debates about educational reform. In the midst of this diversity, Addams saw the profoundly interdependent nature of all social and political interaction, and she aligned her efforts to support, emphasize and increase this interdependence. Education was one of the ways she relied on to overcomeRead MoreFighting For Social Reform : Jane Addams1218 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Reform Though not widely known, Jane Addams’ influence and ideals can be seen throughout society. Born many years ago in 1860, the solutions for which she strived for are ageless. Women were considered the weaker sex, and forced to conform to traditional feminine roles such as staying at home and being primarily a nurturer. The issues that Jane Addams fought for, such as social justice and equality, are issues still prevalent in today’s society. Jane Addams aspired to create a world in which everyoneRead MoreEssay about Jane Addams1854 Words   |  8 PagesAn American pragmatist and feminist, Hull-House founder Jane Addams (1860-1935) came of age in time of increasing tensions and division between segments of the American society, a division that was reflected in debates about educational reform. In the midst of this diversity, Addams saw the profoundly interdependent nature of all social and political interaction, and she aligned her efforts to support, emphasize and increas e this interdependence. Education was one of the ways she relied on to overcomeRead MoreJane Addams And Gloria Steinem1903 Words   |  8 Pagesachievements are still recognized and remembered today. Jane Addams is a historical feminist who changed the lives for the women of her time, and is still talked about to this day. While feminism was huge in the earlier years of America, there are contemporary feminists who fight for the rights and equality of women that are still not met. In recent years, Gloria Steinem has spoken up for the equality of women and pushed for social reform. Jane Addams and Gloria Steinem are more than feminists, they areRead MoreJane Addams : The Mother Of Social Work1185 Words   |  5 PagesJane Addams was known as the â€Å"mother† of social work. Feminist and activist are two words that can best describe her. She was an advocate for education and better living conditions for those who did not have the means to do it themselves. Addams and Ellen G Starr opened a settlement house in Chicago, which is formally known as the Hull House. Having health problems never stopped Jane from dedicating her life to the Hull House, as well as other well-known contributions to the social work field. SeveralRead More Jane Addams and Hull House Essay1548 Words   |  7 PagesJane Addams and Hull House   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born in Cederville, Illinois, on September 6, 1860, Jane Addams founded the world famous social settlement of Hull House. From Hull House, where she lived and worked from it’s start in 1889 to her death in 1935, Jane Addams built her reputation as the country’s most prominent women through her writings, settlement work and international efforts for world peace. In 1931, she became the first women to win the Nobel Peace Prize.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Addams, whose father was an