Chicago: 1893.
Price: $3,600.00
Unbound. Autograph Letter Signed from Lenette “Lettie” Wilson to her mother in Algona, Iowa, in which she discusses her visit to Hull House in Chicago in 1893. Twenty pages in ink, Signed “L.” Two light horizontal folds, very good. With the original mailing envelope on which “Hull House” is written as the return address. (The envelope is tattered at the edges, and lacks the stamp).
An informative, detailed letter in which Lettie describes her efforts to set up a dance studio in Chicago, and her visit to Hull House, the highly regarded settlement house set up by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in 1889. She relates her offer to provide free dance classes to the boys and girls at Hull House, and Addams’ acceptance of her offer: “… my spirit is light & free to a degree never known to me before … I went with Mrs. McKinsey, Mary Van accompanying us, to visit Hull House. This is a wonderful work begun & carried on by two women, Miss Addams and Miss Starr, for the uplifting of humanity. Down on South Halsted Street – a rough neighborhood – they must believe that they might bring the light of education to those people who need it most. They had no money to speak of but they had large heads and large brains… .”
She goes on: “Some of the most prominent people in the city lend their influence and give of their money to carry on the work. Some of the best educators give their services as instructors … Knowing something of this, this thought struck Mary … that some of those wealthy people interested in Hull House might furnish money for the instruction in dancing of the people there – they are mostly children and young people … Miss Addams said, ‘Yes, we would like to have our boys & girls taught dancing. They are very fond of it … but of course they do not dance well and we should be very glad to have them taught properly.’ I arranged to go over every week on Thursday evening & do all I could for them in the time at their disposal. I went last night for the first time and was delighted… .”
In addition to her teaching duties, Wilson also mentions her suffrage work. Born in 1857, Lenette Wilson was the daughter of Algona businessman and politician, John J. Wilson. An informative and historically important letter, rich in content.
Item #422169
