Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-02-06
/. THE KITCHEN

THE KITCHEN
The Most Important Room In the
Farm House. Government Farm
Architect Points Out Importance OF
Comfortable Home For the Farmer
The Importance to the farmer OF
having an economical farm house has
been emphasized by the farm archi-
tect of the Department of Agricul-
ture, who states that the mental and
physical fitness of the laborers both
within the house and in the fields are
vitality affected by the building that
affords the family shelter. The av-
erage American farm home has failed
to share in the improvements that are
every day being made in agricultural
conditions and, according to the arch
itect, is a rebuke to our boasted CIV
ilization. Relatively, he says, the
housewife Of a century ago with her
fireplace cooking and log cabin was
better provided for than is the house
wife today.
The most important building on a
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; lifetime in her "work-
shop" the kitchen and the family
rooms, she is not, as a rule, capable
of planning 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
vitally concerns her.
In 1910 western farm paper, al
the suggestion of the Department OF
Agriculture, conducted competition
for farm house plans. About 66C
plans of farm houses were submltted
mot one of which was fully satisfac-
tory. The largest number insisted or
some particular pet notion and EN-
phasized a single feature to the neg
lect Of other important ones. The
men and women who familiarize
themselves with the work to be, done
and then apply themselves to the
single 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 9
farmer today, after deducting five pei
cent interest on his investment, is
less than $400. This does not mean
that the houses may not be attrac,
tive. 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 more than 4,OOt
during the last decade. Today little
more than half the farms In this
country are operated by the owners.
To Economic the Strength Of ths
Housewife
The possible economy in household
labor and the conservation Of ths
strength Of the housewife are two
| important factors to be considered il
the construction of farm house
Pleasant and comfortable farm
homes tend to hold families together
but the cheerless, unloyable and in
sanitary houses drive boys and girl!
to the cities. Investigation of pris
ons, insane asylums and houses o.
correction, seem to prove the fact tina
the sins which account for the exist
ence of these institutions are Otter
bred in inadequate and unhappy farm
homes. So this social aspect OF th'
problem is considerable.
| The public is awakening to the fac
that better farm houses are needed
and the special feature which man!
farm papers now issue as "Hous'
Building Number" proves its interes
to thousands of readers.
| The Office of Farm Management O.
the Department of Agriculture ma
now undertaken to investigate thi
problem systematically, and to evolve
if possible, practical improvement
for the benefit of the farmers home.
| Certain features are often overlook
ed in providing economical arrange
ments for the household when the.
might be easily provided for: One o
the specialists Of the Office Of Farm
Management learned from a womal
| in Pennsylvania, who had broken dow
from overwork that she had been car
rying coal from the barn for years
When the husband was asked if ther
was any reason why a coal bunke
could not have been provided near tn
cookstove and filled directly from tn
wagon, he answered that there wa
none, but that no one had ever though
of it. This one detail has been foun
neglected in other cases where
could have been easily remedied,
only someone had thought of it.
After economy in the constructor
Of the building and in the house wor
has been attained, attention will b
given to developing beauty. Simple
ity in line and good proportions ar
meant by the use of this word beau
ty, and not so-called applied lorna
ments". This simplicity is entirel
in keeping with general plan o
economy.
Economy, however, is not syno
nym for cheapness. Double strengt
glass may even be more economical ]
a tenant house than single strength
notwithstanding it's greater first cos
A kitchen sink may be paying ir
vestment although it excludes a ba
window or a fireplace, which has bee
the pet notion of the housewife
y CONTINUED on page Eight