Working at a regional history museum, I often find myself with what I call “history crushes,” people whose stories make me want to know why they did what they did.
Jane Addams, the founder of Hull House in Chicago, has long been one of those figures, and she’s led me to my latest history crush, Cora Hamilton. Unlike Jane, who graduated from Rockford College in 1881, Cora didn’t have an advanced degree. But both women had fathers who supported their education and were avid readers.
My history crushes are built on seeing my experiences in the stories of others. I, too, have a father who was adamant about the importance of education. Picture this: we had a chalkboard in the kitchen where math problems were solved while dinner was being made.
Even with a college degree, Jane Addams faced limited opportunities. In 1889, she opened Hull House, providing medical care, education, housing, and job assistance to immigrant communities. She and her colleagues used their education to develop innovative approaches to social reform, including training in the arts.
That made me wonder: were women seeking similar opportunities in McDonough County? I found my answer in the first wave of college-educated women who taught at the Western Illinois State Normal School, where they found intellectual and social engagement and greater independence.
In 1902, Cora Hamilton accepted the offer to serve as the Normal School’s first Principal. And like Jane, and her fellow companions, they chose to set aside marriage, and work for social change. Cora and her fellow educators left opportunities in cities for rural Illinois, dedicating their lives to teaching.
Fortunately, Cora left behind a memoir about her life. In it, her dedication to education becomes apparent. She writes, “At seventeen, with short curly hair and my first long dress, I began my teaching in a country school. It was regarded as a tough school and enrolled fifty-seven pupils, ten of them my senior in age.’
Some 20 years later, she describes arriving in Macomb and working with her fellow teachers. She writes, “We were quartered in the Pace Hotel, and there for a month, we lived like one large family. Several hundred citizens of Macomb gave a formal reception, which made us feel at home.
Cora Hamilton spent the next 20 years helping shape what would become Western Illinois University. Like Jane Addams, who used the arts to inspire social change, Cora found creative ways to engage her students. She wrote, “Work with the hands helps to clarify the work with books.”
I would have felt right at home in Cora’s classroom. In my early education, hands-on projects were where I thrived, especially in art class. Through making art, I found my way to art history books.
There’s still so much more to learn about these women, and I’m sure there are more history crushes to come. I think Cora saw writing her memoir as another way to teach. And it has. Because she documented her life, we now have insight into the women who became teachers, finding the meaningful work and independence they sought. It also reminds us that what isn’t documented cannot be known or remembered.
Like Cora, I’ve made Macomb my home. Cora’s example reinforces the importance of documenting and sharing our stories, and I’m reminded that I’m not alone in the pursuit of lifelong learning. Can you see why I have a crush on her?
I’ll leave you with Cora’s own inspiring words, encouraging us all to keep learning, “Every person you meet knows at least one thing better than you do. Find out what it is, and get them to tell you.”
Sue Scott is Director of the Western Illinois Museum in Macomb.
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of TSPR or its license holder, Western Illinois University.
Diverse opinions are welcomed and encouraged.