The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-01-10
ELECTRICITY
AT LOWER COST
Is CHIEF NEED
Housewives in Small Towns
Have Most Home Conven
fences, Survey Shows

Mlnot, N. d., Jan. lO.--LR- House
wives living in small North Dakota
towns have more home convcnienccs
IMAM either their city sisters or those
IivlnE on farms, IA survey by the
state Federation Of Womcn's clubs
shows
Complete statistics complied by
Mrs. W. b. Wanncr. Wimbledon, who
directed a complete survey of the
fcdcraiion's fifth district, show that
small-town women have AS many con
NcnIences as anyone and have some
other advantages.
The chief need, the report shows.
is cheaper electricity. Nearly all
small towns have electric service but
in many of them it is expensive
Sewage disposal also offers problem
in many places but drinking water is
all tested and typhoid fever is
scarce.
Mrs. MANNERS survey showed that
more people have autom oh lies than
telephones and that, in the smaller
places, the average of persons owning
radio sets was still higher. Seventy
per cent of the homes in the district
have pianos.
Average for State
Since the fifth district includes
such cities as Valley City, New Rock
ford. Darlington, Harvey, Coopers-
town and smaller places it is believed
that the situation there would repre-
sent the average for the entire state.
Results of the survey have been slow
IN coming in from other districts
since many failed to receive blanks
and other equipment in time.
Mrs. August Peterson, Harvey, dist
riot president, coopcrated with Mrs.
Wanner, district chairman Of the
American Homes division Of the
federation.
In the cities mentioned IS per cent
of the housewives had electrical
labor-saving devices such as washing
machines and irons, and also had
furnaces, bathrooms and other mod
ern equipment. In Wimbledon only
four out of 100 houses use lamps for
light and these are rented houses
which are unoccupied part of the
year. According to information re-
ceived from the federation's national
headquarters, the national survey
showed that many persons in large
cities still depend on oil lamps for
light. In Wimbledon. IS per cent Of
the housewives have electric washing
machines and the same percentage
is declared to hold good for other
places.
Yearly expenditures for electricity
range from SAP to $50, with the aver
age family spending 81 per month
for Juice" Sixty per cent of the
homes in the district had telephones
and 80 per cent had automobiles.
Cheaper "Juice" is Big Need
Operation of electrical devices was
expensive, however, Mrs Wanner
found, and expressed the view that
cheaper electricity will tighten the
burden Of hOusework and that seems1
to be on the way with the develop |
nfent of the wonderful resources in !
our state"
A study Of the pet home making
interests of the women Of the dist
riot showed that interior decorating
came first with strict attention to the |
family budget in second place.
1T is surprising how many young
people just starting out are keeping |
budgets Mrs. Wanner said. at is
encouraging and shows what educa- |!
lion along. these lines will do. Ny ,
idea is that more instruction along
this line should be given in our
schools for the modern child has
more influence at home than any
one else, is seems, and could often
succeed in lettering living conditions
where others have failed"
Referring to the interest shown BY
in the demonstration home
at the last district convention at
Sykeston, Mrs. Wanner recommends
that more demonstration homes be
in the district. They
should be equipped with modern
labor saving devices and furnished.
not with expensive articles, but with
tasteful, artistic and useful things
that may be purchased at reason
able cost" she said