Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-05-21
LADIES' COLUMN.
THE HOPED FOR SOLUTION.

Every spring we are forced to con-
slider again the blindness of the arch
fleets who plan without considering
the real wants of the people for whom
they are planning, when the future
occupants are to be tenants, not own
ers-the helpless thousands who have
but one house where their personal
needs are considered, and, as they
are dead before this consideration is
shown them, they do not enjoy it.
The apartment house of to day, with
it's closets and sub closets, never
meets the needs of the family that
hires it. With hopeless patience
families float from one Apartment to
another, vaguely hoping that the OBJ
jectionable features will be less OBJ
jectionable in the new than they were
in the old apartment; each moving
reveals that the difference is in kind,
not degree. The kitchens in apart
ments within the reach of even a
three thousand year income are un-
bearable. If stationary wash tubs,
range, and boiler were removed, it
would be possible for human being
happiness. But it would take sala-
mander to endure the kitchen Of the
average modern apartment house in
summer. A range, and boiler heated
to 'the boiling point, fill one side of
the kitchen, and the occupants back,
when at work, may possibly be two
feet away from one or the other point
of discomfort. When one considers
how great factor comfort is in the
moral development of the human
race, one can not wonder that the do
nestle problem has assumed the pro-
portion it has. There is this same
disregard shown in the planning Of
many country houses. The kitch-
ems are too small, and no provision
is made for the laundry outside the
kitchen. The servants rooms are fire.
quently small and without closets,
and placed without regard to secur-
ing comparative comfort either in
winter or summer.
This disregard Of the humanities be-
gets like disregard, land the servants,
like the jewellers in apartments,
change to reduce the discomfort.
Nor is this Indifference to convenience
confined to the kitchens and serv-
ants rooms. In an Eastern city
blocks of So called model houses have
been put up that rent for above the
average American family's income.
The buffers pantries in these houses
are without closets, and all but two
of the closets in these houses have
drawers that are SO high that dress
skirt thirty inches long could not
hang clear Of the top of the drawers.
Women should be consulted on every
plan designed for the home of fam
lily; they should be the consulting
partners of every firm Of architects,
if not active members. When this
fortunate arrangement is accomplish
ed, we shall no longer occupy houses
that have no places for the necessary
furniture. Kitchens will be so ar
ranged as to be livable in, servants
will be housed like human beings, and
sleeping rooms will not be closets for
the storage of human beings at night.
Pretentious people will have learned
that the test of good breeding is not
matter of brass finishings, stained
glass, and hard wood floors, confined
to drawing room, library, and music
room, that together would make one
good-sized room, but in the division
of space for which rent is paid.