Special Collections and Archives   Tags: archives, history, primary_sources  

The Anna Kadlec Papers

The featured collection this month is the Anna Kadlec Papers. The Kadlec Papers contain information pertaining to the settlement house movement in Chicago during the early twentieth century; in particular, the University of Chicago Settlement House. In addition, the researcher will find information about Miss Mary McDowell, who was an early advocate of the settlement house movement in Chicago. Also available are various pamphlets and articles from Anna’s days as a student at the University of Chicago as well as information about the Morris Packing Company in Chicago, where Anna was employed after graduation from college in 1917.

Anna Koutecky was born in Chicago on August 9, 1894, the first child of an immigrant couple from Czechoslovakia. In 1923 Anna married Frank Kadlec (1889-1938), a physician at Chicago’s Jackson Park Hospital. They had two children, Nancy and Bonnie. (You will find more on Anna Koutecky-Kadlec’s life in the biographical file, f.19.)

Anna worked at the University of Chicago Settlement House. With her knowledge of five languages, she quickly caught the eye of Mary McDowell, and became Miss McDowell’s assistant. While at the settlement Anna also worked closely with Jane Addams of Hull House. Anna claimed that Addams and McDowell were training her to take over the Settlement House. During this time period she also attended the University of Chicago. Upon graduation, Anna received a fellowship to study the employment of women in the meat packing industry at Morris Packing Company in Chicago. Ms. Koutecky was then employed in industrial relations for the same company from 1918- 1923.

Following her marriage, she took some time off to raise her children but later received her teaching certification and went back to work as a teacher at the Betsy Ross School in the 1930s. Mrs. Kadlec then went to the Tonti School in Chicago where she taught until 1960. In 1960, Anna moved to Richmond, KY where she taught at the Miller School for a year. She then taught at the EKU Model School for four years. Anna lived in Richmond until her death on August 30,1991 at age 97.

The following are links to various items in the collection.

• A Report of the Immigration Committee of the Women's Trade Union League of Chicago
• Hull House Yearbook - 1916
• Jane Addams? Hang the Traitor! many cried
• Mary M'Dowell is Dead; Loved by Immigrants
• To the Anti Saloon League, letter from Mary Petty
• Anna Kadlec Obituary
• Anna Kadlec Oral History Transcription
• Photographs at flickr.com