Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17
NATIONWIDE HOME SURVEY
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The General Federation of Women's
Clubs has begun survey Of the
equipment Of homes in the United
States with q view to raising the
standard of home making. Surveys
have been made and data collected re-
garding the business of running a
farm or a factory. Publications have
been issued showing how much human
power. how much animal power and
how much mechanical power are re
quired to get the best results in rails
ing an acre of given crops under given
conditions. Just the exact amount of
labor and machinery necessary eff
ciently to operate factory has been
estimated. But to date such informa-
zion on running the home has not been
available.
Mrs. John D. Sherman. president of
the General Federation, is the origina-
tor of the idea of conducting such a
survey. She feels that the results of
this survey will be convincing argu-
ment TO Congress for Incorporating In
the law providing for the decennial
census questions which will supply
this basic information every 10 years
When the census Is taken. data con-
corning the equipment of all industries
are collected. Since running a home
Is one of the most important bust
nesses OF the nation, this information
for the home should also be q matter
of record.
Departmental Cooperation.
Although a special department has
been created in the federation for the
work Of raising the standard of the
American home, many of the other
departments will cooperate In the
work. The program covers a wide
range Of subjects-the physical we'll
being of the family It's moral and
spiritual Development. the material
structure. equipment and general at.
mosphere Of the house and even the
artistic values Of art. music and liter.
atU-e
This survey has the hearty indorse.
ment Of President Coolidge Secretary
Hoover and Secretary Jardine Cues.
tfonnaires have been sent out which
are to be filled in with the assistance
OF the public service officials Of the
community. Usually the records of
the latter show how many homes in a
particular locality use electricity, gas,
or have water facilities.
Mrs. Sherman says that in making
this survey the federation has in mind
what a physician has in mind when
he makes a diagnosis to get all the
facts concerning the conditions of his
case before he decides upon the rem
edy. There has been talk for years
about improving the standard of home
making, but there was no compre-
hensive information concerning the ex-
listing facilities in the homes through
out the country.
Most Women Without Servants.
Business interests keep abreast Of
the times with all labor saving de-
vices. So should the housekeeper. In
a great many places the servant prob.
lem is increasingly difficult-they
are either practically impossible to OBJ
tain or their wages make them pro-
hibitive to the family having only an
average income. II is estimated that
% per cent of the women Of the United
States do their own work. The fed
ration aims to impress upon them the
importance Of doing their work In the
easiest manner. This does not mean
in slip-shod fashion. but by the use
Of those labor-saving inventions such
as the vacuum cleaner. electric wash.
ing machine and the electric iron.
The theory that a woman's place
is wholly In the home has long since
been exploded. 1t Is realized that she
has very important pace In the
economic and political world. 1t Ia
considered not only desirable but a
duty for her to do her part toward
the betterment of her community. II
she is tied down by household
drudgery, she has neither the time
nor the energy to take her proper
place In community life.
To date there has been only q very
incomplete report made Of the re-
turns from the missionaries. How
ever, the federation now has tnfor-
nation concerning the household
equipment In more than $1,000 homes
In SO States. 1t Is shown that In prac-
tically all cities. large or small. public
utilities have become the most i'm
portant single factor in homemaking.
Water, sewers. gas. electricity are
vital parts of American home organi-
cations.
A great many people would doubt
less be amazed to know that there
are In this day commun1ttss-endn not