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Hull House was a great experience.  I learned so much about the settlement house movement I did not know.  And their on-line resources will allow all of us to share what we learned.   My favorite part of the Chicago History Museum was the walking tour of Old Town, something which Wade and I were not able to experience when we were there in December!  I loved the steps to the second floor!

 

The richest experience, in my opinion, was the Pullman site.  The opportunity to chat with Les, the 97-year old primary source on labor unions, was the opportunity of a lifetime.  And I thought having the Chicago teachers there was another wonderful opportunity.  We experienced the heat and humidity that faced 19th century workers, which gave us some small insight into their lives.  Thank goodness without benefit of corsets and petticoats!

 

Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Kuhlman kept things lively as well as educational.  It is so nice to have such a wealth of information at your fingertips.  And teachers, thanks for your interest and enthusiasm for all the things we did, and for your patience when everything didn't go perfectly.  I appreciate all of you.

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Janet Fleming: I learned so much about Chicago including the difficult challenge to build skyscrappers because of the soft ground unlike the buildings that were built in New York City on the bedrock.  Also, I learned of the laws which forbade building next to the shoreline.  It was also explained that many times the Chicago River would pollute Lake Michigan until the river was forced to run South.  I was so impressed with the blue water of Lake Michigan and the sheer size of the lake.  I  loved the concept of the neighborhood that was explained on the walking tour. Also, I think that my salad at O'Brien's was the best I have ever eaten.  Concerning historical information, the trip was truly an educational experience for me.  It felt like our group was able to explore the Pullman site in great detail.  I loved being able to explore Hotel Florence and the private home.  I enjoyed visiting with the teachers from Chicago.  The entire day was such a treat for history lovers.  Personally, finding the bed that Abraham Lincoln died in was especially exciting to me.  For years I toured the Peterson House where Lincoln was taken after he was shot at Ford's Theatre.  The people in D.C. would always comment that the original bed was in a museum in Chicago.  I never thought that I would find the bed.  My students will be impressed.  I will add the bed to my power point over the assassination of Lincoln.  (I tried to insert the image of the bed but I haven't figured out how to size it.  It was huge on the blog.)  Most of all I want to thank all of the people that made this a great trip.  Danna, you have really made it possible for me to learn and see places that I never thought I would see.  I am so grateful.  Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Kuhlman are great communicators.  They have the ability to encourage participation.  Colleagues, I enjoy your friendship. 

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 Cindy Head: I learned many things on my trip to Chicago that will be a great help to me in my classroom.  In 5th grade, by book barely skims the surface of Jane Adams and Hull House.  After watching a short film and listening to the guide, I feel more qualified to discuss Jane Adams in my classroom.  I learned things I never knew before about the Chicago fire.  I didn't realize the fire was so massive.  From an old song I have heard, I just thought a cow knocked over a lantern and burned down a barn!  My most enjoyable part of the trip was at the Pullman Hotel listening to a 97 year old man tell us the same thing I used to hear from my own grandad when he was still alive. He would have been the same age. It was very nostalgic!  Being married to a builder, I was very interested in seeing the architecture at the Pullman site.  I used to think Pullman was just the name of a railroad car!  Lastly, I loved the boat ride on Lake Michigan.  I am also required to cram U.S. geography into the 5th grade curriculum, so the information I learned while on the lake will come in handy in my classroom.  THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL TRIP.  I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER IT!!  Cindy Head

 

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Rebecca Yelverton:  Wonderful learning experience... I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN - education, networking and wonderful experiences! 

The architecture and landscaping in Chicago was amazing.  Our first stop was  the Hull House.  Our zealous guide was wonderful, he seemed so passionate about his role as a historian his 'lecture' seemed to be a broadway production.  Through his passion I realized how 'radical' Jane Adams Hull House really was.  The artifacts inside the house and the brief biographical film were very educational.   Our next stop was the Chicago history museum...WOW   the exhibits were extraordinary and the employees of the museum treated us like we were 'special guest'.  The volunteer who took us on the walking tour of Chicago  had very interesting stories and math skills.  The most impressive information that I took from that tour was about  the small houses.  After the terrible Chicago fire, the people were given building materials for a small house, about the size of a one car garage... FEMA should have used that plan!  lol .  When we returned from our walking excursion Dr Khulman had a great discussion with our group about some of the progressive reforms then he allowed some of the teachers to show off their talents by reading a screenplay he had written about the Pullman Strike.  The information Dr Khulman gave in the play mirrored the information soon to be received at the Pullman Town; our next stop.  Again we were greeted and treated like royalty.  Our day started with the wonderful information presented by  employee of a meat packing company  during the reform period.  His information was amazing... then our host took us through the factory... his knowledge and attention to detail have placed him in my SUPERHERO category.  I am sure that the town and the Pullman Factory were my favorite.... I know that anytime, from here on out, that I teach socialism I will refer back to that town ( in a good way)  It is amazing the insight of this man to create this village.  

I can't say it enough.... It was wonderful.... I expected nothing less but feel like I came away, yet again, a better teacher...  The information from my colleagues, our networking is simply exhilarating.  Dana    kudos to you for making all this happen... I truly do feel - you & jane- radical reformers -  just in different areas BUT it all helps the kids! 

 

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Brandon Word:This was a wonderful trip in which I learned so much on a subject I had little background in. The reform subject of this trip was amazing. The Hull House brought home the point of change and the tour guide helped make the place come to life. The Chicago History walking tour was the highlight of the trip for me. The tour guide was imformative and very knowledgeable. The Lincoln death bed, however akward, was very worthwhile. The Pullman House brought the trip to a wonderful close and it was a project in itself. The restoration process was really crazy . The Pullman homes and hotel were very nice and the historical record available there was great. Thank you Danna, Wade, and Marty for all you do for us.

 

 

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Kelly Bailey:What another great history trip! I learned an extraordinary amount about Jane Adams and how the settlement house worked as well as all the different avenues it took to meet people's needs. I thought it was amazing to be standing in the dining room at Hull House where so many women changed the world with their minds and hearts. The Pullman site was amazing. I thought it was great to see the behind scenes of how Illinois is trying to preserve the village. Again, I learned a huge amount of information that will be taken back to the classroom. Kelly Bailey

 

 

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Susan Weaver:I also had a great time. I gathered plenty of resources and plan to make Pullman and Hull House more than just a blurb next year. I have to say that this was a worth while trip and was extremely impressed by Chicago. It was full of historic value. Susan Weaver

 

 

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Jason Cockrell:I have had the pleasure over the past several years to be involved with the Pacetah grant through Region 16. This summer we were able to travel to Chicago and visit several sites that were beneficial to me as an educator. Because I teach early American History, visiting the Hull House and the Pullman site were truely a learning experience. I had no idea who Jane Addams let alone that she had won the Nobel Peace Prize. My favorite part of the Chicago trip was visiting the Pullman district. I love architecture and seeing the efforts by the Pullman group to save these magnificant structures was truley amazing. I can't thank Danna Beck enough for putting this trip together and for both Dr. Wade Shaffer and Dr. Marty Kuhlman for joining and providing us their knowledge and expertise.

 

 

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Linda Comer:My first PACETAH trip was a wonderful experience. I would have a difficult time selecting a favorite part of the trip. Hull House and the Pullman site were both very interesting, and it was incredible to actually visit places that I teach in history. The Hull House book we read and Dr. Kuhlman's play gave us great background information for those two places. The visit to the Museum provided an excellent overview of Chicago and the events that have shaped history. At each of the locations, the people were knowledgeable and passionate about their subject. I also enjoyed the opportunity to get better acquainted with other teachers. Thanks Dana, Dr. Shaffer, and Dr. Kuhlman- this trip will help me be a better teacher.

 

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Bart Cadenhead: It was great to be back after a year out back into the grant.  Again I thought that we had a outstanding trip to Chicago.  Our visit to the Hull House and to the Pullman site were just outstanding places to visit.  If I had to choose which one was most meaningful to me it would have been the Pullman site.  I was amazed as to what Mr. Pullman had done.  Even if most people feel that he was wrong in how he treated his workers, I felt that he did so much for those who did work for him.  At the Pullman site I was impressed with the architecture and I enjoyed to tour of homes we were given.  I have to say thank you Dana for all of your efforts in putting all this together.  I  also  want to  say thank you to Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Kuhlman for all of their efforts and for going with us to Chicago.

 

 

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 Jan Weston:  Special thanks to Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Kuhlman for their time and expertise in making the Chicago trip a wonderful experience.  The play on the Pullman Strike was a lot of fun to watch but also gave good, insightful background.  George Pullman's planned industrial community was quite an experience!  I really enjoyed the walking tour and observing the architecture of the era.  The railroad memorabilia and trip through restored workshop was fascinating.  I know everyone who went to Chicago came away with a much fuller appreciation of the time.  Danna, these trips don't just happen by accident.  Your time and efforts have not gone unnoticed.  Thank you!

 

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Wink Clark:  As all of our trips have been, the trip to Chicago was most informative and a lot of fun.  The first day we went to Hull House.  It is hard to think that people lived in such utter squalor, but fortunately, people like Jane Adams dedicated their lives to helping immigrants and the poor to improve their lives.  The maps showing the where different nationalities lived and their earnings were very interesting.  I thought the Chicago Museum of History was outstanding (located on Clark St...of course!).  We got to see a visual history of Chicago as well as the artifacts representing different eras of the city.  I really enjoyed looking through the photographs in the archives ranging from the Jane Adams era to the gangster times of Al Capone.  The photos of the St Valentines Day Massacre were particulary graphic.  The Pullman site was excellent.  Although there is a lot of work to be done in restoring the Florence Hotel and the factory.  It is especially meaning to me to have actually viewed the locations where significant events in history have happened.  A great deal has been written about company towns, but George Pullman initially went above the average in building brick homes with running water and indoor plumbing.  Those homes are still in pretty good condition.  What made the trip particularly educational was having both Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Kuhlman with us to give us their insights.  It was good to have had Dr. Kuhlman's play about the Pullman Strike performed before we visited the Pullman site.  I don't teach this period of history in my classes, but I will be certain to get a lot of the information to those that do at my school.

 

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SARA Hamm:  I just recently finished the PACETAH workshop on Civil Rights and was very satisfied with the content learned and travel to Chicago that was included in the program.  Dr. Wade Schaffer and Dr. Marty Kuhlman were the two expert professors that  lectured on the topic stimulating my interest in the topic and preparing me for the visits to Hull House and the Pullman Factory site in Chicago.  It was so much fun walking the streets of the "town" founded by George Pullman, a real travel back in time to an historical site that one does not get to do in the panhandle of Texas.  That experience will add to so much more information and hopefully interest to my teaching of that period in history--one that largely goes ignored. Thanks for such a rewarding experience.

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Paige Artho:	The trip to Chicgao was great! This trip added to our resources and knowledge of the history surrounding social settlements. My favorite part of the trip was the walking tour of the neighborhood around the Chicago History Museum...the tour gave us first hand look at the historical homes and at the same time we got a history lesson on the great Chicago fire. The trip was outstanding and I gined information that will help discuss these events in class.
Rachel Huseman:	The trip to Chicago was another example of how helpful and worthwhile the grant is. Every trip we've taken has been to a city I've never visited, and Chicago was no exception. It's always nice to travel with other area teachers. It's a great way to get to know people that share my passion for history, as well as get new ideas. My favorite place we visited was the Chicago History Museum. The staff there had obviously prepared well for our visit, and they had lots of great ideas and tools we could use when we returned home. We also took a walking tour of the neighborhood, and that gave us a chance to see a side of Chicago the typical tourist doesn't see. I really enjoyed learning about the architecture of the area as well as the Chicago fire.
Sara Hamm:	The chicago trip was just another example of the extra-ordinary educational experiences I have had while a member of the PACETAH grant over the past five years. Going to Hull House and visiting the Pullman factory site was phenominal. I could never have expected to be able to go on my own. The information I experienced first hand goes beyond just what I have learned in a textbook. It can only have a profound effect on my teaching of the Progressive Era. I can finally make that time period more meaningful to my students. Thanks for such a worthwhile trip.

Larry Franks:  I have had a couple of weeks to think about the Chicago trip and the one thing that sticks out to me is difference in my life in rural Hartley and the urban setting of a major city like Chicago.  All the sites we visited were extremely interesting.  It will be fun to try and relate this to my classes.  It was a big help to have Wade and Marty with us.  It was very interesting how all the sites we vistited had such historical value and how the city struggles with preservation and modernization.  The Hull house was a great example.  Here sat what was left of the settlement house right in the middle of a Huge university.  The same goes for the Pulllman site.  It was huge.  I left the site with this thought.  The actual assembley plant was having to be refurbeshed while all the houses were still in use and very much lived in.  Lunch at the Florence and Les's lecture were extremely interesting.  Les says he smells another depression.  Guess it is all about the money.  These trips make all the sites and people in our textbooks seem more real.  I will try my best to pass this on to the students.   On a side note.   Wrigley field was GREAT...  Cubs win, Cubs win, Cubs win!

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Rusty Phares: I have been apart of the grant for a number of years and each year just get better and better.  I truly wish I could have been on the New York trip but my brother had to be a little selfish and get married during that one.  But I can say this - the grant has given me opportunities to see and visit places  I never thought I would get a chance to see.  I have been to Chicago once before, but I didn't have the time to check the city out like we did on this trip.  Seeing the Sears Tower, enjoying a night on the Navy Pier, walking the Pullman site and visiting Hull house.  Just like my students, these are places that I would have thought I would only see and read about in books.  Learning about the Pullman site and Hull House from the people who know it best was awesome.   Seeing the site of the Haymarket Square bombing was great too (except for the guy eating lunch who seemed put out that we were there in the first place).  And  of course having Dr. Schaffer and Dr. Kuhlman giving background to alot of the city was fantastic.  I have so many things that I want to show and teach my students now.  This grant has been a blessing to my teaching career.  Being able to visit these places with my fellow grant participants has been a blessing as well.  You all are great.  Thank you Dana for all of your hard work and patience with putting these excursions.  As an added bonus - Singing the 7th Inning Stretch with 42,000 people in Wrigley Field is an  experience like no other!! Cubs Win!! 

 

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 David Hutchison:  The trip to Chicago was a great educational experience.   I enjoyed seeing the sites of great historical importance such as the Haymarket square and the Pullman factory.   Driving by the site of the old stock exchange was also a thrill.   I also enjoyed the game at Wrigley Field.  And getting to see the old loop and riding the "L" train was a highlight.  The old row houses and the history of these neighborhoods are a great story.   I hope enjoyed the visit to Hull House and all of the stories related to these sites.   The importance of Chicago to the industrial revolution of the 1870's- 90's  makes this trip important in understanding what we teach.   Once again the grant has expanded my understanding by seeing the most important historical sites in Chicago.

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DorothyHulsey:

Never having visited Chicago, I was very grateful to explore this interesting city with the PACETAH grant group. I continue to learn so much from the accompanying professors and fellow educators. I feel my teaching is greatly enriched by this unique opportunity to study first-hand the Progressive Era reform movements and the historical development of Chicago. So many things were impressive--to actually be in a part of Jane Addams' Hull House. To explore the old neighborhood near the Chicago History Museum, as well as the museum itself. I loved most getting to just experience the feel of a vibran history. My classes will be better informed by me about the Progressive Era, and the heritage of the city of Chicago.