Evening star., 1933-04-15

rapidly forward, several builders {
forms, prepared by the commltt'
series. These forms contain an OF
for consideration
A number of builders have notified
The Star they are preparing to submit
plans and specifications of homes now
under construction. with the request
that they be considered for place in
the Silver Star Homes program.
In order to carry out the primary
purpose of the program, which is to en-
courage the building of better homes in
the Washington metropolitan area and
to foster home ownership among Wash
ingtonians, the committee has set up
definite requirements as to design, plan,
Landscape treatment, community ar
rangement and other vital elements,
which constitute a minimum measure
of the worthiness of the houses spon
sored.
Builders Entries Quoted.
Builders of homes in all parts of the
District and in the metropolitan area of
the National Capital in the nearby
States are invited by The Star to SUBJ
NIT entries for the committees consid-
Grafton A high rating by the Archi-
tects' Advisory Council is necessary be-
fore the committee considers houses
submitted
At an organization meeting in the
Raleigh Hotel Thursday. the committee,
of which James S. Taylor, chief of the
division of building and housing of the
Department of Commerce is chairman,
approved a general statement of the
objectiveS of the program. Members
of the committee who attended the
meeting included DR.. Louis Stanley,
chief of the Bureau of Home Economics
of the Department of Agriculture;
Charles H. Tompkins, builder; John
Nolen, jr., city planner OF the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission;
H. Clifford Bangs, president of the
Washington Real Estate Board; Gilbert
Rodier, architect, and representative
of The Star
Characterizing the home as "the key
stone in the building of truly great
CITY, fostering systematic saving,
strengthening the character of its citi-
Zens and making for deeper and more
lasting happiness for the family" the
committee felt that all possible encour-
agement should be given to the attain
ment of these objectives.
I'VE believe that steps looking toward
promotion of homes built on more eco
nomically sound principles, more liv-
able in plan, more beautiful in aspect
and more harmonious in community
surroundings will further the attain
ment of these objectives," the commit
tee said.
These are the objectives of the
Silver Star Homes program, going for
ward again this year under au-
spices of The Star. This newspaper
has sponsored the building of model
homes for the past eight years. These
houses, offered to the public only af-
ter competent committee of experts
checks all phases of their construction,
have given an impetus to better de-
sign. better planning, more economical
and more satisfactory homes in Wash
ington and its metropolitan area.
Continuance of Purpose.
''The new program, now being pro-
mulgated, will be continuation of
this purpose. Only those dwellings
which have passed the stringent re-
quirements of the committee will be
sponsored. These requirements have
been framed not with the idea of add
ing to the cost of either the small
or large homes, but with the purpose
OF encouraging the building of homes
well balanced in all vital points
In order to be approved by this
committee, including Government eX-
perts, architects, city planners, land
scape authorities and builders, house
must have received a high rating by,
the Architects Advisory Council, and
must have been inspected by the
committee not only after completion,
hut during construction.
"A Silver Star home thus is con-
ceived as one that is approved by the
committee as outstanding in design,
plan, construction, landscaping and
community setting.
1T is hoped that there will be at
least one home worthy of the Silver
Star award each month In the metro
politan area of the National Capital
and opened for a period of public
demonstration.
This program is contemplated en-
tirely in the interest of better de-
signing, better planning and better
construction of homes. The committee
makes its selections solely on the basis
of the merit of the homes Builders
who invest funds in the construction
of houses entered in the competition
are under absolutely no obligation ex-
cept that to make a Silver Star home
available for public inspection for 80
days