Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1911 — THE AMERICAN HOME [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE AMERICAN HOME

pARADFORD - EDITOR

aft*. William A. Radford will answer cations and give advice FREE OF COST on all subjects pertaining: to the subject of buliaingr, for the readers of this paper. On account of his wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, he Is, without doubt, the highest authority on all these subjects. Address all Inquiries to William A. Radford, No. 178 West Jackson boulevard, Chicago, 111., and only enclose two-cent stamp for reply.

The best citizen In any community is the man who owns his home. It has been said that the foundation of the best society Is the hearthstone, for upon it has been erected the greatest glory t>f the world’s greatest achievements. It Indicates stability, sturdy character and honest worth. A people without permanent homes never become a nation, bat remain a tribe. It does 'not progress, but stands still and deteriorates. It cannot have the highest sense of morality, because the home is the bulwark of morality. If this is true, as appears, we owe a great deal indeed in this country to the real estate operators, the speculative builders. Seventy-five per cent, of all the small and mediumsized dwellings put up In the larger towns and in the city suburbs are built by them. These houses are not built to the specific instructions or requirements of particular clients, but the speculative builder aims to provide a bouse that will be generally useful, or at any rate, generally salable. Now, this is a perfectly legitimate and by no means an unreasonable method of providing for the needs of a community. The requirements of a great number of families are very much the same and there seems no reason why a builder, or a company which is opening up a large tract of {land, should not erect upon it houses of the size and kind that are most readily salable, at the same time effecting economies through buying in large quantities, the duplication of special details, etc. Strange as it may seem, however, speculative builders as a class are not held ih the' highest esteem, but,have rather a reputation for trickery; they "skin the job.” Now, there is nothing essentially

base In producing houses and more than producing other needed commodities, as a commercial speculation; but it must unfortunately be admitted that modern competitive conditions are not favorable to the maintenance of a high standard of excellence in design and construction in the houses built by speculative builders. Althotgh there are houses built speculatively which reach a high standard of design and construction, these are in the minority. There is no reason, however, why a higher standard should not be generaL

Very much depends on the education of the public in this matter. Every decent builder and every decent workman would rather build food houses than bad ones, it rests with the public to make this possible. They must not expect good houses at the price of bad ones, and they should regard a builder’s reputation for good work as of more consequence than his reputation for cheapness, It might be asked what Ideals a home builder should have in planning and constructing his dwelling. He should seek almost before everything to express restfulness and simple comfort. These are the qualities which mark the difference ha-

tween a mere lodging and a home. Mach of ths striving after prettiness and picturesqueness, which characterizes many modern houses, destroys the quality, of restfulness. Beauty the house must have, but it should comp naturally as the outcome of substantial construction and good proportions. Never should beauty be sought by applying ornaments to a structure which has no beauty in itself; the attempt will be futile and wasteful, and it may he that the last state of such a house will be worse than the first A small house, and , every other building, should avoid shams. This does not necessarily mean the ostentatious showing of every beam, but it'does mean the avoidance of such tawdry, devices as nailing strips of thin wood Into facades to

give a “quaint” appearance in imitation of the old half-timber construction. It is better to have a glorified cottage than a cramped and impoverished mansion. The owner of a small vM&ge or suburban house will have other ideals than those of the house agent who measures the value of a house by the number of its “reception rooms.” A house should be built for the family that will inhabit it, not for the visitors

who will come but occasionally. instead'of cutting up the limited space into several small rooms in view of the expectation of visitors, the family will, require all the available space for the dining room and common sitting room. Hospitality need not, indeed, be omitted from consideration, but it should be of a very simple type. The accompanying design illustrates a house that embodies the best of these features to an unusual degree. It has individuality of appearance, being “different” from the ordinary. The lower floor is arranged for maximum comfort and convenience, providing a square reception stair hall and a very large living room with connecting dining room. The kitchen and pantry are conveniently arranged. On the second floor are two nice bedrooms, with closets and bath. This house, in else 27 by 36 feet, can be built for $2,000. It Is a worthwhile model for the man who wants a thoroughly substantial, first-class residence, different in style and arrangement from those usually built

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Flan