The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-29
THURSDAY, MAY %. 1919.
vBRMoNr's RURAL PROBLEM.

The farmer 5 wife calls for a square
deal It is more Of silent appeal TO
the public sense of justice than fretful
nagging Of the husband for a better
and more convenient home. There has
been great deal of improvement in
Farm homes in the last quarter of a
century hut it has not been 50 general
as it should have been. Every good
farm should have good house for the
family home and can afford one. In
fact, it cannot afford to go longer with
out good home
In most. Gases- Engagement of farm
homes viii mean repairs and re-arrahge-
ment Of the present buildings but in
more cases than is generally believed
the construction OF new house would
be cheaper and more satisfactory. No
good farm should longer put up with a
one story house. Suitable sleeping
/ quarters cannot be provided under q
low, hot roof In many eases there are
comfortable sleeping rooms on the first
floor bat such an arrangement requires
too much ground space to be easily
cared for or economically hca ID in vim
ter, A two story house with comfort
ably large and cheerfully lighted rooms
would be much more satisfactory.
Bailding of new Or remodelHng Of old
houses should not be undertaken until
the intelligent women on the farm have
| developed plan that will make it con
venicnt for the housework the wife has
to do therein. How many times voa
hear intelligent women say Some man
planned this house . When asked why
they think so they will point out the
Ill arrangement of the rooms and the
multiplicity of steps necessary to do the
work in the house II is hard to esti
mate the conservation of woman
strength that intelligentiy arranged
rooms, stoves, cupboards, sinks and
tables would effect
The farmer S wife should no more be
required to carry water around her house
than the farmer himself is carrying It
about his barns. She should have run
ming water up stairs and down, set tubs
for her laundry and just as clean and
sanitary toilet room as the woman liv
ing in a village or city In fact, every
good farm should have on it such de-
~irabla and convenient home that when
the farmer and his wife grow old or get
comfortably we'll Of" they win not
, desire to leave the home for village
or city residence.
~ can't afford it the farmer de-
clarcs and too often eve can afford
it reveals the wife 5 acquiescence to
her unfortunate surroundings But any
device that viii save the labor of won-
an is just as profitable as labor saving
machinery out doors. Comfortable
quarters for tile live stock bring no
better financial returns than comfortable
homes for the women and the men also.
The man who will provide comfort
able and attractive home on his farm re-
lieves himself from the spirit of discon-
tent and hostility to farm life Women
do not dislike farm life so much as
they do old, cold, inconvenient houses
ana the endless drudsery they impose
upon farmers wives.
Woman is as essential to successful
farming and attractive farm life as the
man and. if the farmer win give her
an equal chance with himself ana his
animals, she win become the most prof
table partner in his business he can
find. The rendering of full justice to
the wives of the good farmers on the