Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-02-23
THE FAIR CRITIC
Homes Are Built to Please the
Architect, Not the Housewife.


sinks Hung Toe Low, Coal Bins Near
: the Laundry Tubs Instead Of the Fur
4, mace and Doors That Open the Wrong
Way Are Breaking Up Homes.
Criticistng the architects plan Of
most modern houses, one woman says:
y 1.-The stove Is In a corner-lovely
situate land right beside the win
dow, SO that one either goes without
afr or has the gas blow out every other
minute.
Il 1.-The sink, which is about six inches
too low, is also IN corner, with only
one draining board, so that after WHIP
Ing dish one has to turn completely
around to place 1t on a table behind.
Also, II one wants combination spigot
one pays to have 1t put In, because l
have yet to see a sink that was fitted.
"Why are we afflicted with the beau
tiful green tiled spaces In the wall un-
der the mantelpieces? / do not care
for mantlepieces anyway, and L GER
tainly do not admire the sheet OF metal
in bronze effect that is supposed TO
conceal the fireplace that isn't there.
"Why are the washtubs within six
feet of the furnace, so that every time
one shakes the furnace or puts on a
spoonful Of coal the Clothes are busted
In this connection why Is there no al
lowance for coal bin somewhere near
the furnace? My bin is at the other
end Of the cellar, and although may
start from the bin with shovel OF
coal 1 arrive at the furnace with three
humps.
MY gas hot water heater is In the
cellar to be near the laundry tubs In
stead Of the kitchen, although l wash
dishes three times day and clothes
only once a week.
81 have lovely glass chandeliers for
electric lights, but there is no provision
for gas in the dining room, living room
and front hall, so that when the cleo
tricity fails / retire to the kitchen.
THE light In my pantry Is so high
that have to climb on chair to light
1t. do not recommend climbing with
Il baby In one arm.
haNC III
downstairs. but upstairs these relies
still interrupt me every time ! try to
make a clean sweep
"A spigot Is placed at the water en-
trance to the house to enable one to
cut off the water but there is no way
to cut it of only upstairs. So that when
one has anything fixed upstairs in the
bathroom the cook in the kitchen and
the laundress in the cellar are left with.
out drop Of water. 1t should be only
a matter of couple of stopcocks
Doors that open the wrong way
are ever present. Hospitals have round
corners-why not houses? Why is the
best place In the room always selected
for the radiator?
MY stairs are so situated that one
climbs over the hall radiator to get
there, and the possibility of hall rack
Is absolutely ignored-mine is In the
dining room-also they are beautifully
wainscoted part Of the way down, SO
that the baby has no banister to hold
to for several feet and usually falls
that distance.
ut is one reason why so many wo.
men after giving up In despair trying
to keep domestics In houses go to
housekeeping In apartments and then.
finding the last state worse than the
first, give up wrestling with the do
nestle labor problem altogether and go
to living In hotels. Saving In house
planning involves the very saving OF
the home itself"