Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1914-02-06
FARM HOUSES


ohio states that the mental and physi-
cal fitness of the laborers, both with
IN the house and in the fields, are
vitality affected by the building that
affords the family shelter. The aver
ace American farm home has failed
70 share in the improvements that
are every day being made in agricul-
trial conditions and, according to
the architect, is a rebuke to our
boasted civilization. Relatively, he
saws. the housewife of a century ago,
with her fireplace cooking and log
cabin, was better provided for than
is the housewife today.
The most important building on q
farm is the home. The health, COM
fort and happiness of the family are
dependent upon its construction and
equipment, and unless these matters
are looked after the sanitary dairy
barn or the economically constructed
buildings for stock are of little value.
Happiness and contentment in the
family are as essential to efficient
service as improved tools and out
buildings.
Although the housewife spends, in
many cases, a lifetime in her work
shop" the kitchen and the family
rooms, she is not, as a rule, capable
of planning a house in the highest
degree serviceable and comfortable
without assistance. Her help, how
ever, is essential to the farm archi-
tect as the result of his plans most
vitality concerns her.
In 1910 a western farm paper, at
the suggestion of the department of
agriculture, conducted a competition
for farm house plans. About $50
plans of farm houses were submitted,
not one of which was fully salts
factory. The larger number insisted
on some particular pet notion and
emphasized a single feature to the
neglect of other important ones. The
men and women who familiarize
themselves with the work to be done
and then apply themselves to the sin
gle task of devising means, are the
ones who, with the cooperation of
the farmers, and their wives, can best
handle the farm house problem.
One of the most important details
regarding the average American farm
house is that it must be inexpensive.
The average annual net income of a
farmer today after deducting five
per cent interest on his investment, is
less than $500. This does not mean
that the houses may not be attractive.
They may, if intelligently planned
with the help of vines, shrubs and
trees, become the prettiest spots in
the landscape, and more beautiful
and inexpensive than the crowded
city houses.
The tenant-house problem is grow
ing in Importance, as can be seen
from the fact that the number of
rented farms increased by more than
$4,000 during the last decade. To
day little more than half the farms in
this country are operated by the
owners.
The possible economy in household
labor and the conservation of the
strength of the housewife are two i'm
portant factors to be considered in
the construction of farm house.
Pleasant and com Portable farm homes
tend to hold families together; but
the cherries, ENJOYABLE and unsani-
tary houses drive boys and girls to
the cities. Investigation of prisons,
insane asylums and houses of cor
rect1on, seem to prove the fact that
the sins which account for the exist
ence of these institutions are often
bred in inadequate and unhappy farm
homes. So this social aspect of the
problem is considerable.
The public is awakening to the
TACT that better farm houses are
needed; and the special feature
which many farm papers now issue
as a House Building Number"
proves its interest to thousands of
readers.
The office of farm management of
the department of agriculture has
now undertaken to investigate this
problem Systematically and to evolve,
IL possible, practical improvements
Tor the benefit of the farm er's home.
Certain features are often over
looked in providing economical ar
engagements for the household when
they might be easily provided for.
one OF the specialists of the office of
farm management learned from a
woman in Pennsylvania, who had
broken down from overwork, that
she mad been carrying coal from the
Darn for years. When the husband