The Colorado statesman., 1924-02-23


crease the comforts of country living
in the United States, to lind means to
make more contented the people who
were living at distance from the pop
ulous centers, and to do other things
in behalf of the ruralite.
There was some resentment at the
time the appointment of the commits
sion was suggested, but II died away,
and when few of the findings had
been given place In the public prints
there was general applause of the eff
fort.
The report of the rural life commits
sion finally was printed by private sub
scrlption, but 1t never received the
circulation that would have been given
it If the government had put 1t out as
u public document.
Now there has been Incorporated
noncommercial organization with Her
bert Hoover as president for the pur-
pose Of securing better homes for all
the people of the United States who
need them. This effort is not to be
confined to the rural communities
where, as a matter of fact, many II
not most of the homes are better than
those TO be found In the cities.
Better Homes Week Announced.
DR.. james Ford, now on leave of alb
sence from Harvard university, is tho
executive director of the organization.
His aim is "to help the man of small
income to learn how to live in more
comfort, more health, and with more
1t Ill ,,,-tIt I'd
the home as the center Of interest.
The week of May Ills has been des-
ignated as Better Homes Week
Communities are being organized on
nationwide scale to prepare exhibits
of homes properly planned, built ana
furnished. 1t is said that no CONNER
cial features of any kind will attend
the exhibits and that all efforts will
be confined to services for the indi-
vldual home owners in the communi-
ties at large.
To the guide book of the Better
Homes plan Herbert Hoover has writ
ten a foreword. He says among other
things:
",There is danger that the shortage
of homes which was occasioned by the
great war and the increasing drift TO
the cities may deprive an Increasingly
large portion of our population OF the
inestlmable values which lie in the
true homes. Through organizations,
however, 1t is possible to increase the
amount of available housing. 1t Is
possible and desirable also to maintain
and develop high standards, not only
.t.,,, nd nrt hrIt
also of privacy and beauty which may
be expressed in the house itself, Its
equipment and its surroundings"
Zone definite objective" Doctor
Ford said in outlining the purposes OF
the movement, twill be the inclusion
in high school curricula of required
courses in home-making and the care
of home. The one sure product OF
every school is an army of men and
women who will head homes, yet for
this most important function in life
there Is often not even pretense OF
practical training"
Bits of Valuable Advice.
A host of simple but collectively Inn
portant ways to improve small homes
are being recommended by the group
behind the new organization that aid
ed informally in the setting up of APP
proximately 1000 Better Homes ex-
hbits in 1923.
Here are some of the prosalc bits of
advice:
Put the kitchen sink under a win
dow so that the homemaker may en-
10y the fresh air and the beauty of
nature while engaged at necessary
household tasks.
Put rollers on the kitchen table and
save about fifteen miles Of walking u
month for the housewife.
Place your bed in relation to the
bedroom windows so that you can have
plenty of fresh air without draft.
Dedicate the sunny south bedroom
TO your children instead of to occa-
sional guests.
Build your house so that the living
room and dining room constitute one
big room. Then your daughter can
have dances, parties and other social
events at home instead of somewhere
else.
Give the housewife the share of the
living expense money which should
come under her jurisdiction, and let
her be responsible for the budgeting
of it.
Dor C,o,,S M1,,op,orf