The Country-Life Movement in the United StatesBailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde)
History
The Country-Life Movement in the United States
Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde)
Country life
So far as possible, the labor that is necessary to do the work of the
open country, whether in-doors or out-doors, should be resident labor.
The labor difficulty increases with reduction in the size of the family.
Families of moderate size develop responsibility, and coöperation is
forced on all members of it, with marked effect on character. The single
child is likely to develop selfishness rather than coöperation and sense
of responsibility. To a large extent, the responsibility of the
household should rest on the girls of the family; and all children,
whether boys or girls, should be brought up in the home in habits of
industry.
It is fairly possible by means of simplification of householding and by
a coöperative industry amongst all members of the family, so to reduce
the burden of the farm wife that she may have time and strength to give
to the vital affairs of the community.
_The affairs of the household._
It is essential that we simplify our ideals in cooking, in ornament, in
apparel, and in furnishing; that we construct more convenient and
workable residences; that we employ labor-saving devices for the house
as well as for the barns and the fields.
We are so accustomed to the ordinary modes of living that we scarcely
realize what amount of time and strength might be saved by a simplified
table and by more thoughtful methods of preparing food. In respect to
houses, it should be remembered that the present farm dwellings are
getting old. A good part of the farm houses must soon be either rebuilt
or remodeled. The first consideration is so to build or remodel them
that steps may be saved to the housewife. We have not thought, in the
past, that a woman's steps cost time and energy. Within twenty years
all first-class farm houses will have running water, both into the
house and out of the house.
It is rather strange that in our discussions of the farm-labor problem,
we do not realize that a gasoline engine or a water engine may save the
labor of a man. Farmers are putting power into their barns. They should
also put power into the house. This may be accomplished by means of a
small movable engine that can be used either in the house or barn, or
else by installing an engine in a small building betwixt the house and
the barn, so that it can be connected either way. This can be used to
lighten much household labor, as pumping of water, meat-chopping,
laundering, dish-washing, vacuum-cleaning, and the like.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account