The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-11-16
A Woman Planning Her Own
-, House.
From the New York Tribune.

from tie New York Tribune
There are comparatively few women
who plan their own houscs. The ma.
jority>are content and must be content
to live rs the hermit crab does, in hab-
1tation made by another, adapting her
self as best she muy to it's shape, and
abandoning it when she finds another
more commodious. There are women,
however, WHO have the privilege of PLAN
ming their own houses, and at the sug-
gestion and request of some of these the
following hints are given. +.t
The first question to he considered,
and we speak particularly of country
houses, is the site, and this divides itself
naturally into healthulness of location
and beauty Of view. The perfect drain
age Of the house should be first pro-
vided for, and it should Se 80 placed
with respect to outhouses and barns that
they cannot by any possibility con-
taminate the air of the dwelling.
During the months when the temper
allure within doors is higher than that
without, by natural consequences the
ground air is drawn more into the house
If there arc swamps or stagnant pools be
contiguous to Il dwelling, the inmates
may be kept sick all the y.ar round.
All such nuisances should be summed
or abated. On clnv soils 1t may be nee
essary TO underdrain to secure drvness
and healthfulness in the site. But it is
better to pay money for tiles than for
drugs. Much OF the healthtulness ofthe
house depends on its position with &c.
spect to the points of the compass. II
10 located that the sun pours into the
rooms where the family pass most OF
their waking and sleeping hours a great
gain will be made. Sunshine is trans
mitted by the body into health and
cheerfulness, into virtue and happiness
Shelter from the prevailing cold winds
is also properly included in this part OF
the SUBJECT. however carefully the
house is built, if it is of wood, the wind
will find it's way in, and that means
coughs, colds, sore Threats, rheumatism.
The air must Of course be freely admit
ted, but it should be compelled to come
In ut the proper inlets, and not ''like a
thief to steal, to kill and destroy.V !
row of rapidly growing trees may be set
out AZ a. protection against wind, if that
Is desirable or necessary. ff-
These points secured, beauty of view
Is next In order. And here It NAV be
remarked that the windows of manv
barn command lovelier landscape views
than do those of the house to which the
barn belongs. Perhaps horses and COWS
and sheep appreciate fine landscapes rs
we'll as human beings do; we can but
think, however, that the latter should
have, Grst choice. There is money in
these days in fine views. Many an old
farmhouse has been. enriched during
the year because it afforded lovely land
scape views from its windows, and there
by attracted city boarders. -
As to the planning Of the house. that
depends entirely on the kind of family
people should be planned with special
reference for their needs; one for q
growing family must be planned accord.
ingly. If servants are to form a bart Of
the household, suitable provision must
lie made for their accommodation. 4
house may be planned go as to meet all
these needs.
The usual way Of drawing o house plan
is to decide first upon its dimensions and
then proceed to cut it up into rooms to
the best advantage. In cities where land
is sold by the square inch, this mode Of
procedure is necessary, but in the coun.
try where q man can have half an acre,
if need be, for mis- house, there is no
need Of scrimping land. In cities we
must build into the sky as far as safety
will permit, on account of the costliness
Of land, b,t in the country what sense is
there in having:a house over two stories
in heiRht?: The first room to be planned
is the family living room, and the other
rooms should he arranged With refer
enos to this. This central room ahonid