Evening star., 1951-06-04
Fans Effectiveness May Be Doubled
BY Betsy cosweII
Woman's Page Editor

rams nave an ancient ana
fascinating history. Tracing their
lineage to the streamlined. efficient
electric affairs of today, is study
in itself.
Probably the first fan "discov-
cred" by man was the leafy
branch that stirred the air when
swung TO and fro in his hand.
Possibly the idea dawned in his
primitive mind when he watched
and heard the rustic of leaves in
a breeze and initiated this by his
own motion. AS time went by, all
sorts of crude fans came into
being, leaves of large size. feathers
and great plumes fastened to-
gether, cloth stretched over light
wooden frames. and so on.
Fans came to occupy an i'm
portant place in royal court cere-
monies. The Office of royal fan
bearer was a great honor and
those who used them in religious
rites were envied by lesser men.
The early Egyptians made much
use of fans. many being formed
of feathers arranged in a half
circle and attached to long han
dies, beautifully carved or jeweled.
AS early as 5000 BIC. the Chi
nese were using fans Of pheasant
and peacock feathers, in their
natural beauty or dyed in brilliant
hues. A feather fan was included
in the trousseau Of every lady OF
ancient Rome.
Silks and laces became popular
for fans, and the first folding fans
of these and other materials ap-
pear to have been made by the
japanese in the seventh century
BY the 18th century fans were SO
much the vogue in Europe that
a special etiquette was developed
for their use-certai1 gestures
and positions spoke a language OF
their own to the initiated.
The first mechanical fan was
probably the punkah Of India
with which all Kipling fans are
familiar in print! These resemble
a large screen, hung from the
ceiling and attached to ropes
pulled by servant to cause a
swish of fresh, if not cool, air.
The first electric fan appeared
in 1880. It was made by attaching
blades to an electrically driven
motor. But electric fans have
come a long way since this crude
contraption-and research into
the most effective use OF electric
fans has progressed right along
side.
The newest and most modern
fans on the market are wonderful
There is a type for every need'
for every condition. II you are
shopping for a new fan, you
should study the literature avail
able on the subject, assess yous
individual needs by the picture
thus presented, and buy the fan
that is best suited to them. Ana
YOU should use that fan properly
so as to get maximum efficiency.
For instance, there are the new
portable window exhaust fans
which roll about on silent wheels
when you wish to move them from
one room to another. They are
adjustable in height. so that you
may set them 8 feet away from a
window, facing it. turn them on,
and they will draw out hot air as
does any installed exhaust fan.
These are a particular boon to the
apartment dweller, where an in
stalled exhaust fan is not prac-
ticable, and where the budget says
one fan only must do the job. You
can have the fan pulling air into.
through and out of the apartment
from any room you select-follow-
ing the simple ventilation princi-
piles involved.
But you don't have to have one
of the latest beauties. II you
already possess a regular table
fan, you can make it doubly eff
fective in its action by following
those same principles. And, ac-
cording to the newest views of
ventilation experts. your fan
should work for you the year