San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-23
BETTER HOMES IN AMERICA
BEGINS TO MOBILIZE ITS
ARMY OF HOME MAKERS
National Educational Institution Headed by Herbert
Hoover Lays Plans for Better Homes Week May
IL to 1910 Attack National Shortage of
Homes, Inconvenience and Ugliness.


material company, will build a better
home from the ground up. The house
will be planned by the mechanical
drawing department of the school, as
sisted BY the departments of art, do
nestle science and other classes. The
actual work of construction will be
done by the boys of the woodworking
department. When completed this
Better Home will be equipped and
furnished, and opened to the public
during Better Homes week, after
which it will be sold to pay costs.
Other high schools and public schools
are planning TO participate In Better
| Homes demonstrations.
Some Interesting Contests. :.
Another popular type of contest this
year promises to be along the lines
introduced by st. Helena Island.
South Carolina. winner of the second
prize in the 1928 contest. This DEM
onstration illustrated in an. impress.
siye way what can be accomplished
by communities with only little
money to spend in Better Homes
demonstration, but a real desire to
make it of the utmost possible value
TO the community. Since the popula-
ton of the island is largely negro,
typical negro home was selected.
The only architectural change made
was the construction Of bathroom,
BY partitioning off part Of the back
porch. This bathroom, equipped with
tin wash tub with outlet and faucet
of running water, towel racks, shelves
for the washbowl and pitcher, and
a medicine cabinet, cost less than So.
The appearance of the house was COM
pietely changed inside and out with
paint, whitewash and simple hangings.
It's furniture was almost entirely
home made, constructed by the boys
in the school shops, or made by the
| girls as a part of their class work
only the bed, stove. bathroom equip
ment, kitchen utensils and dishes were
OF the re-bought variety. The to-
| tai cost of the house and furnishings
was S1113.S4. The fact that it was
in every detail convenient, sanitary
and charming, yet real negro home,
available at so small cost, was po-
tent in spreading the doctrine of Bet
ter Homes all through st. Helena Is
land.
Expense Is Slight.
Atlanta, Georgia. winner or the
third prize in the 1923 contest, insti-
tuted another type Of demonstration
that will appeal to many communities
this year. This city conclusively
proved that a Better Homes demon
tstration of the most helpful kind can
] be put on at very slight expense to
the community. Such interest was
aroused in the making of better homes
that the demonstration became COM
munity pNlject in the most thorough
going sense. The house. new one OF
medium cost, was gladly loaned for
demonstration week by the owner. The
/ furniture in it was likewise loaned
by various business firms in the city,
who made this contribution without
commercializing the fact in any way.
The kitchen was especially well equip
ped with many types of labor-saving
devices. A special feature was a bet
ter nursery, complete outfitted for a
baby of a year, and n child of five.
The whole cost of this Better Homes
demonstration was only $1S5.
Auction Of a Model.
Another form of Better Homes dem
onstration which probably will find
favor in the eyes of many communities
| this year is that which was put on
in Greenville. South Carolina, in 1923.
Here the demonstration house was
provided by the Chamber. of Com
merce. The furnishings for this house
a $500 bungalow, was loaned by the
merchants of the city, and chosen by
the local committee with an eye TO
4 economy, convenience and harmony OF
colors. A special feature of the dem
onstration was the garden, complete
even to the vegetables in the back
yard, transplanted for the occasion,
and beautiful with grass and shrub
berry in the front. At the end of the
week the bungalow was auctioned off
to the highest bidder,
| Some of the most interesting Bet
| ter Homes demonstrations now being
planned will be made by various rural
communities through the nation. As
it is not always possible in a rural
community to build a house especially
| for Better Homes demonstration. va
rious devices are being arranged. Oak
man, Alabama, will exhibit its teach
er's house as the demonstration cen
| ter. In some other localities where
houses are being built. their owners
will be askd to loan them as Better
Homes demonstration houses. Where
no new house is available, the home
that is the community pride because
of its beauty and convenience will be
borrowed for the occasion, in some
cases.
What Makes Better Home.
Other rural communities are plan
ming rotating demonstrations for Bet
ter Homes week. One day of the week
will be set aside for the demonstration
of the superior kitchen of one home !;
and other days for. the demonstration
of household labor saving devices and
so. on. Competitive demonstrations
viii be. arranged in many rural COM
munities, featuring better kitchen con-
tests, better garden contests, better liv-
| ing room contests. better upkeep and
similar competitions.
These are only q few examples of
the types of Better Homes demonstra-
tons which are being planned in the
general campaign for better homes all
through the nation. These instances,
however. are enough to show that no
community desiring TO spread the doc
trine of Better Homes among its peo-
ple need forego such demonstration.
1t doesn't really matter at all whether
the house demonstrated is little ne
gro cabin or a marvel Of modern ar
chitecture, a remote farm house or a
new city home on rushing street.
If it is a better home il it helps en-
list the people who see it in the army
of better home-makers, that is the i'm
portant thing.
DR.. ii. a. Phillips TO Build.
DR.. III. A. Phillips is about to build
six-room frame cottage in Terrell