Eleanor J. Stebner

It is inappropriate to apply late-twentieth-century standards to nineteenth-century persons. People must be understood in relation to their own time and historical judgments need to be historically grounded. This does not mean, however, that contemporary critiques are unnecessary or irrelevant. Acknowledging limitations and past injustices is crucial, and provides insight for our present culture and our attempts to create a more just society. p 25

Many people criticized Hull House because they perceived its work to be inconsistent...
Hull House supported nursery facilities for working mothers, yet it also advocated societal changes which would render working mothers unnecessary for family survival. It did not support relief or charity as essentially helpful to the poor, yet it found itself distributing relief during times of economic strife. Inconsistency is contradictory to the movement toward institutionalization The policy set forth in the settlement's charter was not meant to curtail actions or to make them consistent, but to encompass the many activities deemed necessary in a complex society.
p 150