The Tradition of Jane Addams

The spirit of Jane Addams lives on at Rockford University. As a testament to her legacy and lasting impact on our society, we seek to create a world that is more just, more humane and more democratic. Jane Addams began her lifelong crusade for justice and equality not long after she graduated from Rockford University when, in 1889, she established Hull-House in Chicago, one of the early settlement houses to operate across the country in the late-19th century. There, she created myriad programs – nurseries, college courses, art classes and sports leagues – for people of all beliefs and ethnic backgrounds.

During the 1890s, Hull-House gained a national and international reputation as a radical, innovative, successful institution, and Addams became known as the nation’s leading change agent. She prodded America to respond to the terrible ills of industrial development: child labor, infant mortality, urban crowding and unsanitary conditions, unsafe workplaces, juvenile delinquency, unemployment and poverty-level wages.

As a social reformer, Addams was a force with whom to be reckoned. Her efforts led to Illinois’ first child labor law, the first eight-hour workday law for women and the first juvenile court. As a suffragist, she championed women’s right to vote. As a humanitarian, she devoted her life to the causes of peace, freedom and justice.

Students at Rockford University today, like Jane Addams before them, are asked to think critically, act compassionately and embrace the ideals of democratic citizenship. We at Rockford University are preparing them to change the world. Only time will tell if any will win the Nobel Peace Prize as Jane Addams did in 1931. In the meantime, our students are learning how thoughtful, active citizens can make a very real difference in the world.