Civilization is a method of living, an attitude of equal respect for all men.

While her friends soon left the arena too horrified by the great bloody gore of the event to remain Addams stayed mesmerized by what Jane Addams saw as an exotic cultural tradition. Its facilities included a night school for adults kindergarten classes clubs for older children a public kitchen an art gallery a coffeehouse a gym a girls' club a bathhouse a book bindery a music school a drama group and a library as well as labor-related divisions. She still felt confused about her role as a woman though.

She said that if women were to be responsible for cleaning up their communities and making them better places to live they needed the vote to be effective in doing so. She is increasingly recognized as a member of the American pragmatist school of philosophy.