Jane Addams Essay -- essays research papers

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. Jane's 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 that people could live in such "horrid little houses. That day Jane decided that she wanted to live in a large house in the middle of an awful place as she had seen. Jane wanted to do this so she could make a difference in the lives of people who lived there. Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois. One year later the War between the North and the South started. That same year the telegraph lines reached coast to coast. While Jane was a young girl, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Jane had the opportunity to go to Rockford Female Seminary at the age of seventeen. It was there at Rockford that Jane decided she wanted to be a missionary in the United States to help the poor. Jane went to Rockford for four years and was an excellent student. She received the highest grades out of every member in her class. Jane enjoyed having fun but was also of a serious nature. After Jane graduated from Rockford, she decided she wanted to be a doctor and work among the poor. Jane went to Philadelphia to go to medical school and because she worked so hard, she became ill and a pain in her back, from her childhood returned. Jane ended up having to stay in bed, strapped to a board, for six months so her back could heal. After Jane recovered from her illness, she still had to wear a tight brace to stop the strain on her back. This brace helped Jane so she was not in pain all the time. Her doctor thought a trip to Europe would help her recover, therefore in August 1882; Jane went to Europe for a vacation. In Europe Jane visited many places, including Ireland, Scotland, and different cities in England. Jane enjoyed London and particularly enjoyed a wax museum called Madame Tussaud's waxworks. One Saturday evening in London Jane and her friends were in a poor part of town, and someone told them they would see the late Saturday evening food sale if th... ... changed. She helped with the law that women could only work an eight-hour day, helped set up the first juvenile court, and helped to change the housing for the poor. They even started the first public playground in Chicago. In 1931, Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. She served as president of the league from 1915 to 1929. Over the years, Hull house expanded to be a full block. Jane influenced many people. On May 1, 1935, when Jane Addams died, a large number of those people were there to say good-by. Jane had given her life and all she had to make the lives of the less fortunate better. Blackstock, Josephine. (1950). Jane Addams. Evanston, IL: Row, Peterson and Company. Addams, Jane. (1993). The new Grolier CD ROM encyclopedia. Grolier Electronic Publishing Co. Addams, Jane. (1991). World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, IL. World Book Publishing Co Hull House. (1991). World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, IL. World Book Publishing Co Hull House. (1993). The new Grolier CD ROM encyclopedia. Grolier Electronic Publishing Co. Nobel Prizes. (1991). World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, IL. World Book Publishing Co