The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1892-10-22

house settlement in the heart of the
poorest, most villainous and crowded
locality of Chicago. Between shipyards
and stockyards the residents Of the ward
lived-people of every nation and kindred
and tongue. There are 10000 Italians
in the district and so many Bohemians
that Chicago ranks as the third largest
Bohemian city in the world It out
Bohemians Bohemia itself in some re-
fpects. Here the villainous sweating
clothing houses got their work done by
the filthiest of the filthy, in cellars,
easements and garrets. amid disease
and foulness that scares the one who
stops to think of it.
There is in the ward in which Hull
house is situated one saloon to every
twenty-eight voters. There were 8,076
school children, with public school ac-
commodations for only 1875. The poor
people who lived there did not know
enough to make their educational wants
known to the school board, and when
the citizens of a ward do not make a row
about their civic needs nobody else will
supply these needs. That is one of the
thirgs rich American citizens know
which poor foreign citizens do not
Hull house has succeeded in teaching
the poor people their civic rights to
some extent, 50 that now the board of
education is energetically making pro-
visions for the young Americans who
were growing up in ignorance and
crime. Other things, too, that Hull
house has accomplished are related by
Miss Jane Addams in The Forum To
read the story impresses one powerfully
that here is the true road to the millen-
MUM. Hull house was established purely
and simply to practically carry out the
doctrine Of the American republic that
all men are equal, and that larger,
sweeter doctrine still-that all mankind
are brethren. This is to be taken liter
ally and truly. There is no detestable
suggestion of charity about the thing.
Miss Addams calls it ian effort to-
ward social democracy" She repudiates
root and branch the idea that it ii a
philanthropy in the ordinary sense. A
number of refined, devoted women fix
their residence in the poorest, lowest
part of city. They assume no airs of
superiority or patronage. They take
their refined surroundings and dainty
housekeeping with them. Then they es-
tablish social center for all the people
of the neighborhood. Every need of
human nature that will give it help or
lift it higher an attempt is made to
meet. A gymnasium, manual training
classes, classes in literary and scientific
study, musical clubs, debating societies,
cooking and housekeeping classes are
among some of the ideas that have taken
practical shape.
There are social evenings as we'll, and
these are an oasis in the desert to honest
and hardworking foreigners who live in
the midst of squalor and dirt.
A steady effort has been made to teach
on the one hand better modes of house,
hOOpihS anu oh tHc olhoi u hhoWlcuSo VI
the citizens rights and duties. Once
the poor immigrant or native has this
knowledge firmly fixed, he will be as
good citizen as the millionaire.
An important feature of Hull house
is social science club, in which the
widest anarchists come and spout along
side the wealthy capitalist, who in some
cases has been induced to be pres
ent and state his side of the case. 1t
must necessarily follow that the preju-
dices of both are modified, and both
come nearer to that feat almost impossi-
BILE to the average human mind-seeing
both sides of a question. Miss Addams
is free to say that in her Judgment, if the
pent up violence of the anarchists had
been allowed to vent itself thus harm
lessly in air, the lamentable Haymarket
tragedy would have been avoided.
Finally the writer thinks that the
residents at Hull house learn quite as
much from the people about them as
the people do from them. No doubt
they do. Here stretches out glorious
field for strong, kindly souls that are
longing for a mission.
81 believe that important truths are
found on the surface of thought" says
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