October 3, 1904
It has been a very busy four
years since I last posted. Ellen and I
have been working at a break-neck speed to keep up with the demands of Hull
House, and the increasing demands of us.
I have had invites to participate in a wider array of causes in the near
future, and am
excited to get involved with other projects. It is like I said, “Old-fashioned ways which
no longer apply to changed conditions are a snare in which the feet of women
have always become readily entangled.” This is what I am combating. With all these upcoming responsibilities it
has caused me to pause for reflection in my busy life. I have been pondering what inspired me to devote
my life to this work. I think it is a
number of things.
 |
| Myself. |
The death of my mother when I was only two, along with my
physical disability caused me to be sympathetic towards disadvantaged people,
and take notice of their needs. This is
part of what drove me to open the Hull House, so I could assist the less fortunate
in life. This was only a small fraction
of what caused me to become the woman I am today. My liberal principals regarding individual
rights and republican principles regarding community responsibility definitely pushed
me to believe that I had a duty to help those who had less than I did, and when
I was left my father’s money and returned from Europe I realized what I could
do. I am sure that my following of
Thomas Carlyle’s philosophy that the rich have a duty to the lower classes also
has had an impact on my choices in life.
Whatever truly has been the deciding factors that have taken me to where
I am now I believe they have taken me to the right place.
The inhabitants of the Hull House
No comments:
Post a Comment