Jane Addams
Hull House
Chicago, Illinois
Kayla Zuskin
11/17/09
pd. 1
November 15 1920
Admissions Committee
Progressive Hall of Fame
555 Hall Street
Washington, DC 20515
Dear committee members:
I’m very pleased to find that the United States Congress has made the decision to devote
a room in a museum to the influential leaders of the Progressive Movement. There have
been a great many of Progressive Movement Leaders, and they have each contributed
greatly to the movement that has prominently impacted American History. Although
there are many notable leaders of the Progressive Movement I am the most important as I
believe you will find specified in my qualifications.
My personal mission statement in life has been to promote equal rights for all. This
includes but is not limited to women, children and African Americans. I find that society
is quick to judge a group of certain people. It is my job to make sure that these people
have a place, because all people are here for a reason. Through my efforts I am trying to
make America a more accepting place for all.
One of my biggest and most successful projects has been the Hull House. The Hull House
Settlement is a place for middle class women volunteers who live together in cooperative
apartments. These women may have not been accepted by society because they are
unmarried, or not devoted to a family, instead they are devoted to their education or
work. The Hull House has set up a playground and nursery, free medicines, instruction in
the arts and crafts, sewing and cookery. As well as staged concerts and exhibitions and
offered advice on matters such as working hours, safety, child labor and delinquency. I
believe that the Hull House should be home to anyone who seeks it and has contributed to
this society. It is even home to the first set of Social Workers.
Please refer to the enclosed resume for more information concerning my experiences,
accomplishments and skills. I’m extremely interested in interviewing for the position and
am available at any time. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, and I look
forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jane Addams
Kayla Zuskin
11/17/09
pd. 1
Jane Addams
Hull House
Chicago, Illinois
Goal
To represent the Progressive Movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries through
my inclusion in the Progressive Hall of Fame.
Beliefs
I believe that American Society frowns upon those who are unlike them and I wish to
give them a place in society. I do this by taking a proactive role of
Work Experience
Travel
 England 1887-1888, observation of Toynbee Hall ( a settlement in England)
 The Hull House is modeled after it
The Hull House
 Established in 1889 by myself and dear friend Ellen Starr
 A place for educated women who were unmarried and did not have children
 Located on a poor, unhealthy, unsanitary street in Chicago
 Institution trained the first Social Workers
 Set up included a playground, gymnasium, nursery, free medicines, instruction in
the arts and crafts, sewing and cookery
 Staged concerts and exhibitions
 Offered advice on subjects such as working hours, child labor, safety and
delinquency
 Establishment of a summer camp in Lake Geneva Wisconsin
 Pre college Education classes offered to women
Women’s Trade Union League
 Served as Vice President
 1903, influenced legislation concerning women’s working rights
Suffrage Campaign in Chicago
 Became a member in 1907
National Federation of Settlement
 Founded in 1911
 Was first president
Other Offices
 Progressive Party
 President of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom-1915
Kayla Zuskin
11/17/09
pd. 1
Accomplishments
Education
 Attended Rockford Female Seminary-1877-1882
 Graduated Class of 1881
 Attended Women’s College of Pennsylvania to become a doctor
Legislation Influenced
 Instigated Illinois Factory Inspection Act of 1893
 The establishment of Juevenile Court in 1899
 Mother Pension Act otherwise known as 8 hour work days for women
 Initiated social research projects, “adopting investigative methods”
Books
 Hull House Maps and Papers
 Twenty Years at Hull House- 1890-1910
Miscellaneous
 Organized a festival focused on image of women as bread givers
 Assistant to Herbert Hoover
 Provided relief supplies to Children and Women of enemy nations
 Rewarded the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1931
Kayla Zuskin
11/17/09
pd. 1
Annotated Bibliography
Primary
“Twenty Years at Hull-House” Image. American Studies at the University of Virginia.
University of Virgina. November 3 2009
<http://xroads.virginia.edu/%7EHYPER/ADDAMS/title.html>
A picture of Jane Addams sketched in Charcoal as it appears in her book Twenty Years at
Hull-House
“Urban Experience in Chicago: Hull-House and Its Neighborhoods, 1889-1963” History
Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web. American Social History Productions.
November 3 2009 <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/ >
A timeline of Jane Addam’s life and how she got to her life at the Hull-House.
“Why Women Should Vote (1915)”. Internet Modern History Sourcebook November 3
2009 <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1915janeaddams-vote.html>
A document written by Jane Addams during the Woman’s Suffrage Movement
explaining why women should be eligible to vote.
Secondary
“Addams, Jane.” Encyclopedia of Women and Social Reformers. Ed. Rappaport, Helen.
Volume One A-L. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO Inc, 2001.
An in depth article on Jane Addams but mostly focused on her work at Hull
House.
Berson, Robin K. Jane Addams a Biography. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2004.
Detailed Biography on Jane Addams’ life, influence and work.
“Jane Addams.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Ed. Byers Paula K. 1. Detroit: Gale
Research, 1998.
An article on Jane Addams’ life and role in the progressive movement.
Nobelprize.org. 2009. The Nobel Foundation. November 3 2009
<http://nobelprize.org/nobel-prizes/peace/laureates/1931/addams-bio.html >
Brief description of Jane Addams’ achievements. Basically told why she deserved
the Noble Peace Prize, and how and when she got it.
Schneider Carl J, Schneider Dorothy. American Women in the Progressive Era. New
York City: Facts on File Inc., 1993.
A very brief description of Jane Addams her work and influence.