hull house

hull house
Originally uploaded by elizabethanne628.

The idea of settlement houses seems sort of nice when you first think about it. They were a place where poor women could live somewhat comfortably. They were safe from people who could take advantage of them finically and otherwise. They were able to work and sometimes even attend college. But, settlement houses were really apart of the nativist attitude that some Americans had at the turn of the previous century. These places stressed American ideals and pushed them onto the borders. They were expected to learn English and follow American and probably Christian cultural norms, which may have vastly differed from their native traditions. These women benefited from the free housing and food from the Settlement house, but at the cost of their individuality.