Hello, and welcome to a fun story adventure! Today, we’re going to learn about a special person named Jane Addams. She did something amazing a long time ago, and her story is both exciting and inspiring. Let’s dive in!
Once upon a time, in 1889, a young woman named Jane Addams moved into a big house in Chicago, Illinois. But this wasn’t just any house. Jane chose to live in a neighborhood where many people were poor and needed help. You might wonder why someone would do that when they could live anywhere they wanted.
When Jane was just six years old, she traveled with her father and saw that not everyone lived as comfortably as her family did. She promised herself that one day she would live among those who needed help and find a way to make the world a better place. Jane was very brave and loved adventures. She and her stepbrother George would explore caves and even peek at owls in their nests!
Jane was also very smart. She loved reading books from her father’s library. Back then, not many girls went to college, but Jane’s father believed in her education. She worked hard and graduated at the top of her class. But after school, she felt unsure about what to do next. Sadly, her father passed away, and Jane felt lost for a while.
Two years later, Jane and her friends traveled to Europe. In London, she saw people begging for food, and it made her very sad. She wanted to help them. Jane learned about a place called Toynbee Hall, where rich and poor people lived together and learned from each other. This idea inspired Jane to do something similar in Chicago.
Jane shared her plan with her friend Ellen Gates Starr. They found a big house in a tough neighborhood. It was called Hull House. Jane moved in and decided to keep the doors unlocked so anyone in need could come in. Soon, people who needed food or help started visiting Hull House.
Jane faced many challenges, but she saw them as chances to help more. When kids broke a window, she realized they needed fun activities. When a man tried to steal, she offered him a job instead. Jane used her own money to run Hull House and asked others to help too. She started a public bath, a playground, and even a school for kids.
Jane didn’t work alone. Ellen and many others joined her. Hull House grew to include a gym, a theater, a music school, and more. By the 1920s, thousands of people visited Hull House every week. Jane’s work brought people together and made the neighborhood a better place. Her dream of helping the world came true!
Reading stories like Jane’s can take us to amazing places and teach us important lessons. Jane Addams inspires us to be kind and helpful. Thank you for joining this story adventure. Keep reading and discovering new stories!
Build Your Own Community Center: Gather some art supplies like cardboard boxes, markers, and glue. Imagine you are creating a community center like Hull House. What activities would you include to help people in your neighborhood? Draw or build a model of your community center and share your ideas with your classmates or family.
Acts of Kindness Journal: Just like Jane Addams, you can make a difference in your community. Start a journal and write down one kind thing you do each day to help someone. It could be as simple as sharing your toys, helping a friend, or picking up litter. At the end of the week, share your acts of kindness with your class and discuss how these small actions can make a big impact.
Neighborhood Observation Walk: Take a walk around your neighborhood with an adult. Look for places or people that might need help, just like Jane did. Do you see a park that needs cleaning, or maybe a neighbor who could use a hand with their garden? Discuss with your adult how you might be able to help and plan a small project to improve your community.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. I’m Kiernan Shipka, and today I’m going to be reading “The House That Jane Built,” written by Tanya Lee Stone and illustrated by Kathryn Brown. I’m very excited to share this story with you all.
A house stands on a busy street. Its doors are opened wide, inviting all who come with good cheer. In 1889, a young woman named Jane Addams moved into a lovely house in Chicago, Illinois. But instead of choosing a fancy neighborhood, she picked a house in one of the poorest parts of town. Why would someone with wealth do this when she could have lived anywhere?
Jane was just six years old when she traveled with her father and noticed that not everyone lived like her family. She vowed that one day she would live “right in the midst of horrid little houses” and find a way to help the world. Jane was brave and adventurous. As a child, she and her stepbrother George would sneak away at night to explore nearby caves. Once, Jane lowered George over a cliff on a rope to spy on an owl in its nest.
Jane was also very smart. She read extensively from her father’s book collection, which served as the town library. At a time when most girls did not attend college, Jane’s father believed in the education of women. She graduated at the top of her class from Rockford Female Seminary. However, after school, she felt uncertain about her future. That summer, her father passed away, leaving Jane feeling lost.
About two years later, Jane and her friends traveled to Europe, where they visited theaters, operas, and beautiful places. However, in London, Jane saw something that deeply affected her: people in ragged clothes begging for leftover food from vendors. This experience stayed with her long after her trip ended.
Determined to make a difference, Jane returned to London to learn about a place called Toynbee Hall, which was helping the poor in a new way. At Toynbee Hall, rich and poor people lived together in the same community and learned from each other. Instead of just serving soup, they offered cooking classes and taught various skills. Toynbee Hall was the first settlement house, where those who worked there lived in the same neighborhood as those in need.
Jane shared her plan to build a settlement house in Chicago with her friend Ellen Gates Starr. She felt energized and inspired. Chicago had a glamorous side with its mansions and shops, but it also had a gritty side. In 1889, one million people lived in Chicago, many of whom were immigrants seeking a better life but struggling to find jobs due to language barriers.
Jane found the perfect house in a challenging neighborhood. It had spacious rooms and marble fireplaces, but it was surrounded by garbage and overcrowded homes. The house had belonged to Charles J. Hull, who left it to his cousin, Helen Culver. After discussing her vision with Helen, Jane was gifted the house, which she named Hull House.
Jane moved in on September 18, 1889. On her first night, she was so excited that she forgot to lock a side door, but no one broke in. She decided to keep Hull House unlocked so that people in need would know they could come in at any time. Soon, those who needed food or support began to find their way to Hull House.
While it wasn’t always peaceful, Jane saw challenges as opportunities. When boys broke a window, she recognized the need for activities for neighborhood kids. Another time, when a man attempted to steal from the house, she learned he was unemployed and offered him a job instead.
Jane dedicated her own resources to running Hull House and encouraged others to contribute. She didn’t seek payment for her work and often gave away gifts she received. Any problem she encountered, she addressed. For instance, she established a public bath to improve sanitation and health in the community. She also created a playground for children and started morning kindergarten and after-school clubs.
Jane didn’t work alone; Ellen Gates Starr was her partner from the beginning, and many others joined to help. They taught various subjects and skills, and Hull House expanded to include multiple buildings, offering a gymnasium, coffee house, theater, music school, community kitchen, and art gallery. By the early 1920s, Hull House welcomed over nine thousand visitors each week.
The house that Jane built brought people together and transformed a struggling neighborhood into a vibrant community. Jane Addams’ efforts changed countless lives, and today, every community center in America owes a debt of gratitude to her legacy. Her childhood wish to help fix the world came true.
Reading is magical for many reasons. It can transport you to incredible places and provide valuable, inspiring information. I’m grateful this book exists and that I learned more about Jane today, as she inspires me to be a better person.
Thank you for watching Storyline Online. Be sure to check out all our other videos. Keep watching and keep reading!
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while ensuring it is appropriate for all audiences.
