Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Starr were the founders of the Hull house in 1889. At this time, Chicago was a home to many poor African Americans whom had traveled North in search for a better life. Immigrants and African Americans inhibited most of Chicago with barely enough money to feed their families. With the rise of small pox, people could not afford to go to the doctor. These people who lived in these conditions sacrificed racial conditions in the South for poverty and a bad environment. Children were forced tot grow up fast and help support their families. They had no education system, factory conditions were dehumanizing. Chicago was a city in need for structure.
Jane Adams goals for the Hull House were what she described as "the three R's": residence, research, and reform. This involved interactive studying with the people. Addams believed in personal experiences over theory. She worked with these people and earned their trust. Social settlements like Gull house were created in response to industrialism, immigration and urbanization. The hull house is one of the foundations for social work in America today. It had over 2000 residents each week in the second year it was open. Like many christian settlements, the Hull House was a secular foundation. Jane Addams was speculated a lot for this, but her work with society changed so many peoples lives. She may have not been popular during her time by the speculators, but she made history in the long run. Addams believed in personal experiences over theory. She worked with these people and earned their trust.
People did not know what to do when they lived in these conditions. Geography determines culture. These people who had their own individual culture were assimilated into the modern day technology. Yet there was no resources for them until the Hull House was built. Jane Addams somewhat molded these people into a civilized democratic society. Was her work a form of socialism?
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