The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-28
WORK AT HULL HOUSE
MISS ADDAMs's LECTURE At PLYM-
OUTH CHURCH LAST NIGHT.
An Interesting Social Experiment in
the Slums of Chicago and
It's Success.

One of the most successful philanthropic
efforts in the country is the now famous
Hull House. of Chicago. Ever since it was
inaugurated, its career has been watched
by thousands. This movement was to take
educated. Christian people down into the
slums of the cities. live among the people
and share with them in the better and
higher things of life.
Last evening Jane Adams. of Hull House.
spoke before large audience, that well
filled the lower floor of Plymouth Church.
Miss Adams is graceful, easy, fluent
speaker, and her perfect Inconsistencies
and her desire to tell of the work. in which
she is identified, made her attractive on the
platform. She was introduced by Rev. F.
e. Dewhurst. Her account of the Chicago
work was prefaced by story of the begin
ming of the original work of it's kind. which
was the establishment of Toynbee Hall. in
East London. A man who educated him
self and prepared TO go a missionary to
India, found that there was no missionary
in East London, one of the worst sections
of that great city, With the thought that
he was needed at home, he gave up his
work for the foreign field and started the
of the greatest redemptive features the
world has known.
Miss Adams told of the Socialists, the
Anarchists and the individuahsts who
thrive in Chicago. and particularly in the
Ninteenth ward, in which Hull House
stands. There is a family of seventeen in
divduals in Hull House. These people live
there, and, by their manner of living, show
others how to live. They established all
scores of organizations which are of benefit
in one way or another. For instance. they
have day nursery, where mothers who
have to go out to work may leave their
little ones and know that they will be
cared for until the mother stops for the
child on her way home from work; there
is the relief bureau, from which help of
various kinds is given, and the lodging
houses. In whatever is done, the social
feature is uppermost. A mother who puts
her child in the nursery is made to feel
that she is doing it in just the same way
that she would feel IL leaving it with a
neighbor; at the lodging house they make
one feel at home. The neighborhood ele-
ment is first.
Several experiments in cooperation have
been tried. some successfully and some I'M
successfully. There was one started by
four girls: now the number is fifty. They
pay 50 a week. They have been incorporat-
ed, carry their own insurance and are glad
of the home. They have Current Events
Club. a glee club. give an occasional re-
ception. and try to open their. lives to the
interests of the city. They go to the Art
Institute. have. public library cards. and do
dividuals. One thing that has been done
by the Hull House people has been to inn
prove the foods of the poor. The poor
nutritious, but they do not like them. There
is children's house, where children are
put in classes, but the foreign child is al
ways under a disadvantage.
Miss Adams told of the imagination of
the children i'm the lower classes, who, in
games, always play policeman and arrest
each other. AT a picnic given them at
Lincoln Park, where they were expected
TO roll on the grass and enjoy themselves,
they were listless all day, but on the way
home, seeing a patrol wagon. they were all
excitement and were interested in wonder
ing who it was in it and the reason why.
The greatest hero they know is alder
man with an unsavory reputation. Hull
House does not take part in politics on &C.
count of the pleasure of 1t. but because of
desire to get better man put in the
Council than would likely be put in. Miss
asreed with her When she sad she Believed
1t would be a doubtful gain If every saloon
in the Nineteenth ward were wiped out and
nothing put in the place of the saloon on There
life. which men like, and, she said, I'VE
cannot content ourselves with negative
help" Over 2,oo0 persons go to Hull House
each month, yet there are 900 In the ward,
and the 1000 seems very small part. The
settlement would like TO have as many
rooms as possible where men could meet
for comradeship. which they now find only
in the saloons. There are many social the
orists in Chicago, but they have never con-
verted each other. Miss Adams believes
there Is great deal of unformulated good,
real altruism, which needs some new form
of expression 1t expresses itself in Russia,
Germany and France. but not SO much in
this country, Instead of building more
homes for aged women, Miss Adams would
make the poor houses more attractive; she
would have kindergartens attached to the
public schools; instead of giving more Ii
brarles, she would make the ones already
in existence more attractive. This civic
thropic feeling.
said she would be glad to answer aues-
tons. A volley of questions poured in upon
her. How many live at Hull House? Do
How are the expenses betrayed? How long
do they have TO stay? Is there any relig
ious teaching in the house? What about the
ers There are seventeen in the house, and
each one gives his or her services and pays
his or her own board. The expenses are
betrayed by people who believe in the
given, and there are eight buildings
and a playground on it.. No training
is needed. Those who go into Hull House
are expected to be persons of education and
perform the part of a good citizen. Resi-
dents stay from six months to two years
or more. There is no religious teaching in
public school work conflict. There are nine
other settlements in Chicago. and they
federated. DR.. Graham Taylor has started
one settlement by taking his own family
and number of students with him into
one of the low districts. The poor people are
eager to get an education. Miss Adams
said they would patiently listen to dull
lecture or talk with interest. One person
remarked. THE patience of the poor in
their effort to get knowledge Is astounding"
Miss Adams. in her effort for good. applied
for the position of street and alley inspector
in the ward and got II.
The settlement has summer school at
Rockford and a country club, where girls
may pay So week. Many children save
their pennies in the penny provident fund
and have vacation there. After the adj
dress and the answering OF questions. a
reception was given in the parlor by Miss
Nicholson Miss Dye. Mrs. Runnels and
Others of the Plymouth Institute. This
morning Miss Adams will speak at the
High School and at the Classical School.
to-