San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-23

est army IN tQe Worlu.
Such an army is being modified
at present in communities all through
the United States, under the direction
of Better Homes in America, which
was recently incorporated as a ma
tiona1 educational institution, with
Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Com
merce, as president, and James Ford,
nationally known housing specialist,
as executive director. President Cool
| idge heads the advisory council, and
| it and the board of directors OF the
organization arc made up of some of
| the best known men and women OF
the United States. s.--
1t goes without saying that this lis
| an army of peace. The weapons with
which it is Quilted are hammers
and planes and paint brushes, drap.
cries and rugs and chairs, handful
| of kindling to start a fire in the
CRATE, all the things that 60 to make
homes beautiful and efficient, inside
and out. The army's main attack is
directed against our national shortage
| Of homes, and against Inconvenience
and ugliness, lack of efficiency and
of charm, in homes already existihe
and homes to come. The time of the
chief offensive Will be Better Homes
demonstration week, from May IL to
IS. No community will be drafted in
to the better homes army, but all are
urged to join up today.
Movement Is Countrywide.
| Already communities in every state
in the Union have announced their
intention Of taking part in the Better
Homes demonstrations In previous
years, similar demonstrations have
taken place ell the way from the
Gulf Stream, where the better home
was uncovered cabin, to beyond
| the far Arctic circle, where it was a
miners shack. Last year alone there
were approximately 1000 Better
Homes demonstrations. in the United
States. Every Indication is that this
year, with Better Homes in America
now operating upon a national edu-
| casional scale, both the number and
the scope of the demonstrations will
be vastly increased.
SO many types'of demonstrations
are being planned that no community
anywhere. need be !debarred from en-
tering the contest by the fact that II
cannot conform to regulations. That
the demonstration shall lead to bet
ter homes in the community is The
only real regulation, in fact. Par
ticular stress, however, will be lait
upon homes of moderate cost, since
Better Homes in America mantainf
that the better-home problem should
be worked out first of all from the
point of view of the family with a
small income that must make both
ends meet.
Communities are urged to use their
own ingenuity and resourcefulness IN
planning the kind of Better Homes
demonstrations that will best meet the
community needs.
Right here, perhaps, pertinent
question will arise: How many COM
munities which desire Better Homes
demonstrations enlist themselves in
the army of better home-makers Oi
exactly what does a demonstration
consist?
To Hold Demonstrations.
| Any community or community
group which wishes to become. affili.
ated with Better Homes in America
FOR the purpose of Better Home
demonstration should write James
Ford. executive director of the ma
tional organization lat 1853 Pennsyl'
vania avenue, Washington, d. c.
Steps will then be taken toward the
appointment of local committee for
this community. The whole program
of the national organization is put
into operation by community commit
tees, which, with women as chairman
are made up Of representatives Of
the various women's clubs, civic AMI
commercial agencies of the commun.
tiles.
The form which the local Better
Homes demonstration will take varies
with the size and needs of the com
munity. and is determined by the com
munity itself, through its local com
mittee. Some communities in theil
demonstrations specialize on hom'
Identification, others on household
equipment, home gardens, home play
home music or home libraries. But
as a rule, a well balanced demonstra
ton is made up of all these factors
| A house is built or borrowed, thu
grounds are planted. the house is full,
| equipped and furnished. and opened
to the public during Better Home:
week. During that week a committee
of hostesses explains the merits of thu
house plan and equipment, the labor
saving appliances, the furnishing ant
the decoration of the home. Exhibit
tons are given, pointing out especia
features, such as the convenient kitch
en-, the improved garden, the modern
nursery, home play and home music
By all these means the doctrine of
Better Homes and how to make then
is firmly implanted in the public mind
| Sacramento Is Leader.
Sacramento. California, leads the
nation, at present in the number Of
Better Homes demonstration houses
that are. being planned. Indications
are that not fewer than seven new
houses will be built and furnished in
their entirety as a part of the Better
Homes program in that city. These
houses will be of various types and
costs, and each will be furnished in &C.
cordance with its price and architec.
tural style. The remodeling of n typi-
cal old house will also be undertaken
to illustrate for the benefit of those
unable to build new homes what ex-
cellent results cam be obtained by the
Expenditure of efficiency and taste in
the re-making of old ones.
| Port Huron. Michigan, where the
graduating class of the Washington
Junior High School built. equipped
and. furnished the house that won first
prize in the. 1923 contest of Better
Homes in America. has set the fash
ion for one type of Better Homes dem
onstration. Not only win this high
| school again take part in the Better