The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-02-10
WOMANS PART IN
FUTURE BUILDING
Housewives Will Have Voice in Plan
ming Homes Constructed Under
Government Direction.

Women are to be consulted in the
planning of homes in after-the war
building, according to the announced
policy of the United States Housing cor
pOration. For the centers of industry,
where the government is interested in
assuring good conditions, the value OF
advice and suggestions from housewives
viii be sought,
when our men want to find ont what
plan to follow in building a workman S
home they usually talk it over with
headquarters" according TO a statement
by the United States Housing corpora.
ton. headquarters they find invari'
ably in the kitchen. The greatest hous-
ing experts are the housewives them
selves. They know when arrangements
are convenient and where steps may be
saved in the daily routine Of work. Many
Of our standards representing the great
est convenience and the greatest beauty
that the money invested will buy are the
result of home.need suggestions from
women.
in all building projects the govern
ment's standards have been placed on a
high plane. The. women of the country
will see to it that in future private de
velopment must measure up to these
standards. All specifications for drain.
age, ventilation, lighting and kitchen
fittings must be maintained on the pres.
emit level No slump back into the pre-.
war tenement will be tolerated by the
workers. In all future building projects
whether sponsored by the government
or by individuals, every house will be
required to have a maximum Of light
and air.
THE average citizen, supported by the
women of his household. is demanding
improved home. building and this will, OF
course, influence all future building OPP
erations. From now on consideration OF
the housing question must be primarily
from the point of view of the housewife
Consequently, labor-saying devices will
be increasingly stressed. Landlords have
learned that it can be just as profitable
to own well-kept properties as it is to
own dilapidated tenements, or vacant
lots filled with rubbish or billboards,
THE United States Housing corpor.
alton, however, has not adopted any Ito.
plan building scheme. II has simply
recognized that the efficiency of the
workmen is seriously deprecated if he
and his family must live in unsanitary
dwellings 1t has been proved that il
he is to work to his best capacity he
must be not only we'll housed but housed
adequately and comfortably within rea
sonabIe distance from the workshop and
at a rental he will be able TO pay.
Industrial housing is a comparatively
new proposition ir America 1t is an old
one in England. and in many ways it has
been adequately solved. the problem
there is now largely dealt with from
the woman's angle. Recently the first
interim report of the woman's housing
committee in London, appointed by the
ministry of construction, has outlined
many points of interest to house plan.
ners in this country. This report urges
the Importance of a good outlook from
the family sitting room, where the moth
err and children pass so much of theiI
lives Recommendation is made that in
obtaining light and outlook the sitting
room should be given the advantage
over parlor or other rooms. Six rooms
including living room, parlor, kitchen
and three bedroos, two of which are
large enough to hold two beds, are pro
nounced essential for a family home
The committee approves of minimum
of 500 cubic feet for each adult and 2j(
cubic feet for each child under 10 years
Of age"