The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-24


herself did not relish the idea at ALL She
wanted to be at something. Yet, since
the idea she had in the back of her brain
did not take shape, she contented herself
with the promise of further education
For two years, then, she made Europe
her schoolroom, viewing the art treasures
and collecting beautiful things with which
to adorn her Illinois home.
But unexpectedly a ghost appeared at
the board where she was dining. One mid
night, with party of tourists, she sat on
the top of an omnibus in the great East
End sum district of London A mob of
men and women were gathered round
huckster's cart, their haggard faces weird
ly lit by the flare of the gas lamps. The
huckster was auctioneering off half-de-
cayed cabbage-for it was Saturday night
and such vegetables as would not keep
had to go cheap-and the hungry people
were bidding for it. The cabbage was
flung to the successful bidder, who sat
down on the curb and began to devour
his prize, raw, and unwashed as it was.
Then the higgling recommended. The
final impression was not of ragged, tawdry
clothing, nor of pinched and sallow faces,
but of myriads of hands, empty and work
worn, and clutching forward for food
which was already unfit to eat.
For weeks after that, Miss Adams
went about London almost in q state of
panic, afraid to look down narrow streets
and alleys, lest she should again see that
human need and misery All of a sudden,
the fact that she was wealthy, that she
was privileged to enjoy the luxuries OF
life while millions suffered for a few
mouthfuls to keep body and soul together
struck her down all of heap, like a bolt
from out the blue sky.
And right here Jane Adams expert
enced lasting conversion. What was the
use of culture, she asked if it did nothing
| to lessen the sufferings of the world? i
seemed to her she would be happier witt
nothing unless she could spend what she
had for the common good. She would her
| self rather be pauper, unless some coulC
get the things they were reaching after
food, leisure, knowledge-the things sh
| had in such abundance.
| There was the misery plain enough; bu
what could she do for it? Well, sh
would go about preparing. But every
where the old ghost rose up before heI
The rich We're so rich, and the poor s
very poor: the learned knew so much, an
the ignorant were so ike dumb beasts. an
both, to Judge from her own experience
iwere so disconnected.
Yes, the rich were as disconnected as tn
poor For Miss Adams was slowly con
ing to the conclusion that her life wa
after all, an empty one She had see
pictures, and heard music. and read book
but she had not lived, She had not worke
: at any useful toll, nor earned her breat
She had never been lfuhgry, or cold, {
tired How gladly, would she exchanG
some of her shadowy book learning for Il
hearty enjoyment of really being and d
; ing something
In this state of mind she at last bega
to cast about for an occupation. She he
already begun to think of renting hou
in the slums of Chicago, when she hear
of Toynbee Hall This was an Institute
in London, founded few years earlier
Oxford men, and the residents" in Il
e hall. SO far as she could learn, were don
precisely what she wanted to do. So,
1889, Miss Adams secured a house in t
depressed industrial quarter of Chicag
! She named it Hull House, after the m;
: who built and owned it. She fixed it
up with prints and photographs, table
and chairs and bookcases. Then, when
: was ready, She and her friend, Miss Star
threw wide the doors, and in gracioI
! neighborly way invited the poor Ito cor
! and see them"
. The people surrounding Hull Hou
r We're Irish, Greeks, Russians, Poles al
4 Observation-Disclosures distinct natfona
ties. And they all came. But could 81
: the daughter of an American home and
American college, clear away the BARR
II of her wealth? Intelligent men said /
t But others, especially young men a
,, young women, topheavy like herself wi
4 education and eager for an outlet in u
4 full activity, flocked to her door to off
4 help. So she began.
4 She started, for the younger children,
I day nursery, where, for FIVE cents ca
they could be properly fed and anus
: during the mothers working hours I
4 those a little older she started kind
~ lgarten More than this, it was little
> little understood that Miss Adams a
+ her associates We're ready to perform t
huniblest neighborhood services" TIL
1. We're ready to play the neighbor a
h friends as people so often do in a count
,e village.
r. With this confidence established, t
6. settlers as the women called the
al selves, could enlarge their program. tt
a grouped into club few young peo
al fond of reading, and soon Miss AIDA
i persuaded the Chicago Public Library
at locate a branch in Hull House.
ne The settlers formed classes in drg
Il. ling and modelling, and built a room
ne the exhibition of paintings. Then I'll