Description:

Addams Jane

1pp TLS on “Hull House, 800 South Halsted Street, Chicago” letterhead signed by Progressive Era social activist Jane Addams as “Jane Addams” in lower right corner. Cream stationery page with blue fibers is in near fine condition. Expected horizontal fold at center and light isolated soiling in upper left corner. Page measures 5.375" x 9.125".

 

Sharpless Dodson Green, a public school administrator from Trenton, New Jersey, wrote Jane Addams sometime between 1922 and 1924. Green frequently contacted notables of the day to engage with his high school-aged pupils. These famous activists, intellectuals, authors, doctors, politicians, and personalities were asked to give life advice to the graduating seniors.

 

Addams prepared a thoughtful response: “Perhaps you will permit me to remind you that the professional attitude means not only greater knowledge but also a finer feeling toward life and men”, the social worker and women’s advocate wrote. “And when business shall have developed an ethics as medicine, for instance, then many of our troubles will be helped”. According to Jane Addams, contemporary “social ills” like poverty, child labor, drug use, prostitution, domestic violence, and unsanitary living conditions could be remedied from the top down. If business entities were motivated by a stronger sense of social responsibility, then they would not exploit their employees, and indeed, would want to help them: “I trust, therefore, that you may learn in your business course not only how to serve society thru the manufacture and the exchange of goods, but also how to serve men and women who produce them, who are after all the vast majority of our countrymen”. These comments reiterated what Jane Addams argued in her 1902 work "Democracy and Social Ethics".

 

Jane Addams (1860-1935) co-founded settlement house Hull House in Chicago in 1889. Hull House provided its residents with stable housing, a library, a gym, arts enrichment, and continuing education opportunities. The center was also a living laboratory that enabled social observers to conduct research. Addams lobbied tirelessly for the rights of families, women, and children throughout her lifetime of writing, teaching, and public speaking. She was also a committed pacifist, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000