A HOUSE AND LOT--ESPECIALLY THE LOT
The past decade has witnessed a movement, just now taking aggressive
shape, which is unique--the interest in outdoors, nature study,
farming, summer homes, sport, and what is termed the simple life. It
is a movement filled with the greatest promise of any among the host
now claiming attention, and bids fair to soothe the tired nerves and
over-stimulated minds of a frantically industrial age. Busy men and
women, particularly the men, who once thought their affairs would
become hopelessly muddled if they were not at the desk each and every
day, now indulge in sport, farming or gardening, and horticulture.
They have become convinced of the benefits of fresh air and consequent
health, and have a calmer, more serene outlook on life as a whole. It
has become "quite proper" now to live in the "country," even though the
country is represented by a lot 40 × 100, for one may have a garden
which produces wonders even on such a lot. Indirectly, people get the
desire to fix up their homesteads, to plant hedges and vines, to have
window boxes and put on a kind of apologetic style which develops into
conscious pride ultimately. One cannot play with such an avocation long
without learning a bit more about nature in general, and without any
conscious resolution drifts into keeping chickens or pets as a kind
of pleasurable refuge from mundane things. All this activity is much
more than a fad; it points to a recurrence of the primitive instinct to
always bridge the ever-widening gaps between nature and the human, who
is merely an extra-developed animal himself. Children always possess
in a marked degree a love for outdoors, for animal life, for growing
things, and fight hard during the early years to satisfy the desire.
When they cannot achieve results at home, the surplus energy is worked
off by harrowing the neighbors. Steam will do a great deal of work when
under control, but if one allows steam to accumulate it must get off
sooner or later, and children are under steam always.
[Illustration: The Boy Who does not Love to Camp is Unique. This
Illustrates one of Ernest Thompson Seton's Camps where Boys Come in
Contact with Nature at Her Best]
[Illustration: This and Other Illustrations of Homes in This Chapter,
Show such Places as People Make when they Care about Appearances]
The adult, when he becomes a city dweller, takes his nature study
in stiff two-weeks' doses, fishing or shooting, plus all the modern
gastronomic tidbits he can carry, and accumulates a fine crop of
scientific fables and sunburn. This is not real rest, not even the
best acquaintance with nature; rather it is a sort of primitive spree,
inherited in garbled form from tradition as a seasonal necessity.
The truly fine side to the nature movement lies in its influence on
everyday living through a sound regard for what nature can do at her
best, and the resultant modification of taste in general. It is a
questionable satisfaction to make a whirlwind campaign into nature's
midst for a few short weeks, comfortably supported by the consciousness
of urban conveniences in the end, when there is the possibility of
bringing nature to our very doors, almost to the hearthstone. Nature is
complacent and excellent company when offered a suitable welcome.
The ideal home is ideal throughout--outside as well as in. There is no
vital difference between the kind of pride which demands clean linen
and that which craves beautiful lawns (to be used however), beautiful
flowers (also to be enjoyed), trees and porches for shade and rest.
The kind of nature too which really rests and enthuses one is the kind
which may be enjoyed for twelve months in the year; in other words,
gardens, grounds, and trees which belong to the climate, to the
locality, and, being hardy, commend themselves at all seasons.
[Illustration: Even the Most Beautiful House must have a Background to
Soften the Conventional Lines and Areas of Construction]
[Illustration: One should Build a House as one Builds a Reputation,
Gradually, Allowing Ideals and Execution to Expand and Develop
Together. Then the House and Grounds will Appear at Their Best]
But nature is no designer. The landscape gardener and the amateur must,
by their united efforts, bring an artistic plan to bear upon nature's
offerings, using her trees and flowers and the contour of the ground,
and create an environment which pleases. The result should not only
be fine of itself, but should furnish a proper and rich background
for the house which is the centre. There are in existence numerous
periodicals devoted to country living, farming, gardening, animals,
sports, and the special suburban problem, and also a very distinguished
library dealing with similar types. These have a surprisingly wide
circulation, probably because they are as a class guiding the public
taste in such matters instead of following it. This literature has in
a few short years uncovered a new public interest in matters allied to
nature, notably in home architecture and surroundings, and there is
distinct evidence at the present time of improvement in architectural
style. Domestic buildings are more appropriate in material and design
than ever before, and are such as seem to be in tune with the somewhat
informal suburban or village surroundings. Formerly architectural
style was imported from abroad, and with it came a certain few odd
fragments of landscape gardening, full of patterns, floral arabesques
and geometric arrangements, imitation Renaissance, urns and alert
iron dogs to guard the dooryard. One can still find houses with ugly
mansard roofs, stiff, forbidding doorways, and gloomy windows, the
whole perched high on a hill, or at least elevated above the street,
suggesting in every feature the barrenness of the artificial. It is
art at its worst. The effort was further emphasized by the consistent
designers through formal, wax-like landscape accessories, tender
budding plants, cast-iron benches and garden ornaments, which must
surely be blood kin to the modern steam radiator and art cook stove.
There was nothing human about such a place: it always suggested the
hereafter. But the new, healthy, public interests in outdoors, in a
joyous life, have banished those artificial shells and substituted a
type of dwelling which is planned for living. And the outside aspect of
the house gives one the impression that it belongs to that particular
spot, for those people for home purposes. Of course all houses are
not so successful, but one finds a good many nowadays. It was bound
to come, because when people began to study nature, to live closer to
their flowers and animals, to want green lawns and pleasant hills,
they soon sought a type of shelter which would nestle close to the
ground and look hospitable and inviting. Architecture and gardening
are more closely related than one would first imagine, and it is
questionable whether one can deal successfully with one and ignore the
other.
[Illustration: Trees, Shrubbery and Lawn form the Frame of the Picture,
and a Bad Frame will Spoil the Finest Picture]
[Illustration: There was a Time Not Long Since, when People Built
Houses According to Style. They Now Build for Pleasure and Comfort,
Producing the Finest Style of All]
In previous chapters the discussion of children and their training has
touched lightly upon certain points which may well be elaborated a bit
here. Most of the child's waking hours would virtually be spent out of
doors; no house is large enough. And it was urged that these intense
outside activities would be excellent foci for most profitable study.
No yard, however restricted, is too small to accommodate some hobby
which will absorb the child's energy and aid in generating constructive
skill and judgment. The matter of pocket money is also very important
and becomes a powerful motive when properly used. But there is another
and more mature point of view concerning the home as a whole, which
should not be discarded. _Every child should learn to so respect and
value his own personal property and affairs that he will respect those
of others, neighbors for instance._ He will not do this unless his
own efforts and experiments are taken seriously, or unless his home
grounds and living are maintained at top condition, or unless he
grows to appreciate a beautiful physical environment. The lawn, the
garden, poultry house and stable ought to be in perfect trim all the
time. It is better taste to have them so, and it is good business. One
cannot succeed with raising pets or animals in unsanitary quarters,
or inadequate shelter. It will not be difficult to develop proper
ideas of taste and charm in the grounds about the house if one begins
with the boy's and girl's own business and steers that to a decent
working basis. Ragged grounds, unkempt lawns, weeds, littered porches
and hopeless, tired-looking flowers--all persistent manifestations of
neglect--leave on the youthful mind ineradicable impressions which
undermine good taste.
Most boys and girls dislike any kind of work which is mere drudgery,
and most children in these days shy at work for ends other than
their own, because they have found that they can have privileges and
amusements without responsibility or other return to their parents. The
solution lies in the restoration to the boy of a feeling of personal
responsibility and pride, restoring to him and his sister the rights
of ownership to things and privileges earned, and make the children
something other than social puppets. Make their youthful occupations
count. Among those occupations one finds a number which are equally
fascinating to both children and adults.
[Illustration:
Courtesy of Miss Annie Washburn
A School Garden. If Children Cannot Expand at Home, the Public School
is Under Obligation to Satisfy the Need for Outdoor Occupation]
[Illustration:
Courtesy of Prin. F. C. Clifton
A School Garden. Watchung School, Montclair, N. J.]
Probably no accessory to the home is more to be valued than the garden,
especially the flower garden. It adds so much of color and variety to
the whole scheme, and helps to bring the house into intimate relation
with the grounds. The finest gardening has probably been due to
feminine influence, and every girl can draw from practical experience
with growing things a delicacy of taste and wealth of knowledge to
apply to ends peculiarly her own. The latent intuitive feminine outlook
often remains undeveloped in these days, and no craft will preserve and
stimulate it more than gardening. There is a reaction just now against
the formal flower beds of tender plants, a patch of exotic color
dotting otherwise irreproachable lawns, though the florist would like
to keep such arrangements in fashion, for he is seldom a true artist.
But better standards of living, a fresher study of nature, a more
personal, intimate architecture, have brought into them many of the old
garden ideals where the garden belonged to the mistress of the house
and showed it. The garden has a most significant history. It has always
been a centre of family life, and among the Romans was in fact the
element about which the household revolved. Here the family rested and
visited, worked and played. The dwelling was built around it, with
living rooms which opened on its walks and fountains, bringing the
family together in the most intimate way. The early Dutch and English
colonists brought to America a similar taste for this soothing adjunct
to the home and early put into effect such garden plans as their
limited resources permitted. And always it has been the women-folk of
the community who have kept the garden alive with persistent belief
in its harmonizing influence on the family. Not infrequently the
children learned their first lessons in business, in ownership and in
responsibility, there. Gardening is one of the oldest and simplest of
crafts and may not be overlooked in seeking a pathway for youthful
energy.
Perhaps the boy or girl would rather grow fruits or berries,
vegetables, raise pigeons, keep bees--one and all are equally good.
This is the essential fact: every boy and girl should come into direct
and positive contact with some of the important natural phenomena and
life. Growing things have to be cared for, they must have food, water
and protection. One cannot play with them when one feels like it;
they need attention every day. The obligation is a pleasant one, but
nevertheless it is an obligation and gives a much needed lesson in a
way that sticks.
Any occupation around the home, if it be one which ministers either
to the pleasure, comfort or profit of individual members, is quite
likely to knit that family into a more compact group. It keeps the
children more at home. The interchange of service and advice which
brings into relief the interdependence of the individuals stimulates
this one of the important characteristics of domestic society. There
has been an indication in recent years to lay upon the schools the
entire training for manhood and womanhood. It is expected to teach
manners and ethics, to give the proper kind of academic information,
to formulate character, to even teach "nature." It is impossible to do
this. The finest character, habits of study, executive ability, and
the social attitude must be started and nursed to strength, if not to
maturity, at home. Five hours each day under incomplete authority can
accomplish little else than formal instruction. Even the beginnings
of technical and scientific training have their roots deep in these
childish hobbies which originate and flourish at home, where a deep
obligation rests upon parents to make the most of this early time.
It is a lead the school can follow, but never originate. The school
represents the average educational ideal of a given community, and when
schools are inefficient, languish and give indifferent service, it
is an excellent index of the local culture standard. Therefore, when
parents develop to their highest pitch the enthusiasms and abilities
of childhood, when they foster family life and enrich it so that every
member, particularly the younger ones, become active participants, and
feel that they too have work to contribute to the general welfare, then
and then only will the school by force of public sentiment revise its
own standards.
[Illustration: There is a Fascination about Raising Animals whether for
Sale or as Pets. To the Child this Occupation Acquires the Dignity of a
Real Business]
[Illustration: Two More Illustrations which will Suggest Plans for the
Future]
For reasons such as these every home should be a kind of unofficial
training school, in which the courses are mostly elective. Some outdoor
hobbies which the children will enjoy should be maintained, and, on
however small a scale, the house and grounds should be planned with
this in view. The city boy and girl will have somewhat limited choice,
but even there one can enjoy several hobbies, even in a flat. One can
at least grow things, for there are few corners, even in a city, so
dark that some plants will not flourish.
[Illustration]