The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-02-20
BETTER RURAL HOMES
FARM ARCHITECT POINTS OUT
HOW THEY CAN BE BUILT.
More Care Should Be Taken For In
creasing Comfort and Lessening
Labor of the Housewife.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-The i'm
portance to the farmer Of having an
economical farm house has been
emphasized by the farm architect OF
the department of agriculture, who
states that the mental and physical
| fitness of the labOrers, both within
the house and in the fields, are vital
| lv affected by the building that at
fords the family shelter. The aver
age American farm house has failed
to share in the improvements that
are every day being made in agri-
cultural conditions and, according to
| the architect, is rebuke to our
boosted civilization. Relat vely, he
says, the housewife of a century ago
with her fireplace cooking and log
cabin was better provided for than
is the housewife of today.
Home Is Important.
The most important building on
farm is the home. The health, COM
fort and happiness of the family are
dependent upon it's construction and
equipment, and unless these matters
are looked after the sanitary dairy
| barn or the economically constructed
| buildings for stock are of little val
ue. Happiness and contentment IN
| the family are 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 her family
rooms, she is not, as rule, capable
| of planning a house in the highest
degree serviceable and comfortable
without assistance. Her help, how
ever, is essential to the farm archt-
tect, as the result of his plans most
vitality concern her.
| In 1910 a Western farm paper, at
the suggestion of the department OF
agriculture, conducted competition
| for farm house plans. About $50
plans of farm houses were submitted,
not one of which was fully satisfac-
tory. The larger number insisted on
some particular pet notion and en-
phasized a single feature to the neg
| lect of other important ones. Inc
men and women who familiarize
themselves with the work to be done
and then apply themselves to the
single task or devising means are the
ones who with the cooperation of
the farmers and their wives can best
handle the farm house problem.
Cost Is Considered.
One of the most important details
regarding the average American farm
house is that it must be inexpensive.
The average annual net income Of
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 intelligent
ly planned with the help of vines,
shrubs and trees, become the prett1-
! est 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
farms increased by more than ga
600 during the last decade. Today
little more than half the farms in
this country are operated by the
| owners.
To Economic Housewives Strength
The possible economy in household
labor and the conservation OF the
| strength of the housewife are two
important factors to be considered in
the construction Of a farm house.
| Pleasant and comfortable farm
homes tend to hold the families to-
gether; but the cherries, unl0Vable
and unsanitary houses drive boys
and girls to the cities. Investigation
of prisons, insane asylums and
houses of correction seem to prove
the fact that the sins which account
for the existence Of these institutions
are often bred in inadequate and I'M
! happy farm homes. So this social
aspect of the problem is considera-
Bile.
The public is awakening to the
| fact that better farm houses are
needed, and the special feature which
many farm papers now issue as q
| house building number proves it,
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
| if possible practical improvements
for the benefit of the farmers homes.
! Certain features are often over
| looked in providing economical ar
rangements for the household when
they might be easily provided Tor.
One of the specialists Of the Office
Of farm management learned from Il
woman in Pennsylvania who had
! broken down from overwork that she
had been carrying coal from the BAN
for years. When the husband was
asked if there was any reason why
coal bunker could not have been pro
vided near the cook stove and filled
directly from the wagon he answered
that there was none, but that no one
had ever thought Of it. This one de-
tail has been found neglected in 9TH
er cases where it could have been
easily remedied. if only some one
had thought of it.
Look Afr Beauty.