Jane Addams (1860-1935) was a pioneer settlement social worker, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in women’s suffrage and world peace. She was one of the most prominent reformers of the Progressive Era, helping America to focus on issues of concern to mothers, such as the needs of children, local public health and peace. In 1931 she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and is recognized as the founder of the social work profession in the US.
For today, take a moment to reflect on these sentiments written by Addams, and how they relate to each other in your life:
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach and how we live.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“Action indeed is the sole medium of expression for ethics.”
40 Days with Peacemakers 