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SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE 
ON  THE  MODERATE  INCOME 

ITS  FOUNDATION  IN  A  FAIR  START.  THE 
MAN'S  EARNINGS.  THE  WOMAN'S  CONTRIBU- 
TION. THE  COOPERATION  OF  THE  COMMUNITY 


LIPPINCOTT'S 

HOME  MANUALS 

Edited  by  BENJAMIN  R.  ANDREWS,  PH.D. 

TEACHEBS  COLLEGE,   COLUMBIA  UNIVEBSITT 

CLOTHING  FOR  WOMEN 
BY  LAURA  I.  BALDT,  B.S. 

TEACHEBS  COLLEGE,  COLUMBIA  UNIVEBSITT 

454  pages,  7  colored  plates,  262  illustrations  in  text 

SUCCESSFUL  CANNING  AND  PRESERVING 

BY  OLA  POWELL 

DEPARTMENT  OF  AGBICULTUBE,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

370  pages,  4  colored  plates,  153    illustrations  in  text 

HOME  AND  COMMUNITY  HYGIENE 

BY  JEAN  BROADHURST,  PH.D. 

TEACHEBS  COLLEGE,  COLUMBIA  UNIVEBSITT 

428  pages,  1  colored  plate,    118  illustrations  in  text 

THE  BUSINESS  OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD 

BY  C.  W.  TABER 

AUTHOR  OF  TABER'B  DIETETIC  CHARTS, 
NURSES'   MEDICAL  DICTIONARY,  ETC. 

438  pages.     Illustrated. 

BY  L.  RAY  BALDERSTON,  B.S. 

TEACHEB8  ^^  COLUMBIA  Mnmar 

450  pages,  1  colored  plate,  illustrated  in  text 
MILLINERY     w  PBEPABATION 

BY  EVELYN  SMITH  TOBEY,  B.S. 

TEACHEBS    COLLEGE,    COLUMBIA    UNIVEBSITT 


LIPPINCOTT'S 

FAMILY  LIFE  SERIES 

Edited  by  BENJAMIN  R.  ANDREWS,  PH.D. 

TEACHEBS  COLLEGE,  COLUMBIA  UNIVEBSITT 

CLOTHING 

CHOICE      CARE      COST 

BY  MARY  SCHENCK  WOOLMAN,  B.S. 

290  pages.     Illustrated. 

SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  THE 

MODERATE  INCOME 
247  pages  BY  MARY  HINMAN  ABEL 


LIPPINCOTT  S  FAMILY  LIFE   SERIES 

EDITED  BY  BENJAMIN  R.  ANDBEWS,  PH.D.,  TEACHEBS  COLLEGE,  COLUMBIA  UNIV. 

•SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE 
"ON  THE  MODERATE  INCOME 

ITS  FOUNDATION  IN  A  FAIR  START.  THE 
MAN'S  EARNINGS.  THE  WOMAN'S  CONTRIBU- 
TION. THE  COOPERATION  OF  THE  COMMUNITY 


BY 

MARY  HINMAN  ABEL 

LATE  EDITOR  OF  THE  JODBNAL  OF  HOME  ECONOMICS 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  IQ2I,  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


FEINTED  AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUAEE  PHI 
BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 
PHILADELPHIA,  U.  8.  A. 


TO  THE  MEMORY 

OF 
ELLEN  H.  RICHARDS 


;HS 


PREFACE 

THE  following  discussion  is  addressed  to  all  those  who  are 
inclined  to  give  thoughtful  attention  to  the  present-day  problems 
of  the  family,  an  institution  which  is  imperfect  as  man  in  his 
development  is  imperfect,  but  which  reflects  every  advance  in  social 
standards,  and  is  doubtless  destined  to  be  modified  very  profoundly 
by  further  social  evolution.  Such  progress  will  turn  in  part  upon 
the  results  of  scientific  inquiry. 

Among  those  to  whom  the  book  may  be  of  interest  are  pro- 
fessional students  of  the  social  and  economic  aspects  of  the  family, 
home  economics  students  in  schools  and  colleges,  men  and  women 
who  are  trying  to  solve  the  problems  of  their  own  homes,  and 
groups  of  club  women  and  others  who  are  taking  up  part-time 
studies  of  the  home.  While  it  has  seemed  desirable  to  draw  illus- 
trations from  one  group,  that  which  is  living  on  the  "moderate" 
income  and  made  up  of  adults  and  dependent  children,  yet  it  is 
hoped  that  principles  are  evolved  which  are  applicable  to  many 
other  types  and  conditions.  The  whole  object  of  the  study  is  to 
discover  what  are  the  factors  of  success  in  its  best  sense. 

For  those  who  are  debarred  from  creative  self-expression  in  the 
recognized  forms  of  art,  there  is  yet  the  Art  of  Living,  which 
includes  self-development,  a  use  of  all  personal  resources  'and  an 
adjustment  of  our  relations  to  those  near  us  and  to  the  community. 
For  most  people  this  art  of  living,  especially  as  practiced  in  the 
family  group,  must  remain  the  greatest  of  all  the  arts. 

The  author's  thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  Edward  T.  Devine  for  the 
use  of  five  of  the-  family  monographs  gathered  by  his  classes  in 
Social  Economics  in  Columbia  University,  the  facts  and  figures  of 
which  have  been  arranged!  on  a  uniform  plan,  to  make  com- 
parison easy. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  is  made  to  many  friends  whose  con- 
tribution of  data  has  broadened  the  fact  basis  of  the  book. 

THE  AUTHOK. 

March,  1921. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 
I.  CHARACTERISTICS  OP  THE  MODERATE  INCOME  FAMILY 1 

The  Relation  of  the  Moderate  Income  Group  to  Poverty 
and  Riches.  The  Power  of  Choice.  Effect  on  Development 
of  Character  and  Leadership.  Influence  on  the  Children. 
The  Woman's  Position.  Financial  Status  of  the  Moderate 
Income  Family. 

II.  THE  HIGHER  VALUES  IN  FAMILY  LIFE 9 

The  Normal  or  Standard  Family  Defined.  The  Family 
Group.  Its  Determining  Conditions.  Standard  of  Living. 
The  Plan  of  Life.  Family  Building.  The  Child  and  the 
Home.  Adoption,  Outright  and  Partial.  Looking  Ahead. 

III.  THE  FINANCIAL  PARTNERSHIP 17 

Wages  or  Salary  for  Service.  Interest  or  Rent  on  Property 
Owned.  Personal  Services  in  the  Home  as  Income.  Social 
Wealth  as  Source  of  Income.  Illustrations  of  an  Income. 
Will  the  Family  Cooperate?  The  Man's  Part.  Is  the 
Woman  Equal  to  Her  Assigned  Part?  Summary. 

IV.  MONEY  INCOME  AND  PROPERTY  OWNED 25 

Wealth  and  Income  Compared.  The  Fixed  Income.  Defi- 
nition of  Income.  General  Ignorance  as  to  Income.  Our 
Sources  of  Knowledge.  Six  Income  Groups.  Summary 
of  Groups.  The  National  Income  Divided  Among  Families. 
Comparison  with  Foreign  Countries.  The  Purchasing  Power 
of  the  Income.  Effect  of  the  Standard  of  Living.  Dis- 
tribution of  Property.  Property  Owned  by  the  Moderate 
Income  Group. 

V.  THE  START  IN  LIFE  AS  GIVEN  BY  THE  PRECEDING  GENERATION  . .     35 

Beginnings  are  Important.  Debt  is  Dangerous.  Illustrations 
from  Family  Histories.  Standards  are  Inherited.  The 
Older  Way.  Evils  of  the  Dower.  What  Form  Shall  Sav- 
ings Take?  The  Bequest.  The  Gifted  Child.  Personal 
Saving.  The  Girl  Must  Save.  Summary. 

ix 


CONTENTS 

VI.  THE  HOUSEWIFE'S  CONTRIBUTION  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  . .     43 

The  Importance  of  the  Buyer.  Power  Over  Production. 
Power  Over  the  Family  Life.  Measuring  the  Value  of  the 
Buyer's  Services.  Standards.  Knowledge  of  Values.  The 
Need  of  Training.  The  Scope  of  Her  Knowledge.  Who  Now 
Trains  the  Buyer?  Knowledge,  the  Real  Defence.  Value  of 
Special  Teaching.  Start  with  the  Budget  Plan.  Lists. 
Cash  or  Credit.  Cooperative  Buying.  The  Spending  Partner; 
Her  Qualifications.  The  Account  Book.  The  Essential 
Points.  The  Home-made  Form.  An  Illustration.  The 
Family  Diary.  Help  From  the  Bank.  The  Envelope  System. 

VII.  THE    HOUSEWIFE'S    CONTRIBUTION    THROUGH    CONTROLLED 

FINANCE — THE  ALLOWANCE 59 

Who  Holds  the  Purse?  The  Man's  View.  The  Woman's 
Training.  The  Partnership  Method.  The  Importance  of 
Frankness.  The  Children's  Allowance.  The  Common  Mis- 
take. When  Shall  the  Child's  Allowance  Begin?  A  Method 
Suggested.  Objections.  Summary. 

VIII.  THE  HOUSEWIFE'S  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK 71 

Is  There  a  Better  Way?  One  Kitchen  or  Fifty?  The  Indi- 
vidual Home  Will  Persist.  Housework  vs.  Business.  The 
Housewife's  Advantage.  Overhead  Charges  in  Business.  Are 
Business  Profits  Too  Large?  Bread-making.  The  Laundry. 
Other  Economic  Factors.  The  Personal  Element.  The 
Housewife's  Money  Value  to  the  Home.  Other  Than 
Economic  Reasons.  Money  and  Variety.  Better  Household 
Methods  and  Education.  Sanitation.  The  Expert  is  Scarce. 
Housework  or  Outside  Earning.  Housekeeping  Compared 
with  Boarding. 

IX.  THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK 89 

The  Price  Paid  for  Housework.  Importance  of  Time  Saving 
to  the  Working  Housekeeper.  The  Eight-hour  Day.  Re- 
ducing the  Amount  of  Work  to  be  Done.  The  House  as 
Making  or  Saving  Work.  Adjustment  of  Present  Housing. 
Advice  from  Outside  Needed.  Arrangement  of  Equipment. 
Labor-saving  Devices.  Fatigue  in  Housework.  Scientific 
Studies  of  Fatigue.  Conditions  for  Work.  Effect  of  Over- 
work. Worry.  Other  Factors  of  Fatigue.  Interest  and 
Variety.  What  Will  the  Housewife  Do  About  It?  The 
First  Use  of  Time  Saved.  Good  Health  a  Requirement. 
Intellectual  and  Social  Needs.  Housekeeping  Standards. 
The  Need  for  Planning.  The  Clock  as  a  Help.  Cooperation 
of  the  Family  Where  the  Rules  of  Efficiency  Do  Not  Apply. 
Hospitality.  In  Conclusion. 

X.  THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  IN  RELATION  TO  HER  CHILDREN  105 
Letter  from  a  Farmer's  Wife.    Letter  from  a  Village  Mother. 
Development  of  the  Child  Through  Household  Activities. 
Housework  as  a  Teaching  Plant.    Precept  Alone  is  Useless. 
The   Working    Mother's    Advantage.     Personal    Hygiene. 


CONTENTS  xi 

Proper  Speech.  The  Little  Child.  The  School  Child. 
The  Adolescent  Boy  and  Girl.  Advantages  of  Struggle. 
The  Part  That  Money  Plays.  The  Boy  and  the  Indian 
Suit.  The  Value  of  This  Service  to  the  Family. 

XI.  THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  IN  PROMOTING  HEALTH  AND 

IMPROVING  LIVING  CONDITIONS 119 

Five  Requirements.  The  Individual  in  the  Community. 
Modern  Industrial  Changes.  Country  Life.  City  Conditions. 
The  Family's  Share  in  the  City's  Prosperity.  Responsibility 
of  the  Community  for  the  Health  of  Its  Members.  Sanitation . 
Losses  from  Preventable  Illness  and  Death.  The  Rural 
Health  Problem.  Lessons  from  the  War.  The  Moderate 
Income  and  the  Care  of  Health.  The  Extension  of  the 
Public  Health  Service.  The  Medical  Inspector  of  the  School 
and  the  Visiting  Nurse.  The  Hospital.  Public  Help  to 
Reduce  the  Cost  of  Food  Materials.  Food  Distributors. 
The  Terminal  Market.  Cold  Storage.  What  the  Con- 
sumer Can  Do.  Cooperation.  Public  Kitchens. 

XII.  COMMUNITY  HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION 132 

The  Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America. 
Ilural  Recreation.  Community  Help  in  Music  and  Drama. 
Singing  Soldiers.  Music  in  the  Schools.  Music  as  a  Social 
Force.  Help  from  Trained  Musicians.  Dramatics.  Sources 
of  Community  Help.  Community  Help  in  Education. 
Libraries.  Industrial  Training.  Industrial  Training  for  the 
Housewife.  Help  Through  the  Home  Economics  Movement. 
Public  School  Classes.  Vocational  Classes  for  Adults.  How 
Many  are  Reached?  Subject  Matter  and  Methods.  Demon- 
strations and  Exhibits.  The  Permanent  Home  Bureau. 
Questions  That  Will  be  Asked  on  Nutrition,  on  Household 
Management,  in  Money  Spending.  Noble  Impulse  and  Sec- 
ond Wind.  The  Housewife  Needs  Advice.  The  Home  Train- 
ing of  Children.  The  Importance  of  the  Early  Years. 

XIII.  THE  FAMILY  BUDGET 151 

Use  of  the  Word  Budget.  The  Expense  Account  Versus  the 
Budget.  Early  Studies  of  the  Budget.  Engel's  Laws  and 
Bondy  Budget.  Mrs.  Richards'  Suggested  Division  of  the 
Income.  The  Minimum  Budget  for  Health  and  Decency. 
The  U.  S.  Thrift  Budgets.  How  to  Begin  a  Budget.  Plans 
and  Purposes.  A  Budget  that  Does  Not  Know  It  is  a  Budget. 
The  Foundation  of  Success.  An  Advance  in  the  Art  of  Living. 

XTV.  MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  THE  NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE 163 

Definition  of  the  Minimum.  Scientific  and  Social  Studies. 
Food  Requirements.  The  Amount  of  Money  Required.  How 
to  Obtain  Knowledge  of  Food  and  Housing  Requirements. 
Present  Cost  of  Housing.  Helps  Toward  Better  Housing. 
Minimum  for  Clothing.  Instructions  Required.  Operating 
Expenses.  The  Budget  Plan  Helpful. 


xii  CONTENTS 

XV.  THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE 173 

Saving  Comes  First,  a  New  Idea.  Thrift  Habits  Compared. 
The  Reasons  for  Saving  Money.  Economy  Need  Not  be 
Petty.  What  Form  Shall  Savings  Take?  Six  Uses  Considered. 
Professional  and  Clerical  Pursuits.  Illustrations.  Artisan 
and  Business  Families.  The  Age  of  the  Children  in  Relation 
to  Form  of  Family  Savings.  When  the  Children  Begin  to 
Earn.  The  Individual's  Income.  The  Uncertain  Income. 

XVI.  SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND 182 

Three  Divisions.  Health.  The  Open  Forum.  Honesty  in 
the  Family  Life.  For  Children  the  Budget  Must  be  Visual- 
ized. Three  Rules  for  Success.  The  Dribbler.  Money 
Spending  as  an  Educator.  Spending  as  a  Fine  Art.  There 
is  Never  "Enough."  Restatement. 

XVII.  SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES 192 

Standards  that  Apply  to  All  Families  Studied.  Adjustment 
of  Prices  to  the  Present  Time.  The  Need  of  Family  Budgets. 
Subsistence  Incomes  and  Our  Knowledge  of  Them.  The 
Moderate  Income  Less  Known.  The  True  Value  of  Budgets. 
A  Plea  for  Budgets.  Histories  of  Seven  Actual  Families. 

XVIII.  THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING 213 

The  Standard  of  Living  Defined.  Our  Standard  Compels  Us. 
Comparison  with  Living  in  Foreign  Countries.  Keeping  Up 
Appearances.  The  Standard  of  Living  and  the  Family  of 
Moderate  Income.  First,  Understand  It.  Two  Ways  of 
Progress.  Young  People  and  the  Standard  of  Living.  Group 
Action.  An  Individual  Matter. 

XIX.  THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE 222 

The  Foundational  Things.  Limitations  Fixed  by  the  Income. 
Pleasure  in  Work  Together.  Pride  in  the  Home.  Out-of- 
door  Life.  Nature  Study  and  Skill  of  Hand.  Human  Re- 
lations. A  British  Instance.  The  Dinner  Table.  The 
Father's  Part.  The  Mother's  Part.  The  Cheapest  of  All 
Home  Pleasures.  Reading  Aloud.  Story  Telling.  Story 
Telling  by  the  Child.  The  Creative  in  Play.  The  Festival 
Play.  Music  in  the  Family.  Part  Singing.  The  Outside 
World.  Free  City  Amusements.  The  Family  in  the 
Country.  Summary. 

XX.  THE  LOOK  AHEAD 240 

What  Changes  are  to  be  Expected?  The  Fair  Start.  The 
Earner  ana  the  Spender.  The  Household  Occupations. 
Public  Help.  We  Penalize  Parenthood.  The  Waste  of  the 
Present  System.  Money  Spending  Important.  Ample 
Courses  of  Instruction  in  Home-making  Needed.  Society 
Must  Help. 


SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE 
ON  THE  MODERATE  INCOME 

CHAPTER  I 

SOME  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  MODERATE 
INCOME  FAMILY 

WHAT  is  success  and  how  are  the  great  number  of  families 
living  on  the  average  income  in  this  country  to  win  it?  How  are 
they  to  obtain  development  and  happiness?  Are  any  principles 
to  be  laid  down,  or  examples  cited?  Are  "  disruptive  tendencies " 
as  great  as  has  been  claimed? 

Ethical  discussions  of  home  life  abound,  but  except  in  studies 
of  the  homes  of  the  poor,  economic  conditions  as  affecting  the 
character  of  home  life  have  not,  perhaps,  been  given  sufficient 
weight.  It  may  be  that  in  the  family  groups  above  the  poverty 
line  the  reaction  to>  all  that  concerns  the  spending  of  the  money, 
what  they  choose  as  necessary  and  what  they  reject  as  non-essential, 
will  be  found  to  be  of  great  significance. 

The  Moderate  Income  Family. — In  order  that  concrete  illus- 
trations may  be  furnished,  especial  attention  will  be  given  in  the 
discussions  that  follow  to  a  definite  type  of  family,  that  living  on 
a  moderate  income,  the  income  that  provides  a  margin  of  several 
hundred  dollars  beyond  the  minimum,  whatever  that  may  be  in 
any  time  or  place. 

Its  Relation  to  Poverty  and  Riches. — The  first  reason  for 
selecting  this  income  group  for  study  is  that  any  solution  of  its 
problems  throws  light  on  the  condition  of  the  great  mass  of 'families 
living  below  this  level.  In  the  "  moderate  "  income  we  have  a  sum 
on  which  normal  living  as  -possible,  while  what  is  below  the  ac- 
knowledged minimum  is  more  or  less  abnormal ;  in  the  latter  case 
the  income  must  be  supplemented  from  various  sources  in  order  to 
furnish  even  bare  existence,  while  a  good  standard  of  health  and 

1 


2         SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

efficiency  cannot  possibly  be"  Maintained  on  it.  In  these  pages  there 
is  necessarily  much  dwelling  on  duty,  for  life  on  this  income  level 
is  not  to  be  carried  to  success  without  a  girding  up  of  the  loins; 
but  it  is  really  in  the  light  of  privilege  that  we  must  regard  the 
possession  of  a  yearly  income  which  is  some  hundreds  of  dollars 
beyond  that  subsistence  line  around  which  livet  the  great  mass  of 
every  nation,  where  every  cent  is  mortgaged  for  the  necessities  of 
life.  Here  is  the  dark  background  where  dwell  the  true  "  prisoners 
of  poverty,"  those  who  are  surrounded  by  walls  so  high  as  to  shut 
out  early  knowledge  of  opportunities  and  chances  for  training; 
many  of  them  living  in  what  has  been  called  "  a  state  of  economic 
serfdom,"  It  is  from  this  dead-line  of  the  grinding  minimum 
"  where  a  man  earns  what  he  can  and  spends  what  he  must "  that 
our  family  of  the  moderate  income  has  escaped.  Are  they  to  feel 
straightened  on  an  income  larger  than  that  on  which  more  than 
three-fourths  of  the  population  live?  If  it  is  found  difficult  to 
work  out  a  condition  of  well-being  for  them,  we  shall  have  solid 
grounds  for  knowing  what  a  serious  matter  is  life  and  develop- 
ment for  the  families  that  have  less. 

The  Power  of  Choice. — The  second  reason  for  selecting  this 
moderate  income  group  for  study  is  that  we  have  here  reached 
conditions  that  make  a  broader  education  and  development  possible, 
because  this  family  has  to  a  considerable  degree  the  power  of  choice 
over  its  expenditures.  That  is,  after  meeting  the  minimum  require- 
ment for  food,  shelter,  and  clothing,  they  may  dispose  of  the  rest 
of  their  income  as  they  will,  as  in  adding  to  the  attractions  of  the 
table,  in  buying  better  dress,  in  providing  more  spacious  living 
quarters,  or  in  gaining  that  feeling  of  freedom  and  relief  from 
care  which  >comes  from  provision  against  illness  or  old  age,  they 
may  help  in  some  form  of  public  welfare  or  buy  books  or  hear  good 
music.  The  main  thing  as  concerns  this  discussion  is  that  none 
of  these  outgoes  shall  be  considered  necessities,  but  as  desirable 
additions  which  must  be  weighed  against  each  other  since  all  cannot 
be  obtained. 

Suppose,  for  instance,  a  family  living  on  $2500  income  be- 
comes possessed  of  $3500.  According  to  the  usual  practice,  they 
would  move  into  a  more  expensive  neighborhood  and  distribute 
the  extra  $1000  over  rent,  operating  expenses,  dress,  etc.  They 


SOME  CHARACTERISTICS  3 

have  changed  their  scale  of  living,  but  they  have  not  a  penny  more 
of  unmortgaged  surplus  than  they  had  before.  Is  it  not  conceivable 
that  this  family  might  conceal  from  their  neighbors  their  rise  in 
fortune  so  as  to  dodge  that  tyranny  expressed  in  the  "  standard  of 
living"  or  "what  is  expected  of  us"  and  sit  down  behind  closed 
doors  to  consider  their  treasure  and  to  discuss  the  comparative 
value  of  the  many  claims  on  it?  In  short,  they  might  regard  their 
former  expenditure  of  $2500  as  covering  necessary  requirements, 
and  the  recently  gained  $1000  as  surplus,  so  that  by  intelligently 
comparing  all  the  proposed  uses  of  it  they  may  secure  a  better 
living.  By  this  method  of  comparing  proposed  expenditures  every 
item  is  given  its  measure  in  terms  of  something  else,  and  money- 
spending  is  thus  removed  from  the  ignominious  region  of  the  hap- 
hazard; that  is,  if  the  line  that  separates  needs  from  desires  is 
drawn  even  tentatively,  this  family  possesses  after  necessities  are 
met,  what  may  be  spent  in  one  way  or  another  according  to  choice, 
and  this  is  the  very  foundation  of  that  education  in  comparative 
values  which  will  raise  them  in  the  scale  of  living.  Poverty  has 
been  called  an  "  automatic  standardizer,"  the  outlay  is  dictated  by 
the  absolute  needs  of  life ;  you  cannot  waste  what  you  do  not  possess ; 
mistakes  :begin  in  spending  the  surplus. 

Effect  on  Development  of  Character  and  Leadership. — The 
third  reason  for  selecting  this  group  for  study  is  that  the  moderate 
income  affords  probably  the  very  best  conditions  for  discipline,  the 
best  stimulus  for  family  development.  Although,  contrary  to  the 
general  impression,  this  income  is  relatively  high  in  the  general 
scale,  88  per  cent,  of  American  families  having  in  1910  what  was 
below  this  level,  yet  it  by  no  means  affords  all  that  is  wanted  and 
the  family  possessing  it  will  need  to  plan  even  more  carefully  than 
the  one  below  them  in  the  scale,  because  of  the  higher  requirements 
upon  them  as  to  housing,  dress  and  other  items  that  meet  the  public 
eye.  Limitations  are  felt  on  all  sides,  and  yet  life  is  not  so  cramped 
as  to  dull  ambition.  Conditions  are  thus  favorable  for  development, 
and  from  the  past  history  of  this  and  other  countries  it  would  seem 
that  such  families  will  furnish  a  large  proportion  of  the  leadership 
needed  in  a  democracy.  It  has  been  found  that  from  the  farm,  and 
from  business  and  professional  families  of  moderate  means  the  high 
schools  and  colleges  draw  their  largest  quota;  here  is  found  the 


4         SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

keenest  desire  for  learning  and  advancement.  Fifteen  years  ago 
Mrs.  Richards  said  that  the  family  living  on  $1500  to  $3000  had 
come  to  where  they  "  could  look  on  life  historically  and  have  some 
mental  equipment/' 

This  great  middle  group  in  America  probably  furnishes  much 
of  the  progressive  power  in  society.  Doorst  of  opportunity  are 
ajar,  but  they  are  to  be  pushed  open  only  by  that  energy  and  initia- 
tive which  is  best  developed  by  difficulties,  just  as  the  jaw  grows  by 
chewing  and  the  hand  by  grasping  and  as  the  discipline  of  earning 
and  saving  money  may  have  high  value  for  the  individual.  Accord- 
ing to  one  investigation,  out  of  one  hundred  executives  responsible 
for  great  business  institutions,  75  per  cent,  were  found  to  be 
sons  of  farmers,  laborers,  teachers,  doctors,  country  lawyers  and  poor 
country  preachers.1 

Students  of  social  conditions  often  record  the  conviction  that 
few  human  beings  can  be  trusted  to  discipline  themselves;  they 
need  the  spur  and  limitations  furnished  in  the  very  conditions  of  life 
where  natural  forces  do  the  teaching,  just  as  the  farmer's  boy  learns 
that  if  the  plow  is  left  out  of  doors  it  will  rust,  if  the  cow  is  not 
well  milked  she  will  go  dry.  What  is  true  of  families  seems  to  be 
true  of  whole  communities.  Thomas  N.  Carver  says :  "  The  nations 
which  take  their  leisure  in  the  form  of  frequent  holidays,  graceful 
consumption  (of  goods),  and  elegant  leisure  have  long  since  fallen 
behind  in  the  progress  of  civilization,  while  those  nations  which 
have  preserved  a  kind  of  emotional  interest  in  the  austere  and 
productive  life,  whose  ideals  of  life  have  centered  in  the  future 
rather  than  in  the  present,  have  become  the  great  nations  in  every 
modern  sense." 2 

Influence  on  the  Children. — It  is  this  nearness  to  natural 
conditions  and  forces  which  gives  to  the  moderate  income  family 
an  immense  advantage  in  the  rearing  of  children.  It  seems  prob- 
able that  a  man  who  has  been  obliged  from  early  youth  to  do  some- 
thing to  contribute  to  the  family  resources,  who  has  had  to  help 
his  father  and  mother,  who  has  worked  with  his  brothers  and 
sisters  for  some  common  end  that  all  have  enjoyed  together,  has 
developed  a  very  definite  grasp  of  the  facts  of  life  in  the  only  way 

1  Roger  W.  Babson,  Increasing  Net  Profits,  p.  8. 
8  War  Thrift,  T.  N.  Carver,  p.  24. 


SOME  CHARACTERISTICS  5 

in  which  it  is  gained ;  that  is,  by  actual  practice  and  contact.  Earn- 
ing and  spending  are  not,  as  with  the  rich,  so  widely  separated  that 
their  true  relation  is  concealed.  If  a  desired  good  cannot  be 
obtained  until  the  money  that  represents  it  is  earned  the  great 
lesson  of  deferred  enjoyment  is  being  taught,  as  also  the  turning 
away  from  a  lesser  good  to  wait  for  a  greater. 

Nor  will  there  be  much  danger  that  a  man  thus  brought  up 
will  fail  to  understand  the  motives  and  feelings  of  that  three- 
fourths  of  our  people  who  are  below  him  on  the  ladder.  "  If 
the  Lord  do  prosper  us  in  this  place,  the  -poor  shall  taste  of  it," 
said  Martha  Crossley,  as  she  passed  through  the  yard  of  her 
husband's  woolen  mills  at  four  in  the  morning ;  and  it  was  her  son, 
Sir  Francis  Crossley,  who  gave  its  public  park  to  the  city  of  Halifax. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  that  the  conditions  which  go  with 
inherited  wealth,  or  wealth  which  is  easily  amassed  by  the  advantage 
of  a  good  start  given  by  financial  and  social  position,  may  dull  the 
conscience,  and  even  the  mind,  toward  any  possible  change  in  social 
adjustments  which  promise  to  curtail  the  profits  and  privileges 
of  the  few. 

The  Woman's  Position. — Another  reason  for  the  importance 
of  this  income  group,  making  it  worthy  of  study,  is  that  the  position 
of  the  woman  who  presides  over  it  is  such  that  her  normal  develop- 
ment and  self-respect  are  assured  if  her  character  measures  up  to 
the  requirements.  She  contributes  her  full  share  to  the  support  of 
the  family  by  her  daily  labor  in  the  many  ways  that  are  needed  for 
its  very  existence  and  efficiency.  She  has  a  chance  by  and  through 
these  activities,  and  in  the  leisure  which  her  diligence  and  fore- 
sight may  gain  for  her,  to  contribute  also  the  immaterial  values 
which  create  and  feed  the  home  spirit  and  bind  the  family  together. 
These  contributions  which  she  makes  are  so  indispensable  that  her 
value  cannot  be  ignored  and  the  result  is  that  she,  as  much  as 
the  man,  determines  the  financial  policy  of  the  family  and  has 
control  of  the  necessary  funds,  just  as  the  wife  of  the  day  laborer 
expects  to  receive  the  pay  envelope  unopened.  She  thus  plays  a 
self-respecting  part  and  may  obtain  such  power  through  it  that 
she  is  to  be  envied  in  many  cases  by  wealthier  women  who  are 
"  given  "  money  at  irregular  intervals  and  without  system,  and  who 
have  credit  at  stores  rather  than  ready  money  in  hand. 


6         SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Financial  Status  of  the  Moderate  Income  Family. — There 
were  about  a  million  and  a  half  families  in  this  country  in  1910 
with  incomes  of  $1400  to  $2000  a  year,  a  sum  that  is  equivalent  in 
buying  power  to  probably  $2500  to  $3500  more  or  less  in  1921. 
This  group,  representing  six  per  cent,  of  American  families  in 
1910,  forms  in  general  what  may  be  called  "  the  moderate  income 
group  " ;  there  should  perhaps  be  added  to  it  many  families  with 
somewhat  larger  money  incomes  (that  is,  part  of  the  group  with 
1910  incomes  of  $2000  to  $5000,  page  27)— all  families,  in  fact,  in 
which  the  financial  margin  above  the  minimum  is  only  enough 
when  supplemented  by  the  housewife's  full  time  service,  to  secure 
some  freedom  in  ordering  the  life. 

These  moderate  income  families  in  no  way  constitute  a  social 
class,  for  they  have  widely  varying  standards1  of  living  and  draw 
their  support  from  many  different  occupations;  but  there  is  one 
great  point  of  agreement,  they  have  about  the  same  amount  of 
money  to  spend.  The  financial  status  of  this  family  is  perhaps  most 
accurately  described  by  saying  that  they  have  one  and  a  half  to 
two  or  three  times  as  much  as  is  required  to  meet  primary  needs  as 
expressed  in  the  minimum  or  "  fair  living  wage,"  which  before  the 
war  was  placed  at  $800-$900  and  is  estimated  in  1921  to  be  $1500 
or  more  for  the  city  family  of  five  members. 

With  war  and  post-war  shifting  of  wages  and  prices  and  without 
the  aid  of  a  digest  of  the  figures  furnished  in  the  1920  census  and 
income  tax,  it  is  not  possible  to  state  with  more  exactness  the 
present  income  of  this  group  of  families.  The  relative  position 
to  the  rest  of  the  community  of  a  group  that  possesses  several  hun- 
dred dollars  beyond  the  estimated  minimum,  whatever  that  may  be, 
will,  however,  be  very  little  changed,  and  the  proportions  of  an 
income  spent  to  cover  various  needs  and  desires  will  remain  a 
rather  constant  phenomenon,  since  our  decision  as  to  what  we  must 
have  and  what  we  can  go  without  depends  on  habits  and  standards 
that  do  not  fluctuate  with  the  market  reports. 

It  is  by  virtue  of  the  surplus  possessed  above  the  recognized 
sum  needed  for  health  and  efficiency  that  these  families,  whose 
method  of  living  we  are  to  consider,  will  be  able  to  secure  a  certain 
better  quality  of  life. 

It  cannot  be  claimed  that  the  "  statistical "  xf amily  of  five  living 


SOME  CHARACTERISTICS  < 

on  a  $2500  income  is  representative  in  every  respect  of  a  large  group 
in  this  country.  It  may,  however,  serve  as  a  point  of  departure  for 
estimating  the  needs,  the  desires,  and  the  assets,  so  to  speak,  of  the 
families  that  go  to  make  up  what  we  might  call,  were  we  to  use 
the  European  term,  our  "  middle  classes."  The  family  group  may 
be  larger  or  smaller ;  its  standards  may  range  between  those  of  the 
skilled  workman  and  the  college  professor;  the  income  in  question 
may  be  held  for  only  a  brief  period  in  the  life  of  a  family ;  but  what 
must  be  taken  from  this  income  more  or  less  to  cover  the  absolute 
necessities  of  life  has  been  estimated  by  government  experts  and 
others,  while  the  standards  and  circumstances  which  will  influence 
what  use  shall  be  made  of  the  amount  of  money  left  over  after  these 
needs  are  met  is  a  legitimate  subject  of  inquiry. 

Granted  that  this  family  group  on  the  moderate  income  has 
a  great  opportunity,  it  is  fair  to  enquire  whether  it  does  in  fact 
set  ideals  for  the  rest  of  society  as  to  upright  and  honest  living, 
as  to  sane  recreation,  as  to  desirable  expansion  along  the  best  lines 
when  resources  increase?  Is  the  training  of  its  children  really 
better  than  that  seen  on  the  poorer  or  the  richer  levels?  Do  the 
adults  make  themselves  felt  as  valuable  members  of  the  community  ? 
Our  answer  to  such  questions  can  not  be  according  to  our  acquaint- 
ance with  a  few  individual  families.  In  the  following  pages  an 
effort  will  be  made  to  show  that  successful  family  life  is  possible  to 
this  income  group  if  certain  conditions  are  afforded.  These  con- 
ditions or  requirements  may  be  stated  as  follows,  and  their  discus- 
sion will  follow  in  later  chapters: 

The  Four  Conditions  for  Success. — 1.  The  money  income  of 
the  family  tolerably  certain  and  earned  wholly  or  chiefly  by  the  man. 

2.  A  fair  start  in  life  for  the  heads  of  this  household,  includ- 
ing wholesome  liome  training,  education,  both  general  and  voca- 
tional, and  money  enough,  or  things  of  money  value,  furnished 
chiefly  from  their  own  savings,  to  enable  them  to  meet  with  courage 
the  financial  problems  that  present  themselves,  especially  in  the 
difficult  early  years  of  married  life. 

3.  The  right  attitude  of  the  woman  of  the  family  toward  her 
part  in  its  success,  with  a  growing  capacity  to  meet  its  requirements. 

4.  Generous  help  on  the  part  of  the  community  in  promoting 
the  success  of  the  family. 


8         SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  your  estimate,  without  reference  to  census  reports,  of  the  num- 

ber of  these  moderate  income  family  groups  in  the  United  States — 
one-half,  one-fourth,  or  what  part  of  the  total  number?  Look  over 
your  own  community  in  trying  to  estimate. 

Is  it  probable  that  family  groups  with  a  few  hundred  dollars  more 
than  the  actual  requirements  of  life  will  increase  relatively  to  the 
whole  population — if  so,  how  increase?  by  the  poorer  people  getting 
more,  or  the  rich  getting  less? 

2.  Is  this  group  more  dependent  for  its  well-being  than  those  of  higher 

income  on  forces  beyond  its  control?  Is  any  form  of  united  action 
likely  to  increase  its  independence? 

3.  Do  you  agree  with   the  text  that  the  woman's   position   in   families 

living  on  this  income  scale  is  a  good  one? 

4.  If  you  personally  think  that  the  world  owes  you  more  than  you  are 

getting,  make  a  list  of  your  contributions  to  society  and  estimate 
their  value. 

5.  What  large  choices  or  decisions  has  your  family  made  in  the  past,  the 

effects  of  which  can  be  traced  in  its  present  standards  of  living? 

6.  What  seem  to  you  the  worst  results  of  too  small  an  income  upon  the 

family  receiving  it? 

7.  What  are  the  chief  dangers  to  the  family  from  opulence? 

8.  As  your  own  family's  income  has  changed  in  the  past,  what  changes 

were  made  in  the  scale  of  living?  Can  you  trace  any  changes  in 
the  spirit  of  the  family? 

9.  See  if  you  can  define  any  characteristics  of  the  moderate  income  family 

as  illustrated  by  families  within  your  observation. 

10.  Look  over  the  list  of  successful  men  in  your  community — how  many 
inherited  wealth,  and  how  many  rose  out  of  the  "  middle  class  "  ? 
Or,  examine  the  first  one  hundred  names  in  "  Who's  Who,"  or  some 
similar  compilation. 


CHAPTEE  II 
THE  HIGHER  VALUES  IN  FAMILY  LIFE 

The  Normal  or  Standard  Family. — The  phrases  the  "nor- 
mal "  family  and  the  "  standard "  family  will  be  often  used  in 
these  pages,  and  they  require  explanation.  Families  are  of  all 
sizes,  and  since  a  given  income  expresses  a  greater  degree  of  well- 
being  when  spent  for  the  smaller  group,  students  of  social  con- 
ditions find  it  important  to  standardize  the  family  unit>  so  that 
comparisons  can  be  made  on  the  same  basis. 

The  International  Statistical  Congress,  meeting  in  Brussels 
in  1855,  defined  the  standard  family  as  "  father,  mother  and  four 
children  between  two  and  sixteen/'  The  United  States  Commis- 
sioner of  Labor  in  1891,  from  a  study  of  2132  families,  gave  the 
membership  of  the  typical  American  family  as  5.7.  The  Eighteenth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Labor  in  1903  on  the  "  Cost 
of  Living  and  Retail  Prices  of  Food/'  in  a  study  of  25,440  families 
(104,108  persons),  defines  the  normal  family  as  one  which  has 
the  husband  at  work;  a  wife,  not  more  than  five  children,  and 
none  over  fourteen  years  of  age;  no  dependent,  boarder,  lodger 
or  servant. 

In  recent  years  the  agreement  seems  to  be  that  the  normal  family, 
as  concerned  with  statistical  inquiries,  consists  of  father,  mother, 
and  three  dependent  children.  It  has  also  been  called  the  "  census 
family."  The  statesman,  the  economist,  all  those  who  take  broad 
views  of  national  development,  think  of  the  community  as  composed 
of  these  family  groups  which  conserve  the  means  of  life  and  make 
ready  the  next  generation.  Statistical  enquiries,  such  as  those  con- 
ducted on  a  large  scale  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor, 
are  concerned  not  with  individuals,  but  with  the  normal  family. 

The  Family  'Group. — In  actual  life  the  family  group  may  be 
united  by  ties  of  blood  or  of  friendship,  but  to  meet  our  ideal  of 
a  family  it  is  not  enough  that  the  same  roof  shelter  them  and  that 
they  eat  at  the  same  table;  we  do  not  call  the  inmates  of  a  hotel 

9 


10       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

or  boarding  house  a  family,  although  they  may  be  so  regarded 
by  the  census  taker.  The  group  must  be  small  enough  to  have 
common  interests,  and  the  closer  those  interests,  the  nearer  the 
group  comes  to  the  ideal  relationship. 

Of  all  normal  social  relations  the  most  important  is  that  which 
exists  between  a  man  and  woman  and  their  own  children,  what  we 
call  the  true  family  group.  It  has  been  the  soul  and  center  of  early 
settlements  and  the  solid  foundation  of  civilized  states. 

Its  Determining  Conditions. — What  are  the  determining  con- 
ditions of  the  home  and  family  at  various  times? 

Our  American  ancestors  seem  to  have  been  able  to  compass 
normal  living  in  this  regard;  in  general  they  early  chose  their 
mate,  established  a  home  and  raised  a  family,  although  the  comforts 
that  have  become  daily  necessities  for  this  generation  were  then 
unheard-of  luxuries.  In  the  communities  which  they  founded, 
public  sentiment  favored  family  life  as  the  means  by  which  men 
and  women  could  best  provide  for  their  most  pressing  needs.  Homes 
were  centers  of  production,  each  one  was  a  factory,  and  of  all  its 
products,  the  child,  the  potential  worker,  was  perhaps  the  most 
valuable.  It  was  easier  for  young  people  to  marry  than  not  to  do 
so  when  public  opinion  favored  it,  when  for  the  women  most  avenues 
of  money  earning  were  closed  and  for  men  there  were  few  inns, 
and  no  'dubs,  and  when  the  most  ordinary  ^comforts  and  pleasures 
were  obtainable  only  in  the  home.  The  woman's  economic  contribu- 
tion to  such  a  home  was  without  question;  she  not  only  did  the 
housework  in  the  modern  sense  of  caring  for  the  daily  needs  of  the 
family,  but  she  was  a  producer  of  cloth,  food  and  other  things  which 
were  of  marketable  value  and  whose  sale  added  to  the  income. 

Economic  conditions,  especially  the  cost  of  living,  are  the  very 
foundation  of  variations  in  the  marriage  rate.  Statisticians  have 
found  that  a  distinct  relation  could  be  traced  between  that  rate  and 
the  price  of  wheat  in  England  and  of  rye  on  the  continent.  As 
civilizations  develop  and  individuals  require  more  and  more  of  life, 
and  are  besides  better  served  by  society  outside  the  home  than  was 
formerly  the  case,  the  matter  is  less  simple.  One  economist,  Ely, 
gives  a  jiarrow  but  suggestive  definition  of  the  standard  of  living 
as  "  the  number  and  character  of  the  wants  which  a  man  considers 
more  ^important  than  marriage  and  family."  That  is,  he  may  make 


THE  HIGHER  VALUES  IN  FAMILY  LIFE  11 

sure  that  this  standard  of  life  is  obtainable  for  himself  and  his 
family  before  he  can  "  afford  "  to  marry ;  he  may  otherwise  elect 
to  hold  this  standard  for  himself  alone.  This  attitude,  once  so 
familiar,  has  a  strangely  old-fashioned  sound,  as  it  wholly  ignores 
the  woman's  part  in  the  decision.  She  may  not  quail  before  risks 
and  privations,  she  may  have  more  daring  and  initiative,  be  more 
resourceful  than  the  man  himself  in  a  difficult  situation. 

Standards  of  Living. — All  material  and  social  advances  in 
the  standard  of  living  in  the  community  may  enter  into  the  decision 
when  a  home  is  undertaken,  and  these  advances  up  to  a  certain 
point  place  the  home  on  a  higher  level  of  achievement,  while 
beyond  -this  point  of  comfort  and  efficiency  high  standards  of 
living  may  be  an  enemy  of  home  making,  deferring  it  for  years  or 
perhaps  making  it  forever  impossible.  The  decisions  that  concern 
these  standards  are  of  great  importance,  as  the  choice  of  what  ones 
are  necessary  for  health  and  decency  and  reasonable  comfort,  as 
compared  with  what  are  dictated  by  meaningless  and  tyrannical 
custom.  What  are  these  things  in  the  household  which  represent 
that  "tithing  of  mint,  anise  and  cummin/'  and  what  are  the 
"  weightier  matters  of  the  law  "  ? 

The  Plan  of  Life. — Suppose  the  home  to  have  been  started, 
what  is  the  plan  of  life  ?  Will  it  endure,  and  will  it  produce  those 
immaterial  values  which  round  out  life  to  an  organic  whole,  those 
values  which  cannot  be  weighed  and  measured,  but  which  lie  back 
of  all  the  comings  and  goings,  all  the  daily  plans  ?  In  short,  why 
a  home  at  all  ?  Adult  experience  does  not  hesitate  to  predict  that 
the  married  couple  without  unselfish  plans  and  purposes  of  some 
sort  are  apt  to  drift  toward  superficial  pleasures,  and  if  these  pleas- 
ures are  not  the  same  for  both  man  and  woman,  they  sometimes 
develop  different  ways  of  life  and  thus  fall  apart. 

Family  Building. — But  there  is  at  least  one  aim  that  will 
unite  the  two  and  which  promises  permanence.  If  they  undertake 
from  the  first  what  has  been  nobly  called  "  family  building,"  they 
have  a  common  interest  of  an  engrossing  character,  one  which 
stimulates  the  very  best  that  is  in  them.  To  look  forward  into 
other  lives,  and  to  plan  fruitful  relations  to  the  community,  may 
unite  the  lovers  by  new  bonds  in  line  with  natural  development. 
There  is  wisdom  in  realizing  the  dangers  that  beset  even  ideal 


12       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

personal  relations  unrelieved  by  other  interests;  children  are  the 
natural  buffers  in  married  life.  With  their  birth  ought  to  begin 
for  the  parents  that  wider  education  for  the  family's  permanent 
place  in  the  scheme  of  things,  an  education  which  becomes  im- 
portant according  as  it  is  intelligently  chosen  and  pursued. 

Even  if  the  ends  sought  in  the  home  are  not  always  gained,  here 
at  least  is  the  opportunity.  The  home  at  its  best,  or  even  at  its 
second  best,  is  a  wonderful  tiling,  the  place  in  which  social  and 
domestic  instincts  are  cultivated,  where  there  may  be  mutual  under- 
standing and  sympathy  in  success  or  in  failure.  Here  is  the  cooper- 
ating group,  here  is  the  extension  of  oneself,  a  chance  to  do  for 
others  and  to  be  done  for,  with  its  wholesome  check  or  rank  indi- 
vidualism, and  its  training  for  team  work  in  the  social  and  business 
world.  Here  is  the  sense  of  security,  the  retreat  from  outside 
annoyances,  a  place  to  recreate  ourselves  for  labor. 

The  family  is  really  a  way  of  living  that  may  enhance  what  is 
put  into  it,  it  gives  more  life  to  all;  if  all  contribute  of  their  best 
they  receive  more  than  their  best,  transformed  by  that  world-old 
alchemy  which  may  make  the  home  of  the  poorest  a  glowing  center 
of  comfort  and  cheer,  where  may  be  found  that  "warm,  easeful 
feeling  "  which  the  homesick  child  pines  for  in  absence,  which  fills 
the  adult  with  deep  content  and  comforts  the  old.  The  charm 
of  home  is  found  in  this  chance  for  growth  and  development  in  an 
atmosphere  of  affection;  it  is  by  no  means  perfect,  but  the  best 
way  yet  devised  for  meeting  human  needs,  and  the  reward  which 
its  founders  may  expect  for  their  labors.  All  of  us  discover  finally 
that  we  must  do  our  share  in  building  up  some  form  of  home 
life ;  a  home  has  much  to  do  with  our  happiness  and  our  usefulness 
in  the  wonderful  years  between  thirty  and  sixty  for  which  youth 
seldom  realizes  that  it  must  prepare. 

The  Child  and  the  Home. — All  ages  and  degrees  of  experience 
may  contribute  to  the  enrichment  of  home  life,  but  the  contribution 
made  by  the  child  is  probably  the  most  important.  All  men  and 
women,  whether  they  marry  or  not,  should  bear  some  vital  relation 
to  a  home,  and  preferably  a  home  in  which  there  are  children.  How 
adults  need  the  intimate  personal  touch  with  youth  they  do  not 
themselves  always  realize;  still  less  do  they  realize  their  own  duty 
to  youth  or  how  to  perform  it.  It  was  said  of  Robert  Owen,  that 


THE  HIGHER  VALUES  IN  FAMILY  LIFE  13 

remarkable  man  who  conducted  a  hundred  years  ago  the  first  infant 
schools  in  Great  Britain,  that  "he  looked  with  royal  eyes  on 
children."  When  we  come  to  realize  what  the  community  has  at 
stake  in  the  proper  development  of  its  children,  that  here  is  in 
reality  the  only  hope  of  the  future,  we  shall  find  better  ways  of 
serving  them,  not  only  our  own  children  in  our  own  homes,  but 
children  in  imperfect  household  relations. 

Adoption  Outright  and  Partial. — Adoption  of  children  by 
unmarried  as  well  as  married  people  should  become  much  more 
common  than  it  is ;  a  small  group  adopting  and  supporting  several 
children  seems  to  be  a  method  also  worth  trying.  This  matter  of 
adoption  is  now  brought  to  the  front  because  of  the  losses  of  war 
which  will  leave  many  orphans  and  enforce  celibacy  on  great  num- 
bers of  the  women  of  Europe  and  to  a  smaller  degree  on  our 
own  women. 

A  less  exacting  relation,  what  might  be  called  partial  adoption, 
by  which  an  adult  becomes  the  intimate  friend  and  helper  of  a  child 
or  a  family  of  children,  deserves  to  be  recognized  at  its  full  value; 
a  relationship  depending  on  tact  and  affection,  and  giving  a  service 
which  has  been  the  salvation  of  many  an  overworked  or  puzzled 
parent.  The  adult  who  craves  an  hour's  visit  from  an  attractive 
child  because  of  the  entertainment  it  affords  does  not  always  realize 
that  the  child  has  been  fed  and  clothed  and  cared  for  by  other 
hands,  and  that  for  this  hour  of  pleasure  a  real  debt  has  been 
incurred  to  the  parent.  Why  should  not  this  adult  friend  of  the 
family  undertake  seriously  to  help  some  department  of  the  child's 
education  ?  For  instance,  a  child  who  is  invited  to  visit  for  some 
days  in  a  family  with  standards  like  its  own  home  is  shown  that 
others  value  the  same  refinements  and  hygienic  laws,  and  this  re- 
sults in  the  home  requirements  being  met  with  a  better  spirit  of 
cooperation,  and  the  parents'  task  is  thus  lightened.  When  are  we 
to  realize  that  the  child  is  to  be  served  by  all  the  forces  of  society  ? 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  those  interested  in  adopting  children 
should  get  in  touch  with  such  modern  agencies  as  The  State  Chari- 
ties Aid  Society  of  New  York.  The  "  Big  Brother "  and  "Big 
Sister  "  movements  are  vital  efforts  in  the  line  of  partial  adoption. 

As  to  how  children  of  unknown  parentage  will  "turn  out," 
students  of  human  heredity  are  ever  reminding  us  that,  always 


Id       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

excepting  the  feeble-minded,  there  is  no  means  of  predicting  the 
natural  abilities  and  characteristics  of  the  children  of  any  given 
ctiuple;  in  short,  the  adopted  child  may  turn  out  as  well  as  our 
own  or  better.1 

Another  side  to  this  matter  of  adoption  was  well  expressed  in 
the  remark  "  There  is  no  doubt  of  your  need  of  the  child,  but  what 
of  the  child's  need  ?  Can  you  fill  it  ?  "  The  serious  study  of  child 
life  is  to  broaden  and  increase,  and  there  will  be  no  more  earnest 
students  of  it  than  some  of  these  foster  parents. 

Looking  Ahead. — Anything  of  such  priceless  value  as  success- 
ful family  life  is  worth  effort.  Each  generation  will  seek  the  higher 
or  imponderable  values  in  family  life  in  a  different  way,  but  the 
best  are  all  gained  slowly  as  a  matter  of  growth  and  of  conscious 
effort;  there  must  always  be  a  long  look  ahead  even  into  old  age, 
a  knitting  of  relationships  and  an  accumulation  of  experiences  that 
contain  elements  of  permanence  and  provide  enrichment  of  the 
emotional  life.  This  requires  in  the  members  of  a  family  patience 
and  unselfishness,  and,  perhaps  above  all,  the  live-and-let-live  toler- 
ance that  makes  allowance  for  the  individual  and  yet  requires 
cooperation  for  general  ends ;  in  short,  an  acceptance  of  the  modern 
view  of  equal  partnership  between  the  man  and  the  woman  in  enjoy- 
ment and  in  work  whatever  may  be  its  form,  and,  above  all,  a 
recognition  of  the  duty  to  raise  sound  children  who  will  play  their 
part  in  the  national  life.  A  rich  family  life  is  not  an  accident, 
it  is  earned. 

This  economic  and  social  unit  that  we  know  as  the  family  is 
always  being  assailed ;  it  is  said  that  its  economic  foundation  is  gone, 
that  it  is  the  enemy  of  individual  rights,  that  all  of  its  products  are 
unsatisfactory.  It  is  not  in  the  scope  of  this  book  to  enter  into 
the  debate,  but  it  must  be  admitted  by  all  that  the  family  is  an 
extremely  persistent  type,  the  only  way  of  living  that  is  eternally 
to  be  reckoned  with,  the  one  to  which  society  always  swings  back  after 
times  of  abnormal  stress  and  hectic  experiments.  Changes  and 
adjustments  are  being  made,  but  they  seem  to  modify  rather  than 
upset  in  any  fundamental  way  the  institution  "  out  of  which  men 
and  women  have  gotten  the  most  hope,  dignity  and  joy;  the  place 

1  Suggestions  from  Modern  Science  Concerning  Education,  H.  B. 
Jennings,  1918,  p.  11. 


THE  HIGHER  VALUES  IN  FAMILY  LIFE  15 

through  which,  whatever  its  failures  and  illusions,  they  get  the 
fullest  development,  and  the  opportunity  to  render  the  most  useful 
social  service." 

If  one  may  venture  into  a  field  that  has  been  injured  by  cheap 
sentimentality,  it  would  be  to  express  the  conviction  that  this  insti- 
tution we  call  the  family  has  before  it  a  future  greater  than  we 
have  dreamed,  for  home  life  at  its  best,  like  religion,  is  yet  to  be 
tried.  Better  means  of  developing  human  beings  are  to  be  dis- 
covered, but  to  apply  and  work  out  these  methods  science  will  need 
the  cooperation'  of  affection,  patience  and  other  personal  qualities 
that  have  always  nourished  in  the  home. 

To  produce  these  imponderable  values  in  home  life  is  largely 
the  privilege  of  the  woman,  and  it  may  be  recognized  as  a  true 
economic  function  since  it  adds  to  the  "  pleasure-giving  power  of 
commodities."  In  the  family  of  the  income  level  which  we  are 
considering,  she  will,  in  general,  contribute  these  values  by  and 
through  her  daily  services,  which  may  be  held,  indeed,  to  be  the 
natural  medium  through  which  she  establishes  that  close  cooperation 
and  understanding  with  her  family.  To  work  and  play  together 
with  common  aims  and  interests,  to  serve  and  be  served  in  small 
daily  ways,  is  to  weave  the  strong  fabric  of  many  threads  which 
symbolizes  the  ideal  family  relation. 

Summary. — The  establishment  of  the  family  group  will  be 
influenced  by  the  standard  of  living  at  any  given  time,  and  the 
plan  of  life  which  includes  " family  building"  would  seem  to  be 
the  one  which  offers  the  best  promise  of  permanence  and  success. 
No  contribution  to  family  life  is  so  great  as  that  offered  by  the 
child,  and  all  adults  should  have  some  relation  to  a  home  in  which 
there  are  children.  Adoption,  either  outright  or  partial,  is  the 
privilege  of  those  to  whom  childhood  makes  a  strong  appeal,  and 
is  to  be  strongly  recommended. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Name  a  few  marks  of  successful  family  life,  that  is,  such  marks  as 

casual  acquaintances  would  agree  on. 

2.  If  family  life  is  unsuccessful,  who  suffers  besides  the  family  itself? 

Just  what  interest  have  we  in  the  success  of  families  other  than 
our  own? 


16       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

3.  How  long  a  time  is  necessary  to  measure  family  success?     Are  con- 

ditions affecting  children  and  grandchildren  a  part  of  this  meas- 
ure ?  Illustrate. 

4.  Make  a  mental  survey  of  five  successful  families  that  you  have  known. 

Also  five  unsuccessful.  What  are  the  leading  traits  in  each  group? 
Can  you  account  for  the  difference  in  the  outcome? 

5.  Mention    three    material    satisfactions    which    the    individual    usually 

secures  through  the  family.  Arrange  in  order  of  importance.  Com- 
pare with  the  quality,  cost  and  ease  of  obtaining  them  elsewhere. 
Are  any  of  these  essential  to  a  real  home? 

6.  Compare  the  life  of  students  in  a  college  dormitory  with  that  of  stu- 

dents living  in  their  respective  homes. 

7.  Compare  hotel  life  with  family  life  for  adults  and  for  children.    What 

adults  have  you  in  mind? 

8.  Give  concrete  individual  instances  of  values  that  have  accrued  to  you 

from  living  in  your  own  home.  What  personal  values  came  to  your 
parents  from  your  being  a  member  of  the  home? 

9.  If  you  were  running  an  orphan  asylum  what  would  you  do  to  make 

it  as  much  as  possible  like  a  home? 

10.  Are  the  "  higher  values  "  exclusively  the  product  of  family  life  ?    What 

is  contributed  by  the  school,  the  church? 

11.  In  starting  a  home  what  ideals  do  you  think  should  be  adopted? 

12.  Is  the  childless  home  an  unsuccessful  home   in  a  social   sense?     To 

what  extent?  What  may  a  childless  couple  do  to  broaden  their 
lives,  besides  adopting  children? 

13.  Do   you   consider   that   the    limitations   of   the   moderate  income   are 

really  incentives  to  ambition,  as  has  been  claimed,  or  do  they  bring 
discouragement?  Illustrate  from  any  families  that  you  may  know. 

14.  If  you  have  knowledge  of  any  family  for  three  successive  generations, 

indicate  the  degree  of  success  reached,  financial  and  otherwise,  and 
give  what  you  consider  to  be  the  reasons  for  either  success  or  failure? 

15.  Have  young  people  away  from  home  any  responsibility  for  contributing 

to  their  parents'  happiness?     In  what  ways  can  they  meet  it? 

16.  What  contribution  can  the  schools  make,  through  the  children,  to  home 

happiness  ? 

17.  Do  teachers  sufficiently  realize  their  duty  to  combat  modern  tendencies 

toward  the  disintegration  of  family  life?     Illustrate. 

18.  Suggest  five  "  dont's  "  that  will  promote  family  happiness. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  FINANCIAL  PARTNERSHIP 

INCOMES  are  earned  by  individuals,  but  in  the  great  majority 
of  cases  they  are  distributed  in  a  family  group  and  spent  to  meet 
general  as  well  as  personal  needs. 

The  financial  partnership,  or  the  right  cooperation  in  the  earn- 
ing and  spending  of  the  money,  is  as  important  as  that  emotional 
and  social  partnership  whose  product  is  what  we  have  called  the 
higher  values  in  family  life.  It  underlies  them  indeed  and  makes 
them  possible. 

The  sources  of  family  income  are  more  numerous  than  is 
generally  supposed;  including  the  equivalents  of  money  there  are 
at  least  four  such  sources. 

Wages  or  Salary  for  Economic  Service. — Money  wages  or 
salary  received  by  the  day,  month  or  year  is  generally  the  most 
important  source  of  the  family  income,  whether  received  for  physical 
strength  or  skill  of  hand  in  actual  production  of  things  of  value,  or 
through  the  thousand  ways  known  to  business  by  which  labor  and 
its  results  are  grouped,  utilized  or  distributed;  or  as  received  for 
services  rendered  by  teacher,  doctor,  lawyer  and  others  who  all  have 
their  place  in  a  complicated  society. 

Interest  and  Rent  on  Property  Owned. — Rent  or  interest 
makes  the  next  important  contribution  to  the  money  income.  It 
may  be  in  the  form  of  rental  for  a  house  owned  by  the  family,  or 
interest  on  a  Liberty  Bond  or  on  a  deposit  in  the  savings  bank, 
or  on  a  mortgage  on  land  or  other  investment. 

This  form  of  income  may  represent  the  combined  family  savings, 
that  for  which  the  members  have  worked  together.  A  chance  to 
invest  safely  and  profitably  is  said  to  be  the  greatest  incentive  to 
thrift.  This  form  of  income  arises  from  property  permanently 
held  and  it  thus  has  an  element  of  stability  not  possessed  by  the 
weekly  or  monthly  pay  for  services  rendered.  Since  income  from 
property  furnishes  a  certain  security  independent  of  personal  earn- 
ing power,  it  is  well  for  a  family  to  derive  part  of  its  money  from 
2  17 


18       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

this  source.  Gifts  and  inheritance  should  be  considered  additions 
to  property  rather  than  a  part  of  recurrent  income  derived  from 
wages  or  interest. 

Property  owned  and  kept  for  family  use  rather  than  rented  for 
money  may  be  said  to  contribute  a  "use"  income  of  value  equal 
to  the  cost  of  renting  similar  property.  Do  not  the  owned  home, 
the  furnishings,  the  automobile,  etc.,  add  to  the  real  income  secured 
in  terms  of  this  factor  which  may  be  called  "  use  income  "  ? 

Personal  Services  in  the  Home  as  Income. — The  third  source 
of  income  is  in  the  form  of  unpaid  personal  services  contributed 
by  members  of  the  family.  These  all  swell  the  actual  income,  even 
though  they  are  not  estimated  or  recognized  at  their  full  money 
value.  When  the  man  of  the  family  relieves  the  stoppage  in  the 
kitchen  waste  pipe,  he  may  be  said  to  add  to  his  income  the  $4  or  $5 
that  would  have  gone  to  pay  the  plumber's  bill  for  this  service. 
He  may  construct  a  storage  closet  in  his  cellar  on  Saturday  after- 
noons, or  till  a  garden  or  mow  his  lawn,  and  in  each  case  this  service 
adds  to  his  income  the  money  that  would  hire  it  from  other  hands. 
If  he  shaves  himself,  he  contributes  an  easily  calculated  sum 
per  year. 

These  personal  services  to  the  home  represent  not  only  a  money 
value,  but  standards  of  living,  to  attain  which  the  members  are 
willing  to  make  an  effort;  also  when  rendered  by  young  people, 
they  are  nearly  all  of  educational  character. 

The  children  of  the  family  make  contribution  to  the  income 
when  they  help  with  the  housework  or  do  errands,  or  keep  the 
premises  in  order.  Beginning  when  very  young,  children  may 
learn  to  be  helpful  with  the  idea  that  their  services  contribute  to 
the  well-being  of  the  home.  As  these  services  come  to  be  of  sub- 
stantial character,  they  are  not  to  be  taken  as  a  matter  of  course 
by  the  parents,  but  their  money  value  should  be  recognized  and 
perhaps  devoted  to  some  special  purpose,  such  as  to  help  furnish 
pleasures  for  the  family.  As  soon  as  the  youthful  imagination  can 
be  brought  to  bear  on  the  subject,  the  value  of  these  services  may 
be  used  to  begin  the  fund  which  is  dedicated  to  education  or  the 
start  in  life.  It  will  be  noted  that  in  the  families  whose  financial 
history  is  given  in  Chapter  XVIII,  the  parents  are  in  the  prime 
of  life  and  best  able  to  bear  their  burden,  but  their  earning  power 


THE  FINANCIAL  PARTNERSHIP  19 


will  decrease  and  the  time  will  come  when  such  a  fund  accumulated 
through  small  earnings  and  gifts  may  be  absolutely  necessary  to 
give  the  children  help  in  education  or  a  start  in  business. 

The  woman  of  the  family  has  the  chance  to  make  so  large  a 
contribution  to  this  third  source  of  income  that  the  subject  will 
be  separately  treated.  Every  material  thing  that  comes  into  the 
house  may  be  increased  in  value  by  her  labor  or  her  intelligence. 
The  furniture  bought  reflects  her  knowledge  and  taste;  the  fifty- 
cent  steak  acquires  the  restaurant  value  of  a  dollar  and  a  half  when 
broiled  and  served,  the  bag  of  flour  when  made  into  loaves  of  bread 
becomes  worth  two  or  three  times  as  much  as  it  cost ;  the  cleanliness 
and  order  needed  for  the  comfort  of  the  family  is  due  to  her,  and 
the  value  of  the  service  may  be  stated  in  the  terms  of  current 
wages  for  such  work.  In  short,  the  labor  of  the  woman  of  the 
family  as  buyer,  manager,  houseworker,  teacher  and  trainer  of 
children  must  all  be  regarded  as  of  money  value  and  a  true  addition 
to  the  family  income.  That  is,  all  these  services  would  cost  a 
calculable  amount  of  money  if  they  were  hired,  and  it  is  taken 
for  granted  that  they  would  be  hired,  for  the  family  on  the  moderate 
income  in  this  country  possesses  the  standards  of  living  which 
require  all  these  services;  whereas,  in  the  home  of  the  very  poor, 
where  the  woman  works  outside  to  help  buy  the  necessities  of  life, 
the  household  arts  are  little  practiced,  and  there  is  no  question  of 
standards,  the  children  being  brought  up  on  the  streets,  as  may  be 
seen  in  the  slums  of  any  city. 

Social  Wealth  as  Source  of  Income. — The  fourth  source  of 
family  income  is  from  the  use  and  enjoyment  of  what  is  called 
accumulated  social  wealth,  common  examples  of  which  are  smooth 
roads,  good  water  provided  at  public  expense  free,  or  nearly  free, 
for  use  in  house,  street  or  garden,  paved  streets  kept  clean  by  the 
city,  parks  and  recreation  grounds.  In  New  York  City,  for  in- 
stance, for  a  five-cent  fare  a  man  has  the  use  of  a  subway  provided 
by  a  municipal  investment  of  many  millions.  To  this  must  be 
added  the  immense  machinery  of  free  education  by  schools,  libraries, 
free  concerts  and  art  galleries.  It  must  be  remembered  that  even 
where  a  fee  is  charged,  as  for  college  courses,  the  fee  pays  but  a 
part  of  the  actual  cost  of  the  education  afforded;  individuals, 
municipalities,  state  and  nation  have  provided  buildings,  outfit 


20       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

and  funds.  In  one  year  New  York  State  gave  over  $100,000,000 
to  education. 

Formerly  the  city  dweller  had  an  immense  advantage  in  this 
fourth  source  of  income  over  the  rural  citizen,  but  education  and 
material  assistance  for  the  farmer  and  the  dweller  in  small  towns 
have  now  taken  many  forms  and  will  be  more  and  more  generously 
supported  by  the  government.  The  rural  traveling  library  is  mak- 
ing great  headway  in  some  states,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
rural  hospital  which  will  serve  a  fifty-mile  radius. 

Illustration  of  an  Income. — All  these  sources  of  income  may 
not  apply  to  all  families,  but  the  illustrations  are  here  given  to  show 
that  the  family  on  the  moderate  income  is  much  better  off  financially 
than  the  man's  earnings  would  indicate.  The  following  attempt  to 
name  the  money  value  of  these  various  additions  to  the  income  can 
be  no  more  than  suggestive : 

1.  A  man's  income  as  clerk  in  a  village  store  may  be  $1800; 
this  is  the  money  in  hand,  the  steady,  main  reliance  of  his  family. 

2.  If  there  has  been  a  good  start  in  life  so  that  the  family  can 
begin  saving  from  the  first,  they  should  own  after  fifteen  or  twenty 
years,  say,  a  house  and  lot,  house  furnishings,  and  perhaps  in  addi- 
tion, some  other  investment;  in  any  case  a  life  insurance.     From 
these  sources  there  may  come  as  a  fair  'average  over  twenty  years 
from  $200  to  $500  income  a  year,  generally  in  the  form  of  rent. 
The!  city  dweller  for   whom  house  owning  may   be   impossible, 
should  have  an  equivalent  in  the  savings  bank  or  in  some  other 
safe  investment. 

3.  The  personal  services  of  the  family,  the  wife  being  the  chief 
contributor,  cannot  be  estimated  at  present  prices  of  labor  at  less 
than  $1000  to  $1500  in  the  country  or  small  town;  somewhat  less 
in  the  city,  at  least  as  far  as  the  children's  contribution  is  concerned. 
The  laboring  man's  wife  has  been  estimated  to  contribute  by  her 
services  some  $800  a  year,  and  this  at  pre-war  prices  of  service. 

4.  The  contribution  from  the  aggregated  social  wealth  will  vary 
so  greatly  that  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  it,  but  its  solid  value  for  the 
enjoyment  of  life  may  be  seen  in  the  class  of  citizens  which  a  pro- 
gressive  community   will   attract,    as   compared   with   one   which 
is  backward. 

It  is  a  conservative  statement  that  the  money  income  as  earned 


THE  FINANCIAL  PARTNERSHIP  21 

by  the  man  of  the  family  may  be  more  than  doubled  by  the  other 
sources  of  income.  Therefore  the  moderate  income  family  which 
we  are  considering  is  actually  better  off  than  we  are  accustomed 
to  think. 

Will  the  Family  Cooperate? — We  must  examine  more  care- 
fully the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  this  cooperating  group  or 
financial  partnership,  for  if  any  refuse  to  play  the  part  assigned, 
full  success  will  not  be  attained. 

The  Man's  Part. — That  the  man's  business  is  to  "  support  the 
family  "  is  the  understanding  in  this  prosperous  country ;  he  may 
even  be  compelled  to  do  so  under  the  law.  He  it  is  who  furnishes 
the  money  basis  on  which  the  fabric  rests,  his  contribution  being 
the  chief  reliance  even  in  cases  where  the  wife  and  children  also 
earn  money.1 

This  is  directly  in  line  with  the  principle  of  division  of  labor, 
and  still  more  important,  it  is  the  very  foundation  of  the  man's  self- 
respect  and  sense  of  responsibility.  Students  of  social  conditions 
agree  in  considering  it  a  mistake  to  relieve  the  man  of  this  burden, 
if  for  no  other  reason,  because  of  its  developing  and  steadying  effect 
upon  him.  He  may  even  lose  interest  in  a  home  to  which  he  does 
not  contribute.  His  success  as  a  money  earner  is  not  a  measure 
of  his  success  as  a  man,  but  the  requirements  of  family  life,  as  sus- 
tained on  the  moderate  income,  make  his  contribution  in  this  form 
a  prime  necessity.  It  is  even  found  to  be  one  of  the  most  important 
functions  of  the  home  to  -provide  the  conditions  that  make  it  pos- 
sible for  the  man  to  become  and  remain  the  money  earner;  for 
instance,  the  good  squaw  as  hewer  of  wood  and  drawer  of  water 
kept  her  brave  supple  for  war  and  enduring  in  the  chase,  for  it  was 
of  prime  importance  that  the  family  be  defended  from  enemies 
and  provided  with  venison  and  hides.  That  she  continued  to  do  all 
the  work  when  war  and  the  chase  had  passed  was  due  to  a  lack 
of  adjustment  to  changed  conditions,  a  mistake  which  is  not  confined 
to  any  time  or  people.  It  will  be  noted  in  the  study  of  family 
number  four  in  Chapter  XVII  that  the  most  serious  mistake  of 
the  woman  was  in  so  ruling  the  life  of  the  family  that  the  income 

1  In  a  recent  study  of  260  working  men's  families  in  Philadelphia,  the 
men  were  found  to  earn  84.87  per  cent,  of  the  money  income.  Working 
Men's  Standards  of  Living,  W.  C.  Beyer,  p.  30. 


22       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

earner  never  had  enough  sleep  or  the  proper  recreation  and  in 
spending  so  much  money  in  pleasure  that  no  fund  was  accumulat- 
ing on  which  the  family  could  fall  back  while  he  stopped  work 
long  enough  to  find  a  more  suitable  occupation  than  the  one  he 
was  pursuing. 

That  the  man  must  put  his  whole  force  into  earning  the  bulk  of 
the  money  income  has  become  necessary  under  modern  conditions, 
and  this  has  led  to  a  new  acceptance  of  functions,  the  man  as  chief 
earner,  the  woman  as  chief  spender,  of  the  income.  In  general, 
it  may  be  said  that  the  man  brings  in  the  raw  materials  of 
life,  the  woman  works  them  up  into  products  of  material  and 
immaterial  value. 

But  this  does  not  imply  that  the  man  is  simply  a  money-making 
machine  or  a  flowing  well  of  benefits  for  the  family ;  he  has  his  share 
in  recreation  and  development,  and  the  true  partnership  requires 
him  to  contribute  toward  maintaining  the  proper  spirit  in  which 
the  aims  of  the  family  are  pursued.  That  requires  his  keeping  in 
touch  with  the  daily  life  by  frequent  consultations  concerning  those 
aims  and  how  the  income  is  to  meet  them,  by  giving  help  in  the 
training  of  the  children  and  taking  part  in  the  social  life,  and  for 
the  same  reasons  he  should  have  some  part,  no  matter  how  small, 
in  the  running  of  the  house,  as  organized  by  the  wife. 

In  spite  of  the  facts  gathered  by  charity  organizations  as  to 
the  "married  deserter/'  it  would  seem  to  the  ordinary  observer 
that  no  one  in  the  community  stands  up  to  the  task  of  life  with 
more  cheerfulness  than  this  man  who  is  earning  what  we  have 
called  the  moderate  income,  and  he  is  inclined  to  consider  his  home 
and  his  family  as  an  adequate  reward  for  his  labors.  In  this  grade 
of  life,  when  the  home  breaks  down,  we  are  justified  in  examining 
other  factors  than  the  failure  of  the  money  earner. 

Is  the  Woman  Equal  to  Her  Assigned  Part? — The  function 
of  the  man  as  money  earner  for  the  family  is  easily  stated,  but  not 
so  the  relation  of  the  married  woman  to  the  exchequer.  That  is 
complicated  by  her  relation  to  the  child  and  to  family  life,  a  relation 
which  is  not  physical  alone.  Since  the  human  infant  is  very  help- 
less and  adolescence  extends  over  a  number  of  years,  necessitating 
education  of  various  kinds  beginning  very  early,  civilized  nations 
admit  the  importance  of  giving  the  woman  time  and  opportunity 


THE  FINANCIAL  PARTNERSHIP  23 

to  care  for  the  child  and  to  maintain  conditions  in  the  home  that 
are  necessary  for  its  proper  development.  It  is  also  taken  for 
granted  that  while  she  cares  for  its  physical  wants  she  has  a  chance 
to  train  in  right  habits  and  attitude  toward  the  family  and  society, 
and  to  maintain  a  home  life  which  is  full  of  courage  and  happiness 
and  which  reaches  a  good  standard  of  general  efficiency.  If,  in 
addition,  this  woman  is  helping  to  develop  the  family's  social  life 
and  thus  contributing  to  well  doing  in  the  community,  the  claim 
that  in  order  to  perform  these  services  to  home  and  society  she 
should  be  removed  from  industry,  by  which  we  mean  any  form  of 
money  earning  carried  on  outside  the  home,  seems  fully  justified 
at  least  for  certain  years.  But  on  the  moderate  income,  the  woman 
of  the  family  will  be  obliged  to  fill  all  these  so-called  higher  func- 
tions as  she  may,  in  connection  with  the  substantial  addition  to  the 
income  which  she  must  make  through  her  part  as  manager  and 
buyer  and  performer  of  household  labor.  Women  are  now  making 
these  contributions  to  family  life  in  countless  homes,  and  increasing 
efficiency  may  be  expected  if  the  right  helps  are  provided  them. 

Summary. — In  any  given  family,  the  income  is  derived  from 
several  sources,  wages  or  salary  for  economic  services,  interest  on 
property  owned,  personal  services  in  the  home  by  all  members  of 
the  family  and  from  accumulated  social  wealth  in  the  community. 
Of  these  the  earning  power  of  the  man  is  the  most  important  and 
it  must  be  conserved  by  the  conditions  of  family  life.  That  of 
the  woman  comes  next  and  may  even  equal  in  its  estimated  money 
and  other  values  that  of  the  man.  Success  depends  on  the  family 
becoming  a  true  cooperative  unit. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  How  is  a  business  partnership  formed?     What  are  the  legal  respon- 

sibilities of  partnership  ?    Is  the  family  properly  likened  to  a  partner- 
ship, or  is  it  more  like  a  business  corporation?     Why? 

2.  Name  three  types  of  workers  whose  money  incomes  are  relatively  fixed, 

three  whose  incomes  are  uncertain.     What  advantages  in  each  situa- 
tion? 

3.  Illustrate  in  a  given  case  the  difference  between  money  wages  and  real 

wages  ( the  living  secured ) . 

4.  Does  salary  differ  from  wages  except  that  it  is  received  at  longer  inter- 

vals?    In  each  case  who  pays  for  loss  of  time? 


24       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

5.  Suppose  housewives  went  on   a  strike  and  refused  to  do  the  house- 

work, what  would  be  the  effect  on  the  family  incomes?  On 
the  total  amount  of  useful  products  made  by  the  nation,  or  the 
national  product? 

6.  By  law  the  husband  is,  in  most  states,  made  responsible  for  the  living 

expenses  of  the  family.  Is  this  just?  Should  the  law  place  a 
similar  obligation  on  the  woman  regarding  her  financial  relation, 
to  the  family  in  the  duty  to  perform  housework,  care  for  chil- 
dren, etc.? 

7.  Do  you  think  that  the  woman  has  a  right  to  more  leisure  time  than 

the  man?    If  so,  why? 

8.  Should  she  expect  to  contribute  less  than  he  does  to  the  support  of 

the  family?     Does  work  necessarily  mean  earning  money? 

9.  Give   illustrations   in   your   town   of   accumulated   social   wealth    that 

contributes  to  the  income  of  the  residents. 

10.  What  contributions  may  a  child  of  six  make  to  the  family  income? 

11.  Should  the  earnings  of  all  members  of  the  family  be  pooled,  that  is, 

deposited  in  bank  and  considered  as  entire  income,  or  should  chil- 
dren be  allowed  to  keep  their  own  earnings?  What  conditions  con- 
trol the  answer? 


CHAPTEE  IV 
MONEY   INCOME  AND  PROPERTY   OWNED 

Wealth  and  Income  Compared. — The  difference  between  prop- 
erty, or  the  capital  sum  owned,  and  income,  or  the  annual  amount 
received,  is  not  always  considered.  Property,  as  real  estate,  or 
money  in  the  bank  represents  in  most  cases  savings,  the  result  of 
past  labor  rather  than  present ;  it  is  supposed  to  be  stable  in  charac- 
ter, "  something  to  fall  back  on,"  yielding  income  in  the  form  of 
rental  or  interest ;  while  money  income  in  most  families  as  received 
at  stated  times  in  the  form  of  wages  or  salary  for  services  rendered 
may  be  more  uncertain.  Property  produces  annual  income,  but 
income  is  also  received  as  the  result  of  services  given. 

Another  relation  between  property  and  income  is  evident  when 
we  consider,  for  instance,  that  a  man  who  has  an  income  of  $5000 
is  said  to  be  "capitalized"  at  $100,000,  the  sum  which  invested 
at  5  per  cent,  would  produce  that  income.  In  the  same  way,  a 
machinist  earning  $2000  a  year  could  not  stay  his  hand  and  expect 
to  see  his  family  as  well  off  as  when  he  was  working,  unless  he  had  the 
sum  of  $40,000  invested  at  that  rate. 

Income  will  first  be  considered,  since  in  families  of  the  financial 
grade  that  we  are  considering  earning  and  saving  is  the  first  requisite 
step  toward  securing  property. 

General  Ignorance  as  to  Income. — Unless  their  income  is 
absolutely  regular  by  the  day,  week  or  month,  families  may  be  quite 
uncertain  as  to  what  the  income  averages  over  a  term  of  years, 
and  they  are  in  general  wholly  ignorant  as  to  where  it  places  them 
in  relation  to  income  received  in  the  country  at  large.  To  know 
their  financial  relation  to  the  rest  of  their  community,  to  the 
nation,  and  even  to  the  population  of  other  countries,  should  have 
a  steadying  and  enlightening  effect  on  a  family.  Figures  that  give 
this  relation,  even  approximately,  are  therefore  of  great  interest 
and  value,  and  the  following  facts  and  conclusions  are  cited  in 
this  connection. 

25 


26      SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Our  Sources  of  Knowledge. — Concerning  the  wage-earning 
class,  those  whose  incomes  fall  below  the  one  which  we  are  con- 
sidering, there  is  much  data  at  hand.  Intensive  studies  of  life  in 
actual  families  have  been  made  by  a  few  highly  qualified  students, 
as  Mrs.  More  1  and  Dr.  Chapin,2  who  directed  their  attention  to 
wage-earners  in  New  York  City,  and  Mr.  Beyer 3  and  his  associates 
who  studied  similar  families  in  Philadelphia.  Of  wider  bearing 
are  those  investigations  made  under  the  United  States  government 
and  by  commissions  appointed  by  State  and  Federal  authorities 
for  the  study  of  great  industries,  as  factories,  mines,  railroads,  and 
other  large  corporations  employing  in  the  aggregate  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  workers.  Such  are  the  annual  and  special  reports  issued 
by  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor,  special  reports  of  the 
Interstate  Commerce  Commission  and  such  federal  investigations 
as  those  of  the  telephone  companies,  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Works, 
the  cotton  mill  operatives,  and  recently  the  shipbuilders  and  others 
studied  during  the  war. 

Nearly  all  of  these  investigations  concern  wage-earners  whose 
incomes  were  less  than  $1000  before  the  war  and  in  more  recent 
studies  those  whose  incomes  are  from  $1500-$2000  or  thereabouts. 
Concerning  higher  incomes  the  information  is  very  incomplete. 
The  earlier  students  of  the  subject  searched  probate  records,  federal 
and  state  income  tax  lists  and  the  lists  of  depositors  in  savings 
banks,  but  the  knowledge  derived  from  these  various  sources  was 
far  from  covering  the  field. 

Every  writer  on  this  subject  laments  the  inadequacy  of  the 
facts  at  hand ;  only  the  trained  statistician  can  weigh  and  compare 
this  material,  imperfect  and  often  contradictory  as  it  is,  and  in  most 
cases  his  conclusions  are  estimates  only.  W.  I.  King,  a  recent 
student  in  this  field,  quotes  with  approval  Mr.  Streightoff,  who 
said  in  1912  that  ee  it  is  at  present  impossible  to  give  any  accurate 
picture  of  the  distribution  of  incomes  among  the  population  as  a 
whole."  *  But  much  statistical  work  has  been  done  along  these 

JWage  Earners'  Budgets,  L.  B.  More,  1907. 

"Standard  of  Living  among  Working  Men's  Families  in  New  York 
City,  Robert  C.  Chapin,  1909. 

'Working  Men's  Standard  of  Living  in  Philadelphia,  W.  C.  Beyer, 
1920. 

4  Distribution  of  Incomes  in  the  United  States,  F.  H.  Streightoff,  1912. 


MONEY  INCOME  AND  PROPERTY  OWNED  27 

lines  in  the  last  ten  years,  extension  of  the  state  and  federal  income 
taxes  has  'greatly  added  to  our  knowledge  of  incomes,  and  since 
the  need  of  facts  even  approaching  accuracy  is  so  pressing,  econo- 
mists have  ventured  to  give  certain  estimates. 

Six  Income  Groups. — The  following  table  is  condensed  from 
figures  given  by  W.  I.  King,5  based  on  the  census  of  1910. 

The  Estimated  Percentage  Distribution  of  Money  Income  in  the 
Continental  U.  S.  in  1910  (outlying  possessions  excluded)  among 
the  28  million  family  groups. 

Percentage  of  Families6 
Family  Income  having  given  Incomes  No.  of  Families* 

1.  Less  than  $600  26 7,220,000 

2.  From  $600  to  $1000 43 12,040,000 

3.  From  $1000  to  $1400  19 5,320,000 

4.  From  $1400  to  $2000  6 1,680,000 

5.  From  $2000  to  $5000  4 1,112,000 

6.  Above  $5000  1 280,000 

"  Family  "  in  this  table  refers  not  alone  to  the  usual  husband, 
wife  and  child  group;  one-third  of  the  "families"  making  up 
groups  1,  2  and  3  are  single  men  and  women;  but  above  that 
income  line  the  separation  is  not  made  by  the  statistician,  "the 
number  being  inconsiderable  in  the  higher  incomes " ;  that  is, 
with  few  exceptions,  all  of  the  incomes  above  $1400  are  possessed 
by  family  groups  with  children. 

Summary  of  Groups. — The  distribution  of  population  among 
the  income  groups  of  Dr.  King's  tables  is  noteworthy. 

Group  1  with  incomes  under  $600,  and  consisting  one-third  of 
single  men  and  women  and  two-thirds  of  families,  made  up  in 
1910  over  one-fourth  of  the  population  (26  per  cent.).  This 
income,  if  used  for  the  support  of  a  family,  was  below  the  sub- 
sistence level  as  figured  out  for  a  large  city  ten  years  ago.  This 
income  as  used  for  a  family  was  often  supplemented  by  the  earn- 
ings of  the  mother  and  young  children,  or  by  gifts;  and  in  most 
cases  the  standard  of  living  was  reduced  in  all  directions  below 
that  necessary  for  health  or  efficiency. 

6  W.  I.  King.  Wealth  and  Income  of  the  People  of  the  United  States, 
1915.  Macmillan  Co. 

'In  stating  the  percentage  and  number  of  families,  round  numbers 
have  been  used,  therefore,  in  each  case  the  result  is  a  little  short  of  the 
actual  figures. 


28       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Group  2,  with  incomes  between  $600  and  $1000,  made  up 
nearly  one-half  of  the  families  of  the  country  (43  per  cent). 
They,  too,  were  apt  to  slip  into  the  ranks  of  the  dependent  if  losses 
or  misfortune  assailed  them ;  there  was  no  margin  for  safety  or  for 
saving:  Groups  1  and  2  belong  in  the  ranks  of  unskilled  labor. 

Group  3,  with  incomes  ranging  between  $1000  and  $1400,  in- 
cluded in  1910  about  one-fifth  of  our  population,  or  over  five  million 
families.  Considering  prices  for  that  time,  they  were  for  the  most 
part  on  good  financial  footing  and  could  meet  the  living  standards 
of  their  class.  In  the  upper  levels  we  find  the  skilled  workmen. 

Group  4,  with  incomes  ranging  in  1910  between  $1400  and 
$2000,  whose  present  equivalent  is  $2500  to  $3500,  more  or  less,  is 
the  "  moderate  income  group  "  selected  for  study  in  these  pages. 
It  included  over  one  and  a  half  million  families  in  1910  and 
formed  the  first  group  that  could  be  said  to  have  a  steady  surplus 
beyond  the  subsistence  line. 

Group  5,  receiving  from  $2000  to  $5000,  included  somewhat 
over  one  million  families.  Part  of  its  families  would  be  classified 
in  our  view  as  having  the  moderate  income. 

Group  6  comprised  three  hundred  thousand  families  with  in- 
comes of  $5000  or  over  in  1910.  It  is  interesting  to  know  the 
estimated  subdivision  of  this  last  or  sixth  group  made  in  1918, 
when  it  was  said  to  comprise  368,460  families.  The  estimate  was 
made  by  the  Bankers  Trust  Company  of  New  York  City : 

Between  $5000  and  $6000    75,000  families 

Between  $6000  and  $10,000 146,086  families 

Between  $10,000  and  $50,000 128,339  families 

Between  $50,000  and  $100,000 11,960  families 

Between  $100,000   and   $1,000,000 6,860  families 

Between  $1,000,000  and  $5,000,000 205  families 

Between  $5,000,000  and  over 10  families 


Total ' 368,460  families 

A  comprehensive  digest  of  the  census  of  1920,  similar  to  the 
one  made  for  1910  by  W.  I.  King,  together  with  tax  returns,  will 
doubtless  show  many  changes  in  the  make-up  of  these  groups,  but 
comparisons  must  still  be  made  with  pre-war  figures  and  conditions, 
and  a  partial  return  to  those  conditions  is  already  indicated.  The 


MONEY  INCOME  AND  PROPERTY  OWNED  29 

six  groups  of  families,,  as  described  according  to  their  incomes, 
will  continue  to  be  represented  in  our  population,  but  perhaps  in 
different  proportions  and  earning  their  living  in  other  ways  than 
was  the  case  with  those  who  filled  the  ranks  five  years  ago. 

The  National  Income  Divided  Among  Families. — It  is  fre- 
quently stated,  and  perhaps  generally  believed,  that  if  the  income 
of  the  nation  were  divided  up  equally  among  its  citizens,  all  families 
would  be  in  easy  circumstances.  That  this  is  not  the  case  is  shown 
by  two  studies  made  by  the  most  competent  authorities,  one  in  the 
United  States  and  one  in  Great  Britain. 

Dr.  W.  I.  King 7  estimated  that  the  total  income  of  the  United 
States  in  1910  was  $30,550,000,000.  If  two"  billions  be  deducted 
for  necessary  capital  saving  and  the  remainder  divided  among 
92,000,000  people,  the  income  per  individual  would  be  $310,  or 
$1020  for  families  of  an  average  of  four  and  one-half  persons. 
Dr.  A.  L.  Bowley,8  Professor  of  Statistics  in  the  University  of 
London,  using  the  same  methods  on  the  British  income  tax  re- 
turns of  1911,  found  that  in  Great  Britain  there  would  be  available 
for  the  hypothetical  average  family  of  four  and  a  half  members 
less  than  $750  a  year. 

In  both  cases  it  is  assumed  that  such  a  distribution  of  the 
agencies  of  production  would  not  affect  their  efficiency,  an  assump- 
tion which  is  by  no  means  proved. 

Income  Comparisons  with  Foreign  Countries. — The  attempt 
to  compare  any  given  income  with  that  of  the  same  class  in  another 
country  is  beset  with  difficulties,  especially  if  we  wish  to  include 
a  knowledge  of  what  a  given  income  will  buy. 

The  incomes  of  English  and  Scotch  families  were  computed  on 
the  basis  of  the  proportion  known  to  be  expended  for  rent,  or 
about  22  per  cent.  Figured  on  this  basis,  80  per  cent,  of  English 
and  Scotch  families  had  in  1912  incomes  under  $681;  90  per  cent, 
under  $1022.9 

In  the  United  States  the  corresponding  percentages  in  1910  are 
as  follows:  39  per  cent,  had  less  than  $700  and  69  per  cent,  less 
than  $1000. 

TW.  I.  King,  ibid. 

8  A.  L.  Bowley,  the  Divisions  of  the  Products  of  Industry,  1919. 

9  F.  H.  Streightoflf,  ibid. 


30       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

The  comparison  with  Prussia  in  1910  is  thought  to  be  quite 
exact.  Professor  King  says  that  "  every  fraction  of  the  American 
people  receive  double  or  nearly  treble  the  income  of  the  correspond- 
ing class  in  Prussia."  10  Thus,  in  money  income  our  people  of  all 
classes  would  seem  to  have  been  somewhat  better  off  than  the 
corresponding  class  in  those  foreign  countries  in  which  studies 
have  been  made,  as  the  United  Kingdom,  France  and  Prussia.  As 
concerns  the  comfort  of  the  common  people  these  four  European 
states  are  far  in  advance  of  the  poorer  states — Austria,  Italy,  Spain, 
and  the  Balkans — with  which  countries  the  comparison  would  be 
still  more  in  our  favor. 

The  Purchasing  Power  of  the  Income. — There  are  two 
general  modifications  of  the  purchasing  power  of  an  income,  the 
price  of  commodities  and  the  standard  of  living;  their  restricting 
power  is  known  to  every  housewife,  whether  she  is  familiar  or 
not  with  the  phraseology  of  economic  science.  If  transportation 
facilities  are  normal,  prices  differ  very  little  in  different  parts  of 
our  country  except  for  perishable  foods.  Between  the  different 
European  countries  prices  of  staple  articles  also  differed  but  slightly 
at  that  time.  In  the  comparison  of  the  United  States  with  Prussia 
only  house  rent  and  the  price  of  vegetables  were  found  to  be  cheaper 
in  Prussia. 

Effect  of  the  Standard  of  Living. — The  standard  of  living  in 
different  parts  of  the  same  country  and  in  different  countries  is  a 
factor  less  easy  to  calculate,  and  it  may  have  a  great  effect  on  the 
"  satisfactions  "  derived  from  that  part  of  the  income  beyond  what 
ia  needed  for  the  absolute  necessities  of  life.  Thus,  in  general,  a 
given  income  "  goes  further  "  and  places  a  family  in  a  better  rank 
in  the  country  than  in  the  city  because  the  standard  of  living  is 
lower,  and  also  in  foreign  countries  than  in  our  own  for  the  same 
reason.  In  comparing  incomes  in  the  United  States  with  those 
of  any  foreign  country  we  have  also  to  consider  such  factors  as  the 
tax  rate  and  the  amount  of  help  furnished  by  the  state  in  housing, 
education,  insurance,  etc.  If  a  state  offers  substantial  help  in 
cheapening  these  needs  of  life,  a  smaller  income  will  suffice.  The 
effect  of  the  standard  of  living1  and  of  the  community's  contribution 
are  presented  in  detail  later. 

M  W.  I.  King,  iUd,  p.  236. 


MONEY  INCOME  AND  PROPERTY  OWNED  31 

Distribution  of  Property. — The  distribution  of  property  among 
the  individuals  and  families  in  a  country  is  a  very  different  thing 
from  the  distribution  of  income,  "the  inequality,  in  the  case  of 
income  being  very  decidedly  less  than  in  the  case  of  wealth."  As 
illustration,  "  the  poorer  half  of  the  people  of  Wisconsin  own  but 
2  or  3  per  cent,  of  the  wealth,  but  they  receive  more  than  25  per 
cent,  of  the  income."  In  Prussia  the  richest  1  per  cent,  own 
49  per  cent,  of  the  wealth,  but  receive  only  19  per  cent,  of 
the  income.11 

Charles  B.  Spahr  estimated  in  1896  12  that  "  Less  than  one-half 
the  families  in  America  are  propertyless ;  nevertheless,  seven-eighths 
of  the  families  hold  but  one-eighth  of  the  national  wealth,  while 

1  per  cent,  of  the  families  hold  more  than  the  remaining  99  per 
cent,  of  the  families." 

The  comparative  distribution  of  wealth  or  property  owned  in 
distinction  from  income  received  in  our  country  seems  to  have 
remained  fairly  constant  for  several  decades.  The  next  studies 
made  may  or  may  not  confirm  the  general  impression  that  in  late 
years  wealth  has  been  concentrating  in  the  hands  of  the  few. 

Dr.  King  has  made  interesting  comparisons  of  wealth  between 
two  of  our  typical  states,  Wisconsin  and  Massachusetts,  and  Prussia, 
France,  and  the  United  Kingdom.  The  relative  distribution  of 
wealth  among  different  classes  of  the  people  was  found  to  be  very 
nearly  the  same  in  all  of  these  countries,  the  richest  2  per  cent,  of 
the  population  owning  considerably  more  property  than  all  the  rest 
together.  In  England  the  concentration  was  so  great  that  this 

2  per  cent,  of  the  people  owned  nearly  three  times  as  much  as 
the  poor  and  middle   classes   combined,   or,   to   state    it    some- 
what differently: 

In  the  United  Kingdom  one-half  of  the  property  was  owned 
by  %  per  cent,  of  the  people.  In  Prussia  and  in  France  one-half 
of  the  property  was  owned  by  1  per  cent,  of  the  people.  In 
Wisconsin  and  Massachusetts  one-half  of  the  property  was  owned 
by  2  per  cent,  of  the  people. 

That  the  relative  distribution  of  wealth  was  found  to  be  so 

11 W.  I.  King,  ibid,  p.  231. 

"Charles  B.  Spahr,  An  Essay  on  the  Present  Distribution  of  Wealth 
in  the  United  States. 


32       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

nearly  alike  in  the  countries  studied  is  explained  by  the  fact  that 
they  are  all  governed  by  substantially  the  same  body  of  laws,  and  it 
is  with  the  consent  of  the  laws  of  a  country  that  its  wealth  is  dis- 
tributed. Law  also  governs  the  conditions  under  which  it  is  held, 
so  that  great  changes  are  possible  in  future,  as  notice  the  increases 
that  recent  years  have  shown  in  income  and  inheritance  taxes. 

Property  Owned  in  the  Moderate  Income  Group. — The 
ownership  of  property  in  this  moderate  income  group  in  which  we 
are  especially  interested  we  have  little  means  of  knowing.  Dr.  King18 
says  that  only  the  "upper  middle  class "  (18  per  cent,  of  our 
families)  and  the  2  per  cent,  of  the  so-called  "  wealthy "  class 
"  possess  enough  property  to  derive  any  considerable  income  there- 
from to  supplement  the  proceeds  of  their  toil";  our  moderate 
income  group,  comprising  about  a  million  and  a  half  families, 
according  to  the  census  of  1910,  comes  within  these  limits. 

Little  statistical  work  has  been  done  on  this  point.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  attempt  to  estimate  what  a  thrifty  family  with  an 
income  which  would  be  an  equivalent  of  $2500,  more  or  less,  at  the 
present  time  may  have  accumulated  after,  say,  twenty  years:, 

1.  House  and  lot  owned  wholly  or  in  part,  $1500  to  $4000 
or  more. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  many  farmers  own  their  houses  with 
some  land  and  that  the  ownership  of  house  and  lot  in  villages  and 
small  towns  is  very  common  among  families  in  these  income  limits. 

2.  House  furnishings,  $750  to  $2000. 

This  will  vary  greatly  in  different  families;  the  value  of  the 
furnishings  depending  on  how  long  the  family  has  existed  in  a  stable 
condition,  on  what  it  has  inherited  from  a  former  generation,  on 
the  amount  of  sickness  and  other  drawbacks  that  have  decreased 
savings,  on  the  habits  and  tastes  of  its  members.  For  instance,  a 
stay-at-home  family  with  a  taste  for  reading  and  music  will  be 
found  to  have  acquired  books  and  a  piano  or  phonograph,  money 
being  spent  in  this  way  which  another  family  gives  out  for  public 
amusements.  In  the  average  home  where  this  income  is  spent  the 
furnishings  will  consist  of  outfit  for  dining-room  and  kitchen,  bed- 
room and  parlor  furniture,  books,  piano,  victrola,  rugs,  etc.  A 

»W.  I.  King,  ibid,  p.  100. 


MONEY  INCOME  AND  PROPERTY  OWNED  33 

government  study  (1919)  of  the  income  of  $2262.67  estimates  that 
the  family  will  have  $1000  worth  of  furniture.14 

8.  Life  insurance,  the  cash  value  varying  according  to  amount 
of  payments  made,  $2000  to  $3000. 

4.  Savings :  a  mortgage,  savings  bank  deposit,  Government  Sav- 
ings stamps,  or  Liberty  Bonds,  $300  to  $500. 

It  would  thus  seem  possible  for  a  family  that  has  been  in 
receipt  of  the  moderate  income,  for,  say,  twenty  years,  to  have 
acquired  property  in  the  neighborhood  of  $5000,  but  much  depends 
on  their  standard  of  living,  on  their  good  fortune  in  avoiding  such 
extra  expenses  as  come  from  illness,  and  perhaps  still  more  on  their 
habits  of  thrift.  In  the  latter  case,  however,  there  may  be  danger 
of  too  rigid  economy,  since  the  margin  for  saving  is  small  after  the 
reasonable  needs  of  life  are  met  for  any  single  year. 

Summary. — In  arranging  the  families  that  make  up  the  popu- 
lation of  the  United  States  in  groups  according  to  income  it  is  seen 
that  nearly  75  per  cent,  in  1910  were  living  under  or  near  the 
subsistence  line,  that  not  until  we  had  passed  in  the  upward  scale  88 
per  cent,  of  the  population  did  we  reach  the  $1400  income  which 
we  agreed  to  call  the  starting  point  of  the  moderate  income  at 
that  time. 

A  comparison  with  foreign  countries  showed  that  every  fraction 
of  our  people  had  better  incomes  than  a  like  fraction  in  the  more 
highly  civilized  countries  of  Europe.  While  the  price  of  standard 
commodities  is  much  the  same  everywhere,  standards  of  living  differ, 
and  a  given  income  may  furnish  in  a  European  country  more 
"  satisfactions  "  than  in  our  own. 

The  distribution  of  wealth  in  this  and  other  countries  is  much 
more  unequal  than  the  distribution  of  income  a  small  percentage 
of  the  people  in  all  countries  holding  the  bulk  of  the  property. 

The  changes  in  incomes  and  prices  of  living  that  have  been 
brought  about  in  the  last  ten  years  will  alter  the  make-up  of  groups 
of  families  receiving  the  six  grades  of  income;  all  will  be  repre- 
sented, but  in  what  proportions  it  is  impossible  to  state  until  studies 
based  on  recent  income  statistics  are  available. 

"Tentative  Quantity  and  Cost  Budget  for  a  Standard  of  Comfort  and 
Decency.    U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  1919. 
3 


34       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

QUESTIONS 

1.  In  the  locality  with  which  you  are  best  acquainted  what  is  considered 

the  minimum,  and  what  a  comfortable  or  average  income  for  a  family 
of  five  (the  children  too  young  to  contribute)  ? 

2.  Do  you  know  cases  in  which  the  man  does  not  earn  the  entire  money 

income  ? 

3.  What  is  the  objection  to  the  term  "middle  class"  in  America?     Have 

we  social  classes  which  we  refuse  to  recognize? 

4.  If   all  incomes  were  to   increase   in  proportion  to  what  has  been  the 

increase  in  the  cost  of  living,  would  the  families  in  question  have 
the  same  degree  of  prosperity  that  they  had  before  the  prices  began  to 
rise? 

5.  Ask  a  number  of  intelligent  people  what  they  think  would  be  the  family 

income  if  all  the  money  earned  in  the  country  were  divided  up  equally 
and  ascertain,  if  possible,  what  grounds  they  have  for  their  conclusion. 

6.  Ascertain  if  possible  the  amount  and  kinds  of  property  that  have  been 

accumulated  by  middle  life  by  a  number  of  moderate  income  families. 

7.  In  the  case  of  your  own  or  some  other  family  that  you  know,  what 

items  of  income-producing  property  are  owned?  How  much  money 
income  is  received  from  property?  How  much  in  wages  or  salaries  for 
services  rendered  ?  Would  these  figures  by  typical  of  families  generally  ? 


CHAPTEE  V 

THE  START  IN  LIFE  AS  GIVEN  BY  THE  PRECEDING 
GENERATION 

As  the  first  requirement  for  successful  family  life,  it  was  stated 
in  the  introductory  chapter  that  the  heads  of  the  household  shall 
have  that  fair  start  which  comes  only  through  a  share  in  the  results 
of  personal  thrift  and  energy  as  practiced  in  the  preceding  genera- 
tion. This  includes  not  only  an  education  and  good  home  training, 
but,  if  possible,  some  money  or  that  which  is  of  money  value,  to 
help  in  the  early  years  of  married  life.  Careful  observation  seems 
to  prove  that  the  making  of  such  a  provision  has  a  good  effect  on 
both  generations.  The  family  living  on  the  income  which  we  are 
considering  cannot  gather  even  a  small  fund  for  this  purpose  without 
such  cooperation  as  becomes  a  bond  between  old  and  young  and 
affords  the  best  means  for  training  in  labor  and  thrift. 

The  Beginnings  are  Important. — The  beginning  in  any  enter- 
prise is  held  to  be  very  important.  In  the  Bible  illustration  the 
king  about  to  go  to  war  is  advised  to  first  sit  down  and  count  his 
men  and  compare  with  those  of  his  enemy;  the  estimates  of  a 
business  undertaking  are  worked  out  on  paper  before  contracts  are 
signed ;  the  plans  of  the  house  and  all  building  specifications  are  in 
hand  before  the  work  starts.  But  when  the  business  of  home 
making  is  begun,  emotion  plays  the  leading  part  and  takes  glorious 
risks;  the  cost  is  not  too  carefully  counted,  and  the  sour  goddess, 
Prudence,  is  not  invoked  as  the  sole  presiding  spirit.  Just  here  is 
where  age  may  step  in  with  its  fund  of  experience  and  play  a 
helpful  part;  for  if  the  new  undertaking  is  .to  be  one  of  dignity 
and  permanence,  its  plans,  however  modest,  must  be  well  made  and 
adequately  financed. 

Debt  is  Dangerous. — It  is  found  by  those  who  have  studied 
low  income  and  moderate  income  family  life  that  a  fertile  source 
of  trouble  in  the  first  few  years  after  marriage  is  the  discouragement 
that  comes  from  debts  which  the  young  couple  have  incurred  for 

35 


36       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

what  seemed  absolutely  necessary  means  of  living.  These  young 
people  need  help  of  many  kinds  in  order  that  they  may  make  a 
success  of  their  great  venture,  great  in  its  possibilities  for  them 
and  for  others.  A  very  important  thing  is  to  realize  that  there  is 
a  financial  basis  to  the  undertaking  and  that  every  day  they  are 
to  meet  decisions  regarding  money.  Just  as  the  marriage  cannot 
be  dissolved  without  due  process  of  law,  so  there  are  laws  regulating 
responsibility  for  debt,  support  of  children  and  other  family  rela- 
tions and  decisions,  all  involving  money.  The  young  couple  have 
entered  into  a  serious  business  which  concerns  not  themselves  alone 
but  their  families,  the  community,  even  the  state.  Not  to  give 
sufficient  weight  to  this  fact  is  common  in  a  new  country ;  to  over- 
estimate its  importance  belongs  to  older  communities. 

Illustrations  from  the  Family  Histories. — The  family  his- 
tories given  in  Chapter  XVII  illustrate  the  importance  of  the  good 
start  in  life.  In  family  No.  II  it  will  be  seen  that  the  young  couple 
lived  for  the  first  year  with  the  husband's  parents,  and  when  it 
seemed  best  for  the  man  to  change  his  business,  money  was  loaned 
him  by  his  father  for  a  course  in  a  business  college.  The  result 
proved  the  wisdom  of  the  step ;  the  family  became  prosperous  and 
well  established,  and  its  success  was  largely  owing  to  this  help. 

Family  No.  VI  shows  the  possession  by  the  young  people  of 
some  shares  of  dividend-paying  stock  which  supplemented  the  earn- 
ings of  the  husband.  On  the  other  hand,  the  families  Nos.  Ill 
and  VII,  while  equally  worthy  and  industrious,  were  barely  able  to 
win  out  and  for  the  very  lack,  it  would  seem,  of  such  help.  In  one 
case  the  effort  to  pay  off  a  debt  contracted  before  marriage  was 
felt  as  a  strain  on  the  resources  for  many  years,  and  in  the  other 
case  there  were  cramping  conditions  which  limited  the  develop- 
ment of  the  wife  and  mother  and  were  sure  to  lower  her  ability 
to  train  the  children  properly. 

Standards  are  Inherited. — It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
standards  of  living  which  we  are  expected  to  keep  up  have  been 
in  large  measure  created  for  us  by  the  family  and  social  group,  and 
it  may  be  at  first  difficult  to  meet  these  standards  as  to  hygiene 
and  reasonable  comfort  and  refinement,  all  of  which  are  not  only 
necessary  to  the  advancement  and  success  of  the  family,  but  indi- 
rectly affect  the  scale  of  living  in  the  community. 


THE  START  IN  LIFE  37 

If  society  is  to  improve,  the  accumulations  of  the  past  must  be 
utilized  by  the  present.  It  is  said  that  the  sprout  from  a  chestnut 
stump  will  grow  as  much  in  five  years  as  that  from  a  seed  in  twenty 
years.  We  know  that  a  child  of  ten,  as  described  in  Daudet's 
"Jack,"  thrown  out  on  the  world  with  his  only  capital  his  own 
brain  and  muscle,  is  heavily  handicapped  as  compared  with  a  child 
of  the  same  inheritance  who  is  surrounded  from  the  first  with  the 
loving  and  purposeful  help  of  good  family  life.  The  question  is, 
should  this  help  cease  with  childhood?  Those  who  have  a  strong 
racial  sense,  who  feel  themselves  a  part  of  the  flowing  stream  of 
life,  rather  than  lost  in  the  side  eddies  and  standing  pools,  who 
themselves  note  the  steadying  influence  of  the  past  working  within 
them,  are  the  ones  who,  in  their  turn,  look  forward  and  make  what 
sacrifices  are  necessary  to  pass  on  not  only  a  sound  physical 
inheritance  and  good  training  but  some  practical  help  to  start  the 
new  generation  on  its  way.  To  maintain  the  custom  of  providing 
the  "  start  in  life,"  of  however  modest  a  character,  is  simply  to 
admit  that  it  is  extremely  important  that  the  dignity  and  stability 
of  the  new  home  should  be  maintained  and  that  it  is  dangerous  for 
the  young  people  to  be  unable  to  keep  up  decent  standards  of  living. 
We  may  be  in  danger  by  the  opposite  method  of  sacrificing  frank- 
ness as  to  the  future  needs  of  the  family  and  of  developing  a  spirit 
of  undue  hopefulness,  even  blindness,  as  to  what  is  actually  required 
to  make  a  success  of  home  making. 

The  Older  Way. — A  provident  care  for  the  future  has  always 
accompanied  successful  ventures.  In  our  own  country  for  the 
first  century  and  a  half  of  its  existence  we  see  the  family  holding 
together  as  a  unit  against  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  new 
life.  In  that  modified  form  of  the  patriarchal  family,  as  it  existed 
on  the  eastern  seaboard  even  two  generations  ago,  the  family  roof 
tree  often  sheltered  thei  next  generation  in  the  first  years  of 
married  life;  here  it  was  customary  for  the  older  son  to  take  over 
the  homesitead  at  the  death  of  his  father,  reserving  for  the  widow 
her  "rights  of  dower,"  with  a  separate  portion  of  the  house  and 
her  own  doorway  as  often  mentioned  in  old  wills;  the  scanty 
resources  of  the  time  constrained  them  to  make  the  best  of  a  mode 
of  life  that  had  many  drawbacks.  The  prosperity  of  our  country 
in  the  last  two  generations,  together  with  our  lack  of  historical 


38       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

background,  has  kept  this  generation  from  realizing  the  value  of 
the  family  bond  as  continued  past  childhood,  together  with  the  actual 
duty  of  one  generation  to  the  next  expressed  in  whatever  form  best 
meets  special  needs  and  conditions. 

Evils  of  the  Dower. — Besides,  there  is  a  feeling  of  hostility 
toward  anything  like  the  European  system  of  dower  as  placing 
too  heavy  a  burden  on  the  parents  and  leading  to  a  commercial  view 
of  life,  especially  in  matters  of  marriage. 

There  is  no  doubt  of  the  possible  evils  of  the  European  system. 
Parental  love  is  a  great  stimulus  to  labor,  and  in  a  country  like 
France,  where  public  opinion  sets  in  a  strong  tide  toward  thrift, 
it  might  lead  to  saving  too  carefully  and  denying  to  the  parents 
reasonable  comforts,  while  the  children  are  made  selfish  by  the 
acceptance  of  too  great  sacrifices.  But  in  America  the  tide  is  all 
the  other  way;  public  opinion  and  general  practice  discourage 
extreme  sacrifice  to  that  end  and  the  little  that,  will  be  saved  out 
of  the  present  $2500  or  $3000  family  income  will  hardly  corrupt  the 
young.  Such  savings  as  will  be  possible  to  a  couple  that  has  been 
supporting  a  family  of  children  during  their  non-earning  years, 
giving  them  a  good  physical  development  and  time  to  obtain  a  public 
school  education,  will  be  only  enough  to  afford  proof  of  the  wisdom 
of  thrift  and  to  teach  children  its  practice.  The  children  are  en- 
couraged to  do  their  own  -part  in  saving  for  their  future  and  also 
to  find  ways  of  earning  extra  sums  to  add  to  the  family  funds. 

Thus  it  would  seem  that  the  growth  of  good  habits  and  family 
loyalty,  sure  to  accompany  labor  toward  a  common  end,  is  of  chief 
importance  in  looking  forward  to  a  provision  for  the  start  in  life. 

In  an  ideal  world  parents  and  children  would  work  and  save 
just  as  gladly  for  unknown  human  beings  on  the  other  side  of  the 
world  as  for  those  to  whom  they  are  united  by  bonds  of  blood  and 
affection,  but  in  actual  practice  it  is  proved  to  be  difficult  to  provide 
a  substitute  for  the  age-long  natural  motive  to  labor  and  thrift 
for  the  sake  of  the  children's  start  in  life,  and  in  any  given  case 
such  virtues  may  not  be  developed  if  this  stimulus  is  lacking.  Then 
the  family  life  may  be  to  that  extent  imperfect  and  its  influence  in 
the  community  not  of  the  best. 

What  Form  Shall  Savings  Take?— If  by  good  fortune  our 
moderate  income  family  is  able  to  make  some  solid  contribution 


THE  START  IN  LIFE  39 

to  the  next  generation,  in  addition  to  good  training,  what  form 
shall  it  take  ? 

With  the  help  of  the  children  themselves  furniture  for  their 
own  room  may  be  bought,  a  few  simple  and  beautiful  pieces  that 
will  set  the  standard  for  future  additions  to  be  used  in  their  own 
home.  A  savings  bank  deposit  in  the  child's  name  may  be  started 
very  early  through  birthday  or  other  gifts,  and  it  will  foster  a  feeling 
of  independence. 

The  premiums  on  a  life  insurance  for  the  young  contribute 
toward  a  desirable  form  of  investment  on  which  money  can  be 
borrowed  if  desired.  The  same  may  be  said  of  investment  in  Build- 
ing and  Loan  Associations  in  states  where  their  supervision  is  strict. 

The  government  bond  and  savings  stamp  are  now  among  the 
most  desirable  forms  for  the  small  investor.  For  other  forms  of 
investment  expert  advice  must  be  obtained. 

The  Bequest. — Probably  the  most  welcome  help  to  the  growing 
family  is  the  interest,  however  small,  on  invested  capital.  A  young 
housewife  said  that  four  bright  days  of  the*  year  were  marked  by 
the  receipt  of  the  $25  check  which  came  in  payment  of  the  quarterly 
interest  on  a  savings  account  started  by  her  mother,  and  which 
had  for  her  a  peculiar  value  because  she  had  herself  witnessed  as  a 
girl  the  small  sacrifices  joyfully  made  by  which  the  sum  had  been 
brought  together.  Half  of  this  interest  received  each  quarter  was 
always  put  in  the  bank  to  add  to  a  similar  fund  started  for  her  own 
children;  the  other  half  was  used  for  some  delightful  treat  to  be 
chosen  by  the  children  themselves,  and  whatever  form  it  might  take, 
it  was  called  "  Grandmother's  party ." 

Another  woman  said :  "  One  of  the  joyous  things  in  life  for 
me  is  the  interest  on  a  little  legacy  that  my  aunt  left  me.  It 
eases  up  on  every  hard  place.  I  always  feel  that  it  will  do  far  more 
than  it  will,  but  there's  fun  in  that,  too;  I  don't  feel  so  shut  in, 
there's  a  door  open  into  all  kinds  of  possibilities.  And  nothing 
could  tempt  me  to  touch  the  principal.  It  shall  be  left  for  my 
daughter,  and  I  hope  it  will  give  her  the  same  happiness  that  it  has 
given  me."  It  may  be  that  when  we  are  well  past  youth  we  feel 
our  truest  gratitude  to  those  who  have  looked  ahead  to  our  need. 

The  Gifted  Child. — The  maintenance  of  such  a  family  fund  is 
of  especial  help  when  more  than  ordinary  talent  appears  in  one 


40       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

of  the  children.  Talent  must  be  fostered  and  trained  and  it  must 
be  protected  from  the  severest  forms  of  poverty.  The  Scotch 
schoolmaster  of  Barrie's  stories  was  always  on  the  lookout  for  the 
"  lad  o'  pairts  "  who  must  be  educated,  and  the  whole  community 
was  expected  to  help  him  along  if  the  parents  were  not  equal  to 
this  obvious  need.  The  child  of  unusual  ability  in  a  Jewish  com- 
munity, according  to  Mary  Antin,  is  prized  and  helped  in  the  same 
way.  In  any  special  case  public  help  may  not  be  available.  Pride 
and  good  sense  are  both  on  the  side  of  help  from  the  family  to  as 
great  an  extent  as  possible. 

Personal  Saving. — To  what  extent  shall  such  a  fund  be  made 
up  from  the  saving  of  the  young  people  themselves  ?  It  may  be  said 
without  hesitation :  To  as  great  an  extent  as  possible,  and  especially 
if  the  accumulation  of  the  fund  is  never  allowed  to  eclipse  in  im- 
portance the  effect  of  saving  on  the  one  who  saves.  The  benefit  of 
successful  struggle  with  difficulties,  the  development  of  the  sense 
of  responsibility  and  self-denial  may  be  counted  on  as  the  result 
of  individual  saving. 

The  Girl  Must  Save. — Men  are  more  apt  to  take  for  granted 
than  are  women  that  they  must  work  hard  and  save  for  the  home 
they  hope  to  have.  It  is,  however,  equally  incumbent  on  the  girl 
who  is  now  entering  all  manner  of  occupations  and  demanding 
a  man's  pay.  But  in  many  cases  she  is  still  under  the  spell  of  a 
former  time  when  she  expected  to  be  "  supported  "  after  she  mar- 
ried, and  she  does  not  save  as  the  man  saves.  The  young  woman, 
as  well  as  the  young  man,  while  paying  out  of  her  earnings  a  fair 
share  toward  the  home  living  expenses,  should  be  able  to  start  the 
collection  of  books,  to  buy  pictures  or  pieces  of  furniture,  a  rug, 
a  musical  instrument  and  to  begin  a  bank  account,  and  she  may 
feel  that  whether  she  marries  or  not,  a  home  with  its  cherished 
possessions,  slowly  accumulated  and  reflecting  personal  taste,  will 
still  be  necessary  to  her  happiness. 

"  The  Colonial  bride,  marrying  into  industry,  brought  her  full 
economic  value  to  her  husband ;  the  modern  bride,  marrying  out  of 
industry  leaves  most  of  her  economic  value  behind."  *  Which  is  all 
the  more  reason,  it  would  seem,  why  she  should  save  while  in  indus- 
try for  the  home  to  be,  where  she  will  not  add  to  the  money  income, 
except  in  the  various  forms  of  housework. 

1  The  Woman  of  To-morrow,  p.  17.    William  Hard. 


THE  START  IN  LIFE  41 

The  filling  of  the  wedding  chest  in  olden  times  gave  to  the  Ibride 
a  knowledge  of  textiles,  a  liberal  course  in  fine  needlework,  a  sense 
of  pride  in  her  own  achievement;  to  accumulate  the  desirable  fur- 
nishings of  a  modern  house  may  well  require  as  great  thrift  and1 
industry  and  a  still  better  training  in  economic  and  artistic  values. 

Summary. — The  family  unit  generally  requires  for  its  full 
success  more  or  less  help  from  the  preceding  generation.  This  is 
contributed  chiefly  through  education  and  home  training;  even  if 
there  are  no  school  fees  to  be  paid,  the  child  must  be  supported  for 
a  term  of  years  during  its  education.  A  share  in  the  accumulated 
savings  of  the  family  toward  which  the  children  have  contributed 
is  also  of  great  assistance.  Unless  the  training  of  youth  is  taken 
over  by  the  state  and  extensive  provision  made  for  sickness  and 
accident  and  other  individual  needs  by  something  like  universal 
social  insurance,  a  provident  look  into  the  future  is  required  in 
every  family. 

The  plan  of  providing  the  start  in  life — 

1.  Furnishes  the  natural  motive  for  thrift  and  the  formation 
of  good  habits  for  both  generations. 

2.  Helps  the  new  household  toward  the  attainment  of  good 
standards  of  living,  gives  the  young  people  a  sense  of  security  and 
allows  them  to  plan  a  like  assistance  to  their  own  children. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  What  items  of  house  furnishings  might  a  young  man  or  young  woman 

accumulate  which  would  finally  be  placed  in  their  own  home? 

2.  What  is  the  bearing  of  the  custom  of  wedding  presents  on  the  start 

in  life?  What  principles  might  well  guide  parents  and  friends  in 
selecting  them?  Is  there  any  objections  to  presents  in  the  form  of 
money,  leaving  the  expenditure  to  the  young  people? 

3.  Should  the  start  in  life  be  upon  the  scale  of  living  to  which  the  young 

people  have  been  accustomed  in  their  parents'  homes  or  should  that 
be  a  gradual  achievement? 

4.  Does  the   state   actually  pay  for  high  school  education  as  generally 

understood,  or  do  the  parents  contribute  their  full  share  through 
taxes  and  by  supporting  high  school  children  while  they  are  studying? 

5.  A  farmer  gave  each  of  his  sons  the  choice  of  a  farm  or  $2,000  to  start  in 

business ;  what  should  have  been  the  share  of  the  daughters  ? 

6.  How  do  the  child  labor  laws  make  it  harder  than  formerly  to  bring 

up  children?     Which  generation  do  they  favor? 

7.  Would   the   custom   of   saving   for    the  home- to-be   overemphasize    the 

factor  of  prudence  by  establishing  a  standard  of  greater  thrift? 
Would  young  people  without  money  have  a  poorer  chance  for  mar- 


42      SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

riage,  or  would  this  advanced  standard  stimulate  a  habit  of  thrift 
in  the  whole  community?  Would  this  advanced  standard  affect  the 
size  of  families? 

8.  How  soon  should  children  begin   saving?     How  soon  should  they  be 

given  the  idea  of  a  future  home  of  their  own,  bachelor  or  otherwise, 
as  something  to  save  for? 

9.  Should'  the  fund  for  the  future  be  saved  by  the  parents,  by  the  chil 

dren  or  by  both?  Should  it  be  restricted  to  a  marriage  portion  or 
used  for  education  and  the  economic  start? 

Is  the  plan  of  starting  a  fund  for  each  child  at  its  birth  a  good  one? 
Would  it  be  better  to  put  savings  into  a  general  fund  to  be  drawn 
on  as  needed?  Would  it  be  wise  to  expect  a  return  of  such  money 
when  possible,  the  fund  to  be  carried  along  as  an  old  age  fund  for 
the  parents? 

10.  Is  there  any  injustice  to  the  other  children  in  the  special  help  advo- 
cated for  the  gifted  child  ? 


CHAPTEE  VI 

THE  HOUSEWIFE'S  CONTRIBUTION  AS  BUYER 
AND  MANAGER 

THE  woman  of  the  family  makes  her  contribution  to  its  support 
and  life  in  several  distinct  ways,  which  are  made  the  subject  of  the 
five  following  chapters. 

The  housewife  is,  first  of  all,  the  manager  of  the  house  and 
the  buyer  of  nearly  all  the  commodities  that  are  consumed  by  the 
household.  It  is  she  who  in  most  cases  has  the  deciding  vote  as 
to  the  house  in  which  the  family  lives,  and  how  it  shall  be  fur- 
nished; she  buys  the  food,  she  chooses  the  clothing,  at  least  for 
herself  and  the  younger  children;  she  makes  arrangements  con- 
cerning the  social  life  of  the  family.  This  activity  has  its  acknowl- 
edged place  in  economics,  and  is  well  known  in  the  business  world ; 
the  buyer  contributes  final  or  "  place  value  "  to  goods  of  all  kinds 
by  choosing  and  purchasing  them  and  by  establishing  conditions 
in  which  they  will  be  used.  To  realize  that  the  element  of  choice 
adds  to  the  value  of  purchased  goods,  we  have  only  to  remember 
that  this  is  exactly  the  function  of  the  buyer  for  a  mercantile  house ; 
he  must  select  from  what  is  offered  by  the  wholesaler  those  goods 
which  he  believes  will  find  sale  in  the  retail  establishment,  and  his 
salary  indicates  the  value  of  the  services  he  thus  renders  through 
the  exercise  of  his  knowledge  and  judgment. 

The  housewife  who  does  not  put  her  hand  to  any  actual  labor, 
even  an  invalid  who  never  leaves  her  chair,  may  yet  be  a  true  pro- 
ducer of  values  by  the  exercise  of  this  function  of  decision  and  choice 
in  its  effect  on  the  family  life.  This  is  in  line  with  the  teaching  of  the 
modern  school  of  economists  who  have  brought  into  prominence  the 
study  of  the  "  Consumption  of  Wealth  "  in  contrast  with  the  older 
school,  which  was  almost  wholly  concerned  with  the  making  of 
economic  goods  for  the  market,  or  the  "  Production  of  Wealth/' 
And  yet  in  the  United  States  census,  even  that  of  1920,  "  gainful," 
occupations  alone  are  recognized.  Women  who  are  not  receiving 

43 


44       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

wages  from  sources  outside  the  home  are  all  classed  as  "unoccu- 
pied/' although  among  them  are  found  the  housewives  who  are 
true  producers  of  wealth  in  the  newer  sense ;  that  is,  they  "  create 
utilities  that  satisfy  human  needs."  Out  of  raw  materials  they 
produce  the  finished  product,  not  only  in  food  and  clothing  but 
in  immaterial  forms  that  make  up  the  very  character  and  atmos- 
phere of  home.  "They  are  the  makers  of  the  intimate  things 
of  life." 

We  know  that  the  combined  expenditures  of  the  homes  of  our 
country  reach  many  billion  dollars  annually;  where  accuracy  is 
impossible  a  billion  more  or  less  is  of  little  account;  it  is  enough 
to  know  that  the  amount  is  enormous  and  that  approximately  90 
per  cent,  of  it  goes  through  the  hands  of  women.  Even  when  the 
husband  signs  the  check,  the  wife  has  been  responsible  for  choosing 
most  of  the  items  on  the  bill.  It  is  acknowledged  that  a  newspaper 
in  its  effort  to  obtain  advertisements  must  be  able  to  prove  that  it 
is  a  "  family  paper/'  that  it  reaches  the  eye  of  the  woman,  for  it  is 
she  who  spends  the  bulk  of  the  household  money.  In  the  wholesale 
district  of  a  city  women  are  little  seen,  but  in  the  retail  shopping 
streets,  where  are  bought  house  furnishings  and  clothing,  also  food 
in  its  raw  state  and  as  prepared  by  baker,  canner  and  caterer, 
women  buyers  far  outnumber  men,  and  back  of  these  retail  stores 
at  which  the  women  purchase  are  the  great  factories  and  wholesale 
houses  which  supply  their  needs  as  indicated  by  sales  and  the  ships 
and  railroads  that  bring  raw  material  from  all  countries.  Eeal 
estate  firms  and  the  building  trades  are  all  affected  by  the  prefer- 
ence of  women  regarding  the  house  and  its  location ;  the  vast  busi- 
ness of  amusements  and  means  of  recreation  is  greatly  influenced 
in  policy  by  what  women  like  and  dislike.  Spending  is  spoken  of 
by  one  economist  as  the  new  "new  function  of  women";1  Mrs. 
More  says  of  the  women  who  came  under  her  observation  in  her 
studies  of  wage-earning  families  in  New  York :  "  It  is  she  who  sets 
the  pace  as  to  what  is  desirable  and  what  is  to  be  endured/' 

Power  Over  Production. — There  is  a  sense  in  which  the 
function  of  the  buyer  must  be  taken  very  seriously  and  that  is  in 
the  power  exerted  on  production ;  what  is  not  bought  does  not  con- 

1  Edward  Devine,  Economic  Function  of  Woman.  Annals  of  American 
Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science,  vol.  5. 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  45 

tinue  to  be  made;  what  is  persistently  demanded  will  find  its  way 
to  showcase  and  counter.  This  should  be  a  sobering  thought  to 
the  rash  spender.  To  buy  a  piece  of  porcelain  of  real  worth  has  its 
effect  on  a  pottery  in  far-off  Tokio  or  Paris ;  to  buy  a  style  of  cloth- 
ing so  extreme  that  it  is  certain  to  lose  favor  in  a  short  time  helps 
to  inflict  on  the  garment  worker  alternate  seasons  of  idleness  and 
overwork;  while  to  buy  what  bears  the  label  of  the  Consumers' 
League  is  to  encourage  one  of  the  wisest  efforts  yet  made  to  improve 
conditions  of  labor.  Careful  and  intelligent  buying  of  food  helps 
not  only  the  inspector  of  weights  and  measures,  but  everyone  who 
buys,  since  demands  for  cleanliness  in  the  handling  of  food,  or  for 
labels  that  tell  the  true  story  as  to  the  contents  of  a  package  or  an 
absolute  guarantee  of  the  wearing  qualities  of  a  fabric  will  all  be  met 
by  the  trade  if  such  demands  are  persistently  made  by  any  con- 
siderable number  of  buyers. 

Power  Over  the  Family  Life. — Not  only  does  the  family  buyer 
influence  production  for  public  good  or  ill,  but  her  selection  of 
what  the  family  is  to  use  has  an  immense  influence  on  their  health, 
habits  and  cultural  standards.  She  may  overfurnish  the  house  with 
unsubstantial  and  tawdry  things  which  will  soon  fade  and  look 
shabby,  or  she  may  buy  for  the  same  money  a  few  excellent  pieces 
of  furniture  or  a  rug  or  two  that  will  be  a  lifelong  delight.  She 
may  refuse  to  buy  poor  pictures  simply  that  walls  may  be  covered, 
or  clothing  of  poor  design  and  material  to  gratify  a  passing  whim 
In  every  department  of  life  she  has  an  opportunity  to  direct  their 
choice  and  to  mold  their  taste. 

Measuring  the  Value  of  the  Buyer's  Services. — Can  the 
contribution  of  the  housewife  to  the  family  income  as  manager 
and  buyer  be  stated  in  terms  of  money  ?  It  would  be  easy  to  account 
for  the  number  of  hours  she  gives  to  shopping  by  adding  to  the 
price  of  all  articles  bought  the  10  per  cent,  charged  by  the  com- 
mercial shopper,  but  the  value  of  her  decisions  is  more  difficult  to 
estimate.  The  household  arts  have  all  been  standardized  in  the 
market.  In  any  given  city  we  know  the  price  per  hour  of  different 
kinds  of  housework,  as  window  washing,  the  cleaning  of  rugs, 
laundry  work,  cooking  and  sewing,  and  can  easily  compute  the  value 
of  the  time  the  housewife  spends  in  such  work,  but  we  have  no  such 
comparison  to  use  as  a  guide  in  estimating  the  value  of  the  time 


46       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

spent  in  the  choice  of  housefurnishings  and  clothing,  food  and 
other  articles.     It  depends  on : 

First. — The  value  of  her  standards  as  to  what  ends  the  home 
is  to  meet. 

Second. — The  extent  and  character  of  her  information  regard- 
ing the  articles  purchased. 

Standards. — The  standards  as  to  what  is  beautiful  and  con- 
venient in  housefurnishings  and  dress  are  said  to  be  different  in  each 
individual  household.  They  will  »be  what  the  members  have  been 
accustomed  to,  modified  by  what  they  see  in  other  houses  and  by 
what  the  advertiser  suggests.  The  only  measure  of  the  buyer's 
success  seems  to  be  the  degree  of  satisfaction  that  the  purchases 
bring  to  the  family,  but  these  standards  are  capable  of  great 
improvement  by  the  education  of  both  men  and  women  in  practical 
and  artistic  values.  There  are  well-established  principles  which 
should  govern  color  and  line  in  house  furnishing  and  in  dress. 

Knowledge  of  Values. — The  knowledge  of  the  buyer  as  to  the 
value  of  the  articles  between  which  she  must  choose  is  a  very  definite 
thing,  and  her  usefulness  to  the  family  can  be  greatly  increased  by 
informing  her  as  to  qualities  and  prices  and  the  reason  for  the 
prices;  even  those  women  who  are  so  zealous  to  save  for  the  family 
purse  that  they  should  be  locked  up  on  'bargain  days  can  be  taught 
the  folly  of  spending  ten  cents  in  carfare  and  twenty-five  cents 
worth  of  time  to  save  a  trifle  at  a  cut-rate  sale. 

The  Need  of  Training. — For  service  so  important  to  family 
life  some  adequate  preparation  is  needed.  Ida  M.  Tarbeil,  that 
keen  observer  of  American  life,  has  said  on  this  point : 

"  Scientific  household  management  is  of  basic  importance  .  .  . 
Unless  the  manager  of  the  house,  the  buyer  and  user  of  what  comes 
into  it,  is  trained  in  purchasing,  knows  values,  has  a  keen  sense 
that  it  is  her  duty  as  a  citizen  not  to  be  cheated ;  unless  she  respects 
quality,  has  learned  the  possibilities  of  cooperation,  she  is  not  going 
to  be  able  to  meet  her  individual  problem  .  .  .  Housekeeping 
needs  as  varied  qualities  as  any  business  known  to  human  beings, 
and  yet,  as  things  are  now,  girls  and  women  are  getting  only  the 
most  superficial  and  artificial  training  for  it/' 2 

'Annals  of  the  American  Academy  of  Social  and  Political  Science. 
July,  1913,  p.  129. 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  47 

Every  good  high  school  has  now  a  course  on  the  management  of 
family  expenditures ;  it  is  taught  also  in  evening  classes  for  adults, 
and  the  subject  is  dealt  with  extensively  in  home  economics  litera- 
ture. Any  woman  who  wants  to  become  a  good  manager  and  buyer 
for  her  family  can  now  obtain  the  underlying  principles  and  then 
by  careful  study  can  apply  them  to  her  own  case. 

Scope  of  Knowledge  Needed. — The  argument  is  conclusive. 
Whoever  is  to  manage  the  household  money  must  know  how  to 
spend  it  wisely.  She  must  know  certain  essential  things  about 
food,  the  wearing  qualities  of  fabrics,  and  be  able  to  decide  whether 
a  labor-saving  device  is  really  a  labor  saver  for  her  as  it  would  be 
used  in  her  special  household.  When  she  is  to  rent  a  house,  she 
must  know  how  it  meets  the  demands  of  hygiene,  and  she  must  also 
know  the  routine  of  housework  necessary  in  her  family  and  thus 
be  able  to  decide  whether  in  the  houses  offered  her  this  routine 
can  be  followed  without  loss  of  time  and  effort;  she  must  know 
when  a  bargain  is  a  bargain  and  seek  it  in  reputable  stores  only  and 
at  certain  times  of  year  when  room  must  be  made  for  the  new  stocks 
and  where  certain  things  are  "  featured  "  on  certain  days.  Such 
stores  are  also  those  which  are  willing  to  give  guarantee  that  goods 
are  as  advertised  and  there  is  no  trouble  about  exchange  or  refund- 
ing of  money  in  case  of  a  mistake.  That  "  cheap  "  stores  necessarily 
give  more  for  the  money  is  a  common  error. 

Who  Now  Trains  the  Buyer? — The  main  source  of  her  knowl- 
edge at  present  is  the  newspaper  advertiser  and  the  show  window. 
It  is  by  these  means  that  wants  are  stimulated  and  even  created, 
and  the  dealer  who  can  satisfy  these  wants  is  always  near  at  hand. 
The  psychology  of  advertising  lies  in  suggestion.  Set  before  us 
what  promises  to  improve  our  appearance,  ease  our  labors,  amuse  or 
divert  us  and  we  hasten  to  purchase,  quite  forgetting  the  use  for 
which  our  money  had  been  designed. 

"  I  couldn't  resist  it,  my  dear,"  says  the  woman  who  holds  up 
before  her  spouse  a  new  gown,  "  and  it  was  such  a  bargain,  just  half 
price,  the  clerk  said  it  had  sold  for  double."  "  You  mean  it  didn't 
sell  for  double,  they  got  it  off  on  you,"  is  the  heartless  reply.  This 
is  indignantly  denied,  but  next  day  the  buyer  remembers  that  the 
gown  requires  for  its  setting  an  evening  reception  to  which  she  may 
not  be  invited,  and  that  its  price  must  come  out  of  the  sum  set  aside 


48       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

for  her  winter  coat.  She  wonders  why  she  did  not  think  of  this 
while  in  the  store. 

And  what  psychologist  will  analyze  for  us  the  peculiar  witchery 
exerted  by  the  auction  room,  its  power  over  the  imagination  in 
multiplying  wants  and  suggesting  new  activities,  so  that  men  and 
women  may  be  seen  lugging  home  the  clock  that  will  not  go,  the  rug 
that  fits  nowhere,  the  shoemaker's  mending  kit,  or  the  half  set  of 
dishes  to  a  house  already  overstocked  ? 

The  old  theory  of  supply  and  demand  seems  to  have  been  re- 
versed. It  is  supply  that  suggests,  even  creates  the  demand  and 
waits  not  for  its  unaided  action. 

Knowledge  the  Only  Defense. — But  the  business  man  has  not 
engaged  to  give  us  a  course  in  economics.  It  is  useless  to  rise 
in  wrath  against  those  who  make  frail  toys  to  be  broken  to-morrow, 
who  fill  the  installment  houses  with  furniture  upholstered  in  colors 
that  are.  sure  to  fade  to  still  uglier  tints,  who  tempt  the  work- 
man's wife  on  Monday  morning  while  the  bloom  is  still  on  the 
pay  envelope.  Instead  of  calling  business  a  "  vast  conspiracy/'  we 
have  to  realize  that  these  recognized  methods  of  making  money  call 
for  no  regulation  by  law,  since  they  simply  offer  their  wares  to 
responsible  adults,  it  is  for  us  to  decide  whether  these  articles  meet 
our  need.  A  knowledge  of  what  we  really  want  is  our  best,  and 
indeed  only,  defense. 

Nor  let  us  forget  what  we  owe  to  business  enterprise  in  offering 
really  excellent  housekeeping  devices,  in  helping  us  to  change  habits 
that  are  out  of  date,  in  employing  artists  to  furnish  the  manufac- 
turer with  right  combinations  of  color  and  beautiful  lines,  in  sug- 
gesting ways  of  meeting  new  economic  conditions.  We  can  always 
find  what  is  enduringly  good  if  we  make  the  demand,  for  it  is  said 
to  be  most  profitable  to  manufacture  that  which  gives  lasting  satis- 
faction to  the  buyer.  Some  experienced  buyers  purchase  only  what 
is  persistently  advertised,  on  the  ground  that  only  a  good  article 
can  pay  for  the  heavy  cost  of  advertising.  The  advertiser  denies 
that  this  charge  is  transferred  to  the  buyer;  he  maintains  that  the 
profits  which  come  from  the  increased  sales  that  follow  wise  adver- 
tising reduce  the  price  to  all. 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  49 

Value  of  Special  Teaching. — Most  women  who  have  come  to 
be  good  buyers  have  taught  themselves,  but  it  is  apt  to  be  a  long 
and  costly  process,  and,  like  most  of  the  practical  arts,  it  needs  help 
from  the  student  and  expert  through  systematized  courses  of  in- 
struction. Even  the  brief  courses  offered  in  school  or  in  the  evening 
class  give  improved  methods  and  awaken  observation.  A  few  les- 
sons in  textiles  with  the  aid  of  a  microscope  and  a  gas  jet  or  other 
flame  for  the  examination  of  cotton,  wool  and  silk  fibers  will  be  a 
great  help  in  the  purchase  of  fabrics ; 3  as  to  food  a  course  in 
marketing  will  work  an  enormous  improvement  over  the  haphazard 
buying  of  the  past  by  revealing  new  and  cheaper  sources  of  food,  and 
by  showing  when  it  will  pay  to  use  carfare  and  time  to  go  to  market 
and  when  one  may  as  well  purchase  near  at  hand.  The  buyer  learns 
the  secret  of  buying  in  "  the  flush  of  the  season  "  and  finds  other 
ways  of  tempting  a  jaded  appetite  than  by  furnishing  green  peas 
and  strawberries  in  January;  she  learns  to  buy  cereals  in  bulk 
instead  of  in  boxes  and  to  compare  the  price  of  bacon  in  the  piece 
with  that  of  the  delicate  slices  in  jars.  Above  all,  she  learns  to 
make  out  a  menu  for  a  week  ahead  and  it  goes  with  her  in  her  purse. 
By  such  help  a  new  light  is  shed  on  the  factors  that  make  up  the 
price  of  an  article  of  food,  it  shows  what  part  is  due  to  labor,  what 
to  greenhouse  heat  and  care,  how  much  to  transportation;  the 
maxim  "  the  best  is  the  cheapest "  no  longer  excuses  her  for  paying 
a  high  price  when  she  has  learned  that  the  cheaper  article  is  a 
perfect  substitute  in  food  value,  at  least  for  her  own  table. 

If  such  courses  are  taken  by  girls  in  the  high  school  and  by 
adults  in  evening  classes,  the  buyer  will  have  such  information 
as  will  make  of  her  an  intelligent  spender,  which  is  necessary  before 
she  can  become  a  good  saver.  Where  school  courses  for  the  adult 
woman  are  not  available,  as  in  small  towns,  women  frequently  unite 
in  groups  for  discussion  and  exchange  of  information,  or  a  trained 
leader  is  hired  to  lead  such  discussion  and  to  answer  questions. 

In  school  courses  and  in  special  classes,  what  are  the  important 
points  that  will  be  brought  up? 

3  Clothing:  Choice,  Cost,  Care.  M.  S.  Wolman.  J.  B.  Lippincott, 
1920. 


50       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

b  Start  with  the  Budget  Plan. — It  must  be  understood  that  a  I 
unplete  plan  for  spending  the  money  of  the  household  underlies  all ' 
ise  buying.  Such  an  outline  for  the  division  of  the  money  income 
is  discussed  in  Chapters  XIII  to  XVI.  To  decide  on  the  sum  that 
must  not  be  exceeded  in  each  department  of  the  expenditure  may  be 
the  first  step  toward  orderly  methods  of  housekeeping.  When  the 
household  financier  is  face  to  face  with,  all  the  family  needs  and 
is  obliged  to  weigh  and  compare  their  claim  on  the  purse  according 
to  their  importance,  it  is  all  over  with  the  temptation  to  buy  a  piece 
of  furniture  simply  because  a  neighbor  has  bought  it,  or  to  .give 
a  party  because  some  friend  has  a  house  guest  to  entertain.  The 
plausible  salesman  speaks  now  to  deaf  ears.  As  one  woman  said, 
"  there's  no  more  fun  in  shopping  " ;  the  gay  and  thoughtless  spender 
has  grown  up  to  a  knowledge  of  her  responsibilities.  The  housewife 
who  is  working  on  the  budget  plan  must  concentrate  on  essentials 
or  she  cannot  face  the  account  book  with  a  good  conscience.  The 
business  woman  has  made  good,  the  home  woman  must  not 
fall  behind. 

Lists. — Having  decided  on  the  sums  that  can  be  spent  on  house- 
keeping, dress,  etc.,  the  buyer  takes  the  important  first  step  in  her 
system  which  is  the  making  out  of  memoranda  or  lists  of  articles 
to  be  bought  and  for  as  long  ahead  as  plans  can  be  made,  in  most 
cases  for  the  entire  season.  Take,  for  instance,  the  purchase  of 
clothing.  The  little  book  in  which  these  lists  will  be  kept  is  the 
sheet-anchor  of  her  whole  system.  It  will  contain  the  size  of  hose, 
gloves,  collars  and  other  articles  of  dress  for  the  members  of  the 
family  for  whom  the  housewife  must  purchase,  and  the  number  of 
yards  of  material  of  different  widths  needed  for  articles  of  clothing 
to  be  made  at  home.  Some  sign  will  designate  those  articles  which 
are  to  be  bought  at  once ;  others  may  wait  on  her  convenience,  they 
will  be  thought  over,  perhaps  never  bought  at  all.  As  one  woman 
said:  "I  spend  my  money  many  times  in  mind  before  I  really 
give  it  out." 

Such  lists  are  great  savers  of  time  and  money.  Armed  with  this 
little  book,  a  woman  is  safe  at  the  bargain  counter.  Her  needs 
have  been  well  considered,  she  knows  whether  the  article  offered 
really  fits  into  her  plan. 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  51 

Cash  or  Credit.— This  is  a  much-discussed  point.  It  is  un- 
doubtedly best  for  the  young  housekeeper  who  is  going  through  her 
apprenticeship  as  a  buyer  to  pay  cash  for  everything,  and  to 
continue  to  do  so  in  cases  where  it  is  a  distinct  advantage  as  in  the 
"  cash-and-carry "  stores,  or  in  certain  stores  which  offer  lower 
prices  for  Saturday  afternoons  with  no  delivery  under  a 
stated  amount. 

But  for  those  buyers  who  are  not  made  extravagant  by  the 
chance  to  run  up  bills,  credit  has  great  advantages.  The  system  on 
which  a  store  runs  may  not  allow  of  a  discount  for  cash ;  the  book- 
keeper must  be  there,  to  send  the  monthly  bill  is  in  the  routine  and 
the  store  prefers  regular  customers  who  have  a  habit  of  buying  there. 
The  buyer  receives  substantial  benefits  from  being  known,  and  the 
best  way  to  be  known  is  by  the  account.  The  advantages  are  that 
mistakes  are  easily  rectified,  orders  over  a  telephone  or  by  mail 
are  well  filled,  and  the  customer  is  notified  of  special  offers  in 
advance  of  the  newspaper  advertisement.  Many  buyers  have  found 
it  a  help  to  know  personally  a  clerk  in  each  department  of  a  store 
which  they  frequent.  The  advantage  from  leaving  cash  in  the  bank 
for  thirty  days  is  also  to  be  considered. 

A  mercantile  house  must  have  its  well-equipped  buying  depart- 
ment always  at  work,  but  the  housewife  who  counts  buying  as  but 
one  of  her  many  functions  must  always  consider  the  time  needed 
to  make  a  purchase.  She  goes  shopping  chiefly  to  gain  information 
and  she  cannot  go  often.  On  this  account  it  may  be  cheaper  for 
her  to  use  a  few  reliable  houses  for  most  of  her  purchases,  but  it 
is  a  great  mistake  not  to  know  many  sources  of  supply,  as  the  five- 
and-ten-cent  stores,  the  specialty  shops,  the  chain  groceries,  and 
mail-order  houses,  and  she  must  try  them  all  in  oi'der  to  determin 
to  what  extent  they  can  serve  her  needs. 

The  Account  Book. — The  very  foundation  of  family  thrift  is 
the  account  book — without  it  the  best  of  plans  and  resolves  will 
be  given  up.  Suppose  a  family  has  been  living  carelessly  on  all 
their  income,  without  much  plan,  perhaps  running  in  debt  now  and 
then,  and  suddenly  something  happens  to  sober  them,  as  an  expen- 
sive illness,  or  the  call  to  care  for  a  relative  or  friend  in  misfortune. 


52       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

They  begin  to  look  ahead  with  an  anxiety  they  have  never  felt 
before.  Now  is  the  time  to  look  into  their  finances.  Also  the 
temper  of  the  times  now  encourages  it,  there  is  a  changed  attitude 
in  the  very  air,  a  thrift  campaign  is  on  hand,  home  finance  is  being 
seriously  discussed  in  the  newspapers,  and  many  a  family  is  saying, 
"  We  must  begin  to  save." 

This  is  the  hour  of  the  account  book.  The  housewife  gives  new 
attention  to  her  bills,  -perhaps  sets  down  the  day's  items  of  expendi- 
ture on  the  back  of  an  envelope  which  she  brings  out  for  anxious 
study  at  night;  the  next  day  she  uses  for  this  purpose  a  grocer's 
bag;  she  loses  the  envelope  of  the  first  day  and  she  is  apt  to  give 
up,  saying :  "  I  have  no  time  for  it,  and  what  good  is  it  anyway  ?  " 
The  tale  of  her  failures  is  considered  a  good  joke  in  the  family 
and  an  indulgent  husband  may  say,  "  Never  mind,  you  haven't  lost 
the  money;  it's  all  been  used  for  something.  What's  the  use  of 
worrying  over  five  cents  or  fifty  ?  " 

But  in  reality  this  is  a  very  important  day  with  the  housewife. 
If  she  gives  up,  the  family  goes  back  to  drifting,  and  they  will 
never  gain  serenity  and  freedom  of  mind ;  mortification  and  haras- 
sing debt  will  be  only  too  probable  as  their  portion.  They  will 
never  know  where  they  stand  if  they  have  no  calculated  plan  regu- 
lating their  givings  and  their  withholdings.  It  is  now  that  this 
housewife  needs  a  system,  however  simple,  and  a  little  help  from 
someone  of  business  experience  to  prove  to  her  that  the  task  is 
very  important  and  after  all  not  difficult.  She  needs  help  in  decid- 
ing how  to  use  the  brief  time  at  her  disposal  for  account-keeping  so 
as  to  be  able  to  compare  her  expenditure  in  certain  important  lines 
one  month  or  one  year  with  another,  or  to  find  out  how  to  best 
increase  or  diminish  certain  expenses.  This  is  the  end  and  aim 
of  her  account-keeping. 

In  what  way  does  the  household  account  book  differ  from  that  of 
the  business  house?  Exact  balances  are  of  secondary  importance 
except  in  dealing  with  employees,  tradesmen  and  others  outside 
the  family,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  summaries  of  different  depart- 
ments of  expenditure  are  imperative,  for  they  must  be  grouped  and 
compared  according  to  the  estimates  of  the  budget.  All  recom- 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  53 

mended  methods  4  of  account-keeping  for  the  housewife  have  cer- 
tain disadvantages.  In  most  of  them  the  time  required  is  too  great. 
The  one  here  suggested  (page  56)  takes  for  granted  that  settling 
up  will  be  done  but  once  a  month.  No  column  is  given  to  the  day 
of  the  month;  if  the  date  is  considered  important,  it  is  affixed  to 
the  item.  Foods  are  listed  under  the  five  groups,  among  which  it 
has  been  advised  to  divide  the  money  about  equally. 

The  Home-made  Form. — In  order  to  learn  her  own  needs 
it  may  be  well  for  the  inexperienced  housewife  to  begin  with  a  plain- 
ruled  blank  book,  say  eight  by  ten  inches,  one  large  enough  to 
allow  of  the  memoranda  and  suggestions  that  are  indicated  below. 
Since  out  of  the  account  book  of  the  past  year  grows  the  budget 
of  the  next,  she  must  have  ready  access  to  the  answers  to  such 
questions  as  the  following:  How  much  coal  did  we  buy  last  year? 
How  much  was  left  over  and  was  the  quality  satisfactory?  When 
did  I  buy  my  aluminum  utensils  ?  What  did  my  ready-made  sum- 
mer dresses  cost,  and  how  have  they  worn?  Are  we  eating  more 
butter  than  we  used  to  ?  How  can  I  save  for  a  vacation  trip  ?  For 
such  purposes  certain  seasonal  memoranda  will  be  needed. 

An  Illustration. — When,  for  instance,  the  coal  dealer  gave  his 
prices  in  May,  1920,  the  housewife  could  find  in  May,  1919,  the 
order  for  that  year.  On  the  October  page  she  finds  a  note  of  the 
date  when  the  furnace  fire  was  lighted  and  later,  perhaps  in  January, 
a  note  as  to  the  burning  quality  of  the  coal.  Since  coal  prices  have 
advanced  she  sets  the  lighting  of  the  furnace  fire  a  fortnight  later 
than  last  year,  helps  out  with  oil  or  gas  heaters  and  decreases  the 
size  of  the  order. 

The  lower  half  of  the  page  may  be  used  on  another  month  for 
an  itemized  account  of  what  a  seamstress  accomplished  in  one  week, 
to  help  in  a  comparison  between  the  cost  of  ready-made  and  home- 
made clothing,  or  the  entry  will  show  an  attempt  to  compare  the 
wearing  qualities  of  two  table  cloths.  For  instance,  "Rose  pat- 
tern $3.16,  Greek  border  $2.25,  put  into  daily  use  alternately 
November  25  "  (the  cloths  supposed  to  be  examined  for  signs  of 

4  For  lists  and  criticisms  of  recent  Household  and  Personal  Expense 
Account  Forms,  see  Journal  of  Home  Economics,  June,  1920. 


54       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

wear  one  year  from  date).  Or,  this  space  may  be  taken  up  with 
an  estimate  of  food  consumed  per  person  per  week  with  the  date 
for  comparing  wholesale  and  retail  buying,  or  such  notes  as  will 
record  experience  in  methods  as,  for  instance,  success  in  preserving 
eggs,  with  suggestions  for  the  coming  season. 

The  back  part  of  the  account  book  will  contain  pages  in  which 
the  year's  summary  is  placed.  This  is  very  simple.  Along  the 
top  of  a  page  will  appear  the  various  divisions  of  expenditures,  and 
the  sum  expended  under  each  head  is  entered  for  the  months,  which 
are  given  on  the  left-hand  column.  This  system  allows  of  com- 
parison from  year  to  year  as  well  as  from  month  to  month.  The 
annual  estimate  of  property  (page  57)  also  belongs  with  the  finan- 
cial summaries. 

These  suggestions  for  the  simplification  of  account-keeping  are 
not  designed  for  the  woman  who  feels  equal  to  the  use  of  a  card 
catalogue  or  other  elaborate  system  of  records.  For  her  there  are 
manuals  giving  every  step  in  the  process.  But  the  woman  of  small 
income  and  many  cares  needs  special  consideration  and  is  to  be 
encouraged  to  such  a  degree  of  order  in  accounts  and  memoranda 
as  her  scanty  time  may  compass. 

A  very  simple  method  of  keeping  track  of  outgoes  and  which 
allows  of  checking  up  the  budget  is  used  by  some  women  who  find 
it  easier  than  the  account  book.  A  number  of  large  envelopes  are 
provided,  each  labelled  with  its  subject,  as  food,  clothing,  and  the 
amount  that  can  be  expended  for  each  during  the  year.  No  actual 
money  is  kept  in  the  envelope.  When  anything  is  given  out,  the  sum 
is  entered  on  the  back.  To  see  how  the  oujtgo  tallies  with  the  budget 
allowance  is  very  easy.  The  envelope  itself  is  used  for  notes  and 
memoranda.  For  an  illustration  of  the  use  of  this  method  see 
Chapter  XIII. 

Help  from  the  Bank. — By  depositing  in  the  bank  all  moneys 
received  and  by  paying  as  many  bills  as  possible  by  check  the 
housewife  has  a  great  help  in  her  accounts.  The  bank  stub  when 
properly  filled  out  and  carried  on  is  an  accurate  record  of  the 
expenditure  of  most  of  the  money  and  shows  at  any  time  just  how 
much  is  on  hand.  Banks  now  give  check  books  with  a  large  space 


HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  55 

for  the  stub  on  which  may  be  kept  as  many  items  of  the  bill  paid 
as  is  desired.  The  single  man  or  woman,  with  a  smaller  number  of 
outgoes  than  has  the  housewife,  frequently  uses  no  other  method  of 
keeping  accounts.  Contrary  to  the  general  opinion,  the  moderate 
income  is  not  too  small  for  this  method.  The  banker  will  not 
despise  a  regular  deposit  of  $150  a  month  and  the  depositor  will 
have  the  use  of  the  system  as  readily  as  the  man  whose  account  is 
ten  times  as  large,  if  a  specified  amount  is  left  always  on  deposit. 

It  is  probable  that  the  domestic  financier  is  yet  to  receive  sub- 
stantial help  in  the  way  of  advice  from  savings  banks.  One  savings 
bank,  the  Society  of  Savings  of  the  City  of  Cleveland,  a  few  years 
ago  opened  a  department  called  the  Bureau  of  Home  Economics  in 
order  to  give  free  advice  to  all  comers  on  the  financial  organization 
and  management  of  the  family.  The  response  which  very  soon 
met  the  advertised  offer  has  been  an  astonishment  to  those  who 
hold  that  the  spending  of  our  own  money  is  an  intimate  and  sacred 
matter,  the  last  thing  which  we  would  submit  to  the  eye  of  a  stranger. 
The  Bureau  has  been  made  a  permanent  part  of  the  organization 
of  the  bank  and  is  entirely  separated  from  its  actual  business.  The 
best  division  of  the  income  and  a  method  for  keeping  household 
accounts  are  among  the  subjects  on  which  advice  is  given,  and  the 
calls  for  advice  on  the  part  of  both  men  and  women  have  averaged 
one  hundred  per  week  during  the  past  year.  Other  banks  are  now 
starting  similar  "  budget  bureaus." 

Summary. — The  importance  of  the  managing  and  buying  func- 
tions of  the  housewife  is  very  great.  Probably  90  per  cent,  of  the 
family  money  goes  through  her  hands,  and  what  she  buys  has  a 
definite  relation  to  what  is  produced  in  factories  and  also  to  the 
family  standards.  To  meet  modern  requirements  the  knowledge 
demanded  on  her  part  is  considerable  and  her  present  method  of 
training,  which  is  now  chiefly  in  the  hands  of  the  advertiser,  should 
be  improved  by  attendance  on  classes  or  courses  of  study  conducted 
by  qualified  people.  The  budget  system  must  underly  all  her  plans 
and  she  must  learn  the  value  of  keeping  lists  of  what  is  to  be  pur- 
chased. The  time  factor  in  buying  must  be  duly  considered  and 
both  cash  and  credit  systems  used.  In  the  use  of  the  account  book 
summaries  are  of  greater  importance  than  exact  balancing. 


56       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 


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HOUSEWIFE  AS  BUYER  AND  MANAGER  57 

Sample  Annual  Estimate  of  Property. — Are  we  solvent? 
Are  our  possessions  increasing  or  diminishing?  These  questions 
come  within  the  scope  of  the  housewife's  accounts.  An  inventory  of 
property  should  be  made  every  year  and  its  final  figure  of  net 
worth  or  excess  of  property  over  debts  be  made  a  matter  of  record. 
A  sample  of  inventory  of  property  is  here  given : 

INVENTORY  OF  PROPERTY 

Property  Jan'y.  Jan'y.  Jan'y. 

1919  1920  1921 

Cash  on  hand    $100  $200 

Deposit  in  Savings  Bank    500  600 

House  and  Lot    5000  4800 

Household  Furniture   750  780 

Clothing    250  300 

Liberty    Bonds    300  300 


Total  Property $6900 

Debts 

Mortgage  on  house  $2000  $1800 

Notes  at  bank    100  

Accounts   with    merchants    50  ..... 

Total  Debts    $2150  $1800 

Net  worth  of  Property  less  Debts 4750  5180 

Net  increase  over  preceding  year   j 430 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Reply  to  the  following  objections  that  are  sometimes  made: 

a.  That  many  women  seem  to  get  on  very  well  as  buyers  without  train- 

ing. Is  this  belief  due  to  a  lack  of  right  standards;  how  is  the 
untrained  woman  to  be  made  to  see  that  she  does  not  possess  them? 

b.  That  the  woman  of  this  moderate  income  group  is  too  heavily  taxed 

with  actual  household  labor  to  allow  of  her  taking  this  training. 
How  is  public  opinion  to  be  brought  to  support  the  movement  that 
requires   of   women   that   they  train   for   housekeeping   before   they 
are  married? 

2.  Give  all  the  methods  of  such  training  available  in  your  community  in 

the  way  of  classes  and  good  printed  matter. 

3.  Would  it  be  feasible  for  a  group  of  women  to  unitel  in  sending  a  good 

housekeeper  for  a  course  of  training  of  the  intensive  sort,  at  the  State 
College,  for  example,  that  she  may  pass  on  this  knowledge  to 
the  group? 

4.  Can  the  overladen  housewife  secure  some  help  from  her  husband  as 

assistant  buyer?  Should  she  abdicate  entirely  in  his  favor,  or  get 
his  active  cooperation  where  needed  under  her  leadership? 

5.  What  of  the  children  as   cooperative  marketers — as  to  the  economic 

service  rendered — its  educational  value  to  them? 


58       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

6.  Is  buying  an  act  of  economic  consumption  or   economic  production? 

The  test  of  production  is  "  creation  of  utility."  Does  the  housewife's 
skill  in  selecting  secure  increased  utilities  over  those  arising  through 
haphazard  buying? 

7.  The  services  of  the  leader  or  enterpriser  in  industry  are  rated  as  most 

productive,  since  they  direct  the  productive  energy  of  others;  accord- 
ingly the  leader  is  compensated  more  highly  than  routine  workers. 
Show  the  importance  of  leadership  in  the  home;  show  that  there  is 
compensation  for  good  leadership  in  a  better  living  secured. 

8.  The  enterpriser  is  the  "  decision-maker  "  and  "  risk-bearer  "  in  industry. 

List  the  important  decisions  in  housekeeping — and  in  homemaking — 
on  which  success  depends,  from  the  initial  decision  to  start  the 
new  home. 

9.  What  are  the  risks  of  failure,  of  economic  loss,  of  personal  disappoint- 

ment, etc.,  in  founding  and  conducting  a  family  ?    Are  benefits  usually 
secured  in  business  or  anywhere  without  assuming  risks? 
10.  Make  a  plan  for  self-improvement  in  home  management  by  studying 
the  elements  of  your  own  or  some  other  housekeeping  situation  that 
you  know  well. 


CHAPTEE  YII 

THE  HOUSEWIFE'S  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH 
CONTROLLED  FINANCE— THE  ALLOWANCE 

IF  it  be  accepted  that  the  woman  is  to  be  the  manager  and  buyer 
for  the  household,  we  now  need  what  the  lawmakers  call  "the 
enabling  act."  Has  she  such  control  of  the  family  money  as  is 
necessary  in  order  that  she  may  plan  and  buy  to  advantage  ?  There 
should  be  at  her  command  whatever  has  been  agreed  on  for  upkeep 
and  the  running  expenses,  which  will  include  food,  light,  heat,  and 
service,  and  also  the  allowance  for  herself  and  the  children  for  dress 
and  other  personal  needs.  And  this  money  should  be  at  her 
disposal,  either  in  the  form  of  cash  or  as  a  bank  account  on  which 
she  can  draw.  Such  an  understanding  will  do  more  than  anything 
else  to  bring  order  out  of  the  financial  chaos  which  now  prevails 
in  many  a  household. 

Who  Holds  the  Purse? — In  the  majority  of  households  does 
the  woman  have  this  control  of  money?  ISTo  requirement  would 
seem  to  be  more  reasonable ;  the  family  has  adopted  a  certain  style 
of  living  which  they  are  supposed  to  be  able  to  keep  up,  and  yet 
the  man  who  is  promptness  itself  in  paying  off  on  Saturday  night 
the  workmen  in  his  business  may  refuse  his  high-school  daughter  an 
allowance  for  her  clothing  and  grudgingly  dole  out  irregular  sums 
of  money  to  his  wife  for  expenses  that  have  been  agreed  on  as  neces- 
sary, but  which  come  up  again  and  again  for  heated  discussion. 

Family  life  is  not  a  self-respecting  or  happy  one,  unless  mutual 
confidence  in  money  matters  exists.  If  the  wife  does  not  know  the 
extent  of  the  income  and  has  no  housekeeping  or  dress  allowance, 
she  is  apt  to  find  out  what  bills  are  paid  most  readily,  as  probably 
those  for  food,  and  seeing  no  advantage  in  economy  in  that  line  she 
is  less  apt  to  practice  it,  while  in  other  directions  she  may  find  her- 
self forced  to  unwise  and  humiliating  restrictions.  She  has  no 
chance  to  develop  as  an  all-round  economist  and  this  is  a  great  loss 
to  the  family  in  many  ways. 


60      SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Inquiry  among  women  goes  to  show  that  this  bad  system  of 
managing  the  household  finances  is  exceedingly  common.  "  If 
only  I  need  never  ask  for  money  "  sighs  many  a  woman.  It  seems 
to  be  rare  that  a  complete  understanding  exists  as  to  the  sum  agreed 
on  as  needed  by  the  week  or  month  to  cover  the  regular  outgoes. 

The  Man's  View. — Before  condemning  the  money  earner  for 
this  condition  of  things,  it  will  be  well  to  get  his  point  of  view. 

We  may  at  once  exclude  the  exceptional  types  of  men,  those  who 
want  more  than  their  share  of  the  income  for  their  own  use,  and 
those  who  feel  that  because  they  have  earned  the  money  they  can 
dictate  just  how  it  shall  be  spent.  Said  one  of  these  men  regarding 
a  regular  allowance  for  wife  and  daughter :  "  Do  you  suppose  I'd 
give  my  women-folks  as  much  rope  as  that  ?  Not  for  a  good  deal." 
He  did  not  know  how  antiquated  is  the  system  recorded  in  the 
nursery  rhyme: 

"  Clap  hands,  clap  hands  till  father  comes  home, 
For  father  has  money  but  mother  has  none." 

But  the  most  right-minded  and  generous  man  often  sees  no 
way  to  run  the  household  without  extravagance  except  to  dole  out 
the  money  in  irregular  sums.  He  is  often  unjustly  called  stingy 
because  he  is  trying  to  practice  thrift  by  an  unwise  system ;  that  is, 
without  gaining  the  cooperation  of  the  family.  It  is  the  just  pride 
of  the  money  earner  to  show  his  success  by  a  steady  improvement  in 
his  circumstances.  He  may  be  planning  an  enlargement  in  his 
business,  a  'better  house  for  the  family  to  live  in,  or  security  for 
them  by  a  larger  life  insurance,  and  he  must  accumulate  the  means 
to  these  ends.  If  disaster  comes,  it  is  he  who  will  be  blamed ;  at  all 
costs  the  expenses  of  the  family  must  come  well  within  the  income 
and  he  may  find  that  the  rest  of  the  family  do  not  share  this  view. 

Again,  the  man's  natural  attitude  of  caution  resulting  from  his 
sense  of  responsibility  is  often  increased  by  the  belief  that  his  wife 
does  not  know  how  to  spend  wisely  the  hard-earned  dollars.  In 
many  cases  she  has  not  been  trained  before  her  marriage  to  manage 
money.  To  quote  a  business  man,  "  It  is  a  great  discipline  to  have 
to  look  a  payroll  in  the  eye  every  Saturday  night,"  and  this  disci- 
pline the  man  may  have  had  and  the  woman  not.  Again,  because 
of  wrong  standards  in  the  community  she  may  not  feel  her  full 


THE  ALLOWANCE  61 


responsibility  to  the  family  interests.  Thus  the  young  couple  get 
started  wrong ;  the  man  may  have  the  greatest  respect  for  his  wife's 
character  and  her  devotion  to  the  family,  but  none  for  her  business 
sense.  Besides,  "  she  is  careless,  she  makes  mistakes,  she  has  been 
known  to  lose  money — she  has  no  -pockets ! "  So  he  haggles  and 
scales  down,  determined  to  keep  up  the  life  insurance  premiums  and 
to  slip  something  into  the  savings  bank  each  month.  A  crude 
method,  but  he  knows  no  other,  and  before  she  wakes  up  to  the 
importance  of  the  matter,  the  young  wife  may  have  lost  ground 
which  it  is  very  difficult  to  recover.  How  can  she  have  business 
knowledge  without  any  training  in  it?  A  woman  who  has  had  to 
earn  her  own  living  has  some  idea  of  the  value  of  money,  but  a 
"  care-free "  girlhood,  which  too  often  in  this  country  means  one 
that  is  wholly  lacking  in  discipline  or  practical  training,  does  not 
qualify  a  woman  to  undertake  the  admittedly  difficult  post  of 
domestic  financier.  Only  the  most  rosy  optimism  can  believe  that 
she  will  "  pick  it  up  easily." 

The  man  has  perhaps  no  time  to  train  his  wife  in  business 
i  methods,  and  worst  of  all  he  does  not  see  the  importance  of  it. 
!  Nor  perhaps  is  he  quite  free  from  the  attitude  reflected  in  so  many 
;  plays  and  novels  that  lack  of  sense  as  to  money  is  very  feminine 
and  appealing,  at  least  in  the  early  years  of  marriage !  And  so 
\  the  most  well-intentioned  people  drift  into  the  galling  financial 
;  relations  seen  in  many  families. 

The  Woman's  Training. — The  whole  matter,  then,  turns  on 

!  the  qualifications  of  the  woman  for  making  good  on  this  practical 

side  of  life,  and  thus  winning  her  rights.     Native  business  ability 

is  found  quite  as  often  in  women  as  in  men ;  they  may  be  even  more 

competent  in  that  devotion  to  detail  which  is  one  factor  in  success. 

Witness  the  workingman's  wife,  as  so  frequently  described  in  this 

I  country  and  in  England.     In  her  family  the  margin  of  income  be- 

jyond  the  absolute  requirements  of  life  is  so  small  that  the  pay 

I  envelope  is  generally  put  into  her  hands  and  she  returns  to  her 

I  husband  the  amount  agreed  upon  for  his  carfares,  tobacco,  etc. 

I  Said  the  laborer's  wife  when  questioned  as  to  the  custom  in  the 

•families  she  knew:  "I  think  every  woman  hands  over  a  dollar 

lor  two."     She  thought  a  friend  of  hers  badly  used  because  her 

Jhusband  who  earned  $25  a  week  when  work  was  good  exacted  $5 


62      SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

as  his  share.  But  at  least  the  sum  was  agreed  on  and  accepted 
by  both  parties.  The  laboring  man  who  hands  over  his  earnings 
to  his  wife  may  be  neither  broad-minded  nor  unselfish,  he  is  simply 
following  a  custom  that  has  grown  up  around  the  fact  that  the 
family  must  have  that  money  to  meet  the  actual  needs  of  life,  and 
the  wife  must  learn  to  manage  it,  for  any  other  way  leads  to  ruin 
and  disgrace.  The  trouble  seems  to  come  in  the  management  of  the 
surplus  which  is  over  actual  needs,  when,  in  fact,  a  given  outlay 
is  no  longer  necessary  but  discussible. 

It  is  vain  to  refer  to  the  law  or  to  depend  on  the  phraseology 
of  the  marriage  service ;  the  practical  question  is :  Does  the  man  as 
the  money  earner  look  upon  the  wife  as  a  financial  partner  in  just 
the  sense  that  he  does  his  business  partner  with  whom  he  shares, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  all  power  and  all  knowledge  as  to  income 
and  outgo? 

While  this  ideal  understanding  is  probably  reached  in  few  fami- 
lies, there  is  a  growing  tendency  to  agree  on  the  sums  necessary 
for  certain  outgoes,  as  for  food  and  clothing,  and  the  money  is 
set  aside  monthly  without  question.  The  change  has  come  partly 
through  the  experience  in  the  earning  of  money,  now  common  to 
the  younger  women  of  even  well-to-do  families.  To  know  what  it 
means  to  earn  and  spend  one's  own  dollars  in  the  business  world  is 
to  gain  sympathy  and  understanding  for  the  larger  problems.  The 
married  woman  ought  to  be  able  in  most  cases  to  win  over  her 
husband  to  the  great  advantages  of  the  partnership  method  of 
managing  the  entire  family  income ;  she  can  claim  her  rights  as  the 
disbursing  partner  to  know  all  the  items  of  income  and  outgo  only 
by  proving  her  ability  to  manage  and  plan  better  than  can  her  busy 
husband  the  spending  of  all  that  part  of  the  money  income  which 
finances  the  household. 

The  Partnership  Method. — 1.  It  is  economical.  The  first  step 
is  to  decide  on  what  is  the  just  outlay  in  every  department,  and  to 
do  this  in  a  committee  of  the  whole  where  the  mother  presents  the 
needs  of  the  household,  the  older  children  outline  what  are  their 
requirements  in  the  matter  of  dress  and  pocket  money  and  where 
they  can  all  hear  from  the  money  earner  the  prospects  in  business, 
his  larger  plans  for  the  future  of  the  family  and  his  reasons  for 
economy  and  saving.  This  is  to  gain  the  cooperation  of  all.  In 


THE  ALLOWANCE  63 


many  cases  as  the  result  of  discussion  what  were  thought  to  be 
absolute  necessities  will  be  scaled  down  to  provide  for  a  need  that 
would  otherwise  not  have  been  acknowledged  by  all.  Each  one  in 
his  or  her  own  department  of  earning  and  spending  is  apt  to  feel  a 
duty  to  the  family  purse,  whereas,  by  the  old  way  the  members  of 
his  family  dependent  on  the  money  earner  for  funds  adopt  a 
"  catch-as-catch-can  "  policy  and  become  very  astute  in  "'managing 
father/'  thus  in  many  cases  obtaining  more  for  some  item  than  the 
right  distribution  of  the  whole  income  warrants. 

2.  The  partnership  method  is  an  education.  It  is  easy  to  for- 
get in  our  eager  counting  of  pennies  that  family  life  is  a  great 
training  ground,  where  the  young  ought  to  be  prepared  to  manage 
their  own  homes  in  the  future  and  to  do  good,  teamwork  in  the 
community.  In  the  school  of  life  few  things  can  equal  the  disci- 
plinary value  of  money-spending  if  the  results  of  the  expenditures 
are  reviewed  and  compared,  and  this  development  is  denied  to  any 
individual  who  is  provided  for  by  the  decision  or  will  of  another 
person.  There  are  women  living  in  luxury  who  are  filled  with 
humiliation  and  a  sense  of  wrong  because  they  have  no  control  of 
money,  hardly  a  dollar  in  their  pockets,  although  limousines  are 
at  their  command  and  they  may  order  expensive  clothing  and 
furnishings  on  a  charge  account ! 

The  Importance  of  Frankness. — All  who  are  trusted  with 
money  will  make  their  mistakes  in  the  use  of  it,  and  it  must  be 
taken  for  granted  that  they  will  do  so;  with  this  understanding, 
"owning  up"  will  not  be  humiliating.  If  frankness  in  money 
matters  is  made  a  point  of  honor  the  aims  of  family  life  and  the 
way  to  reach  them  will  become  more  and  more  clear,  and  this  frank- 
ness should  begin  early.  If  there  are  debts  to  be  paid  that  were 
incurred  before  marriage,  if  parents  or  other  relatives  are  to  be  sup- 
ported, if  the  woman  has  no  knowledge  of  housekeeping  to  enable  her 
to  play  her  part  and  contribute  her  share  to  the  income,  all  this  should 
be  known  before  marriage,  for  it  is  well  to  reckon  beforehand  on  the 
strain  that  average  human  nature  will  stand,  not  to  speak  of  the 
manifest  justice  of  concealing  no  fact  that  can  bear  on  partnership 
relations.  A  girl  who  was  brought  up  to  see  her  father  constantly 
deceived  or  "  managed  "  will  be  apt  to  try  the  same  method  with 
her  husband ;  a  man  who  has  seen  his  mother  kept  on  the  "  doling- 


64       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

out "  system  will  know  no  other  way  to  treat  his  wife.  Those  who 
run  apartment  hotels  are  familiar  with  a  type  of  family  that  has 
had  to  give  up  housekeeping  because  even  a  large  income  has  proved 
wholly  inadequate  in  untrained  hands.  To  diminish  the  number 
of  ways  in  which  the  money  can  leak  away,  the  outlay  for  house- 
keeping is  thus  put  in  the  hands  of  the  hotelkeeper,  and  becomes  a 
fixed  charge  met  with  one  check.  The  wife  thus  misses  her  chance 
to  play  her  dignified  part  in  the  economics  of  the  household. 

The  Children's  Allowance. — Perhaps  of  all  forms  of  outlay 
none  so  intimately  affects  personal  development  as  does  the  money 
allowance  to  the  children.  By  this  system  something  quite  differ- 
ent is  meant  than  what  is  known  as  "  spending  money  "  or  the  indi- 
vidual savings  bank  accounts  made  for  the  child  'by  parents  or 
friends.  A  common  method  is  to  provide  each  child  a  savings  de- 
posit started  at  birth  and  to  this  account  on  every  birthday  as  many 
dollars  are  added  as  represent  the  age  of  the  child.  This  investment 
if  often  increased  by  gifts  from  relatives  and  friends,  and  the  final 
sum,  whose  interest  during  these  years  has  been  compounded,  is 
supposed  to  be  available  when  the  owner  comes  of  age,  or  it  may  be 
drawn  on  earlier  for  expenses  of  education.  This  is  an  admirable 
method  of  family  saving,  but  it  has  no  connection  with  the  allowance 
system  for  the  child,  since  he  has  no  control  of  it. 

Nor  do  children  in  general  lack  spending  money,  in  many  cases 
they  have  too  much;  if  it  is  not  given  them,  they  obtain  it  by 
teasing1  first  one  parent  and  then  another.  Since  the  war  pressure 
to  induce  children  to  buy  thrift  stamps  was  removed,  the  spending 
money  seems  to  go  again  to  amusements  and  for  candy  and  sweets, 
if  the  results  of  a  questionnaire  taken  in  the  schools  of  La  Crosse, 
Wis.,  can  be  taken  as  typical  of  the  whole  country.  It  was  found 
that  for  these  purposes  the  average  amount  spent  per  student  in  the 
high  school  was  $1.52  a  week,  while  pupils  in  the  grades  spent  on 
an  average  of  $.42.  The  total  expenditure  for  the  year  was  placed 
at  $106,660  for  4014  children.1  % 

But  neither  investments  made  for  them  nor  spending  money 
given  at  random  is  in  the  nature  of  the  allowance,  which  is  a 
definite  sum  paid  regularly  and  with  the  understanding  that  it  is 
to  cover  certain  necessary  items,  as  school  supplies,  carfare,  clothing, 

1The  Wisconsin  Journal  of  Education,  October,  1919. 


THE  ALLOWANCE  65 

the  amount  being  according  to  the  means  of  the  parents  and  the 
age  and  judgment  of  the  child,  in  addition  to  a  small  proportion 
for  spending-money  proper.  It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  most 
of  the  allowance  will  be  spent  under  advice  and  direction,  for  this 
family  cannot  afford  actual  money  waste,  but  as  time  goes  on  an 
increasing  responsibility  is  placed  on  the  child,  since  the  object  Is 
wholly  educational. 

The  Common  Mistake. — No  mistake  is  more  common  than  for 
parents  who  have  limited  means  to  make  all  the  decisions  as  to 
money  matters  and  to  do  all  the  buying  on  the  plea  that  the 
income  allows  too  slight  a  margin  for  mistakes.  But  before  they 
realize  it,  responsibility  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  children 
who  are  earning  their  own  money  and  making  their  decisions 
without  the  training  which  comes  only  by  partial  successes  and 
failures  during  the  maturing  years.  The  real  way  to  make  a  rash, 
uncalculating  spender  is  to  pen  up  an  all-desiring  youngster  with 
a  peremptory  "  You  can't  have  it,"  instead  of  giving  sympathy  and 
understanding  regarding  the  things  so  desperately  longed  for  and 
the  help  of  older  resourcefulness  to  obtain  some  of  them.  Other- 
wise, the  child  either  gains  the  point  by  sheer  insistence  or  is  made 
sullen  by  refusal  and  determines  to  "blow  it  in"  when  earning 
time  comes. 

To  provide  schools  and  clothing  would  seem  to  be  no  more 
necessary  than  to  see  that  children  have  this  discipline  in  money 
spending  in  order  to  learn  the  real  relation  of  nickels  to  dollars 
and  of  dollars  to  the  definite  sum  which  is  to  bring  the  coveted 
pleasure  or  advantage.  On  the  moderate  income  you  cannot  both 
eat  your  cake  and  keep  it,  and  to  learn  this  early  is  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  natural  law,  that  very  old-fashioned  teacher  who 
uses  the  rod  without  fear  or  favor  and  punishes  mistakes  as  well 
as  sins. 

When  Shall  the  Child's  Allowance  Begin? — It  seems  prob- 
able that  the  education  of  the  boy  and  girl  as  to  money  spending 
will  have  reached  definite  results  by  the  time  they  are  fifteen.  What 
are  the  steps  toward  that  end  ? 

A  child  of  five  who  is,  perhaps,  in  the  kindergarten,  has  already 
begun  to  know  that  money  buys  things.  Let  the  allowance  start,  we 
will  say,  with  ten  cents  a  week,  and  the  education  in  its  use  begin 
5 


66       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

at  the  same  time.  If  there  is  not  leisure  to  work  out  this  educa- 
tional plan  better  delay  giving  the  allowance  until  it  is  ready.  As 
the  dog  trainer  said,  "  This  puppy  ought  to  begin  its  lessons,  but  I 
shall  have  to  let  it  run  wild  a  few  weeks  longer  until  my  head  man 
comes  back.  This  is  a  valuable  dog,  and  I  do  not  want  to  risk 
a  mistake." 

For  this  child  of  five,  by  one  method  that  is  known  to  have  been 
successful,  a  box  is  provided  having  five  compartments  and  two 
cents  are  placed  in  each.  The  child  is  still  too  young  for  the  written 
account.  The  first  compartment  holds  what  is  the  child's  very 
own,  to  be  spent  for  what  is  most  wanted.  It  may  be  a  better  pencil 
than  has  been  provided,  and  in  that  case  the  purchase  can  be  made 
the  first  week;  something  more  expensive  must  wait  on  accumu- 
lation. The  second  compartment  is  "for  somebody  else,"  as  the 
beginning  of  the  Christmas  fund  or  church  money. 

The  third  may  be  called  education,  and  the  unbelieving  older 
person  will  be  amazed  to  see  now  quickly  the  child  comprehends  that 
there  is  something  beyond  to  work  for,  something  which  the  school 
typifies.  In  one  case  a  box  of  colored  crayons  was  chosen  to  use 
on  the  little  blackboard.  A  set  had  already  been  given  by  the 
grandmother,  but  almost  as  quickly  broken  up.  This  set  bought 
with  the  child's  own  money  was  treasured  and  really  used. 

The  fourth  division  is  for  entertainment  or  fun.  The  first 
week  it  was  spent  for  the  materials  for  a  paper  cap  to  be  used 
in  a  home  play.  The  fifth  division,  reversing  the  rule  that  is  used 
for  adults,  is  for  savings,  for  some  yet  unknown  end.  It  typifies 
for  the  child  the  long  look  ahead,  the  awesome  big  bank  to  which  it 
is  taken  by  the  parent  to  obtain  the  savings  bank  book. 

Later,  the  field  broadens,  and  it  is  found  that  children  will 
themselves  make  efforts  to  carry  out  this  properly  balanced  system 
of  life.  They  must  make  their  own  contribution  to  church  funds, 
and  they  may  be  led  to  start  what  will  be  a  life-long  connection 
with  such  good  agencies  in  the  community  as  the  Civic  League, 
the  Associated  Charities,  the  Music  Association  or  Settlement.  How 
is  it  to  be  done  when  the  amount  that  can  safely  be  assigned  to 
philanthropy  out  of  the  family  budget  is  barely  sufficient  to  pay 
church  dues  and  to  help  a  sick  neighbor?  Just  as  it  was  done  for 
patriotic  ends  in  wartime.  We  have  only  to  change  names,  to 


THE  ALLOWANCE  67 

appeal  to  the  imagination  by  different  routes,  and  the  habits  of 
sacrifice  and  generosity  cultivated  during  the  war  will  remain  alive 
and  growing.  Then  young  people  earned  money  by  doing  odd  jobs 
mornings  and  nights  and  Saturdays  to  buy  their  share  of  a  Liberty 
bond,  they  may  continue  to  do  so  in  order  to  take  their  part  in  work 
for  public  betterment. 

By  the  time  the  child  is  ten  years  old  the  allowance  has  been 
increased  and  the  proportions  have  changed.  The  clothing  allow- 
ance will  soon  be  in  this  young  person's  hands  and  some  training 
in  that  department  of  spending  must  gradually  be  acquired.  For 
instance,  a  helpful  talk  like  the  following  may  take  place :  "  Do 
you  want  better  shoes,  or  more  ties,  or  what  is  it  that  you  are  most 
particular  about  ?"  may  be  said  to  the  boy  who  begins  to  feel  fussy 
about  his  clothes.  "  All  right,  but  you  must  go  without  something 
else  to  make  it  come  out.  The  shoe  money  is  very  important.  You 
will  have  to  buy  two  pairs  for  the  same  purpose  and  alternate  in  the 
wearing,  and  the  pair  that  is  resting  must  be  soaked  with  oil." 
It  takes  more  than  one  demonstration  to  convince  a  boy  that  a  shoe 
sole  will  soak  up  an  astonishing  amount  of  oil  and  finally  become 
so  smooth  and  hard  that  its  wearing  time  is  trebled.  And  such 
a  boy  no  longer  breaks  a  shoelace  in  putting  it  on  from  being  too  im- 
patient or  lazy  to  unlace  it  fully.  Education  is  progressing.  But 
if  mistakes  are  made  the  results  must  be  borne,  unless  it  is  a  very 
unfortunate  and  disastrous  mistake ;  for  father  or  mother  to  readily 
make  the  loss  good  is  to  upset  the  whole  educational  system. 

It  is,  of  course,  understood  that  at  any  age  a  certain  -part  of  the 
allowance  is  the  child's  very  own  to  spend  as  he  will.  It  gives 
a  cherished  independence  and  it  allows  the  balancing  of  values. 
The  boy  who  can  jingle  his  week's  money  in  his  pocket  in  full  hear- 
ing of  his  mates  may  say,  "  I'm  not  going  to  the  circus,  I'm 
saving  up  for  a  tent."  He  has  within  his  grasp  a  desired  possession 
chosen  of  his  own  free  will;  the  circus  is  a  rejected  alternative, 
the  sting  of  "  going  without "  has  been  drawn. 

Objections. — What  is  to  be  done  about  the  stingy  child,  the 
one  who  saves  out  of  the  clothing  money  until  he  becomes  so  shabby 
that  his  family  is  ready  to  disown  him,  who  stints  on  his  luncheons 
until  he  comes  home  faint  and  sick,  and  all  to  swell  some  pet  fund, 
as  for  athletics?  It  is  easily  managed  by  cutting  down  for  a 


68       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

time  exclusive  control  of  the  allowance  on  the  ground  of  still 
unripe  judgment. 

It  has  been  urged  that  the  allowance  system  makes  children 
too  independent  of  the  family.  On  the  contrary,  those  who  have 
carefully  watched  its  workings  find  that  it  is  more  apt  to  bring 
intelligence  and  sympathy  with  the  general  financial  problems. 
One  college  youth  felt  that  his  allowance  of  spending  money  must 
be  raised  because  all  the  other  boys  had  more  than  he.  His  father 
very  wisely  took  an  entire  evening  to  explain  to  him  from  his  own 
account  books  what  was  his  income  and  what  were  the  family 
liabilities  that  must  be  met,  together  with  all  the  plans  for  the  next 
five  years.  The  son  became  satisfied  that  he  had  his  full  share  of 
the  family  money. 

Another  point  sometimes  made  against  the  allowance  is  that 
much  discussion  of  money  matters  makes  young  people  petty  and 
commercially  minded.  Something  depends  on  the  method  of  train- 
ing and  the  objects  for  which  the  saving  is  done.  On  the  other 
hand,  habits  and  a  viewpoint  may  be  acquired  early  so  that  they 
work  automatically,  allowing  less  rather  than  more  thought  to  be 
given  to  the  matter;  whereas,  to  be  obliged  to  make  a  whole  set  of 
habits  in  later  life  regarding  so  important  a  thing  as  money  spend- 
ing may  prove  to  be  so  difficult  that  it  is  never  done,  and  the  person 
drifts  on  helplessly  to  the  end.  It  is  this  method  which  buys  a 
sealskin  coat  or  cutglass  for  a  wedding  gift  with  money  that  should 
go  to  pay  the  grocer.  It  was  the  youth  who  had  never  had  any 
training  of  this  kind  who  paid  $110  for  silk  shirts  and  $35  for 
neckties  with  his  first  wartime  wages;  it  was  the  woman  from  the 
back  country  farm  who  had  known  only  privation  until  her  hus- 
band went  to  work  in  the  cantonments  who  bought  large  show 
pieces  of  solid  silver  and  costly  furniture  for  her  two-roomed  cabin. 

Another  objection  that  has  been  made  to  the  child's  allowance 
is  that  it  develops  too  early  a  sense  of  responsibility.  But  it  must 
be  remembered  that  helplessness  in  a  child  does  not  fit  in  with 
modern  conditions  in  the  average  income  family,  whose  every 
member  must  contribute  efficient  service.  Children  of  ten  have  been 
trusted  to  do  all  the  Christmas  shopping  for  the  family  in  certain 
well-known  stores  to  which  they  had  been  frequently  taken,  and 
with  amazingly  good  results. 


THE  ALLOWANCE  69 

But  what  if  there  are  emergencies  in  the  family  and  the  meas- 
ured demands  of  the  allowance  cannot  always  be  met?  The  sums 
agreed  on  appear  just  the  same  in  the  child's  account  book,  but  for 
the  present  loaned  to  the  parents. 

Summary. — To  achieve  the  best  results  in  the  spending  of  the 
family  money,  the  mother  should  have  such  control  of  the  income 
as  will  ensure  her  efficiency  as  manager  and  buyer. 

Very  early  there  should  be  a  complete  understanding  between 
husband  and  wife  as  to  income,  property,  debts  and  financial  plans 
for  the  future.  Just  as  the  man  engages  to  provide  the  necessary 
funds,  the  wife  should  feel  it  her  duty  to  study  her  work  and  make 
ready  to  carry  her  responsibilities. 

They  should  make  out  together  a  plan  of  spending  and  there 
should  be  consultations  over  weekly  or  monthly  bills  with  a  view 
to  improving  the  plan  and  noting  whether  theories  are  being  cjirjied 
out  in  practice. 

The  housewife  should  adopt  a  simple  method  of  keeping  accounts 
and  she  should  enter  her  purchases  daily.  She  must  sum  up  and 
balance  with  tolerable  exactness,  but  she  should  not  worry  over  small 
sums  that  have  been  forgotten;  it  is  better  to  enter  them  in  the 
"  unclassified  "  or  sundry  column. 

She  will  study  her  weekly  or  monthly  summaries  with  a  view 
to  improving  the  apportionments  made  and  to  examine  into  the 
wisdom  of  her  purchases,  and  she  must  classify  the  most  important 
outgoes,  as  for  food  for  the  family  per  week  and  month.  Criticism 
of  results  is  the  important  thing  and  it  makes  possible  a  better  plan 
of  spending  for  the  year  or  years  to  come. 

The  housewife  should  have  the  actual  command  of  money  that 
has  been  agreed  on  as  necessary  to  meet  expenditures,  either  cash  in 
weekly  installments,  a  joint  bank  account  on  which  both  she  and 
her  husband  check,  or,  better  still,  a  bank  account  in  her  own  name, 
for  the  possession  of  the  bank  book  adds  to  the  dignity  of  her 
position  and  to  her  sense  of  responsibility. 

QUESTIONS 

Outline  a  plan  by  which,  a  woman  may  obtain  the  confidence  of  the 
husband  as  to  her  ability  to  spend  the  family  money  wisely. 

Do  you  think  that  a  more  accurate  and  detailed  system  of  accounts  is 
necessary  than  the  one  suggested  in  the  preceding  chapter?  Estimate 


70       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

the  time  required  for  keeping  it.  Is  not  the  accurate  account  neces- 
sary until  the  housekeeper  has  acquired  experience? 

3.  In  how  many  families  of  your  acquaintance  is  there  a  perfect  under- 

standing as  to  the  division  and  use  of  the  money  of  the  family? 

4.  How  often  do  the  husband  and  wife  consult  about  household  expenses, 

so  that  they  may  get  the  benefit  of  each  other's  judgment? 

5.  Is  a  joint  bank  account  on  which  both  may  check  the  best  plan,  the 

understanding  being  that  at  frequent  intervals  they  go  over  the 
canceled  checks  together  and  discuss  the  items  which  they  cover? 
Or  shall  the  weekly  accounts  be  discussed  in  advance,  the  necessary 
cash  being  put  in  the  hands  of  the  wife? 

6.  Give   illustrations   of   advantages   that   come   from   exchange  of  expe- 

riences and  views  of  each  other's  expenditures  ? 

7.  If  you  were  drawing  up     a  set  of  financial  lessons  for  young  couples, 

what  topica  would  you  include?  Would  you  have  the  course  takett 
by  the  wives  alone  or  by  men  also?  Do  you  think  such  a  course 
could  be  given  successfully  in  your  community? 

8.  In  a  club  meeting  or  similar  group  gather  personal  experience  regard- 

ing allowances:  for  adults  in  the  family;  for  children.  Experiences 
may  be  put  down  anonymously  in  written  form. 

9.  Enquire  from  some  local  banker  as  to  his  experience  with  household 

checking  accounts,  and  his  suggestions  as  to  the  "  model  depositor." 
Ascertain  the  minimum  sum  to  be  left  in  the  bank  on  account  in  order 
to  obtain  the  checking  privilege. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  HOUSEWIFE'S  CONTRIBUTION  TO  THE 
FAMILY  INCOME  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK 

IT  has  been  taken  for  granted  that  the  family  of  five,  which 
is  the  subject  of  this  study,  cannot  maintain  a  good  standard 
of  living  on  the  man's  earnings  of  $2500,  more  or  less,  unless  the 
wife  contributes  most  of  the  work  of  the  household;  that  is,  the 
general  management  and  care  of  the  house,  preparation  of  food, 
care  of  children,  etc.  To  keep  a  regular  helper  to  do  the  housework 
is  impossible  with  this  grade  of  income  at  the  rates  now  paid. 
Laundry  and  other  heavy  work,  extra  help  in  sickness  and  in  the 
care  of  little  children  will  be  arranged  for  by  the  day. 

The  value  of  the  housewife's  services  is  her  necessary  contri- 
bution to  the  family  income.  But  can  she  contribute  this  sum  in 
some  other  than  this  time-honored  way? 

Is  There  a  Better  Way? — Great  changes  have  come  about  in 
the  last  two  generations.  Young  women  are  earning  their  living  in 
more  ways  than  was  possible  fifty  years  ago,  and  the  advantage  has 
been  great  indeed  as  compared  with  the  time  which  restricted 
the  wage-earning  woman  to  housework,  sewing  and  teaching,  and 
when  only  absolute  need  was  held  to  justify  her  working  outside 
the  home  at  all.  The  too  heavy  load  on  the  earning  powers  of  the 
fathers  and  the  brothers  has  been  lifted,  and  the  young  woman 
has  been  given  a  priceless  independence  to  work  and  earn  in  her 
own  name.  But  shall  the  woman  remain  in  "gainful  occupa- 
tions "  after  her  marriage  ? 

On  higher  income  levels  many  factors  enter  into  the  decision,  as 
the  money  rewards  of  the  occupation,  the  interest  and  zeal  that  the 
woman  has  for  her  work,  and  chiefly,  the  character  of  the  work 
itself,  as  to  whether  it  is  easily  combined  with  home  life,  leaving 
her  enough  time  and  energy  for  what  society  requires  of  her  in  that 
relation.  The  woman  lawyer,  physician,  architect,  writer,  actress 
and  others  of  the  more  highly  skilled  and  paid  professional  careers, 

71 


72       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

will,  in  many  cases,  continue  their  work  or  return  to  it  after  a  time. 
Their  high  earnings  will  enable  them  to  obtain  the  services  of  the 
few  really  qualified  people  who  are  available  for  housework  and  for 
the  care  and  education  of  little  children.  Even  in  these  cases  it 
may  be  best  for  non-economic  reasons  for  the  woman  to  devote  her 
whole  time  to  the  family  if  the  earnings  of  the  husband  are  sufficient 
for  its  support. 

But  it  is  the  woman  of  smaller  earning  power  with  whom  we  are 
chiefly  concerned,  the  average  woman  whose  husband  is  receiving 
only  a  moderate  income.  We  also  assume  the  presence  of  children 
in  the  family. 

1.  Which  methods  of  money  earning  will  be  better  from  the 
strictly  economic  point  of  view,  working  in  her  own  home  or  work- 
ing outside  for  wages? 

2.  Which  method  will  better  conduce  to  the  happiness  and 
development  of  the  woman  and  her  family,  with  the  inevitable 
reaction  on  the  community? 

To  determine  the  financial  facts  in  this  matter  is  of  f oundational 
importance;  no  institution  will  continue  to  flourish  which  has  not 
a  sound  economic  basis ;  sentiment  will  not  avail  to  keep  it  going. 
The  very  latest  government  provision  for  industrial  education,  the 
Smith-Hughes  Act,  includes  the  household  arts  in  its  scheme,  and 
takes  for  granted  that  they  are  pursued  in  the  home  and  that  home 
making,  as  a  profession,  requires  a  knowledge  of  buying,  house  fur- 
nishing, the  choosing  and  preparation  of  food,  the  buying  and 
making  of  clothing  and  the  care  of  the  child.  Indeed,  the  provisions 
of  the  act  assume  that  the  present  method  of  housekeeping  justifies 
itself  by  its  results  and  calls  for  public  instruction  for  the  woman 
who  is  to  practice  these  arts  in  her  own  home.  Nevertheless,  many 
are  the  criticisms  of  the  housekeeper  who  herself  does  the  house- 
work, instead  of  hiring  it  done  with  money  which  she  earns  outside. 
The  efficiency  expert  calls  this  home  an  anomaly,  and  asserts  that  it 
is  based  on  outworn  conditions  and  that  a  comparison  with  results 
obtained  in  the  business  world  by  division  of  labor  shows  conclu- 
sively that  we  must  reform  it  altogether. 

One  Kitchen  or  Fifty? — According  to  the  critics,  the  home 
in  which  most  of  the  housework  is  done  by  the  wife  and  mother 
reduces  her  to  lonely  slavery  in  which  she  performs  her  too  varied 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  73 

tasks  very  badly.  Here  she  brings  up  children  without  knowing 
how  to  do  it;  here  she  forces  the  unwilling  husband  to  spend  the 
time  he  would  prefer  to  spend  elsewhere  with  men;  in  short,  her 
course  is  marked  by  waste  and  inefficiency  and  the  product  of  her 
labors  is  not  up  to  modern  standards. 

"  Light  one  kitchen  fire  instead  of  fifty,  beat  the  combined  eggs 
by  machinery,  put  the  children  from  the  first  under  the  care  of 
trained  nurse  and  kindergartner,  keep  the  woman  at  the  productive 
task  she  learned  before  her  marriage  and  let  the  family  have  their 
pleasures,  and  more  of  them,  in  public  places."  This  is  the  remedy 
offered,  and  the  growth  of  apartment  hotels  and  restaurants,  also 
of  laundries,  bakeries,  canneries  and  other  means  of  serving  the 
family  from  outside  together  with  the  increasing  number  of  married 
women  found  in  all  branches  of  industry  are  cited  as  proof  that 
the  remedy  is  being  applied.  Those  who  cling  to  the  individual 
home  are  said  to  do  so  from  sentiment  only. 

The  Individual  Home  Will  Persist. — And  yet  this  home, 
which  is  assumed  to  be  tottering  under  the  assaults  of  organized 
business,  education,  and  recreation,  remains  with  its  accompanying 
odds  and  ends  of  household  arts  as  firmly  fixed  as  an  institution 
as  ever.  Architects  continue  to  meet  the  demand  for  the  individual 
kitchen  and  dining-room,  even  if  they  must  reduce  them  to 
tiny  proportions. 

Human  needs  are  various  and  there  will  always  be  many  ways 
of  meeting  them;  in  towns  and  cities,  where  alone  the  choice  is 
possible,  the  elderly  couple,  the  wealthy,  the  childless,  the  excep- 
tionally gifted,  the  unmarried  man  or  woman,  may  all  choose  other 
ways  of  living,  but  for  several  reasons  housekeeping  on  the  modest 
scale  we  are  considering  holds  its  own  and  is  even  growing  in  popu- 
larity ;  and  they  are  important  reasons,  well  worth  our  consideration. 

Housework  vs.  Business. — Since  this  woman  of  the  family 
must  work  somewhere,  business  as  a  means  of  money  earning  is  to 
be  compared  with  housework,  and  there  are  plenty  of  opportunities 
for  doing  this,  since  women  are  in  many  industries  that  were  not 
open  to  them  even  one  generation  ago.  According  to  the  census  of 
1910,  ten  per  cent,  of  the  married  women  over  sixteen  were  "  gain- 
fully employed,"  as  compared  with  4.6  per  cent,  twenty-five  years 
previous.  Twenty-five  per  cent,  of  all  women  at  work  were  married 


74       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

as  compared  with  15.9  per  cent,  in  1900.  The  number  of  women  in 
industry  greatly  increased  during  the  war,  and  it  is  prophesied 
that  they  will  stay  in  many  lines  of  work  once  unknown  to  them. 
If  the  older  view  that  the  woman  makes  her  best  money  contribu- 
tion to  the  family  income  through  housework  in  her  own  home  is 
incorrect,  if  it  can  be  shown  that  she  is  wasting  her  time  there  as 
much  as  if  she  were  still  using  the  spinning  wheel,  if  organized 
business  can  serve  the  home  better  and  more  cheaply,  then  we  ought 
to  know  it,  ^nake  readjustments  of  the  most  radical  character  in  our 
daily  life  and  in  the  methods  of  home  economics  training. 

The  Housewife's  Advantage. — As  a  workshop  the  average 
small  home  is  not  ideal,  but  it  gives  to  the  woman  certain  very 
definite  advantages  over  business.  The  home  exists  in  any  case 
for  the  general  purposes  of  family  life,  and,  however  it  is  to  be 
served,  it  must  afford  scope  for  the  woman  who  is  to  be  manager  and 
buyer  and  caretaker  of  children.  The  outfit  for  daily  life  must  be 
furnished,  and  certain  expenses,  as  light,  heat,  rent  and  insurance, 
will  go  on  and  do  not  have  to  be  added  as  "  overhead  charges  "  to 
the  cost  of  its  manufactured  products.  Equipment  could,  in  some 
cases,  be  cut  down,  as,  if  the  laundry  is  done  outside,  the  tubs 
would  not  be  needed,  or  if  a  public  kitchen  could  be  relied  on  to 
furnish  the  main  dish  of  the  meal,  a  certain  contraction  in  kitchen 
space  and  utensils  might  be  effected,  but  the  saving  would  not  be 
great.  The  kitchen  and  dining-room  cannot  be  wholly  omitted, 
considering  the  need  of  children  and  all  but  the  most  robust 
adults  for  regular,  perhaps  frequent,  meals,  and  also  because  of 
the  part  that  the  home  table  plays  in  family  life.  These  rooms,  in 
fact,  are  such  a  desirable  part  of  the  house,  even  for  occasional  use, 
that  they  have  become  fitted  into  our  habits  and  needs.  Only 
families  made  up  of  a  few  adults  can  reduce  their  quarters  to  the 
bedroom  and  parlor  basis.  Again,  in  home  production  the  impor- 
tant item  of  labor  cannot  be  reckoned  at  its  full  value,  since  the 
woman's  work,  for  instance,  in  the  production  of  cooked  food,  may 
be  accomplished  in  connection  with  other  duties  in  periods  of  time 
too  short  to  be  utilized  for  outside  earning. 

Overhead  Charges  in  Business. — On  the  other  hand,  in  busi- 
ness the  overhead  or  fixed  charges  must  be  distributed  over  every 
item  of  the  finished  product ;  these  must  be  paid  in  addition  to  cost 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  75 

of  materials  before  any  profit  can  be  figured.  For  instance,  when 
the  restaurant  keeper  sets  forth  an  order  of  chops,  he  must  charge  it 
with  its  share  of  rent  and  care  of  premises,  of  fuel  and  light,  taxes, 
insurance,  wages,  and  superintendence ;  he  must  buy  food  at  whole- 
sale and  manage  his  complicated  business  with  skill  in  order  to 
make  the  profit  that  skill  rightly  demands.  An  experienced  hotel 
man  is  quoted  as  saying  that  for  a  fifty-cent  order  the  raw  materials 
must  not  cost  more  than  eighteen  cents,  thirty-two  cents  being 
needed  to  meet  its  share  of  business  expenses  and  very  modest 
profits.  In  restaurants  and  hotels,  according  to  the  skill  in  cooking 
and  the  elegance  of  service,  from  three  to  ten  times  the  price  of 
raw  materials  in  it  will  be  charged  for  the  finished  dish.  None  of 
those  heavy  overhead  charges  are  to  be  considered  by  the  housewife 
who  buys  the  chops  at  the  market  and  broils  them  in  ten  minutes' 
time  with  fuel  whose  value  cannot  be  reckoned  at  more  than  a  frac- 
tion of  a  cent.  Nor  do  these  charges  affect  the  cost  of  the  laundry 
for  the  home  woman  who  in  half  a  day,  even  with  old-fashioned 
equipment,  will  wash  fifty  pieces  of  clothing,  big  and  little,  while 
she  contrives  to  meet  the  back-door  vendors  and  give  the  baby  his 
nap  and  cook  lunch  in  the  range  oven,  the  surplus  heat  being  used 
to  warm  the  kitchen  and  dining-room  and  the  water  for  the  evening 
baths.  As  one  woman  said :  "  I  did  not  even  count  the  soap,  for 
the  water  was  used  afterward  to  scrub  a  rug  whose  cleaning,  if 
sent  out,  would  have  cost  seventy-five  cents.  I  did  it  in.  fif- 
teen minutes." 

Even  the  making  of  laundry  soap  she  found  in  war-time  to  be 
one  of  the  simplest  and  quickest  of  processes;  otherwise  useless  fat 
she  combined  with  a  ten-cent  can  of  lye,  and  in  ten  minutes'  time 
produced  seven  pounds  of  soap  worth  seventy-five  cents.  It  was 
not  wrapped  and  labelled ;  it  had  paid  for  no  "  premium "  dishes, 
no  bad  debts;  it  had  contributed  nothing  to  the  profits  of  jobber, 
wholesaler  or  retailer,  nor  to  the  high  cost  of  assembling,  trans- 
porting and  distributing. 

One  of  the  constantly  recurring  charges  on  business  is  trans- 
portation. It  steps  in  at  every  turn  to  increase  the  price  of  the 
commercial  product  for  the  consumer.  When  the  price  of  launder- 
ing a  collar  was  two  cents,  one-half  cent  was  said  to  go  for  collecting 
and  returning,  a  twenty-five  per  cent,  expense.  It  is  this  heavy 


76       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

cost  of  transportation  which  puts  a  premium  on  individual  effort 
at  home,  as  in  the  raising  and  canning  of  vegetables  and  fruits  on 
the  premises.  The  housewife  who  is  "on  the  ground/'  who  con- 
ducts her  household  in  any  case  for  the  general  purposes  of  family 
life,  cuts  down  this  heavy  tax,  for  her  products  are  consumed  where 
they  are  produced,  her  factory  has  no  outgoing  freight  bills. 

Are  Business  Profits  too  Large? — Another  reason  why  many 
household  industries  linger  in  the  home  which  might  be  taken  out 
of  it  seems  to  be  that  the  organization  of  business  is  still  very 
imperfect  and  wasteful  and  that  there  is  no  public  control  of  prices 
and  profits  except  where  a  public  utilities  board  controls  obvious 
monopolies,  as  gas,  electricity,  telephone  and  trolley  service,  which 
the  inhabitants  of  a  city  are  absolutely  obliged  to  use  and  where 
competition  is  not  feasible.  All  business  nourishes  on  the  public 
whose  wants  it  serves,  but  its  whole  organization  at  present  looks 
to  the  increase  of  dividends  and  not  at  all  to  the  decrease  of  prices, 
except  as  such  decrease  tends  to  increase  sales.  Such  orders  as 
"  figure  the  profits  for  all  that  the  traffic  will  bear  "  have  a  sinister 
sound  to  the  "  ultimate  consumer  "  who  has  no  longer  the  comfort 
of  knowing  that  free  competition  is  his  friend.  In  ways  that  evade 
all  law,  it  seems  easy  for  producers  to  agree  on  prices.  The  manu- 
facturer says :  "  Who  can  rival  your  housewife  who  counts  no  over- 
head charges  in  manufacture  and  makes  our  products  in  odds  and 
ends  of  time !  "  But  notwithstanding,  business  has  taken  many 
activities  away  from  the  housewife ;  she  no  longer  spins  and  weaves, 
for  she  cannot  afford  to.  Why  does  not  business  with  its  enormous 
advantages  drive  her  entirely  out  of  the  manufacture  of  cooked  food 
and  the  washing  of  clothes  and  do  for  her  a  hundred  other  services 
more  cheaply  than  she  can  do  them  for  herself?  Business  must 
offer  the  housewife  of  the  moderate  income  better  terms  than  it  has 
yet  done,  cheaper  and  better  service,  before  it  can  wrest  from  her  the 
domestic  labor  which  small  income  now  obliges  her  to  perform. 

Bread-making. — When  one  visits  a  great  modern  bakery  and 
inspects  its  perfect  machinery  and  its  accurately  heated  ovens,  it 
seems  absurd  that  the  housewife,  with  materials  bought  at  retail, 
a  small  and  poor  equipment  and  tiny  output  can  vie  with  the  baker 
in  the  cost  and  quality  of  bread.  But  70  per  cent,  of  the  bread  used 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  77 

in  this  country  before  the  war  was  home-made/  and  with  the  use  of 
the  improved  home  methods,  now  extensively  taught  in  the  schools, 
it  is  in  most  cases  both  better  and  cheaper  bread  than  that  produced 
in  the  average  bakery.  This  is  not  the  case  in  Europe,  however,  for 
the  bakers  of  France  and  Germany  make  bread  of  such  excellence 
and  cheapness  that  even  the  poorest  families  cannot  afford  to  make 
bread  in  their  own  homes;  bread-making  as  a  household  art  does 
not  exist  in  those  and  other  European  countries,  except  in  remote 
country  districts.  But  according  to  tests  made  in  France  the  price 
of  bread  some  years  ago  was  about  the  same  per  pound  at  any  given 
time  as  the  price  of  flour,  the  profit  of  the  baker  being  reckoned  on 
the  water  content  of  the  loaf,  which  is  about  40  per  cent,  of  the 
weight.  In  the  United  States  bread  costs  -per  pound  at  any  given  time 
from  two  to  three  times  the  price  of  flour.2  Some  of  this  difference 
is  due  to  the  higher  price  of  labor  in  the  United  States,  the  other  fac- 
tors are  probably  less  economy  in  management  and  a  larger  profit  to 
the  baker,  both  of  which  factors  need  investigation.  We  should  know 
by  what  means  certain  municipal  and  cooperative  bakeries  estab- 
lished by  war  needs  reduced  the  price  of  bread ;  it  seems  very  prob- 
able that  so  important  a  food  staple  should  be  under  more  direct 
public  control,  as  to  quality  and  price,  as  it  is  in  England. 

The  Laundry. — Another  comparison  in  labor  may  be  made 
with  the  commercial  laundry,  which,  in  spite  of  its  machinery  and 
equipment,  does  not  offer  the  prices  that  put  the  "  by-the-day " 
washer  woman  out  of  business,  much  less  the  housewife,  who  must 
utilize  every  -penny.  The  water  power  and  electric  washing  ma- 
chines are  giving  a  new  lease  of  life  to  home  laundry  work. 

Laundry  work  and  bread-making  are  extreme  instances;  they 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  intimate  life  of  the  home;  they  are 
suited  to  the  use  of  machinery  and  will  doubtless  yet  be  done  by 
outside  agencies  for  even  the  very  poor.  But  if  baking  and  laundry 
are  still  carried  on  to  such  an  extent  as  they  are  in  the  small  house- 
hold, what  can  be  said  of  those  arts  which  do  have  an  intimate 

1  Lafayette  B.  Mendel,  Changes  in  the  Food  Supply  and  Their  Rela- 
tion to  Nutrition,   1916,  p.  33.     Since  that  date  the  use  of  baker's  bread 
seems  to  have  greatly  increased. 

2  Alonzo  E.  Taylor  states  that  "  in  France  the  cost  of  the  flour  is  76 
per  cent,  of  the  price  of  the  bread;  here  the  cost  of  the  flour  is  about  36 
per  cent,  of  the  price  of  the  bread." 


78       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

connection  with  health  and  comfort  in  the  home,  as  the  cooking 
of  the  three  meals;  also  of  the  many  minor  arts  which  require 
taste  and  skill?  If  the  woman  who  must  make  part  of  her  con- 
tribution to  the  family  income  by  doing  the  housework  finds  the 
price  of  bread  too  high,  she  will  consider  prohibitive  the  price  of 
cakes  and  other  delicacies,  and  the  cold  meats  and  salads  of  the 
delicatessen  shop. 

Other  Economic  Factors. — The  householder  has  still  other 
economic  advantages  in  the  tussle  that  is  going  on  with  organized 
business  for  the  possession  of  the  household  industries. 

She  has  control  of  her  market.  She  has  no  advertising  ex- 
penses nor  losses  of  goods  left  unsold  on  the  shelf ;  she  decides  what 
is  best  for  the  family,  calculates  their  needs  and  meets  them.  If 
she  decides  that  underclothing  cannot  be  ironed,  that  the  wrong 
side  of  garments  need  not  be  too  carefully  finished  by  the  seam- 
stress, that  table  service  shall  not  be  too  exacting,  the  family  will 
accept  her  decision.  She  is  generally  a  more  efficient  worker  in 
the  home  than  out  of  it,  for  self-interest  and  a  free  command  of  her 
methods  and  time  bring  a  better  result  than  can  be  obtained  by  those 
who  work  for  wages  with  their  eye  on  the  clock.  At  her  best,  she 
represents  individual  effort  fully  utilized,  for,  working  as  she  does 
on  her  own  initiative,  she  is  an  illustration  of  the  vast  power  that 
lies  latent  in  all  of  us  and  which  a  sufficient  incentive  brings  into 
action.  War  work  furnished  many  illustrations  of  this  hidden 
power  and  its  effective  development  and  use.  These  small  savings 
of  time  and  effort  by  people  who  "  do  for  themselves  "  are  amazing 
in  the  aggregate  and  enable  the  housewife  to  be  a  successful  rival  of 
many  kinds  of  business.  Self-interest  furnishes  a  compelling 
motive  toward  efficiency.  She  fits  her  tasks  together,  she  utilizes 
bits  of  time,  she  invents  short  cuts  in  her  work.  She  thus  repeats 
the  experience  of  the  farmer  who  has  learned  that  a  farm  of  varied 
crops  may  win  out  over  the  single-crop  type,  which  was  once  the 
ideal  from  the  standpoint  of  efficiency. 

Mrs.  Bosanquet  found  that  in  six  weeks  the  average  person  could 
master  any  one  of  the  small  trades  practiced  in  the  East  End  of 
London.  At  the  present  high  price  of  labor  it  will  pay  any  house- 
wife to  attain  a  degree  of  skill  that  will  enable  her  to  make  small 
repairs.  If  she  can  learn  the  use  of  the  wrench  and  a  few  other 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK 


79 


tools  she  will  even  hold  the  plumber  at  bay  for  months.  She 
paper  a  small  room ;  she  will  upholster  a  chair  and  repaint  a  set  of 
furniture.  She  knows  of  no  other  way  by  which  she  can  earn  the 
money  that  she  would  be  obliged  to  pay  out  for  these  services. 

But  there  are  other  and  far  more  important  reasons  for  con- 
tinuing housework  in  the  individual  home  by  the  woman  of  the 
family.  In  choosing  her  work,  for  work  she  must,  she  should 
consider  her  chances  for  individual  development  and  for  health,  and 
also  the  effect  on  the  family  life  of  the  kind  of  occupation  she 
chooses.  What  occupations  are  best  suited  to  women  is  a  question 
of  national  importance.  It  concerns  the  effect  on  the  work  and 
wages  of  men,  as  already  seriously  considered,  for  example,  in 
the  Report  of  the  British  Labor  Party,  the  effect  on  the  development 
and  the  health  of  the  women  themselves,  especially  as  concerns  the 
bearing  and  rearing  of  children,  and  also  on  the  need  of  their  pres- 
ence in  the  home  for  the  higher  purposes  of  family  life. 

Monotony  or  Variety  in  Work. — The  work  of  the  household 
is  not  "  organized/'  but  this  may  be  to  some  extent  an  advantage 
to  the  worker.  In  every  kind  of  organized  labor  the  adjustment  is 
more  and  more  to  the  unskilled  hand ;  the  cunning  machine  is  made 
to  this  end  still  more  cunning  until  it  seems  like  a  sentient  being 
compared  with  the  man  of  vacant  eye  who  pulls  a  lever  and  adjusts 
a  screw,  and  there  is  no  denying  that  this  perfect  organization  and 
division  of  labor  means  less  and  less  interest  and  development  for 
the  worker.  It  is  only  in  the  first  few  years  of  office,  store  and 
factory,  that  their  systematic  requirements'  furnish  discipline  and 
experience  which  is  of  value  to  the  woman  worker;  after  that  the 
deadening  or  irritating  effects  of  monotony  begin  to  tell. 

The  fact  is  that  the  more  intelligent  the  woman,  the  more  she 
values  the  chance  to  perform  a  number  of  related  kinds  of  work 
in  her  own  way  rather  than  the  same  task  over  and  over  as  part  of 
the  relentless  and  impersonal  machinery  of  labor. 

It  would  also  seem  to  be  certain  that  housework  when  done  with 
intelligence  and  with  a  reasonably  good  modern  equipment  is  a 
much  more  healthful  occupation  for  women  than  are  most  kinds 
of  business.  Physiologists  in  their  studies  of  fatigue  place  among 
its  many  causes  "  often-repeated  monotonous  single  acts,  constant 
strain  of  body  or  attention,  and  those  tasks  carried  on  in  crowded 


80       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

or  unhygienic  quarters."  2  If  there  must  be  overwork  at  times  in 
our  difficult  modern  life  it  would  seem  to  be  best  endured  where  it 
is  with  and  for  our  own,  with  all  that  brings  personal  incentive  and 
reward.  As  we  have  seen,  the  causes  of  fatigue  are  psychic  as  well 
as  physical,  and  to  enjoy  one's  work  and  to  see  a  corinection  between 
it  and  the  well-being  of  those  who  are  dear  to  us  may  take  out  a 
certain  element  of  fatigue. 

Better  Household  Methods  and  Education. — Housework  is 
also  made  more  attractive  by  the  changes  that  have  come  in  sanitary 
and  artistic  standards.  This  change  has  abolished  the  heavy,  nailed- 
down  carpet  and  the  tidies  and  "throws"  along  with  the  uphol- 
stered furniture  which  they  once  adorned.  The  hearty  breakfast 
that  took  an  hour  and  a  half  in  its  preparation  has  gone,  together 
with  the  tradition  that  the  pantry  must  be  stored  with  indigestible 
goodies  as  proof  of  its  owner's  accomplishments.  The  garret  is  no 
longer  packed  with  unusable  things  and  there  has  been  a  clearing 
out  and  lightening  up  all  over  the  house  as  decreed  by  sanitary 
science  and  improved  taste ;  more  rarely,  for  instance,  is  time  spent 
in  making  elaborate  underwear  and  keeping  it  laundered,  and  the 
result  of  these  changes  is  that  the  work  necessary  to  run  the  average 
house  is  greatly  decreased.  Labor-saving  devices,  especially  the 
many  applications  of  electricity,  are  offering  a  help  which  is  to  be 
still  further  extended. 

Of  all  the  influences  that  have  been  at  work  to  bring  to  the 
individual  home  more  dignity,  interest  and  efficiency,  none  are 
more  important  than  the  new  education  in  household  .standards 
and  processes.  Schools  have  arisen  by  the  hundred,  maintained 
by  both  private  and  public  funds,  to  teach  the  household  arts  accord- 
ing to  the  newest  scientific  methods.  The  school  girl  is  thus  given 
a  clearer  idea  of  their  dignity  and  importance,  while  the  education 
of  the  adult  woman  is  continued  by  means  of  columns  in  the  daily 
and  monthly  press,  often  ably  edited,  and  by  state  and  government 
"  extension  classes/'  The  national  government  is  planning  to 
spend  enormous  sums  for  teachers,  for  scientific  investigation  and 
for  literature,  all  for  the  training  of  the  woman  who  is  to  preside 
over  the  individual  household.  The  effect  of  this  teaching  has 
already  been  very  great.  It  has  put  housework  in  a  place  of  honor, 

"Science,  1916,  p.  727.    F.  S.  Lee. 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  81 

because  the  most  intelligent  and  scientific  methods  have  been  applied 
to  it.  This  instruction  has  turned  drudgery  into  interesting  work, 
and  has  changed  the  whole  business  of  housekeeping  for  the  woman 
of  intelligence.  The  creative  impulse  is  one  of  the  strongest  within 
us.  Our  grandmothers  and  great-grandmothers  found  its  expres- 
sion in  the  manufacture  of  butter  and  cheese  and  cloth  for  sale, 
our  mothers  were  in  many  cases  a  misfit  in  the  home  robbed  of 
these  interesting  industries,  and  not  yet  adjusted  to  home-making 
on  newer  lines.  Education  and  the  improvements  that  accompany 
it  are  showing  the  woman  of  to-day  the  possibilities  of  the  home 
in  which  the  household  arts  are  practiced.  Whatever  is  touched 
by  science  and  art  and  reduced  to  orderly  and  efficient  methods  goes 
up  in  public  regard ;  the  best  illustration  is  that  of  the  trained  nurse 
of  to-day  who  bears  no  relation  to  the  "  Sairy  Gamp  "  of  the  past 
in  character,  in  equipment,  or  in  social  position.  When  like  in- 
fluences are  brought  to  bear  on  the  art  of  cookery  it  will  no  longer 
be  associated  with  dirty,  dark  holes  called  kitchens  and  with  slat- 
ternly garments.  In  the  same  way  a  better  knowledge  of  sanitation 
is  making  the  housewife  more  vigilant  as  to  the  service  furnished 
her  from  outside,  more  conscious  of  possible  dangers  to  health  in 
food  cooked  in  public  eating  places;  a  volume  is  expressed  in  her 
preference  "  to  wash  her  own  lettuce/' 

The  Expert  is  Scarce. — But  the  all-compelling  force  that  holds 
the  conscientious  woman  to  her  tasks  in  the  home  is  the  knowledge 
gained  through  many  trials  and  failures  that  the  much-advertised 
expert,  who  is  supposed  to  teach  her  children,  feed  her  family,  keep 
her  accounts,  do  her  shopping,  and  perform  the  thousand  other  tasks, 
big  and  little,  which  now  forbid  her  taking  a  working  job  outside  her 
family,  does  not  exist!  When  the  housewife  has  earned  her  money 
outside,  as  she  has  been  adjured  to  do  in  order  to  pay  for  these  tasks, 
she  does  not  find  the  people  on  whom  to  spend  it.  They  are  few 
in  number  and  wholly  beyond  her  purse. 

If  such  fully  developed  agencies  are  to  be  expected  in  a  civilized 
country,  then  ours  is  very  backward  indeed.  We  hug  many  de- 
lusions. One  of  them  concerns  the  "trained  expert."  In  cities 
whose  streets  are  badly  cleaned  and  where  ashes  and  garbage  are 
allowed  to  pile  up  in  the  icy  floods  of  winter,  where  personal  vigil- 
ance is  necessary  to  secure  uncontaminated  even  the  raw  materials 

6 


82       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

of  life,  how  can  we  expect  the  niceties  of  service  which  require  a 
degree  of  training  and  organization  only  to  be  found  in  a  highly 
organized  society  ? 

The  Conclusion  as  to  Housework  vs.  Outside  Earning. — 
Whether  the  woman  who  presides  over  the  family  of  the  moderate 
income  will  continue  to  make  her  contribution  by  doing  the  house- 
work or  by  money  earning  outside  the  home  must  be  decided  on 
grounds  that  are  both  economic  and  social.  In  comparing  these  two 
ways  of  money  earning  we  are  not  concerned  with  which  is  the 
more  honorable,  that  question  belongs  to  a  past-and-gone  attitude 
toward  labor ;  we  are  concerned  simply  with  a  comparison  of  values. 

To  sum  up :  the  woman  who  adds  to  the  value  of  raw  materials 
by  making  them  into  the  finished  product  in  her  own  home,  as  seen 
in  the  cooked  food  or  the  finished  garment,  or  by  renewing  the 
service  of  articles  as  in  washing  dishes  or  cleaning,  seems  to  have 
at  present  certain  advantages  over  outside  labor  which  is  offering 
the  same  service: 

1.  Since  the  house  exists  and  is  conducted  for  the  general  pur- 
poses of  family  life,  the  housewife  is  not  obliged  to  add  to  the  price 
of  what  is  manufactured  in  the  home  certain  "  overhead  charges," 
which  must  be  paid  by  business  and  added  to  the  price  of  the  finished 
product  as  sold. 

2.  The  fact  that  what  she  produces  in  the  home  is  consumed 
there,  cuts  out  transportation  charges,  except  those  connected  with 
the  assembling  of  raw  materials. 

3.  The  time-factor,  which  on  account  of  the  high  price  of  labor 
is  the  heaviest  charge  on  outside  business,  is  not,  in  the  housewife's 
case,  to  be  put  at  the  same  high  figure,  since  part  of  her  time  is 
always  necessary  in  her  household  for  other  than  economic  func- 
tions, and  she  "  works  in  "  to  a  certain  extent  her  odds  and  ends 
of  household  arts.     To  make  a  complete  comparison  on  this  im- 
portant point  more  facts  are  needed  than  we  now  possess. 

4.  There  are  many  other  economic  factors  to  be  taken  into 
account,  such  as  the  superior  efficiency  of  the  home  worker  who 
is  impelled  by  self-interest  to  improve  methods  and  to  use  materials 
with  economy  and  who,  on  account  of  the  variety  and  interest  of 
her  tasks,  and  the  command  over  her  time  which  enables  her  to 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  83 

plan  periods  of  rest,  can  work  longer  hours  without  fatigue  than 
can  the  woman  in  business. 

5.  There  seem  to  be  many  non-economic  reasons  for  retaining 
some  of  the  household  arts  in  the  individual  home,  such  as  the 
control  over  healthful  conditions  requiring  personal  vigilance,  the 
development  it  affords  to  the  worker  and  the  educational  value  of 
the  household  "  plant "  in  the  rearing  of  children.  To  make  her 
necessary  contribution  to  the  family  income  by  doing  the  work  in 
her  own  home  seems  at  present  to  be  the  only  way  by  which  the 
woman  of  small  means  can  keep  up  her  intimate  relation  with  the 
family  and  perform  her  valuable  non-economic  functions. 

It  is  taken  for  granted  in  this  comparison  that  standards  of 
living  in  the  home  are  very  important  in  their  bearing  on  the  com- 
fort and  development  of  its  members.  When  the  mother  is  obliged 
to  go  out  to  earn  the  living,  leaving  the  house  to  half -grown  chil- 
dren, only  through  exceptional  good  fortune,  as  in  the  help  and 
advice  of  near-by  relatives,  can  such  standards  be  maintained. 

These  comparisons  apply  for  the  most  part  only  to  town  and 
city  life;  in  all  rural  communities,  where  nearly  one-half  of  our 
population  lives,  individual  housekeeping  must  still  be  the  rule 
and  most  of  the  household  arts  be  performed  at  home. 

It  will  be  noted  that  many  of  the  reasons  for  retaining  the 
household  arts  in  the  home  are  subject  to  change.  At  any  time 
improvements  in  business  methods  may  so  lower  prices  of  essential 
products  as  to  entirely  remove  certain  processes  from  the  home. 
It  is  such  advances  that  must  be  watched  by  all  those  interested 
in  home  economics.  The  time  factor  used  in  making  the  com- 
parison is  also  subject  to  change,  labor  it  may  be  found  possible  to 
utilize  half  days  or  certain  hours  in  lucrative  employment  inside  or 
outside  her  house,  while  the  bulk  of  the  housewife's  time  is  still 
devoted  to  her  home  interests.  At  present  the  half-time  work  of 
this  character  is  difficult  to  find. 

The  home  economics  extension  work  of  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  has  had  great  success  in  helping  women  and  girls  to 
make  money  by  canning  fruit  and  vegetables  for  sale,  and  by 
giving  them  better  methods  in  poultry  raising  and  butter  making; 
the  cooperative  laundry  is  a  part  of  cooperation  plans  as  developed 
among  the  fanners  of  the  northwest.  City  women  are  beginning 


84       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

to  unite  in  the  care  of  little  children  during  certain  hours  of  the 
day  and  all  such  enterprises  will  have  their  effect  on  the  form 
of  the  housewife's  labor. 

Housekeeping  Compared  with  Boarding. — An  actual  family 
account  book  is  here  used  to  illustrate  the  contribution  which  the 
woman  may  make  to  the  family  income  by  doing  the  housework  in 
her  own  home.  The  study  was  made  in  1916. 

This  estimate  does  not  concern  itself  with  any  outlay  for  indi- 
vidual needs,  since  that  would  be  the  same  whether  the  family  lived 
at  home  served  by  the  woman  of  the  family,  or  whether  they  bought 
shelter,  food  and  operating  needs  of  some  boarding-house  manager 
for  a  stated  sum  per  week. 

The  comparison  covers  three  items:  First,  house  rent;  second, 
operating  expenses ;  third,  food.  The  income  of  a  family  living  in  a 
middle-size  city  was  $1600  (in  1916) ;  the  number  in  family,  four, 
of  different  ages  (reckoned  as  four  adults  in  food  requirements). 

WHEN  THE  WIFE  DOES  HOUSEWOEK 

Per  person 
Per  Year  per  week 

1.  House   rent    (eight  rooms)     $300.00  $1.44 

2.  Operating    (heat,    light,    and    wet   wash)     138.48  .67 

3.  Food    (materials)     491.24  2.36 

4.  Value  of  labor  of  housewife  for  year,  2262  hours, 

at    15    cents    an    hour     (reckoned    at   cost   of 

hiring  substitute)    339.30  1.63 

Cost  per  person  per  week  of  rent,  operating  ex- 
penses,   food    and    labor    $6.10 

In  the  above  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the  family  way  of  living 
the  labor  of  this  housewife,  which  averages  seven  hours  a  day  for 
six  days  in  the  week  throughout  the  year  and  one  and  a  half  hours 
on  Sunday,  covers  all  of  the  housework  except  the  washing  and 
certain  jobs  of  outside  cleaning  that  are  attended  to  by  the  man 
of  the  family,  who  also  cares  for  the  furnace.  It  includes  buying, 
cooking,  cleaning,  ironing  and  mending,  but  no  making  of  clothes. 

The  time  set  down  for  labor  on  Sunday  requires  explanation. 
In  many  families  Sunday  is  the  day  of  the  week  which  calls  for 
unusual  exertions  on  the  part  of  the  housewife  as  the  family  is  all 
together  and  at  leisure  and  they  enjoy  a  more  elaborate  dinner,  to 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  85 

which  they  may  perhaps  invite  friends.  But  in  this  family  a 
different  policy  was  followed ;  they  cooperated  in  the  Sunday  work 
expressly  for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  labor  of  the  housewife. 

The  reason  for  putting  the  price  of  fifteen  cents  an  hour  (ex- 
clusive of  food)  on  the  housewife's  time  is  that  this  price  held 
in  her  city  at  that  time  for  the  by-the-day  or  hour  houseworker. 
It  will  be  urged  that  the  degree  of  skill  and  general  intelligence 
required  of  such  a  woman  is  considerable,  and  that,  therefore,  the 
price  put  on  her  time  should  be  much  higher;  but  it  was  possible 
in  that  community  at  that  time  (1916)  to  find  a  woman  capable 
of  filling  such  a  post,  called  "  working  housekeeper,"  for  the  fol- 
lowing remuneration: 

1.  Her  share  of  the  family  living  expenses,  as  calculated 

above,  rent,  operating  expenses  and  food   $6.10  per  week. 

2.  Wages 5.00  per  week. 

$11.10 

The  reason  why  such  a  position  was  easily  filled  at  a  moderate 
price  seems  to  be  that  the  number  of  intelligent  and  practical 
women  available  for  such  positions  was  rather  large,  while  the 
number  of  wholly  satisfactory  steady  positions  for  such  women, 
yielding  a  certain  income  of  $5  a  week,  or  $260  a  year,  besides  all 
living  expenses,  except  clothes,  were  not  plentiful,  and  such  women 
were  attracted  by  a  position  of  recognized  dignity  where  the  working 
hours  could  be  reduced  to  six  or  seven  a  day.3 

Speaking  commercially,  the  wife  and  mother  of  the  family 
whose  budget  we  are  considering  receives  the  above  living  expenses, 
and  in  place  of  wages  her  share  of  all  the  other  times  of  the  house- 
hold budget,  that  is,  what  is  spent  for  clothing,  medical  attention, 
culture,  amusements,  etc.,  together  with  the  security  afforded  by 
steady  employment,  "  a  life  position,"  and  generally  what  may  be 
called  a  pension  in  the  form  of  the  husband's  life  insurance,  or 
interest  on  invested  savings.  She  has  also  the  honor  and  the 
independence  coming  from  her  position  as  married  woman 
and  householder. 

8  During  and  since  the  war  more  kinds  of  work  have  become  avail- 
able for  women  answering  the  above  description,  and  whether  this  state- 
ments holds  true  at  present  is  doubtful. 


86       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

The  position  of  such  a  housewife  is  thus  seen  to  be  comparable 
from  a  financial  point  of  view  with  that  of  her  sister  working  out- 
side, and  the  husband  who  puts  into  the  home  partnership  earnings 
that  amounted  in  1916  to  $1600,  is  doing  his  share  in  a  financial 
sense.  He,  as  well  as  his  wife,  is  supposed,  of  course,  to  make 
further  contribution  of  a  non-material  kind  necessary  to  the  family 
happiness,  contributions  which  are  purely  personal,  whatever  may 
be  the  income  level  and  not  affected  by  their  mode  of  daily  life. 

We  have  now  to  compare  the  cost  of  family  life  at  home,  as 
managed  by  the  wife  and  mother  in  her  seven  hours  a  day  of  labor, 
with  what  the  board  of  this  family  would  cost  in  the  same  locality 
and  in  a  place  that  maintained  about  the  same  standards  as  held 
in  their  home.  Prices  are  used  which  prevailed  in  the  city  where 
this  family  lived  at  the  time. 

WHEN   WIFE    WOBKS    OUTSIDE 

Table    board    and    room    and    its    care 

(two  persons  in  a  room)    $8.00=:  a  week  per  person 

Laundry    1.00  =  a  week  per  person 

$9.00=  cost  per  person  of  board- 
ing 
Deduct  from  this 6.10  =  cost  of  home  living 

$2.90  =  excess  of  cost  of  boarding 
per  person  over  cost  of 
living  at  home. 

Thus  $2.90  per  person  per  week,  or  $11.60  for  the  entire  family, 
was  in  this  instance  the  excess  of  cost  of  boarding  over  cost  of 
living  at  home  with  the  mother  of  the  family  doing  the  housework. 
That  is,  if  the  housewife  were  to  choose  boarding  for  herself 
and  family,  that  amount  of  money  would  have  to  be  brought  in 
by  her  in  some  kind  of  labor  outside  her  home.  Moreover,  if  she 
is  to  keep  her  present  degree  of  leisure,  which  seems  to  be  necessary 
to  the  health  and  efficiency  of  a  middle-aged  woman,  she  must  earn 
this  money  in  the  time  she  now  gives  to  labor ;  that  is,  seven  hours 
a  day.  Seven-hour-a-day  jobs  are  not  easily  found,  and  if  she  is  to 
work  outside  her  house,  carfare  and  time  for  transportation  is  in 
any  case  to  be  added,  also  a  much  larger  outlay  for  the  better  cloth- 


THE  CONTRIBUTION  THROUGH  HOUSEWORK  87 

ing  needed  for  public  places.  This  makes  the  comparison  still 
more  favorable  financially  for  housework  in  her  own  home.  The 
woman  who  values  some  degree  of  leisure  in  her  day,  and  variety 
rather  than  monotony  in  her  tasks,  may  well  hesitate  to  make  the 
exchange  in  her  form  of  labor  from  her  own  housekeeping  to  outside 
work,  even  if  there  were  no  other  considerations. 

Other  Considerations  That  Favor  Housekeeping. — In  mak- 
ing this  comparison  some  considerations  have  been  omitted  which 
vitally  concern  the  health  and  happiness  of  this  family,  and  there- 
fore their  efficiency  as  individuals. 

Food  chosen  and  cooked  by  the  homekeeper  will  usually  be 
more  wholesome,  more  suited  to  the  individual  needs,  and  it  is  eaten 
in  home  surroundings.  Individual  sleeping  rooms  are  possible  and 
there  is  a  whole  house  or  apartment  to  range  over  and  to  which 
to  invite  friends.  The  woman  has  that  control  of  leisure  time  which 
enables  her  to  make  a  true  home  for  herself,  her  husband  and  her 
children.  Home  pleasure  reduces  the  amount  of  money  spent  in 
outside  amusements. 

All  these  considerations  are  of  great  importance;  although  it  is 
difficult  to  express  their  value  in  money,  they  together  contribute 
to  the  attractiveness  of  the  individual  home  for  which  men  and 
women  have  always  been  willing  to  labor  and  sacrifice. 

We  must  conclude  that  this  housewife  who  can  do  the  work  for 
herself  and  three  other  adults  in  a  home  of  their  own  with  a  wise 
use  of  material  and  time,  who  can  bring  to  them  health  and  satis- 
faction, and  in  addition  gain  for  herself  so  large  an  amount  of 
leisure,  is  an  "  economic  success."  At  that  time  (1916),  unless  she 
could  bring  in  from  outside  work  at  least  $600  a  year  in  money, 
she  would  find  it  necessary  to  stick  to  the  home  task,  and  allowance 
is  still  to  be  made  for  the  four  considerations  above  stated,  which 
the  family  may  consider  worth  as  much  more. 

In  the  four  years  since  this  study  was  made  household  labor  has 
greatly  increased  in  price,  while  the  pay  in  clerical  or  teaching 
positions  to  which  this  housewife  would  turn  for  money  earning 
has  advanced  far  less,  therefore  the  comparison  at  present  is  prob- 
ably still  more  in  favor  of  housework  done  in  her  own  home  as  being 
her  best  way  of  making  her  contribution  to  the  family  income. 


88       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Repeat  this  study  of  comparative  costs  of  home  life  vs.  boarding  for 

some  family  and  community  that  you  know,  estimating  values  for 
any  facts  on  which  you  cannot  get  exact  information. 

a.  for  a  family  with  children. 

b.  for  a  family  without  children. 

2.  In  a  family  of  five,  three  of  them  children,  money  income  $2000.00, 

where  the  woman  is  doing  all  of  the  housework,  including  laundry, 
make  an  estimate  as  to  the  cost  of  hiring  all  the  housework  done  (a) 
by  a  working  housekeeper,  (b)  by  hiring  by  the  hour  laundress,  cook, 
child's  nurse,  seamstress  and  cleaner,  as  long  as  needed. 

3.  On  the  above  basis  estimate  the  money  value  of  the  products  produced 

by  a  woman  in  twenty-five  years  of  houskeeping,  covering  cooked 
meals,  canned  food,  clothing  made,  clothes  washed,  cleaning  done, 
the  sick  nursed,  etc.  Include  only  absolutely  necessary  service  for 
health  and  efficiency. 

4.  At  what  price  can  you  hire  a  girl  of  sixteen  to  help  in  office  work  for 

eight  hours  a  day?  A  school  girl  of  sixteen  may  help  her  mother 
for  four  hours  a  day,  what  are  her  services  worth  to  the  family? 
Compare  with  the  cost  of  her  maintenance,  room,  food,  clothes,  etc. 
6.  In  a  boarding  house,  who  pays  for  planning  meals,  for  marketing,  cook- 
ing, washing  dishes,  cleaning  the  house,  laundering  of  table  linen? 
Have  you  any  idea  what  proportion  of  the  price  of  table  board  goes 
for  these  services?  Suppose  the  housewife  does  such  work  for  the 
family,  is  the  service  of  less  worth? 

6.  What  activities  can  be  taken  from  the  home  and  industrialized  with- 

out harm  to  the  home  life?  The  laundry?  Kitchen?  Dining  room? 
Library?  Living  room?  Sleeping  room?  Nursery? 

7.  List  possible  half  time  jobs  for  women  including  any  that  you  think 

might  be  developed.     How  develop  them? 

8.  We  are  told  that  women  are  dissatisfied  with  the  narrowness  of  home 

life.  Compare  this  degree  of  dissatisfaction,  whatever  you  may  judge 
it  to  be,  with  that  felt  by  men  and  women  in  general  with  business  life. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK 

SINCE  labor  must  be  reckoned  at  its  real  value,  whether  per- 

: .  formed  by  the  housewife  or  paid  for  in  money  to  an  employed 

|  person  who  comes  in  from  outside,  time  saving  becomes  the  central 

I  problem.     Some  light  is  thrown  on  the  question  by  the  various 

f  estimates  of  the  cost  of  the  hired  worker  in  the  household,  which 

1  vary  at  present  between  $600  and  $1000  a  year,  including  board 

and  room.     Work  by  the  day  requiring  average  skill  is  paid  $2 

to  $3  or  more.     Not  only  is  household  help  high-priced,  it  is  scarce 

at  any  price,  and  on  that  account  families  with  incomes  of  even 

$4000  to  $5000  have  made  readjustments  in  many  ways,  as  in  closing 

1  unused  rooms,  buying  labor-saving  devices  and  making  free  use  of 

j  electric  current  for  all  household  purposes  so  as  to  reduce  the  labor 

to  what  can  be  performed  by  the  family.     A  new  money  value  is 

j  thus  placed  on  the  time  required  to  perform  each  act  of  household 

I  service,  which  has  led  to  a  study  of  time  saving,  the  cutting  out  of 

|  certain  kinds  of  work  and  a  reduction  in  the  time  required  to 

perform  others. 

The  Eight-hour  Day. — Is  the  eight-hour  day  feasible  for  the 
housewife  ?  Not  as  households  are  at  present  run.  It  would  require 
something  like  a  revolution  in  both  standards  and  methods  to  enable 
one  woman  to  do  the  work  of  the  average  household  of  five  members, 
including  washing,  ironing  and  cooking  and  care  of  children  in 
eight  rounds  of  the  clock.  We  have  also  to  ask  whether  there  is  the 
same  requirement  for  the  eight-hour  day  for  the  woman  in  the 
household  as  for  the  man  or  woman  in  industry  who  must  allow 
from  one  to  two  hours  a  day  for  travel  to  and  from  the  place  of 
work  and  who,  in  most  cases,  labors  at  a  task  which  has  but  little 
interest  or  variety,  one  which  is  minutely  supervised  by  another  and 
thus  offers  few  chances  for  individual  initiative  and  control  of  time. 
But  even  when  this  allowance  is  made  we  know  that  the  present 
length  of  the  working  day  in  the  home  must  be  shortened  while  at 
the  same  time  the  essentials  of  family  life  are  met. 


90       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Reducing  the  Amount  of  Work  to  be  Done. — Elimination 
is  the  first  step.  Household  methods  must  be  scanned  with  new 
eyes  in  order  to  determine  whether  they  forward  such  essentials 
or  have  become  a  part  of  an  outgrown  system.  Are  they  decreed 
by  habit  or  custom  or  do  they  meet  a  basic  requirement,  as  hygiene  ? 
Take  an  illustration  from  the  laundry.  One  housewife  who  deter- 
mined to  cut  down  the  size  of  the  weekly  washing,  having  first 
eliminated  all  luxurious  extras,  was  moved  to  inquire  whether  the 
requirement  for  a  weekly  change  of  sheets  on  her  five  single  beds 
did  not  go  back  to  a  time  of  double  beds  when  people  bathed  less 
frequently  and  wore  their  day  underwear  at  night.  She  reduced 
the  amount  of  bed  linen,  and  allowed  a  more  generous  use  of  all 
clothing  that  came  next  the  skin,  thus  establishing  in  one  depart- 
ment of  her  housekeeping  hygiene  as  more  important  than  habit 
or  custom.  Again,  woven  underclothing  and  other  articles  were 
pulled  into  shape  as  taken  from  the  line,  because  there  was  no  time 
available  for  ironing  them  without  encroaching  on  the  afternoon 
rest  hour.  In  another  house  it  was  decided  that  time  was  saved 
by  having  two  laundry  days  in  the  month  instead  of  four ;  and  table- 
cloths were  ruled  out,  doilies  and  runners  of  Japanese  crepe  being 
substituted,  as  being  very  easy  to  launder. 

In  the  same  way  all  inherited  household  customs  will  be  exam- 
ined, in  order  to  see  whether  they  have  outlived  their  day  and 
should  give  way  to  better  methods.  Probably  no  one  in  the  com- 
munity is  so  bound  by  custom  as  is  the  housewife.  An  observing 
eye  may  find  illustrations  of  outworn  habits  in  every  room  of 
every  house;  it  would  seem  that  the  housewife  of  the  present  day 
must  be  urged  to  be  an  iconoclast ;  no  inherited  method  should  be 
sacred  from  her  examination. 

The  House  as  Making  or  Saving  Work. — Is  such  housework 
as  we  have  agreed  on  as  necessary  done  by  the  most  efficient  methods  ? 
Of  first  importance  is  the  place  where  it  is  done.  Is  the  working 
plant  or  house  so  built  and  furnished  as  to  make  the  work  easy? 
Much  of  the  deplorable  waste  seen  in  daily  living  comes  from  the  use 
of  houses  planned,  if  planned  at  all,  for  conditions  now  outgrown. 
Thus,  a  family  may  be  seen  trying  to  do  their  own  work  in  a  house 
that  was  built  at  a  time  when  two  or  three  servants  could  be 
afforded  because  all  together  their  wages  were  not  more  than  what  is 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  91 

paid  to  one,  and  their  food  was  too  cheap  to  be  seriously  con- 
idered.  Unfortunately,  the  family  with  a  small  income,  the  one 
in  which  the  item  of  labor  is  so  important,  is  seldom  the  family  that 
can  plan  its  own  house.  Building  plans  for  houses  are  adjusting 
all  too  slowly  to  the  new  housekeeping,  and  this  is  especially  true 
of  the  eastern  part  of  the  country,  where  household  labor  has  only 
recently  become  dear  and  scarce.  The  housekeeper  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  has  paid  high  wages  for  help  for  a  whole  generation,  and  the 
result  has  been  that  houses  carrying  a  moderate  rental  are  built 
with  many  conveniences  such  as  are  found  elsewhere  only  in  the 
homes  of  the  well  to  do. 

Readjustment  in  Present  Housing. — Since  most  of  us  must 
live  in  houses  or  apartments  that  were  built  with  little  regard  to 
the  family  life  or  the  work  that  will  go  on  within  their  walls,  we 
must  consider  how  they  can  be  improved  with  a  limited  amount  of 
money.  Much,  very  much  can  be  done  by  the  observing  house- 
keeper herself,  but  it  is  often  the  case  that  in  order  to  see  what 
is  needed  she  must  stop  her  busy  rounds  and  observe  someone  else 
at  work  in  her  domain.  A  woman  who  had  to  spend  a  month  in 
an  invalid's  chair  recovering  from  an  operation,  was  wheeled  from 
room  to  room  of  her  house  and  used  the  time  finding  out  "  why 
it  took  so  long  to  do  the  work/'  She  said  afterward  that  no  month 
of  her  life  had  been  better  spent. 

Advice  from  Outside  is  Needed. — It  is  not  easy  to  look  upon 
the  familiar  scene  with  new  eyes.  It  remained  for  a  friend  of  the 
family  to  discover  that  in  a  rebuilding  of  a  farm  kitchen,  when  the 
pump  and  sink  were  moved  to  another  side  of  the  room,  the  roller 
towel  had  not  followed  it,  and  that  for  three  years  the  family  had 
washed  hands  at  the  sink  and  crossed  the  room  to  wipe  them, 
no  one  thinking  of  the  inconvenience.  An  outsider,  especially 
one  experienced  in  such  matters,  as  the  county  demonstration 
agent,  who  has  made  over  many  a  farm  kitchen,  will  often  give 
excellent  advice.  To  improve  the  light  in  a  room  whose  wall  space 
is  already  taken  up  she  may  advise  high  horizontal  windows;  for 
better  ventilation  she  proposes  the  transom  over  the  door  worked 
with  convenient  cords;  to  lessen  time  in  cleaning  she  advises  that 
floors  be  kept  well  painted,  or  varnished,  or  even  new  floors  laid, 
whatever  the  expense  may  be.  She  may  advise  the  cutting  of  a 


92       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

doorway  so  as  to  shorten  a  path  often  traveled,  the  putting  up  of 
shelves  or  the  enclosure  of  corners  for  closets.  The  kitchen  may 
be  quite  made  over  merely  by  rearrangement  of  its  furniture  as  seen 
in  diagrams  that  are  found  in  publications  devoted  to  arrangement 
of  kitchens ; 1  as  to  better  equipment  she  will  know  what  can  be 
-made  with  moderate  skill  at  home,  as  a  kitchen  cabinet  out  of  an 
old  bookcase  or  chest  of  drawers,  or  the  small  table  fitted  with 
good  casters  to  wheel  between  dining-room  and  kitchen. 

Arrangement  of  Equipment. — The  saving  of  steps  and  there- 
fore of  time,  by  means  of  convenient  arrangement  of  work  units, 
is  well  illustrated  by  the  relation  of  the  kitchen  to  the  dining-room. 
If  the  kitchen  is  small,  the  table  must  be  in  the  room  adjoining 
or  in  that  most  delightful  of  built-on  rooms,  the  "breakfast 
alcove,"  where  both  table  and  seats  are  fixed.  If  the  kitchen  is 
large  it  will  accommodate  the  dining  table,  at  least  in  winter,  and 
this  will  be  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  person  who  serves  the 
meals  and  to  those  of  the  family  who  desire  her  companionship. 
This  family  which  must  "  do  for  themselves "  cannot  afford  too 
great  a  distance  between  the  preparation  of  the  food  and  the  place 
of  its  consumption.  There  are  other  reasons  for  the  arrangement. 
It  has  even  been  claimed  that  farm  cookery  began  to  decline  in 
quality  when  the  family  no  longer  ate  in  the  kitchen !  Some  of 
our  returned  soldiers  are  homesick  for  the  intimate  cheer  and 
hospitality  that  they  found  in  the  living-rooms  of  French  homes 
in  the  country  villages  where  they  watched  the  delicious  meal  being 
cooked  on  the  coals  of  the  open  fireplace  or  saw  the  spit  run  by 
clockwork  turning  the  roast. 

Labor-saving  Devices. — The  saving  of  time  in  housework  also 
depends  on  the  proper  equipment  and  tools.  It  may  be  taken  for 
granted  that  all  small  tools  and  such  equipment  as  has  been  proved 
to  really  reduce  the  time  needed  to  perform  daily  processes  are 
at  hand  for  the  woman  who  does  her  own  work ;  indeed,  she  cannot 
afford  to  go  without  them.  A  halting  eggbeater,  a  poor  sieve,  a 
utensil  that  easily  burns  on  the  bottom,  must  be  replaced  because 
of  the  time  that  they  waste. 

Regarding  the  more  expensive  devices,  as  the  vacuum  cleaner 
and  washing  machine  and  dish  washer,  a  more  careful  decision  is 

1  The  Farm  Kitchen  as  a  Workshop,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  607. 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  93 

to  be  made.     Are  such  appliances  to  be  recommended  to  the  woman 
of  the  moderate  income?     Will  they  enable  her  to  dispense  with 
labor  for  which  she  must  -pay  $2  to  $4  a  day  ?    If  the  family  is  large 
and  the  housewife  not  equal  to  all  of  the  work,  she  generally  hires 
the  washing  and  the  weekly  cleaning  done.     Will  such  appliances 
cut  down  labor  charges?     If  so,  she  must  buy.     Business  is  con- 
stantly adjusting  to  the  rising  price  of  labor.    "  Save  us  one  man's 
time  and  we  will  buy  of  you,"  says  the  manufacturer  to  the  maker 
of  a  labor-saving  device.     Here  is  a  good  illustration  of  the  house- 
wife's need  of  expert  advice  in  making  her  many  difficult  decisions. 
Granted  that  if  the  laundry  is  done  at  home  a  machine  of  some 
kind  should  be  afforded,  what  kind  of  a  machine  it  is  to  be  depends 
on  a  calculation  as  to  the  cost  of  the  machine,  the  cost  of  running 
it,  whether  by  hand,  by  water  power  or  electricity,  the  space  for 
installation,  the  size  of  the  washing  and  yet  other  factors  not  easy 
lifor  the  average  housekeeper  to  determine  unaided.     This  is  also 
!  true  of  the  vacuum  cleaner  and  much  other  equipment.     The  house- 
:iwife  should  be  granted  free  expert  advice  from  federal  or  state 
.paid  agents,  just  as  the  farmer  has  it  regarding  machinery  that  he 
!  buys,  the  right  fertilizer  for  his  fields,  the  testing  of  seed  corn, 
i  the  best  methods  of  -planting.     The  manufacturers  of  prepared  food 
ihave  had  to  submit  to  the  truthful  label,  the  firms  that  make  com- 
jmercial  fertilizers  expect  to  meet  government  analysis,  but  the 
1  buyer  of  household  equipment  is  still  largely  helpless  in  the  hands 
]of  the  advertiser  and  salesman. 

No  utensil  should  be  bought  simply  because  it  is  a  labor  saver 
for  someone  else  or  makes  a  brave  showing  in  the  hands  of  a  skilful 
demonstrator  in  the  booth  of  the  food  show.  The  buyer  must 
determine  whether  in  her  own  kitchen  and  with  her  own  require- 
ments it  will  save  its  price  by  saving  labor  or  strength.  Otherwise 
'she  cannot  afford  it. 

The  grouping  of  utensils  is  also  important  in  the  reduction  of 
labor;  kitchen  utensils  must  be  hung  in  plain  sight  near  where 
they  are  to  be  used.  No  adjustment  is  too  small  to  be  considered  if 
it  saves  a  step  or  a  moment  of  time,  even  to  the  tying  of  a  pencil  to 
the  order  book  to  prevent  running  about  for  one. 

Fatigue  in  Housework. — Suppose  the  "plant,"  that  is,  the 
house,  and  especially  the  rooms  in  which  most  of  the  work  is  done 


94       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

and  also  the  equipment  in  the  way  of  furniture  and  utensils  to 
reasonably  adapted  to  time  saving,2  we  must  next  enquire  whether 
the  conditions  under  which  the  work  is  done  and  the  methods  em- 
ployed are  such  as  to  reduce  the  attendant  fatigue  to  its  lowest  limits. 

Scientific  Studies  of  Fatigue. — Some  excellent  work  has  been 
done  in  the  study  of  fatigue  in  its  relation  to  output  by  the  leaders 
in  scientific  shop  management,  Gantt,  Taylor,  Emerson,  and  others, 
by  means  of  so-called  practical  tests,  while  physiologists  with  labora- 
tory appliances  have  experimented  on  men  and  animals  to  determine 
the  effect  of  resting  periods  of  various  length,  of  overtime,  of  night 
work,  of  ventilation,  of  heat  and  humidity  and  other  conditions. 
The  observations  so  far  conducted  along  these  lines  are  admittedly 
too  few  in  number  and  have  been  carried  on  for  too  short  a  time  to  \ 
warrant  sweeping  conclusions,  but  they  certainly  justify  the  state- 
ment made  in  Dr.  Lee's  3  critical  summary  of  this  work  that  "  the 
present  ways  of  handling  the  human  machine  are  empirical  and 
crude,"  words  which  apply  to  the  houseworker  as  well  as  to  the 
polisher  of  metals,  the  piler  of  bricks,  or  the  digger  of  trenches. 
Common  sense  furnishes  a  rough  estimate  of  the  importance  of  these 
factors,  but  many  exact  tests  must  be  made  before  a  fair  working  dav 
can  be  established  on  this  basis  for  the  household. 

There  must  be  more  knowledge  as  to  the  degree  of  fatigue  that 
follows  the  performance  of  the  tasks  of  different  character  of  which 
housework  is  made  up.  The  housewife  says,  "  I  am  tired/'  the 
expression  of  a  feeling  which  varies  from  slight  weariness  to  ex- 
treme exhaustion.  Is  it  not  possible  to  know  the  kind  and  the 
degree  of  her  fatigue  and  how  it  is  related  to  the  character  of  the 
task  and  to  the  conditions  under  which  it  is  performed,  as  the 
efficiency  of  her  tools  and  other  equipment,  ventilation,  light;  the, 
worker's  strength  and  training  and  methods,  the  planning  of  the 
work,  the  use  of  resting  periods,  the  character  of  the  food,  andj 
also  certain  psychological  data,  as  the  interest  taken  in  the  process, 
that  is,  whether  the  mental  attitude  of  the  worker  is  full  of  courage 
and  interest  or  of  irritation  at  what  she  feels  to  be  drudgery  ? 

*  Conveniences  for  the  Farm  Home,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  270.  Farm 
Kitchen  as  a  Workshop,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  607.  Home  Labor  Saving 
Devices,  Rhea  C.  Scott,  Lippincott.  Housewifery,  L.  Ray  Balderston, 
Lippincott. 

3  Frederick  S.  Lee,  The  Human  Machine  and  Industrial  Efficiency,  1918. 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  95 

Studies  of  the  energy  used  iii  performing  various  household 

ji  tasks,  as  tested  by  the  calorimeter,  are  under  way  in  more  than  one 

I  laboratory ;  it  is  already  safe  to  predict  that  the  output  in  housework 

by  the  use  of  a  given  amount  of  effort  is  to  be  greatly  increased  by 

attention  to  all  of  the  conditions  under  which  the  work  is  done ;  * 

!  experimenters  say  that  here  is  an  open  field  for  research. 

Conditions  for  Work. — The  conditions  of  all  kinds  under 
!  which  housework  is  done  must  have  the  most  searching  examina- 
tion, for  they  have  a  direct  relation  to  fatigue.  Does  the  worker 
!  know  how  to  stand  properly  ?  Are  there  high  chairs  and  f ootrests 
provided  so  that  as  much  work  as  possible  is  done  in  a  sitting  posi- 
tion? Why  not  utilize  the  electric  fan  in  kitchen  as  well  as 
parlor  to  keep  the  air  moving?  Is  it  not  possible  to  keep 
'the  temperature  of  workrooms  between  60°  and  68°,  which 
fhas  been  found  in  industry  the  limits  between  which  work  is  done 
with  least  fatigue?  Does  the  houseworker  utilize  the  established 
fact  that  in  the  early  morning  hours  the  muscles  act  with  greater 
ease  and  the  mind  is  clear  for  difficult  decisions  ?  Are  rest  periods 
arranged  for?  The  habit  of  relaxing  and  falling  asleep  instantly 
in  a  quiet,  darkened  room  can  be  cultivated,  and  ten  minutes  of  such 
complete  rest  may  be  found  to  be  worth  an  hour  of  ordinary  quiet. 

Effect  of  Overwork. — In  certain  experiments  in  industry  it 
was  found  that  overtime  work  was  followed  by  such  a  degree  of 
fatigue  that  double  time  was  needed  for  recuperation  and  thus 
the  fancied  gain  was  turned  into  loss.  Sometimes  a  state  of  ner- 
vous exhaustion  is  the  cause  as  well  as  the  result  of  overwork,  and 
brings  on  that  "  zeal  for  finishing "  which  attacks  the  energetic 
when  a  job  lengthens  out  beyond  calculation  and  threatens  exhaus- 
tion to  the  worker.  "  To-morrow  is  also  a  day "  is  the  maxim 
of  the  lazy,  but  it  may  well  be  used  by  the  woman  to  whom  self- 
restraint  at  such  times  requires  a  great  effort.  The  children  of  a 
certain  family  were  wont  to  say :  "  Mother's  going  to  be  sick ;  she's 
determined  to  clean  the  woodshed  chamber."  The  woman  who 
cannot  rule  herself  in  this  matter  of  working  until  her  nerves  are 
frazzled  is  the  one  who  is  constantly  reminding  her  family  of  how 
she  toils  for  them  and  how  grateful  and  helpful  they  ought  to  be. 

4  The  Energy  Loss  of  Young  Women  during  the  Muscular  Activity  of 
Light  Household  Tasks.  Am.  Phil.  Soc.,  vol  58,  No.  1,  1919. 


96       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

A  generous  child  is  vaguely  troubled  and  resentful  at  such  appeals. 
If  he  were  to  think  it  out  he  would  say :  "  I  did  not  ask  to  be  born 
and  I  am  making  as  little  trouble  as  I  can/'  A  youth  of  twenty, 
on  being  asked  by  his  mother  what  mistakes  she  had  made  in  bring- 
ing him  up,  replied :  "  Mother,  don't  ring  in  the  sobstuff  on  the 
younger  ones/' 

Worry. — Conditions  that  worry,  irritate  and  depress  reduce 
the  working  power  and  bring  on  fatigue.  The  habit  of  dwelling 
on  what  has  gone  wrong  must  be  looked  on  as  the  deadly  enemy  of 
efficiency.  A  nerve  specialist  said  recently  that  many  of  his  women 
patients  were  those  who  had  been  made  ill  by  their  worry  over  the 
adjustment  of  household  expenses  to  the  high  price  of  living,  a  state 
of  mind  which  could  not  bring  down  prices  or  do  anything  except 
lower  the  efficiency  of  the  household  manager. 

Other  Factors  in  Fatigue. — Disorder  in  one's  surroundings 
brings  on  worry  and  weariness,  unless  disorderly  surroundings  have 
become  so  familiar  as  to  lower  all  standards ;  this  fact  alone  would 
justify  putting  things  in  place  and  requiring  cooperating  from  the 
family  in  this  regard. 

Uncomfortable  and  ill-looking  dress  is  responsible  for  much 
irritation  and  fatigue.  Probably  nothing  so  helps  to  keep  up  the 
morale  of  the  woman  of  the  family  as  the  resolve  that,  come  what 
will,  her  dress  is  to  be  not  only  comfortable  and  suited  to  her  task, 
but  clean  and  attractive ;  she  will  then  never  feel  like  a  drudge,  nor 
fly  around  distractedly  to  "  fix  up,"  or  open  the  front  door  with  a 
cringing  air ;  she  is  "  queen  of  herself  though  china  fall/'  What 
kind  of  work-dress  is  most  comfortable,  most  easily  laundered,  most 
quickly  put  on,  is  worth  careful  study.  The  one-piece  dress,  the 
skirt  with  middy  blouse,  both  have  their  advocates.  The  shoes  must 
be  broad  with  low  heels,  the  kitchen  is  not  the  place  for  wearing  out 
old,  ill-fitting  shoes. 

Interest  and  Variety. — Among  the  devices  to  speed  up  work  at 
munition  factories  during  the  war  were  constant  appeals  to  patriot- 
ism; and  the  effect  on  output  was  always  good.  In  the  same  way, 
interest  in  her  task  will  enable  the  housewife  to  accomplish  more 
in  a  given  time.  Looked  at  rightly,  her  work  is  full  of  interest  and 
variety  as  compared  with  the  often  monotonous  tasks  of  industry. 
The  spirit  in  which  the  work  is  done  may  diminish  fatigue  and 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  97 

make  the  work  effective,  and,  if  exact  tests  could  be  applied,  this 
interest  and  enthusiasm  for  her  household  tasks  in  their  relation 
to  the  well-being  of  the  family  might  prove  to  be  as  great  a  stimulus 
to  the  worker  as  was  patriotism  to  the  maker  of  gas  masks. 

What  Will  the  Housewife  Do  About  It? — These  are  a  few 
of  the  factors  which  affect  fatigue  and  therefore  have  an  intimate 
relation  to  the  most  important  item  in  running  expense,  the  estimate 
for  labor.  It  remains  to  ask  what  is  the  solution  of  this  complicated 
problem  which  the  housewife  of  small  means  is  called  upon  to  face  ? 
Nothing  less  than  the  rearrangement  of  her  daily  life  according  to 
an  estimate  of  comparative  values,  which  is  so  important  that  it 
deserves  no  smaller  name  than  her  philosophy  of  life.  First  comes 
her  higher  relations  to  her  family,  not  to  be  attained  unless  she 
herself  is  in  good  health  and  spirits,  with  at  least  a  little  leisure. 
And  she  knows  that  this  leisure  is  to  be  gained  only  through  a 
mastery  of  her  work ;  she  must  decide  what  is  important  and  then 
learn  to  do  it  by  the  best  methods.  An  old-fashioned  housekeeper 
said :  "  Housework  seems  to  me  like  one  of  those  examples  in  long 
division  where  there  is  always  a  remainder."  But  the  woman  of 
the  new  view  feels  that  in  such  a  case  the  work  is  dictating  to  the 
worker.  What  cannot  be  done  to-day  belongs  of  right  in  to-morrow's 
schedule ;  it  is  not  there  on  sufferance  as  a  disgraceful  left-over. 
No  one  will  make  a  study  of  the  saving  of  time  who  has  not  a  clear 
idea  of  what  that  time  saved  is  for.  One  of  its  first  uses  must  be  to 
furnish  the  wife  and  mother  some  daily  rest  and  recreation.  The 
effect  of  having  her  "  nose  always  to  the  grindstone "  is  to  lack 
perspective,  to  exaggerate  the  importance  of  small  things,  and  to 
begin  to  lose  respect  for  herself  as  an  individual  who  has  a  right 
to  continued  development,  one  who  should  look  well  and  feel  well. 
The  sacrifices  made  by  the  mothers  of  a  former  generation  have 
in  many  cases  been  stupid.  A  better  way  could  have  been  found. 
It  is  often  the  mother  who  is  to  blame  for  the  daughter's  aversion 
to  undertaking  the  care  and  responsibility  of  a  family.  The  girl 
does  not  know  what  is  the  matter,  but  she  does  not  want  to  lead 
the  life  her  mother  has  led.  She  wants  to  board  after  she  is  mar- 
ried ;  boarding  looks  to  her  like  an  easy  way  out. 

'Good  Health  a  Requirement. — It  must  be  decided,  to  begin 
with,  that  the  wife  and  mother  needs  certain  free  hours  every  day 

7 


98       SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

to  maintain  her  health  and  to  make  sure  that  she  is  not  too  tired 
to  contribute  to  the  family  life  the  courage  and  gayety  and  the  clear 
view  of  essentials  which  helps  her  to  steer  straight  through  all 
difficulties.  Those  who  cry  out  over  the  heavy  task  of  the  house- 
worker  are  apt  to  speak  of  the  "  delicate  wife  and  mother  "  She 
is  always  "  dragging  around  "  half  alive.  "  Mother/'  protested  a 
little  boy,  "  when  you  look  so,  we  feel  so."  One  of  the  first  require- 
ments on  a  woman  ought  to  be  abounding  health  and  the  knowledge 
of  how  to  maintain  it,  and  since  so  much  illness  is  due  to  ignorance 
and  laziness  it  is  fair  to  say  that  most  women  can  gain  and  keep 
good  health  and  develop  working  power  if  they  are  resolved  on  it. 
It  will  do  any  family  good  to  learn  that  the  "mother's  hour" 
must  be  as  much  a  part  of  the  daily  schedule  as  the  "chil- 
dren's hour." 

A  woman  threatened  with  invalidism  said :  "  I  must  not  try  to 
do  any  work  in  the  afternoon,"  and  when  lunch  was  over  she  went 
forth  with  her  children  to  sit  in  the  park  in  the  sunshine.  The 
household  survived  and  the  woman  recovered  her  health  and  learned 
meanwhile  to  cut  out  some  non-essentials  in  housekeeping. 

Intellectual  and  Social  Needs. — To  meet  her  physical  needs  is 
not  enough,  there  must  be  some  attention  to  the  mental  and  social 
cravings.  This  is  not  a  matter  of  self-indulgence  or  luxury,  but  a 
very  real  need  to  the  average  housewife.  She  may  be  a  perfect 
mother  to  her  children  when  they  are  young,  and  yet  be  unable 
to  adjust  to  their  changing  interests  as  they  grow  older,  because  she 
has  not  herself  grown  and  developed. 

Doubtless  one  of  the  sacrifices  that  the  mother  of  a  family  must 
expect  to  make  is  in  putting  off  much  that  she  would  like  to  do 
for  her  own  cultivation  and  pleasure  until  family  cares  are  less 
pressing,  and  there  is  no  better  argument  for  a  good  education  and 
a  habit  of  reading  in  youth  than  that  it  allows  of  this  putting  off 
without  any  risk  that  the  loss  will  be  permanent.  Moreover,  a  back- 
ground of  early  training  gives  courage  to  attempt  new  things  with 
odd  moments  of  time.  One  woman  kept  a  Greek  grammar  in  the 
baby's  cradle,  and  taught  herself  the  elements  of  a  noble  language. 
Another,  with  the  help  of  a  correspondence  course,  studied  geology, 
and  it  brought  to  her  the  greatest  refreshment  of  mind  and  put  a 
new  interest  into  the  walk  with  the  children.  A  fine  young  matron 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  99 

moved  with  her  family  to  a  distant  city.  She  met  new  domestic 
conditions,  new  social  demands.  At  the  end  of  a  year  she  wrote  to 
an  old  friend,  "  I  thought  at  first  that  I  should  go  insane  trying  to 
keep  up  my  standards  of  good  housekeeping.  Then  I  realized  that 
I  was  getting  out  of  touch  with  my  husband  and  my  children  and 
that  my  nerves  were  all  on  edge.  I  reformed,  and  all  is  well,  but  I 
wouldn't  for  worlds  have  you  see  my  back  porch ! " 

These  are  dilemmas  that  do  not  come  to  the  managers  of  fac- 
tories. This  woman  could  not  move  to  another  town,  could  not 
invent  a  better  type  of  service  nor  kill  off  the  children.  She  had 
to  compromise  according  to  her  best  intelligence.  Confronting  as 
serious  difficulties  as  these  the  factory  would  have  to  close  its  doors 
because  the  "  twelve  points  of  efficiency  "  could  not  be  applied. 

Are  "  high  standards  "  of  housekeeping  to  be  accepted  without 
qualification  ?  They  may  typify  those  "  heavy  burdens  and  grievous 
to  be  borne/'  which  are  always  being  laid  on  too  patient  shoulders. 
Dr.  David  Snedden,  of  Teachers  College,  in  addressing  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Economics  Association,  said :  "  The  first  tendency  which 
is,  perhaps,  wrong  in  much  of  the  current  teaching  of  Home  Eco- 
nomics lies  in  the  direction  of  its  bearing  on  current  overrefinement 
or  overelaboration  of  standards  of  living.  We  focus  our  attention 
so  largely  upon  quality  of  service,  upon  standards  of  taste,  that  we 
fail  to  give  sufficient  attention  to  the  cost  of  what  we  produce  in 
terms  of  money,  time,  and  energy.  Many  of  us  must  believe  that 
in  middle-class  society,  as  it  is  to-day,  an  overwhelmingly  dispro- 
portionate amount  of  energy  is  expended  upon  refinements  of  per- 
sonal decoration,  household  cleanliness  in  non-essential  lines,  in 
table  service,  and  in  other  related  directions.  We  believe  that  our 
attainments  in  these  directions  are  purchased  at  the  very  serious 
expense  of  more  children  in  the  family,  the  freedom  of  development 
of  the  children  already  there,  the  health  of  the  mother,  and  the 
development  of  all  the  members  of  the  family  along  other  more 
wholesome  and  enduring  lines/' 

The  Need  for  Planning. — The  woman  of  the  new  housekeep- 
ing will  understand  the  need  for  planning  her  daily  activities  and 
will  make  the  most  careful  outline  of  her  time,  not  only  for  the  day, 
but  for  the  week  ahead.  This  plan,  reviewed  and  adjusted  by  the 
housewife  in  the  fresh  moments  of  each  beginning  day,  will  prevent 


100     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

her  from  throwing  herself  into  whatever  comes  first  to  hand,  if 
she  is  without  a  plan  once  the  foot  on  the  treadmill  she  is  as  helpless 
as  the  dog  at  the  churn,  and  the  day  flies  past  filled  perhaps  with 
the  unimportant  rather  than  with  the  essentials. 

A  farmer's  wife  who  had  moved  to  the  village  to  spend  the 
rest  of  her  days  said  to  a  neighbor:  "You  can't  think  how  I 
miss  my  pork  barrel."  "  Why,  didn't  you  know  you  could 
buy  salt  pork  ?  "  exclaimed  the  neighbor.  "  Oh,  it  isn't  that,"  was 
the  reply,  "but  on  the  farm  the  first  thing  I  used  to  do  in  the 
morning  was  to  slice  the  pork  for  breakfast,  and  down  <in  the  cool, 
quiet  cellar  I  said  my  prayers  and  straightened  out  my  work  for  the 
day,  and  it  did  help  so.  Here  I  don't  think  of  it  till  noon,  and  by 
that  time  the  day's  gone."  If  there  is  no  other  place  then  let  it  be 
the  cellar  in  which  the  housewife  "straightens  out  things"  for 
the  day! 

"  Am  I  not  busy  ?  "  says  a  harassed  woman,  who  has  a  family 
of  two  'and  keeps  a  good  maid,  and  she  details  an  appealing  list  of 
doings,  which  prove  that  she  has  flown  from  one  thing  to  another 
all  day  long  without  plan.  When  scanned,  this  list  shows,  first, 
that  her  high  standard  of  cleanliness  is  overtaxed  with,  the  care  of 
a  houseful  of  furniture,  including  hundreds  of  books  in  open  cases, 
a  great  layout  of  silver  on  the  dressing  table,  white  paint  every- 
where, white  curtains  at  every  window  of  three  stories,  that  she 
keeps  a  tiny  dog  and  many  house  plants,  that  she  did  nine  errands 
at  nine  different  times  in  the  day  without  the  help  of  telephone  or 
mail  and  that  the  telephone  rang  six  tmes,  calling  her  to  various 
fields  of  outside  "  duty." 

Of  course  she  is  busy,  for  she  does  not  dodge,  omit,  grade, 
sift,  or  systematize.  The  vast  mass  of  requirements  that  we  call 
civilized  life  dribble  in  on  her  unresisting  head,  whatever  offers  first 
or  calls  most  loudly  has  her  time  and  attention. 

Said  Florence  Nightingale  to  a  gifted  woman  who  was  at  the 
beck  and  call  of  a  large,  selfish  household :  "  Are  you  going  on  forever 
packing  other  people's  carpet  bags?  You  will  never  reach  the  art 
of  life."  Or,  to  quote  Eobert  Louis  Stevenson :  "  If  I  knew  how 
to  omit,  I  would  make  an  Odyssey  of  every  daily  newspaper." 

Omitting  the  non-essentials  implies  an  intelligent  choice  of 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  101 

essentials;  therefore,  nothing  can  equal  in  importance  this  sorting 
of  the  claims  upon  us  into  lists  of  first,  second  and  third  values. 

Cooperation  of  the  Family. — The  woman  who  studies  time 
values  will  know  also  how  important  it  is  to  gain  the  cooperation 
of  the  family ;  for  instance,  the  hours  necessary  to  do  the  housework 
cannot  be  reduced  without  reforming  the  habit  of  being  late  to  meals, 
and  it  is  generally  a  habit  only,  but  it  brings  extra  work  and  vexa- 
tion of  soul  to  the  housewife.  The  town  girl  who  had  married  the 
farmer  finally  laid  down  her  ultimatum:  "You  men  folks  have 
been  spoiled  with  indulgence;  it's  just  as  easy  to  stop  hoeing  in  the 
middle  of  the  row  as  at  the  end.  After  this,  late  dinners  are  going 
to  be  cold  dinners." 

Nor  must  anyone  older  than  the  baby  expect  to  be  e<  waited  on." 
Even  very  young  children  can  be  taught  to  keep  their  rooms  and 
their  own  clothes  in  order  and  to  be  helpful  in  many  ways.  Boys 
may  be  taught  to  press  their  own  trousers  and  to  sew  on  their  own 
buttons.  Happily,  the  boy  scout  and  campfire  girl  movements  have 
brought  honor  to  all  forms  of  self-help. 

Where  the  Rules  of  Efficiency  Do  Not  Apply. — As  we  have 
seen,  the  processes  of  housekeeping  may  be  greatly  facilitated  by  a 
good  system,  but  the  rules  of  efficiency  do  not  apply  to  the  things 
of  the  spirit,  and  family  life  is  all  interwoven  with  immaterial  needs. 
Nothing  is  more  inefficient  than  an  open  wood  fire;  if  judged  by  the 
heat  calories  that  it  delivers,  it  is  to  be  wholly  condemned,  but  a 
family  has  been  known  to  drag  wood  from  the  forest  to  keep  it  going. 
Just  as  lawns  may  be  too  cleared  up  to  allow  of  any  hiding  places 
for  shy  wild  birds,  houses  may  be  so  -carefully  ordered  that  children 
are  unhappy  in  them;  the  housewife's  heart  may  be  so  set  on  her 
polished  floors  that  she  esteems  her  guests  according  to  the  nails 
in  the  heels  of  their  shoes ;  a  beautiful  inherited  chair  may  be  ban- 
ished to  the  attic  because  it  has  too  many  spindles  to  dust ;  a  grand- 
aunt  beloved  of  the  children  may  fail  to  receive  her  invitation 
because,  alas!  she  takes  snuff  and  is  not  careful  to  conceal  the 
evidence ;  and  the  woman  possessing  all  the  housewifely  virtues  may 
pursue  her  sewing  and  her  cleaning  with  such  vigor  that  she  is  a 
dull  companion  at  the  evening  meal. 

Time  for  Hospitality. — Among  the  decisions  that  have  to  do 
with  these  non-material  standards  and  which  must  be  made  very 


102     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

early  is  the  degree  of  hospitality  that  can  be  afforded  by  this  family. 
We  are  not  discussing  the  simple  give-and-take  of  children  and 
their  friends,  the  picnic  in  the  spring,  the  sandwiches  and  cake 
that  belong  with  the  tumult  around  the  back  door  when  a  snow  fort 
is  being  built,  or  the  simple  merrymakings  that  the  young  people 
manage  for  themselves,  but  hospitality  extended  to  the  adult  is  a 
more  serious  thing  for  the  family  of  small  means.  The  woman 
of  experience  does  not  hear  with  patience  that  "no  family  should 
live  so  that  there  is  not  a  seat  at  the  table  for  the  occasional  guest/' 
She  knows  better,  because  that  guest  may  not  be  one  who  will 
"make  allowances,"  as  will  the  relative  or  the  close  friend  whose 
company  is  so  precious  that  it  is  cheaply  bought  at  any  price. 

So  long  as  "  entertainment "  includes  eating  as  its  main  feature 
it  may  be  better  to  give  up  the  undeniable  charm  of  the  impromptu, 
whose  success,  like  many  other  apparently  simple  things,  requires 
a  background  of  preparedness,  and  to  substitute  stated  times  for 
entertaining,  when  preparation  may  be  made  at  leisure  and  the 
outlay  that  can  be  afforded  economically  planned. 

The  perfect  dinner,  noiselessly  served,  that  most  delightful  of 
all  social  functions,  is  not  to  be  achieved;  the  party  will  take  an- 
other form,  but  entertainers  and  guests  will  be  dressed  with  care 
and  will  approach  each  other  with  a  free  and  cordial  mind.  Is 
this  very  delightful  person  the  same  man  whom  you  met  on  the 
street  the  other  day,  a  little  shabby  and  careless  in  dress,  whose 
absorbed  eyes  you  could  scarcely  draw  to  your  business  query? 
Great  is  the  civilizing  influence  of  social  forms !  Hospitality,  well- 
planned  and  not  too  informal,  cannot  be  left  out  of  the  scheme 
of  family  life ;  however  small  the  income  may  be,  it  helps  to  develop 
that  gay  and  generous  home  spirit  in  which  we  sun  ourselves  and 
without  which  all  the  planning  and  economy  and  account-keeping 
is  in  vain. 

In  Conclusion. — The  housewife  will  best  make  her  contribution 
to  the  family  life  through  housework  if  she  has  regard  to  the  fol- 
lowing principles : 

1.  The  elimination  of  work  that  is  due  to  custom  and  habit 
rather  than  dictated  by  established  principles,  such  as  the  require- 
ments of  hygiene. 

2.  The  careful  planning  of  the  day's  work. 


THE  TIME  ELEMENT  IN  HOUSEWORK  103 

3.  The  better  planning  of  houses  and  arrangement  of  equipment. 

4.  The  use  of  labor-saving  devices. 

5.  The  study  of  fatigue  and  the  best  conditions  for  work. 

6.  The  full  cooperation  of  the  family. 

The  working  day  in  the  household  should  be  shortened,  but 
without  injury  to  any  of  the  essentials  of  home  life. 

The  principles  of  business  efficiency  are  applicable  to  many 
processes  that  go  on  in  the  household,  but  they  must  always  be  made 
secondary  to  the  standards  of  family  life,  which  make  for  happiness 
and  development. 

The  woman  of  the  average  income  who  is  trying  to  bring  about 
a  reasonable  working  day  will  find  that  no  element  in  her  complex 
problem  compares  in  importance  with  the  study  of  herself  as  a 
worker.  The  housewife  needs  access  to  expert  advice  in  order  to 
adjust  to  modern  conditions  and  standards.  The  farm  woman  has 
already  such  help  through  her  county  home  demonstration  agent. 
City  women  must  demand  an  extension  of  this  work  to  meet  their 
own  needs  by  Home  Information  Bureaus  such  as  are  outlined  in 
Chapter  XII. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  What  labor-saving  devices  of  moderate  cost  do  you  consider  to  be  of  the 

greatest  value? 

2.  Give  some  suggestions  not  mentioned  in  the  text  for  reducing  the  labor 

of  the  household,  more  "  short  cuts." 

3.  Do  you  think  there  is  danger  to  the  best  interests  of  the  home  in 

urging  that  the  hours  of  work  be  reduced?  Is  it  your  experience 
that  more  women  of  this  group  need  to  be  urged  to  do  their  duty 
to  husband  and  children  rather  than  to  have  the  number  of  their 
hours  reduced? 

4.  Give  illustrations  of  processes  now  carried  on  in  the  home  which  would 

better  be  performed  outside  and  show  how  the  extra  price  of  such 
work  is  to  be  afforded  by  the  family  on  the  average  income. 

5.  Can  you   give  any  additional    illustrations  of  where  hygiene   should 

take  the  precedence  of  custom  in  dictating  what  work  is  to  be  under- 
taken and  how  it  should  be  done? 

6.  Indicate  a  good  schedule  for  work  by  the  day  for  the  housewife  who 

is  doing  the  entire  work  for  a  family  of  five.     Same  for  the  week. 

7.  What  is  your  idea  of  the  forms  of  hospitality  that  may  be  afforded 

by  this  family? 

8.  Give  instances  of  how  cooperation  of  members  of  the  family  reduces 

the  work  of  the  mother.  What  ought  to  be  expected  of  the  man  of 
the  family?  What  of  the  children?  Is  it  not  common  to  expect 
too  much  actual  work  from  them? 


104     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

9.  Illustrate  how  correct  and  incorrect  dress  affects  the  worker  and  her 
family. 

10.  Since  industrial  progress  has  gained  a  shortened  day  for  the  man,  how 

are  the  women  of  the  household  which  he  represents  to  obtain  their 
share  of  such  gains  without  loss  to  the  family  life? 

11.  Would   the  better   organization   of   the  leisure  time  of  working   men 

affect  their  wives'  working  hours?     How? 

12.  How  could  an  "eight-hour-day  Household  League"  composed  of  house- 

wives work  to  effect  a  reduction  of  the  working  day  for  women? 
Would  they  try  some  form  of  cooperative  housekeeping? 

13.  What   fundamental   reasons   are   there   for   so   little   power-machinery 

in  the  household  as  compared  with  a  factory? 

14.  Suppose  you  were  asked  to  go  over  the  operating  expenses  of  a  house- 

hold in  order  to  suggest  ways  of  reducing  expenses;  make  a  list 
of  ten  leading  questions  which  you  would  ask  the  housekeeper  whom 
you  were  trying  to  help. 

15.  How  does  service  by  workers  living  outside  the  house  differ  in  the  costs 

it  brings  upon  the  family  as  compared  with  service  of  persons 
"living  in"? 

16.  Mention  several  economies  which  you  consider  unwise.     Several  which 

have  been  abandoned  by  the  present  generation,  but  which  must  be  re- 
sumed by  the  family  of  small  means. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  IN  RELATION  TO 
HER  CHILDREN 

IF  the  family  made  up  of  adults  and  older  children  cannot 
spare  the  mother  from  her  home  tasks,  what  shall  be  said  of  the 
family  made  up  partly  of  little  children  ?  In  this  case,  to  the  value 
of  the  housewife's  time  in  the  wages  already  mentioned  must  be 
added  that  of  a  caretaker  and  trainer  of  children.  The  need  for 
such  service  is  universally  acknowledged,  and,  if  any  decent  home 
standard  is  to  be  maintained,  the  mother  of  little  children  in  the 
moderate  income  family  stays  at  home  and  "  works  in  "  her  maternal 
duties  along  with  the  housework. 

A  Letter  from  a  Farmer's  Wife. — "  You  ask  me  to  calculate 
the  time  it  takes  every  day  to  care  for  two  little  children.  It  takes 
all  the  time  there  is!  Or,  you  can  unite  it  with  housework  and 
hardly  count  it  an  extra.  I  know,  for  Fve  done  it  both  ways. 
This  is  especially  true  if  you  live  in  the  country,  for  in  the  town 
two  or  three  hours  must  be  given  to  taking  the  child  out  for  the  air. 
But  housework  and  babies  seem  to  go  together;  I  shouldn't  know 
how  to  separate  the  time  given  to  each ;  the  mother  just '  mixes  them 
in  '  as  she  can.  And  I  say  again,  if  it  is  in  the  country  where  there 
is  a  clean,  safe  place  out-of-doors  for  them  to  roll  around  in,  and 
interesting  things  going  on  indoors  and  out,  you  do  the  really 
necessary  things  for  the  children  along  with  the  other  work.  They 
learn  to  do  a  great  deal  for  themselves  and  the  older  ones  help 
the  younger.  And  that's  good  for  them  both;  I  found  that  they 
are  much  more  affectionate  than  when  they  have  nothing  to  do 
for  each  other. 

"  To  begin  with,  my  baby  didn't  get  his  full  bath  in  the  morn- 
ing. I  hadn't  time  for  that.  He  sat  at  the  breakfast  table  in  his 
high  chair  with  a  little  wrapper  slipped  over  his  nightdress.  After 
breakfast  an  hour  was  kept  sacred  to  preparing  the  bottles  for 
twenty-four  hours;  the  milk  was  sterilized,  bottles  prepared  and 
filled.  If  the  mother  nurses  her  baby  it  takes  rather  longer,  twenty 

105 


106    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

minutes  every  three  or  four  hours,  but  it  is  such  a  rest  for  her  since 
she  must  give  herself  entirely  to  it,  and  quiet  is  necessary.  All 
day  the  mother  is  busy  and  the  child  must  be  near  her  when  it  is 
awake,  in  high  chair  or  on  the  floor,  or  on  a  blanket,  or  playing  out- 
side on  grass  or  sand.  It  is  a  very  poor  mother  who  cannot  use 
such  a  chance ;  she  generally  keeps  a  child  happy  with  part  of  her 
own  task.  When  you  stop  to  think  of  it,  there  are  a  great  many 
interesting  things  going  on  with  real  work.  If  I  was  baking,  baby 
had  a  piece  of  dough  to  play  with ;  if  I  was  shelling  peas,  he  played 
with  the  pods ;  if  I  was  washing,  nothing  pleased  him  so  much  as  to 
squeeze  and  rub  a  wet  cloth  in  imitation.  When  I  was  ironing  we 
always  had  a  great  visit  as  he  sat  beside  me  in  the  high  chair. 
Clothes-pins  make  a  first-class  toy ;  they  can  be  sucked  without  harm 
or  used  for  pounding  without  making  a  deafening  noise,  and  they 
can  be  fitted  into  each  other  in  all  kinds  of  ways.  I  cannot  help 
thinking  they  are  more  attractive  because  the  child  sees  them  in 
actual  use  by  older  people.  Children  like  most  of  all  to  find  out 
what  older  people  are  about  and  watch  them  at  it.  All  their  youth, 
if  you'll  notice,  they  are  imitating  someone,  ( trying  on '  I  They 
have  to  flounder  a  good  deal  to  find  themselves. 

"You  see,  the  working  mother's  child  must  learn  obedience, 
also  patience  with  the  older  people  and  with  their  necessary  work ; 
its  wants  cannot  be  met  on  the  minute.  And  I  think  it  is  a  good 
thing  for  a  child  to  get  very  early  the  right  idea  of  its  relation  to  its 
parents  and  to  the  work  of  the  world.  It  learns  that  nothing  comes 
ready-made. 

"  But  I  didn't  see  that  until  afterwards.  I  should  have  spoiled 
my  babies  if  I  had  had  the  time.  I  must  tell  you  what  those  habits 
of  obedience  and  patience  meant  later  on.  When  my  younger  boy 
was  five  and  a  half  he  was  taken  ill  with  pneumonia.  We  put  him 
in  the  sunniest  room,  but  it  was  upstairs  and  the  very  farthest 
from  my  kitchen.  I  took  care  of  him  and  he  recovered  without  a 
setback,  and  I  continued  to  do  all  my  housework,  including  the 
washing  and  ironing.  I  own  that  the  work  was  slighted  now  and 
then;  the  sick  child  came  first.  He  had  to  be  left  alone  a  good 
deal,  of  course ;  and  with  the  help  of  a  screw  in  the  ceiling  I  rigged 
up  a  little  trolley  line  over  his  bed,  to  which  his  toys  were  fastened, 
so  that  he  could  pull  one  or  the  other  toward  him  as  he  wanted 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  107 

them.  As  I  said,  the  children  had  to  learn  obedience  and  patience ; 
the  doctor  said  he  believed  from  watching  this  case  that  little  invalids 
were  better  off  without  as  much  attention  as  they  generally  received. 

"Now  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  a  hard-worked  farmer's  wife 
makes  an  ideal  mother,  but  if  she  is  intelligent,  the  times  when  the 
child  is  actually  neglected  will  be  few;  if  I  were  a  baby  and  could 
choose,  I'd  take  my  chances  in  such  a  home  rather  than  in  one  where 
I  was  left  much  to  a  nurse  girl,  though  perhaps  of  the  best  type, 
being  given  my  exercise  in  a  park  or  on  a  perfect  lawn,  all  my 
wishes  attended  to  quickly,  all  my  toys  constructed  to  fit  my  sup- 
posed intelligence  and  having  nothing  to  do  with  the  activities  of 
older  people.  I've  met  a  good  many  ineffective  young  people  that 
seem  to  me  the  product  of  this  kind  of  bringing  up." 

Letter  from  a  Village  Mother. — A  village  mother  writes :  "  My 
children's  ages  are  seven  and  a  half,  six,  and  two  and  a  half.  The 
oldest  goes  to  school.  For  the  little  ones  a  pan  of  sand  with  spoons 
and  tin  dishes  keeps  them  amused  for  hours  while  I  work. 

"  As  soon  as  they  were  big  enough  to  help  I  let  them  dust,  make 
beds,  wipe  dishes,  set  and  clear  the  table.  They  liked  this  and  they 
saved  me  many  steps  by  bringing  articles  that  I  needed.  When  I 
was  sewing  they  strung  spools  or  buttons  and  they  spent  hours  in 
cutting  pictures  from  magazines  and  pasting  them  into  an  old 
ledger.  In  summer  in  our  large  yard  and  garden  with  pets  and  a 
sand  pile  they  need  no  one  to  care  for  them.  When  I  came  to  read 
about  the  Montessori  system  I  found  that  because  I  was  too  busy 
to  do  any  other  way  I  had  unknowingly  followed  a  good  method. 
The  children  enjoy  doing  things  themselves  rather  than  having 
someone  overseeing  them  all  the  time. 

"  Time  each  day  for  keeping  the  children  clean  is  as  follows :  One 
and  a  half  hours  for  the  frequent  washings,  three-quarters  of  an 
hour  for  cleaning  teeth,  one  hour  for  baths,  half  an  hour  for  hair. 
If  the  two  older  ones  help  themselves  and  each  other,  then  one-third 
of  this  time  on  my  part  is  enough.  At  two  and  a  half  years  a 
child  '  wants  to  do  it  mine  own  self ' ;  that  is,  if  his  act  is  praised  and 
encouraged  and  he  is  helped  over  the  hardest  parts. 

"  For  dressing  these  children  in  the  morning  fifteen  minutes 
is  our  average  allowance  of  time;  it  varies  with  the  seasons  of  the 
year;  ten  minutes  are  allowed  for  undressing.  I  simply  oversee 


108     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

this  last  while  we  tell  stories.  A  child  of  two  and  a  half  need  only 
to  have  clothes  unfastened.  At  four  a  child  can  dress  himself  with 
a  little  assistance  from  an  older  one.  But  clothes  must  of  course 
be  simply  made  and  easily  fastened.  One-piece  dresses  have  elastic 
at  the  waist  instead  of  waistbands  with  buttons;  so  also  pants  of 
Russian  suits;  all  petticoats  are  made  princess  style  and  slip  over4 
the  head;  they  have  one-piece  sleeping  garments,  and  underwaists 
button  in  front. 

"  The  playthings  are  simple ;  they  have  few  boughten  toys.  A 
rag  doll  with  padded  box  for  a  bed,  kindergarten  scissors  and  old 
magazines,  blocks,  small  boxes,  bottles,  spools,  etc.,  interest  them. 
The  girl  of  six  loves  to  make  chains  of  yarn  by  crochet  and  spool 
knitting.  Out-of-doors  a  cart,  a  ladder,  a  smooth  board  as  a  <  slide/ 
a  sand  pile  with  spoons,  shovel  and  pans  will  do  more  for  children 
than  expensive  store  toys.  I  am  so  busy  that  I  play  with  them  very 
little  except  as  we  make  play  of  their  work. 

"  My  time  spent  with  them  tells  best  in  reading  to  them  and 
teaching  them  songs  and  quotations.  A  little  song,  '  Be  Ye  Kind/ 
breaks  up  threatened  quarrels ;  another,  (  Work  While  You  Work/ 
overcomes  the  inclination  to  dawdle. 

"  Their  help  in  housework,  in  caring  for  each  other,  in  keeping 
the  yard  neat,  and  in  running  errands  has  been  considerable.  They 
are  generally  glad  to  help  and  proud  to  be  allowed  to  do  certain 
tasks.  I  ask  rather  than  demand  this  help  and  manage  to  call 
attention  to  its  part  in  maintaining  the  home.  Opportunities  for 
teaching  the  principles  of  hygiene  are  found  in  killing  flies,  dusting, 
laundry  work  and  their  personal  cleanliness.  My  little  girl  is 
being  trained  in  accuracy  when  she  helps  in  cooking;  she  makes 
muffins,  graham  bread  or  a  simple  pudding  and  shows  -delight  in 
having  prepared  something  good  for  the  whole  family.  They  like 
to  please  me  by  completing  a  task  very  nicely  or  quickly  when  I 
am  in  another  part  of  the  house.  I  find  there  is-  magic  in  the  word 
'  together/  Praise  works  better  than  criticism  and  I  have  learned 
what  to  ignore. 

"These  three  children  volunteered  to  help  clear  out  a  store- 
room that  was  to  be  made  into  a  bedroom  for  one  of  them.  For 
three  days  they  cheerfully  carried  magazines,  fruit  cans  and  clothing 
up  a  ladder  to  the  attic;  they  took  off  wallpaper  and  cleaned  up 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  109 

the  room  for  the  painter.  Had  they  not  helped  in  this  way  they 
|  could  not,  I  am  sure,  have  felt  such  pleasure  as  they  did  in  the 
^  room  when  finished." 

Development  of  the  Child  Through  Household  Activities. — 
[  The  two  foregoing  letters  show  the  vantage  ground  occupied  by 
]  the  working  mother  in  the  rearing  of  her  children.  One  cannot 
j  estimate  her  value  to  the  home  simply  by  adding  to  the  price  per 
j!  hour  of  housework  the  wages  of  a  nurse  or  kindergartner ;  the  ques- 
j  tion  is  whether  the  mother  who  has  had  half  a  chance  at  training 
j  and  is  possessed  of  a  little  leisure  can  be  replaced  at  any  price  and 
whether  her  natural  environment  can  be  equalled  by  the  best  of 
';i  school  equipment. 

When  we  are  asked  to  define  a  home  we  find  that  the  first 

'  reason  for  its  existence  is  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  adults  who  have 

created  it.     If  they  did  not  get  from  it  more  happiness,  rest  and 

jj  refreshment  than  they  get  elsewhere  they  might  not  continue  to  use 

I  their  earnings  to  keep  it  going;  but  its  second  reason  for  being 

;.  is  also  founded  deep  in  the  needs  of  the  race;  it  is  the  nest  of 

the  child,  who  is  here  nourished  during  its  helpless  years  and  taught 

•  some  of  its  earliest  and  most  important  lessons. 

As  seen  in  the  two  letters  describing  the  care  of  young  children 
;  the  routine  of  the  household,  rich  in  teaching  material,  may  be  con- 
sciously directed  by  the  intelligent  mother  to  definite  ends  which 
J  concern  the  child's  development.     This  teaching  of  the  child  may 
I  indeed  be  the  very  guiding  spirit  of  her  days,  giving  interest  to 
:  every  task,  and  furnishing  the  highest  reward  for  her  labor.     It 
would  seem  that  the  mother  is  the  person  now  held  chiefly  respon- 
sible for  the  very  early  years  whose  importance  is  becoming  more 
and  more  evident.  While  the  college  is  blaming  the  high  school  for 
the  poor  preparation  it  gives  the  boys  and  girls,  and  the  high  school 
!  falls  back  on  the  intermediate  and  primary  with  the  same  complaint, 
I  the  primary  teacher  says  the  mischief  is  all  done  before  the  child  is 
six  years  old !    If  this  latter  statement  is  true,  society  would  better 
bestir  itself  regarding  this  home  woman  and  give  her  training  and 
equipment  and  some  leisure  for  her  great  task  of  teaching  the 
child.     This  preparation  may  not  consist  in  entirely  freeing  the 
woman  from  housework,  but  in  teaching  her  how  to  use  it  as  far  as 
it  is  usable  to  these  ends. 


110    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Housework  as  a  Teaching  Plant. — The  home  alone  does  not 
furnish  all  of  the  groundwork  for  a  child's  early  training,  but  it 
gives  a  very  large  part  of  it,  and,  whether  they  will  or  no,  the  mother 
and  father  and  other  relatives  are  the  teachers.  In  the  home  of 
wealth  the  activities  through  which  the  child  is  taught  may  be 
well  worked  out  and  the  trained  caretaker  be  a  competent  person, 
although  in  many  cases  the  children  are  left  to  more  or  less  irre- 
sponsible servants,  and  their  playground  is  the  public  park.  But 
m  the  home  of  moderate  income  there  is  no  money  for  the  hired 
person  of  any  grade  whatever;  the  working  mother  must  be  the 
teacher  and  her  daily  activities  instead  of  being  a  hindrance  may  be 
a  great  help  to  her,  since  they  furnish  a  natural  teaching  plant  con- 
nected with  real  living  conditions ;  especially  the  case  if  a  yard  and 
garden  are  connected  with  the  home. 

These  arts  of  life  have  been  found  to  be  of  the  greatest  value  by 
educators  and  have  been  made  the  basis  of  all  systems  for  child 
training,  such  as  the  kindergarten  and  the  Montessori ;  the  mother 
in  the  home  has  all  the  material  at  hand,  but  she  needs  the  help 
of  the  educator  in  using  it  to  these  ends.  The  very  fact  that 
these  services  are  necessary  to  the  comfort  of  the  family  give  them 
a  decided  advantage  over  the  more  artificial  activities  of  the  kinder- 
garten and  the  manual-training  class.  It  is  a  real  coal  scuttle  to  be 
filled,  a  real  clothes  line  to  be  put  up,  and  the  relation  is  very 
apparent  to  the  cooked  dinner  and  the  clean  shirt.  Parents  may  yet 
be  taught  to  suit  the  services  they  exact,  both  in  amount  and  kind, 
to  the  age  of  the  child,  and  to  keep  always  in  view  the  effect  on 
its  development. 

Theodore  Roosevelt's  "Letters  to  His  Children"  shows  what 
care  was  taken  in  a  well-to-do  family  to  train  the  children  through 
home  interests  to  be  responsible  citizens  and  how  they  acquired  the 
amenities  and  graces  of  social  life  by  and  through  all  their  relations 
to  what  went  on  in  the  home. 

Precept  Alone  is  Useless. — The  failure  to  see  that  some  kind 
of  "  plant "  is  necessary  for  teaching  the  right  habits  and  attitude 
toward  life  may  be  traced  to  the  universal  trust  in  didactic  teaching ; 
but  precepts  not  illustrated  by  life  have  never  had  any  teaching 
power;  development  comes  through  our  reaction  to  our  surround- 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  111 

ings,  and  here  in  the  home  is  the  active  teaching  situation  and  the 
stage  all  set  for  the  part. 

Two  generations  ago,  when  there  was  so  little  "  ready  made,"  all 
departments  of  practical  life  had  to  be  conquered  in  the  home. 
By  and  through  the  industries  carried  on  for  the  support  of  the 
family,  as  in  the  farm  home,  a  school  of  life  was  in  progress  and 
the  precious  inheritance  of  standards  and  customs,  the  very  founda- 
tion of  national  character,  was  being  formed  and  handed  on.  The 
working  mother  of  our  moderate  income  family  to-day  is  doing 
actual  housework  and  she  must  continue  to  do  it  until  conditions 
radically  change,  for  it  is  at  present,  as  we  have  seen,  the  most 
feasible  way  of  making  her  necessary  contribution  to  the  income,  and 
it  is  this  fact  which  gives  her  a  substantial  advantage  in  child 
training  which  she  must  learn  to  use. 

The  Working  Mother's  Advantage. — The  mother  of  a  family 
is  on  the  spot,  ready  to  meet  the  various  needs  as  they  arise.  She 
is  not  absorbed  by  outside  activities,  and  the  effect  of  much  con- 
scious and  unconscious  thinking  over  her  home  problems  is  often 
seen  in  great  wisdom  of  decision  in  emergencies ;  interest  and  affec- 
tion bring  out  the  best  that  is  in  her ;  the  love  of  the  children  and 
their  interest  in  the  common  home  give  her  an  added  advantage. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  the  school  and  kindergarten  teacher 
who,  it  is  urged,  is  so  superior  to  this  mother  and  to  be  trusted 
with  the  whole  business,  is  also  a  limited  being,  whose  training 
varies  from  poor  to  middling  and  whose  task  is  a  heavy  one,  each 
child  being  favored  with  a  very  small  part  of  her  time.  Expert 
work  of  high  order  is  rare  as  yet,  chiefly  for  the  reason,  it  would 
seem,  that  "  there  are  not  enough  first-class  people  to  go  around  " ; 
and  in  this  difficult  matter  of  child  training  we  must  utilize  the 
woman  who  controls  what  we  have  called  the  housekeeping  plant 
and  whose  mind  is  stimulated  by  self-interest,  to  train  a  few  chil- 
dren who  are  dear  to  her.  If  she  can  be  taught  to  use  her  advan- 
tages and  be  honored  by  the  public  in  her  work,  she  will  in  general 
do  far  better  for  those  little  ones  than  would  the  unaided  outsider 
"whose  own  the  sheep  are  not/' 

What  are  some  of  the  lessons  that  the  child  learns  better  with  the 
help  of  the  working  mother  ? 


112    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Personal  Hygiene. — In  these  first  years  the  child  is  forming 
habits  in  the  choice  of  food  and  ways  of  eating,  in  the  care  of  skin 
and  teeth;  it  is  then  that  some  rudiments  of  bacteriology  may  be 
acquired  which  will  ensure  the  proper  care  of  slight  wounds  and 
the  protection  of  all  body  openings  from  foreign  substances;  also> 
may  be  learned  the  reasons  for  the  eternal  war  on  dirt,  and  these  - 
lessons  it  will  learn  all  the  better  since  it  sees  the  daily  campaign 
in  progress.  It  is  now  that  regularity  of  bodily  functions  becomes 
fixed,  now  that  the  child  learns  to  stand  and  walk  as  he  should, 
now  that  the  habits  of  speech  are  formed  and  the  voice  pitched 
properly  or  the  reverse,  it  is  now  that  good  manners  may  be  made 
second  nature.  These  bits  of  knowledge  do  not  come  as  set  lessons, 
but  as  a  part  of  the  life  the  family  lead  together,  and  they  are 
mastered  only  by  many  repetitions  and  illustrations. 

Proper  Speech. — One  of  the  most  important  things  in  a  child's 
development  is  free  expression  through  speech.  This  can  only  be 
brought  about  by  great  sympathy  between  parents  and  children,  by 
talk  and  play  and  laughter  about  inconsequent  small  things,  much 
friendly  gay  chatter  and  discussion ;  there  must  be  a  wide  range  of ' 
subjects  and  it  is  better  to  have  heated  arguments  than  no  talk. 
It  is  this  sympathy  which  is  endangered  by  day-long  absences  of 
the  mother  and  by  her  absorption  in  outside  interests.  A  child: 
quickly  realizes  when  the  answers  to  his  questions  are  perfunctory, , 
and  he  is  chilled  by  a  weary  and  bored  attitude ;  time  and  pains  are 
needed  to  gain  an  intimate,  chummy  companionship  and  to  meet 
the  child's  craving  to  be  taught. 

Self-control  and  Responsibility. — Of  the  many  habits  that 
are  being  started  in  these  early  years,  take  as  illustration  those  that 
are  closely  connected  with  the  life  of  the  household,  the  habit  of 
industry,  the  habit  of  obedience  or  cooperation,  and  the  attitude 
toward  work  and  life  that  makes  the  valuable  citizen.     We  are1 
assured  by  educators  that  all  life  and  development  is  built  up  on 
labor  and  effort,  that  every  individual  must  have  discipline  in  the 
steady  performance  of  some  kind  of  hand  work,  and  that  this  isi 
needed  for  physical  development,  for  discipline  of  the  will  and  for  • 
later  team  work  and  efficiency,  and  should  be  given  as  a  purely 
disciplinary  measure  without  any  regard  to  what  the  trade  or1 
profession  is  to  be. 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  113 

Helping  with  the  Housework. — This  training  in  industry  and 
responsibility  is  well  begum  by  helping  in  the  household  tasks,  and 
just  here  the  parents,  greatly  needing  the  actual  assistance,  and 
seeing  more  or  less  clearly  that  to  render  such  help  is  good  for  the 
child,  should  be  met  with  wise  advice  as  to  how  much  work  is  to  be 
exacted  at  different  ages  and  how  the  child's  cooperation  is  to  be 
gained,  not  lost.  It  is  often  found  that  the  parents  are  full  of 
interest  in  the  subject,  but  do  not  know  how  to  work  out  the  problem. 

The  difficulties  are  not  to  be  ignored ;  they  are  shown  in  typical 
remarks  made  by  parents : 

"  I  don't  know  how  much  work  I  ought  to  require." 

"  School  claims  so  much  home  time  for  preparing  lessons  that 
the  children  need  what  is  left  for  play." 

"  Other  children  have  no  tasks  and  it  is  hard  to  compel  ours 
to  work." 

"  My  boy  says  he  is  going  to  be  a  lawyer  and  he  doesn't  need 
to  learn  to  work." 

"  Life  will  soon  enough  be  hard  for  them." 

"  I  would  rather  do  the  work  myself  than  bother  to  teach 
the  girls." 

These  remarks  show  how  much  the  parent  needs  enlightenment 
from  educators  who  have  given  close  study  to  the  subject  on  both  the 
physical  and  psychological  sides,  and  also  that  school  and  society 
must  uphold  this  home  training  when  the  best  methods  have  been 
decided  on  and  adopted. 

That  the  mother  "  cannot  bother  to  teach,"  that  it  "  does  not 
pay,"  shows  a  failure  to  see  that  the  effect  on  the  child  is  more 
important  than  the  help  rendered,  and  the  often-heard  remark  that 
life  will  soon  enough  be  hard,"  reveals  another  great  mistake;  it 
will  be  indeed  hard  if  the  habit  of  industry  and  a  pleasure  in  the 
results  of  industry  are  not  made  a  part  of  early  experience.  When 
a  boy  of  fifteen  is  taken  direct  from  play  or  idle  loafing  and  put  to 
a  man's  work,  the  result  may  be  rebellion  or  a  total  failure  to  make 
good,  which  results  in  deep  discouragement.  It  is  reported  that  the 
boy  "  cannot  stick_jto  anything."  It_is  not  his  fault.  A  sharp 
compulsion  has  been  put  on  a  will  untrained  by  tasks  properly 
graded  in  difficulty,  therefore  sustained  application  is  found  intoler- 
able. Such  neglect  to  prepare  a  boy  for  his  life  in  the  world  is 
8 


114    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

cruel,  and  should  not  be  allowed  any  more  than  are  the  severe 
beatings,  overwork  and  neglect  now  punishable  by  law. 

It  is  the  same  with  the  girl  of  our  average  home,  if  she  is 
brought  up  to  do  as  she  pleases.  When  she  marries  it  is  found 
that  clumsy  fingers  and  weak  muscles  unused  to  steady  work  are 
overtaxed  in,  her  first  efforts  at  housework  and  baby-tending,  and  if 
in  addition  she  has  no  training  in  household  methods,  weariness 
and  rebellion  are  often  the  result. 

It  is  high  time,  indeed,  that  we  were  about  the  task  of  assisting 
the  home  to  improve  its  teaching  functions.  Those  who  are  engaged 
in  working  out  a  scheme  of  industrial  education  under  the  Smith- 
Hughes  Act  must,  it  would  seem,  begin  with  the  preliminary 
education  which  is  to  take  place  in  the  home.  With  their  help 
more  materials  and  methods  for  this  home  teaching  may  be  devel- 
oped. It  is  also  hoped  that  the  Children's  Bureau,  in  addition 
to  its  valuable  pamphlets  on  the  physical  care  of  the  baby  and 
young  child,  may  make  contributions  on  the  training  of  the  child. 

Until  a  good  scheme  for  home  work,  detailed  and  definite  for 
every  year  of  the  youthful  life,  is  formulated  with  the  same  care  as 
that  with  which  the  present  school  curriculum  has  been  brought 
together,  the  following  suggestions  gathered  from  the  experience  of 
parents  may  be  of  some  value : 

The  Little  Child. — Until  the  age  of  six  or  seven  the  small 
household  tasks,  carefully  adapted  to  age  and  strength,  should  be 
exacted  from  every  child  somewhat  after  the  plan  outlined  in  the 
letters  of  the  two  mothers  as  already  quoted.  The  important  thing 
is  that  there  should  be  regularity  and  no  escape  from  a  satisfactory 
standard  in  the  performance.  For  instance,  it  takes  but  a  moment 
longer  to  pile  the  wood  in  a  wood  box  in  an  orderly  manner  than  to 
dump  it  in.  The  boy  will  come  to  take  pleasure  in  the  sight,  as  will 
the  little  girl  in  the  dish  towels  hung  in  a  neat  row.  The  mother 
must  reconstruct  her  view  of  the  objects  to  be  attained  by  her  day's 
•work;  it  is  not  first  and  foremost  the  neat  house,  the  well-cooked 
meal,  but  the  child's  development  obtained  by  helping  to  bring  about 
these  results.  Let  a  good  housekeeper  try  to  get  this  new  view  for 
a  day  and  note  the  result  on  the  children. 

The  School  Child. — When  the  child,  begins  school  these  duties 
to  the  home  must  not  be  given  up.  Little  girls  of  eight  to  twelve 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  115 

should  put  their  rooms  and  their  clothes  in  order  in  the  morning 
and  should  help  with  the  supper  dishes  at  night.  On  Saturdays 
they  should  give  some  help  with  cleaning  the  house,  should  darn 
their  stockings  and  perhaps  do  a  little  sewing.  In  vacations  boys 
and  girls  of  ten  to  twelve  can  do  several  hours'  work  a  day  to  their 
great  advantage,  as  can  the  boy  and  girl  between  twelve  and  sixteen, 
but  the  latter  need  regular  employment  even  more  than  do  the 
younger  ones.  Their  own  choice  as  to  what  the  work  shall  be  may 
be  allowed  considerable  scope.  The  girl  has  become  acutely  conscious 
of  her  appearance  and  will  work  with  great  persistence  in  making 
clothes  for  herself.  This  matter  of  clothes  is  for  her  just  now  the 
great  business  of  life  and  she  must  be  helped  to  achieve  a  pleasing 
result  with  the  means  at  hand. 

Boy  and  girl  may  unite  at  this  time  in  work  that  makes  the  homo 
attractive.  They  have  decided,  we  will  say,  that  the  living  room  is 
shabby,  but,  when  no  money  is  available  for  refurnishing,  young 
hands  can  learn  to  paint  woodwork,  to  upholster  chairs,  to  paste 
on  wallpaper,  to  braid  rugs.  Not  only  is  the  desired  end  attained, 
but  a  distinct  advance  has  been  made  in  skill  of  hand,  in  knowledge 
of  materials  and  of  color  effects;  the  children  are  full  of  pleasure 
in  their  accomplishment.  Younger  children  sometimes  do  won- 
ders in  thus  reconstructing  a  playroom,  but  they  need  wise  help  and 
encouragement  over  the  hardest  places  to  avoid  such  poor  results 
as  will  discourage  and  block  any  future  attempt.  If  a  mother  who 
is  directing  the  work  and  play  of  children  at  this  difficult  age  finds 
in  them  a  consuming  desire  to  make  or  do  some  one  thing,  she  may 
be  thankful  and  should  follow  rather  than  lead,  always  granted 
that  the  work  is  constructive  in  character. 

Advantages  of  Struggle. — It  is  not  the  practical  end  gained 
but  the  training  of  the  will  that  results  from  overcoming  difficulties 
which  is  the  most  important  thing;  it  is  now  that  the  moral  fibre 
may  be  strengthened  for  the  hard  times  that  are  to  come  to  every 
individual.  Nothing  is  gained  by  urging  the  timid  into  situations 
in  life  that  call  for  pioneer  qualities,  but  why  are  so  many  men  and 
women  timid?  To  place  before  the  child  difficulties  properly 
graded  to  his  intelligence  and  to  provide  the  stimulus  and  incentive 
for  overcoming  them,  and  then  to  proceed  to  the  next  harder  task, 
sums  up  one  of  the  most  important  principles  in  education. 


116    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

It  is  here  that  the  family  of  limited  means  has  the  advantage. 
It  is  more  difficult  for  people  of  wealth  to  train  their  children  in 
habits  of  industry ;  the  boy  does  not  see  why  he  should  clear  away 
the  remains  of  the  fireworks  Avhen  the  gardener's  duty  is  to  attend 
to  the  lawn;  it  is  a  resolute  mother  who  will  refuse  to  allow  the 
seamstress  already  in  the  house  to  make  the  garment  that  has  been 
set  as  the  task  for  the  indolent  little  girl.  Can  hobbies  of  travel, 
collecting,  or  self-culture  take  the  place  for  the  average  young  per- 
son of  a  really  constructive  task?  Eelease  from  work  has  been 
called  "  a  tainted  blessing/'  "  effort  is  the  law,  whether  for  a  liveli- 
hood or  for  enjoyment/3 

The  Part  That  Money  Plays.—"  Things  are  in  the  saddle  and 
ride  mankind,"  said  Emerson.  A  home  may  be  swamped  by  an 
income  greater  than  its  development  calls  for;  the  clean,  artistic 
setting  of  a  life  may  be  cluttered  up  with  mere  "  things  "  to  which 
it  has  no  vital  relation  because  it  did  not  help  to  make  or  to  choose 
them;  money  may  hamper  the  development  of  initiative  and 
smother  by  too  easy  attainment  that  most  stimulating  thing  in  a 
young  life,  longing.  It  may  blur  the  differences  that  exist  between 
two  desired  objects,  differences  that  we  must  carefully  consider  if 
we  are  to  choose  between  them.  But  why  bother,  if  we  may  have 
both?  Discrimination  thus  becomes  of  no  importance;  the  rose- 
bush unwisely  watered  sends  down  110  deep  roots  to  provide  nourish- 
ment in  time  of  drought ;  exercise  is  lacking  to  build  the  foundations 
that  make  fortitude  possible  in  later  life. 

The  Boy  and  the  Indian  Suit. — A  little  boy  made  his  Indian 
suit  himself.  Visits  to  an  art  gallery  were  needed  to  decide  on 
the  length  of  the  leg  fringe;  he  wrote  letters  of  appeal,  and  later 
of  thanks,  to  a  country  cousin  who  sent  the  precious  turkey  feathers, 
a  few  at  a  time,  for  the  headdress.  He  felt  the  pleasure  of  an  artist 
in  the  perfect  slant  of  those  feathers  cunningly  wound  and  attached 
to  the  beaded  forehead  band.  His  little  hands  knew  no  weariness ; 
there  were  not  hours  enough  in  the  day.  Work  enough  to  fill  the 
whole  vacation  stretched  ahead  of  him  and  his  playmates,  for  his 
growing  skill  and  ambition  were  fitting  him  for  leadership  and  he 
was  planning  the  construction  of  a  tent  that  should  house  them  all. 
He  dreamed  of  jt  nights ;  it  was  to  be  made  of  sailcloth,  the  money 
to  buy  said  sailcloth  not  yet  in  sight,  but  he  had  plans  for  earning  it. 


THE  MOTHER'S  CONTRIBUTION  117 

:  And  on  its  side  was  to  be  painted  a  rearing  buffalo !     Happy  boy 
with  his  plans ! 

But  in  an  evil  moment  a  well-meaning  relative  presented  him 
with  a  ready-made  khaki  tent.  He  received  the  gift  joyfully,  its 
store  smartness  was  praised  by  the  boys ;  like  his  elders,  he  thought 
possession  the  'great  good.  But  for  this  little  boy  the  khaki  was 
the  wooden  horse  of  the  Greeks  filled  with  enemies;  it  robbed  him 
of  what  would  have  filled  long  summer  days,  the  plans,  the  measur- 
ing, the  figuring,  the  failures  and  successes,  and,  alas,  the 
painted  buffalo ! 

Another  child  made  himself  a  little  violin  by  stretching  wires 
over  a  cigar  box  and  with  this  he  strummed  delighted  when  his 
mother  played  the  piano ;  he  imagined  rather  than  made  harmonies. 
This  seeming  precocity  so  delighted  his  parents  that  a  real  violin 
was  bought  for  him  and  an  effort  made  to  instruct  him.  But  the 
discords  he  made  were  now  too  evident ;  he  was  caught  between  the 
joy  of  constructive  play  and  a  serious  development  for  which  he 
was  not  yet  old  enough.  Both  the  play  violin  and  the  real  one 
were  abandoned.  When  the  same  child  made  an  imitation  of  roller 
skates  with  empty  spools,  his  inventive  ability  was  again  foiled  by 
a  gift  from  the  shop.  Is  it  not  a  wonder  that  our  well-meant 
interference  does  not  wholly  prevent  the  development  of 
our  children? 

Value  of  the  Mother's  Service  to  the  Child. — The  money 
value  of  the  time  given  by  the  working  mother  to  the  training 
of  her  children  will  depend  on  the  degree  of  intelligence  and  devo- 
tion which  she  brings  to  the  task.  According  to  her  equipment  it 
will  be  the  sum  -paid  to  a  nursemaid,  to  a  nursery  governess,  or  to  a 
trained  kindergartner,  and  this  sum  must  be  considered  as  added  to 
the  family  income.  The  potential  value  to  the  family  and  the  state 
of  this  woman's  teaching  and  influence  would  seem  to  warrant 
extensive  plans  for  her  education  and  help  on  the  part  of 
the  community. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  List  ten  household  tasks  and  grade  them  in  the  order  in  which  they 

may  be  undertaken  by  children  of  different  ages. 

2.  Should  any  distinction  be  made  between  tasks  for  little  boys  and  those 

for  little  girls?    If  so,  when  should  such  a  distinction  come  in? 


118     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

3.  When  may  children  begin  to  be  taught  the  use  of  money?     Shall  they 

be  given  an  allowance,  shall  they  be  paid  for  work  done  or  for  follow- 
ing rules  about  health,  taking1  medicine,  etc?  Is  there  a  danger  in 
making  such  payments?  Can  this  danger  be  avoided? 

4.  How  is  the  mother  to  get  work  done  by  the  children  without  friction? 

Illustrate  the  game  spirit  in  housework,  the  competitive  spirit. 

5.  Suppose  a  child  to  be  given  ownership  of  the  furnishings  of  his  own 

room,  what  advantages  may  be  secured.?  Shall  he  select?  Buy  with 
his  own  money? 

6.  What  working  tools  should  a  boy  gradually  accumulate?    What  a  girl? 
8.  Mention  a  half  dozen  natural  household  situations  that  have  teaching 

possibilities.  Is  it  better  to  use  such,  even  to  create  them,  rather  than 
expect  to  teach  by  didactic  precepts  ? 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  IN  PROMOT- 
ING HEALTH  AND  IMPROVING  LIVING  CON- 
DITIONS 

As  seen  in  the  first  chapter,  one  of  the  four  conditions  necessary 
for  the  success  of  our  moderate  income  family  is  that  the  com- 
munity shall  do  its  part.  Their  income  will  not  suffice  to  cover 
actual  needs  and  to  maintain  decent  standards  of  living  unless 
community  help  is  available  on: 

1.  Sanitation,  including  prevention  and  care  of  illness  as  an 
extension  of  the  public  health  service. 

2.  Prevention  of  unreasonable  prices  for  food.     Under  means 
to  this  end  are  helps  to  agriculture  and  the  marketing  of  agricultural 
produce,  and  well-supervised  markets  with  inspection  of  weights  and 
measures.     A  related  agency  is  the  proposed  public  kitchen. 

3.  Proper  control  of  public  services,  as  water,  gas,  electric  light, 
telephone  and  transportation,  all  of  which  the  citizen  is  obliged  to 
use  and  whose  price  is  not  controlled  by  competition. 

4.  A  complete  system  of  free  education. 

5.  Free  parks,  playgrounds,  and  other  helps  in  recreation. 
The  Individual  and  the  Community. — While  the  conditions 

that  favor  individual  and  family  development  include  personal 
effort  and  the  overcoming  of  obstacles,  yet  if  the  task  proves  too 
difficult,  effort  is  felt  to  be  useless  and  ambition  dies;  the  family 
in  consequence  deteriorates  and  becomes  a  burden  on  the  community 
instead  of  a  helpful  part  of  it.  To  what  extent  shall  the  com- 
munity help  the  individual  family?  To  that  point  which  makes  of 
it  the  efficient  unit  on  which  the  state  can  be  built?  It  would 
seem  that  nothing  less  will  suffice.  But  how  is  this  help  to  be 
given  so  as  not  to  impair  the  development  of  personal  initiative 
and  independence  ? 

Only  by  the  extension  of  free  public  service  for  all  citizens,  such 
as  now  provides  roads  and  water  and  parks,  service  which  is  taken 

119 


120     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

by  citizens  without  loss  of  self-respect  and  with  no  idea  that  they 
are  receiving  more  than  their  just  due.  It  may  well  be  considered 
a  duty  of  the  state  to  stabilize  life  and  health,  to  see  that  comfort 
and  education  and  play  are  possible,  just  as  banks  and  government 
agencies  stabilize  finance  and  prevent  panics  by  large  measures  that 
reduce  the  danger  from  individual  failure  and  mistakes. 

The  health  and  happiness  and  effective  labor  of  all  citizens  is  of 
vast  importance  to  the  state,  and  the  average  citizen  cannot  in  our 
modern  complicated  life  attain  these  ends  without  help. 

Modern  Industrial  Changes. — Such  help  is  sometimes  de- 
nounced as  tending  to  undermine  self-reliance,  but  this  view  does 
not  take  into  account  the  profound  changes  that  have  come  about  in 
a  generation.  As  Simon  Patten  has  said,  sacrifices  which  were  once 
a  biological  necessity  cannot  be  required  in  a  time  when  the  world 
has  accumulated  riches.  For  instance,  motherhood  should  no 
longer  be  at  the  expense  of  the  mother ;  for  her  the  risks  and  priva- 
tions once  necessary  are  now  out  of  joint  with  the  times ;  protection 
for  such  women  "  should  now  come  from  the  current  body  of  social 
riches — by  whose  help  we  are  passing  on  to  a  new  type  of  family  lif e" 

As  the  development  of  a  country  proceeds,  the  dependence  of  the 
individual  on  the  community  increases.  Gone  are  the  primitive 
conditions  in  which  every  man,  as  in  the  rebuilding  of  the  wall  of 
Jerusalem,  "builded  over  against  his  house/'  The  modern  com- 
munity, even  in  rural  regions,  is  made  up  of  households  that  possess 
very  unequal  power  to  contribute  to  the  general  well-being  and 
defense.  In  the  last  two  generations  great  numbers  of  our  people 
have  exchanged  life  on  the  farm  or  in  the  small  town  for  city  con- 
ditions, and  in  doing  this  they  have  surrendered  without  realizing 
many  natural  advantages.  The  man  who  has  come  from  the 
country  to  work  in  a  town  must  be  furnished  pure  water  in  lieu 
of  the  spring  on  the  hillside  near  his  farm  home ;  factory  inspection 
and  tenement  house  laws  must  be  adequate  and  well  enforced 
to  make  up  for  the  "tang  of  winds/'  the  free  sunshine  and  large 
spaces  which  have  been  his  uncounted  right ;  since  he  can  no  longer 
walk  to  his  work,  nor  his  wife  to  the  market  at  which  she  can 
advantageously  buy,  the  transportation  problem  must  be  solved  for 
him;  if  he  cannot  command  a  garden  in  which  to  grow  vegetables 
and  fruits,  adequate  market  inspection  for  sanitary  reasons  and 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  121 

to  prevent  extortion  is  for  him  a  matter  of  vital  concern.  His 
requirement  for  gardening  land  is  not  in  our  cities  met  by  a  share 
in  the  community  garden  as  seen  in  the  suburbs  of  European  cities, 
where  he  may  build  his  arbor  and  spend  evenings  and  holiday  hours 
with  his  family.  These  and  other  needs  of  his  family  cannot  be 
furnished  by  his  own  unaided  action.  An  enlightened  policy  must 
rule  the  city,  and  community  funds  must  be  devoted  to  building 
up  a  system  which  is  to  serve  the  family  at  every  hand. 

We  are  probably  to  see  in  the  next  few  years  a  great  extension 
of  state  and  municipal  help  toward  efficient  living  among  families 
of  moderate  and  small  income.  Cities  are  beginning  to  bid  against 
each  .other  for  desirable  citizens,  such  men  and  women  as  realize 
the  effect  of  good  public  conditions  on  their  earning  power  and  on 
the  buying  power  of  their  dollars  and  who  are  intelligent  enough 
to  demand  such  conditions.  It  has  long  been  common  for  a  city 
to  offer  to  a  manufactory  a  free  site  or  low  taxes  as  an  inducement 
to  settle ;  now  the  attention  of  the  man  who  is  to  work  in  this  factory 
is  being  called  to  low  trolley  fares,  to  a  fine  park  system,  to  low 
rates  in  a  local  gas  plant,  for  it  has  been  found  to  be  useless  to  start 
factories  where  good  workmen  cannot  be  kept  because  of  unfavorable 
conditions  for  family  life. 

Responsibility  of  the  Community  for  Health  of  Its  Mem- 
bers.— Just  as  the  state  is  concerned  in  the  development  of  its 
mines  and  forests,  its  harbor  facilities,  and  other  sources  of  natural 
wealth,  so  it  is  concerned  in  developing  a  still  greater  source  of 
wealth,  the  efficiency  of  its  citizens.  The  first  requirement  of  the 
dtizen  on  the  public  purse  is  for  adequate  sanitation.  There  must 
be  pure  water  and  plenty  of  it,  clean  streets,  and  the  proper  disposal 
of  refuse;  also  building  laws  that  will  ensure  air  and  sunshine  in 
places  of  business  and  in  dwelling  houses,  laws  that  will  prevent 
overcrowding  and  make  decent  and  cleanly  life  possible.  There 
should  be  smoke  abatement  laws  in  cities  for  reasons  of  health 
and  to  lessen  the  great  expense  of  keeping  dwelling  houses  clean, 
noise  and  fire  hazard  and  danger  of  accidents  must  be  kept  within 
bounds.  There  should  be  such  inspection  of  markets  as  will  insure 
the  protection  of  food  from  dirt  during  delivery,  and  prevent  the 
sale  of  unwholesome  foods  and  contamination  by  flies  and  vermin ; 
as  by  such  special  requirements,  as  that  all  food  be  placed  two  feet 


122    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

above  the  too-exposed  pavement  or  floor,  and  that  abundant  wash- 
ing facilities  be  afforded  to  market  people.  Also  the  provision,  as 
yet  effective  in  but  few  places,  that  only  persons  proved  by  examina- 
tion to  be  healthy  and  cleanly  in  their  habits,  incapable  of  carrying 
contagion,  shall  have  the  handling  of  food  in  market,  hotel,  and 
restaurant,  or  in  the  manufacture  of  foods,  as  in  bakeries,  canneries, 
and  candy  factories. 

Losses  from  Preventable  Illness  and  Death. — Very  great  are 
the  present  losses  from  inadequate  sanitation,  from  lack  of  care  in 
illness,  from  failure  to  foresee  the  conditions  that  will  conduce  to 
the  spread  of  infectious  diseases,1  from  preventable  accidents,  as 
those  that  result  from  the  rapid  driving  of  automobiles.  In  1908 
30,000  to  35,000  fatal  injuries  were  reported  in  the  United  States 
and  2,000,000  non-fatal.  A  comparison  with  war  losses  is  very 
significant.  Of  the  2,000,000  soldiers  who  went  to  France  in  nine- 
teen months  about  50,000  were  killed  in  battle  or  died  of  wounds, 
while  in  America  during  the  same  period  there  were  126,652  deaths 
by  accident  of  men,  women  and  children  at  home,  in  streets  or  in 
factories ;  that  is,  more  than  twice  as  many ! 

The  Income  and  the  Care  of  Health. — It  is  not  too  much 
to  say  that  the  provision  for  illness  is  the  next  great  tax  on  the 
family  income  after  the  minimum  of  food,  clothing  and  shelter  have 
been  met.  Modern  conditions  and  higher  standards  have  so  raised 
the  cost  of  preserving  health  that  the  average  family  whose  income 
we  are  considering  cannot  meet  it  without  the  help  of  the  com- 
munity. What  was  the  sum  spent  under  this  head  two  generations 
ago  by  the  town  families  of  average  and  more  than  average  income  ? 
It  was  confined  to  the  moderate  fee  paid  now  and  then  to  the 
general  practitioner  or  family  doctor.  If  a  tooth  ached,  it  was 
pulled  out ;  now  the  bill  of  the  dentist  is  a  constant  factor,  however 
fortunate  we  may  be  in  avoiding  that  of  the  physician.  Then  there 
were  few  specialists,  but  to-day  a  serious  illness  whose  cause  is 
obscure  may  call  for  the  services  of  the  specialist  for  the  heart  and 
lungs,  on  another  who  has  made  a  special  study  of  the  digestive 
tract,  with  probably  the  aid  of  throat,  ear,  eye,  and  teeth  specialists. 

1  The  Life  Extension  Institute  estimates  that  the  loss  from  earnings  cut 
off  by  preventable  disease  and  premature  death  amounts  to  $1,500,000,000 
annually  in  this  country. 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  123 

These  men  have  had  a  long  and  expensive  training  and  their  fees 
cannot  be  low.  Moreover,  to  carry  out  their  directions  may  require 
the  services  of  a  trained  nurse,  who,  although  one  of  the  greatest 
blessings  of  our  time,  must  be  paid  $30  to  $35  a  week  with  board 
whereas  the  village  general  nurse  of  a  generation  ago  received  $5. 
How  are  these  bills  to  be  met  by  the  moderate-income  family  ?  In 
our  large  endowed  hospitals  both  the  rich  and  the  very  poor  are 
receiving  the  best  of  care.  They  are  treated  by  doctors  and  nurses 
of  equal  skill  and  they  profit  alike  in  the  application  of  every 
advance  in  medical  knowledge.  The  out-patient  department  or 
polyclinic  is  under  the  oversight  of  well-trained  men,  and  with  the 
recently  added  social  service  which  follows  the  patient  to  his  home 
and  helps  to  provide  what  may  be  necessary  in  diet  and  care  is  of 
the  greatest  assistance  to  the  sick  poor  of  our  cities.  Such  help  is 
accorded  because  it  is  everywhere  admitted  that  the  savings  of 
the  family  of  the  unskilled  workman  are  wholly  unequal  to  meeting 
the  losses  and  expense  of  illness,  although  sick  benefits  may  tide 
them  over  minor  ailments;  therefore  for  them  the  free  clinic  and 
the  free  hospital  ward  must  be  provided,  for  them  also  the  compul- 
sory accident  insurance  and  proposed  health  insurance. 

But  for  the  million  and  more  families  that  make  up  what  we 
have  called  the  moderate-income  group  with  present  incomes  of 
$2500,  more  or  less,  the  cost  of  illness  without  such  helps  may  draw 
so  heavily  on  their  savings  as  to  wholly  upset  their  standard  of 
living  for  the  time  being  and  perhaps  permanently.  It  is  yet  to  be 
recognized  that  the  family  having  an  income  of  only  a  few  hundred 
dollars  above  the  subsistence  line,  whatever  that  may  be,  has  almost 
equal  need  with  the  very  poor  for  help  in  illness,  but  at  present 
free  hospitals  are  closed  to  them.  In  this  moderate-income  family 
serious  illness  is  nothing  short  of  tragedy,  especially  if  the  illness 
is  that  of  the  income  earner.  When  ill  they  must  choose  the  less- 
skilled  or  inexperienced  practitioner,  and  the  same  is  true  of  their 
dentist.  The  examination  for  slight  or  suspected  ailments  is  not 
to  be  thought  of ;  they  have  recourse  to  the  casual  advice  of  a  drug- 
gist and  to  patent  medicines.  A  clerk's  family  on  a  $1200  income 
was  known  to  be  obliged  to  practice  the  strictest  economy  for  five 
years  in  order  to  pay  $100  for  a  surgical  operation  and  care.  A 
skilled  mechanic  on  a  $1800  income,  because  of  the  continued  illness 


124    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

of  his  children  was  obliged  to  mortgage  his  home  to  pay  doctors' 
bills,  and  this  proved  to  be  such  a  serious  setback  to  his  plans  for 
a  comfortable  old  age  that  he  became  deeply  discouraged,  did  his 
work  less  well,  and  was  not  advanced  in  his  business  as  he  had 
hoped  to  be. 

The  Extension  of  the  Public  Health  Service.— If  the  health 
requirements  of  the  family  of  moderate  income  are  to  be  met, 
there  would  seem  to  be  no  way  but  to  extend  still  further  the  free  '• 
public  health  service.     The  requirements  of  health  are  f  oundational ; 
if  we  are  not  well,  we  cannot  work. 

To  quote  Dr.  B.  S.  Warren,  of  the  United  States  Public  Health 
Service :  <e  The  people  of  the  United  States  are  beginning  to  wake 
up  to  the  fact  that  health  is  no  longer  a  matter  for  individual 
concern  alone,  but  is  one  for  collective  action  on  the  part  of  all 
persons  or  groups  of  persons  responsible  for  conditions  affecting 
health.  When  this  idea  of  the  necessity  for  collective  action  is  thor- 
oughly understood,  and  it  is  realized  that  instead  of  weakening  indi-  ; 
vidual  endeavor  it  will  improve  the  conditions  of  the  individual  by 
making  him  economically  more  independent,  the  American  people 
are  going  to  demand  that  the  responsibility  for  disease-causing  con- 
ditions (and  the  same  may  be  said  of  accidents)  be  fixed  and  that 
this  matter  of  sickness  be  provided  for  in  a  businesslike  way  and 
no  longer  left  to  haphazard  methods." 

Regular  examinations,  not  only  of  sick,  but  of  supposedly  well 
persons,  is  in  line  with  what  is  now  fully  recognized,  that  disease 
and  conditions  that  lead  to  disease  may  exist  long  before  pain  or 
other  outward  sign  compels  attention.  Physicians  are  now  agreed 
that  the  rational  way  is  to  examine  people  at  regular  intervals,  look- 
ing to  the  prevention  as  well  as  the  cure  of  disease ;  such  has  long 
been  the  accepted  practice  in  dentistry.  To  quote  C — E.  A.  Winslow, 
Professor  of  Public  Health,  Yale  University :  "  It  is  to  the  interest 
of  the  patient  that  he  should  receive  attention  at  the  time  when  he 
can  reap  the  largest  results — this  means  medical  attention  before, 
and  not  after,  the  development  of  acute  disease/'  The  hearty 
approval  that  has  been  given  to  the  compulsory  free  examination  of 
children  in  the  public  schools  is  cited  as  an  acceptance  of  the 
principle  that  the  health  of  the  whole  people  must  be  safeguarded, 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  125 

and,  if  necessary,  through  public  health  officers,  as  a  natural  exten- 
sion of  the  public  health  service. 

This  situation,  as  it  affects  an  important  class  in  the  com- 
munity, is  well  realized  by  the  medical  profession,  and  attempts 
are  being  made  to  meet  the  need.  In  some  hospitals  clinics  have 
been  opened  where  patients  of  small  income  pay  a  fee  of  $5  to  $10 
for  complete  examination  by  as  many  specialists  as  are  necessary. 
The  treatment  is  outlined  so  that  it  can  then  be  carried  out  by  the 
family  doctor.  But  these  hospitals  are  few.  Well-equipped  rural 
hospitals  that  will  offer  swift  automobile  service  to  a  region  of 
fifty  miles  around  is  something  that  rural  women's  clubs  should 
work  for  unceasingly  until  they  are  established  and  endowed  with 
state  and  community  help,  it  is  women  in  childbirth  whose  needs 
are  always  to  be  kept  in  mind. 

The  Medical  Inspector  and  the  Visiting  Nurse. — Much  is 
being  done  through  the  medical  inspector  and  the  school  and  visiting 
nurses  and  also  by  the  societies  devoted  to  child  hygiene  now  estab- 
lished in  most  large  cities.  The  public  nurses  are  becoming  an 
invaluable  means  of  educating1  the  public  as  to  health,  because  of 
their  knowledge  of  food  values  and  of  all  matters  that  tend  to 
improve  permanently  the  conditions  in  the  families  that  they  visit. 

The  few  illustrations  that  have  been  given  show  how  far-reaching 
must  be  the  efforts  to  improve  the  health  of  the  people.  The  sub- 
ject is  too  large  to  be  handled  by  the  individual  and  the  family, 
although  it  is  on  them  that  the  burden  of  ill  health  chiefly  falls. 
What  help  might  be  expected  from  compulsory  health  insurance 
cannot  yet  be  stated  with  certainty. 

Public  Help  to  Reduce  Cost  of  Food  Materials. — It  is  the 
privilege  of  any  city  dweller  to  visit  the  wholesale  food  markets 
before  dawn,  and  note  the  delivery  from  wharves  and  from  railroad 
sidings  and  the  reloading  of  wagons  or  motor  drays  which  are  to 
convey  the  food  to  retail  markets.  Here  he  may  see  a  part  of  the 
vast  machinery  by  which  a  city  is  fed,  and  the  background  of 
knowledge  thus  gained  gives  him  new  eyes  with  which  to  view, 
later  in  the  day,  the  purchase  of  food  in  the  retail  markets  and 
provision  stores.  He  is  impressed  at  once  with  the  helplessness 
of  the  buyers ;  they  must  buy  what  is  set  forth  and  they  are  wholly 
ignorant  of  the  conditions  that  determine  the  quality  and  price  of 


126     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

what  is  offered.  We  are  not  considering  the  conditions  that  deter- 
mine the  production  of  food,  such  as  the  education  of  the  farmer, 
undertaken  in  order  that  he  may  both  increase  his  income  and  lower 
the  cost  of  products  for  the  buyer  an  education  which  is  being  under- 
taken by  our  government  on  a  vast  scale  and  is  already  showing 
results;  the  most  difficult  problems  seem  to  lie  in  the  domain  of 
marketing  and  in  transportation  necessary  to  bring  food  to 
the  consumer. 

Food  Distribution. — This  distribution  of  food,  whether  it  is 
produced  on  our  farms  or  brought  in  by  fishermen  or  delivered 
in  ships  from  foreign  countries,  is  demanding  more  and  more  atten- 
tion. The  consumer  will  in  time  do  more  than  idly  wonder  at  the 
sight  of  three  automobiles  and  three  men  delivering  three  different 
brands  of  high-priced  butter,  and  this  in  the  space  of  one  city  block. 
It  was  ascertained  by  a  study  made  in  New  York  City  in  1916 
"  th'at  about  37  cents  out  of  every  consumer's  food  dollar  goes  for 
the  cost  of  municipal  food  transportation/' 1  Marcus  M.  Marks, 
late  President  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  New  York  City,  esti- 
mated that  one-third  of  the  cost  of  food  to  the  consumer  is  due  to 
the  expense  of  retail  distribution,  whereas  only  one-tenth  is  due 
to  wholesale  charges. 

When  we  consider  that  probably  one-half  of  the  inhabitants  of 
these  large  cities  are  spending  from  40  per  cent,  to  50  per  cent,  of 
their  incomes  for  food,  a  possible  reduction  in  the  sum  spent  for 
distribution  is  seen  to  be  of  very  great  importance.  The  late  George 
W.  Perkins,  when  some  years  ago  Chairman  of  the  Governor's 
Market  Commission  in  New  York  City,  said  that  few  citizens  realize 
the  profound  change  that  has  gone  over  this  country  in  two  genera- 
tions as  to  transportation ;  that  while  the  needs  of  a  growing  popu- 
lation have  been  adequately  met  as  far  as  individual  passenger 
travel  is  concerned,  food,  for  which  we  pay  out  four  or  five  times 
as  much  as  for  travel,  is  brought  into  a  city  and  distributed  accord- 
ing to  the  methods  that  were  in  vogue  twenty-five  years  ago.  Little 
planning  or  thought  has  been  given  to  the  matter,  and  the  result  is 
congestion  of  traffic,  excessive  cost  for  handling,  and  waste  of  perish- 
able food  material.  He  affirmed  that  the  many  factors  that  enter 
into  the  transportation  of  food  must  be  made  to  work  together  in 

1  Donald  B.  Armstrong,  Journal  of  Home  Econ.,  Nov.,  1916,  p.  577. 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  127 

the  most  thorough  and  intelligent  manner,  and  that  this  com- 
bination must  be  carried  on  openly  under  proper  protection  and 
control.  A  "  combination/'  if  run  in  the  interest  of  the  public,  is 
nothing  to  be  afraid  of. 

The  Terminal  Market. — That  the  very  foundation  of  reform 
in  this  regard  lies  in  the  establishment  of  terminal  city  markets 
with  cold  storage  cellars  and  warehouses,  these  markets  to  be  situated 
where  both  water  and  railroad  freight  can  be  discharged,  is  main- 
tained by  students  of  these  conditions.  Foreign  countries  have  been 
so  long  face  to  face  with  a  strictly  limited  food  supply  that  measures 
to  prevent  undue  marketing  charges  from  raising  the  price  of  food 
are  worked  out  in  all  great  cities.  Before  the  war  at  the  Halles 
Centrales,  the  wholesale  terminal  market  of  Paris,  all  food  was 
received,  weighed,  inspected,  and  sold  at  auction  by  a  bonded  city 
official  for  a  regular  fee  of  2  per  cent.  This  method  insures  such 
supervision  as  makes  the  sale  of  bad  food  impossible  and  also  prevents 
extortion  and  trickery.  This  market  has  ten  pavilions  and  open 
structures  covering  twenty-two  acres,  and  is  located  on  the  water 
front,  where  'railroad  lines  converge. 

Dr.  Clyde  L.  King,  in  a  detailed  study  of  the  cost  of  distributing 
food  products,  maintains  that  this  cost  may  be  diminished  by  a 
more  thorough  development  of  freight  service,  both  on  steam  and 
trolley  lines,  and  an  increased  use  of  the  motor  truck  and  boat. 
The  number  of  reloadings  must  be  lessened,  with  a  consequent 
reduction  in  the  number  of  middlemen  and  their  fees.2  The 
middleman,"  whether  commission  merchant,  huckster  or  pro- 
vision dealer,  now  bears  in  the  public  mind  most  of  the  blame  for 
high  prices,  but  he  seems  to  be  needed  at  every  joint  of  the  present 
cumbrous  machinery  to  keep  things  moving  at  all. 

Cold  Storage. — Attention  has  been  called  to  the  fact  that  cold 
storage,  one  of  the  greatest  developments  of  our  time,  has  hardly 
been  incorporated  on  a  large  scale  into  our  system  of  food  distri- 
bution. Millions  of  pounds  of  perishable  foods  are  condemned  and 
destroyed  every  year  by  food  inspectors,  a  dead  loss  of  originally 
valuable  material,  which  could  be  kept  from  deterioration  by  proper 
use  of  cold  storage,  especially  in  connection  with  adequate  terminal 
markets.  Such  facilities  must  also  be  afforded  the  household  buyer 

a  Clyde  L.  King,  ibid. 


128     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

who  has  in  many  cases  no  storage  place  in  her  cramped  quarters.  The 
cold-storage  cellars  under  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railway 
station  in  Philadelphia  are  thus  used,  in  addition  to  their  use  for 
large  buyers.  Cleveland  places  at  the  disposal  of  its  citizens  at  least 
one  refrigerating  plant,  that  on  the  West  Side,  where  fruit,  vege- 
tables, eggs,  butter,  etc.,  may  be  kept  at  very  reasonable  rates. 
It  may  be  expected  that  some  of  the  greatest  changes  in  business  in 
the  next  few  years  will  be  in  the  field  of  distribution,  so  that  it  will 
cost  less  to  put  goods  into  the  consumer's  hands ;  that  water  carriage 
by  river  and  canal  for  heavy  commodities,  as  coal,  will  be  revived, 
that  the  parcels  post  system  will  yet  redeem  the  promise  made  for 
it  as  a  means  of  bringing  producer  and  consumer  together;  that 
terminal  markets  and  better  routing  in  large  cities  will  diminish 
the  time  and  money  now  lost  in  reloading  perishable  food,  and  that 
better  refrigeration  will  stop  the  waste  by  spoilage. 

What  the  Consumer  Can  Do. — The  helplessness  at  present  of 
the  household  consumer  as  to  conditions  and  prices  is  typified  by  the 
woman  who  may  be  seen  in  any  small  street  sweeping  her  front  steps 
and  pavement,  and  then  seeing  an  uncovered  ashcart  stirred  by 
the  wind  undo  all  her  labors.  She  protests,  but  in  vain;  she  does 
not  know  where  to  turn  for  redress.  Consumers  must  unite  to 
obtain,  first,  information,  and  then  concert  of  action. 

The  question  of  better  housekeeping,  taken  in  the  broader  sense, 
is  pushing  out  from  its  secluded  place  in  the  four  walls  of  home 
into  the  community  itself.  Like  all  important  and  vital  concerns, 
it  needs  that  organization  which  takes  into  its  service  all  arts  and 
all  knowledge.  The  devotion  of  women  to  their  households  has 
kept  these  households  going  and  has  obscured  the  fact  that  the  feed- 
ing and  housing  and  clothing  and  all  the  rest  of  the  household 
budget  are  immense  matters  in  the  aggregate  and  as  worthy  of 
public  help  as  any  branch  of  money  earning.  The  housewife  must 
become  intelligent  as  to  the  use  of  public  money  in  its  relation  to 
the  private  purse.  She  will  analyze  the  printed  list  of  outlay  of 
tax  money  in  her  city  or  town  or  country  and  demand  that  it  be 
made  plain  to  those  who  have  no  financial  training.  She  will  not 
accept  graft  with  easy  pessimism,  but  vigorously  oppose  it,  knowing 
that  it  comes  finally  out  of  the  pocket  of  the  individual  citizen ;  she 
will  know  how  it  shrinks  the  content  of  the  market  basket  when 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  129 

a  ship-load  of  fruit  is  dumped  off  the  coast  to  raise  the  price  of 
other  cargoes ;  when  the  inspection  of  market  weights  and  measures 
is  found  to  be  on  the  iniquitous  fee  system.  She  will  enquire  into 
the  duties  of  the  public  service  commissions  which  have  been  de- 
veloped in  most  of  the  states  and  which  exist  to  set  fair  prices  for 
certain  forms  of  public  service,  as  water,  gas,  electricity,  and  trans- 
portation when  furnished  by  monopoly  companies.  Organizations 
of  housekeepers  have  as  one  of  their  privileges,  scarcely  appreciated 
as  yet,  presentation  before  such  boards  of  the  housekeeper's  or 
consumer's  point  of  view  when  new  schedules  of  prices  for  public 
services  and  other  matters  of  vital  interest  to  the  family  purse  are 
being  considered. 

To  gain  information  as  well  as  to  act  on  it  effectively  women 
must  unite  in  such  organizations  as  Home  Economics  associations 
or  in  sections  of  the  Civic  League,  the  State  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs  or  other  associations  that  have  been  successful  in  bringing 
the  women  of  many  needs  and  little  leisure  together  with  those 
practiced  in  reaching  results  through  organization. 

What  helps  at  present  exist  in  the  way  of  class  instruction  in 
household  arts  and  home  management  should  be  made  known  to  all, 
and  the  proper  authorities  should  be  asked  for  more  help  of  the  kind. 
The  extent  to  which  consumers'  cooperative  enterprises  have  been 
successful  should  also  be  investigated  for  the  benefit  of  all.  An 
organization  for  supplying  reliable  information  (The  Cooperative 
League  of  America)  was  formed  in  1916  and  has  an  office  in 
New  York  City.  Cooperative  stores,  bakeries,  laundries  and 
creameries  have  all  been  successful,  and  promise  a  growth  in 
the  future  comparable  to  what  has  long  been  known  in  European 
countries  where  one-third  of  the  population  is  embraced  in  coopera- 
tive societies. 

Public  Kitchens. — In  our  own  country  kitchens  have  not  been 
undertaken  by  public  agencies,  except  for  brief  periods  to  tide  over 
some  emergency  or  disaster ;  but  it  may  be  found  that  such  centers 
run  in  the  interest  of  the  public,  perhaps  as  an  adjunct  of  the 
Department  of  Health  and  presided  over  by  trained  dietitians,  would 
be  of  the  greatest  service.  There  the  main  dish  of  the  meal  could 
be  purchased  in  quantities  estimated  to  furnish  full  nutrition  for 
the  family  with  the  proper  number  of  calories  and  drawn  from 


130     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

the  right  sources  to  make  a  balanced  menu.  Such  a  dish  or  dishes 
would  meet  nutritional  requirements,  making  it  safe  for  the  family 
to  spend  the  rest  of  their  food  money  with  a  clear  conscience  on  some 
preferred  accessories.  Recent  advances  in  scientific  knowledge  of 
food  and  nutrition  have  revealed  new  causes  for  diseased  conditions 
of  the  human  being ;  many  of  them  are  traced  to  wrong  food ;  there- 
fore the  choice  and  preparation  of  food  from  a  nutritional  stand- 
point has  become  a  serious  matter  for  all  classes  of  people.  Such 
a  demonstration  would  have  great  educational  value.  Moreover, 
the  relief  offered  by  such  a  food  service  for  the  overburdened  house- 
hold would  meet  an  increasing  need  brought  about  by  the  scarcity 
of  household  help. 

It  is  said  that  real  estate  and  development  companies  have 
become  interested  in  community  kitchens  because  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty they  find  in  disposing  of  houses  and  lots  in  suburbs  is  due 
to  the  disinclination  of  people  to  leave  the  city,  where  there  is  ready 
access  to  cafes  and  restaurants  in  case  of  need. 

The  housewife  of  the  moderate  income  family  cannot  patronize 
cafes  and  restaurants  whose  charges  for  the  cooked  dish  are  nor- 
mally from  three  to  ten  times  the  price  of  raw  materials,  according 
to  quality  of  cooking  and  grade  of  service,  for  she  "  works  in  "  the 
buying  and  cooking  of  the  food  along  with  her  other  duties  and 
thus  makes  a  contribution  to  the  family  income,  but  she  could  buy 
of  an  institution  like  school  lunch  kitchens  where  prices  that  average 
double  the  cost  of  the  raw  material  prevail. 

Whether  such  community  kitchens  can  be  developed  and  run  on 
a  self-supporting  basis  depends  on  careful  experiments  yet  to  be 
made  by  people  trained  in  Home  Economics  methods  and  with  the 
necessary  business  background.1 

QUESTIONS 

HEALTH 

1.  Name  the  diseases  which  to  your  knowledge  are  better  controlled  by 

modern  medicine  than  they  were,  say,  twenty-five  years  ago.    Regard- 
ing any  of  these  is  community  control  important? 

2.  Can  a  family  in  your  community  obtain  services  of  a  trained  nurse  by 

the  hour,  and  at  what  price?     If  not  now  available,  how  might  such 
service  be  provided? 

3.  Are  there  any  rural  hospitals  or  rural  health  laboratory   stations  in 

your  state   (enquire  of  State  Board  of  Health)  ?     

1  Public  Kitchens.  By  Mary  Hinman  Abel.  Journal  of  Home  Economics, 
June,  1920. 


THE  COMMUNITY'S  CONTRIBUTION  131 

4.  Some   municipalities    in    Switzerland    and    in    other    countries    control 

funerals  and  burials  as  a  health  and  economic  measure.  If  we  were 
interested  in  bringing  about  such  a  reform  in  our  country,  what 
methods  would  be  taken? 

5.  State  a  minimum  of  health  functions  which  a  city  government  should 

undertake. 

6.  Are  we  tending  toward  community  provision  for  all  medical  and  sur- 

gical service,  including  dental  and  optical?  Are  the  obstacles  against 
providing  such  helps  insuperable?  What  will  be  the  bearing  of  com- 
pulsory health  insurance,  if  adopted,  upon  such  a  proposal? 

7.  Sketch  the  desirable  conditions   regarding  care  in  accidents  and  sick- 

ness for  workers  in  a  large  industrial  plant.  What  space  and  equip- 
ment would  be  required  ?  Sketch  similar  provisions  for  a  large  school. 

8.  What  is  to  be  done  in  case  hygienic  dress  is  not  to  be  bought  for  any 

reasonable  price?  For  instance,  a  woman  may  seek  in  vain  for  a 
good-looking,  low-wheeled  shoe  at  a  moderate  price. 

REDUCING  COST  OF  FOOD 

1.  Considering  what  was  done  by  the  Fair  Price  Committees  of  the  Food 

Administration  during  the  war  and  the  later  campaign  against  the 
high  cost  of  living,  may  a  permanent  agency  be  established  to  deter- 
mine the  fair  margin  between  wholesale  and  retail  prices?  What 
are  the  difficulties  and  objections? 

2.  Is  the  boycott  a  defensible  method  for  reducing  the  price  of  commodi- 

ties, as  butter  and  eggs?     If  so,  how  should  it  be  conducted? 

3.  What  is  the  route  of  country  produce  from  farmer  to  consumer  in  your 

community?  Through  how  many  hands  does  it  pass?  Is  shipment 
made  by  rail,  boat,  or  trolley,  or  in  farm  wagons — what  is  the  source 
of  supply  of  milk,  of  butter,  of  eggs?  Could  local  production  of  these 
agencies  be  increased? 

What  is  your  explanation  of  the  failure  of  the  parcels  post  system 
to  meet  expectations?  Were  such  expectations  too  high?  What  degree 
of  success  is  met  in  foreign  countries  by  parcel  post? 

4.  Does  the  war-garden  movement  suggest  the  desirability  of  permanent 

public  encouragement  to  home  food  production  in  cities?  What 
agencies  might  undertake  it,  the  schools,  the  agricultural  agent? 
Outline  an  appeal  that  would  be  apt  to  arouse  cooperation. 

5.  Outline  plan  for  a  woman's  club  or  other  organization  to  study  the  local 

milk  supply,  in  order  to  find  the  daily  receipts,  standard  of  product, 
the  incentive  now  at  work  on  the  milk  producer  to  improve  both 
quantity  and  quality.  The  State  Agricultural  College  will  help  in  such 
a  campaign.  What  other  officials  and  agencies  are  available? 

6.  How  many  food   inspectors  have  you  for  your  markets?     How  many 

inspectors  of  weights  and  measures?  Are  they  overworked?  From 
what  funds  are  they  paid?  Are  they  expected  to  give  their  whole 
time  to  the  work?  Does  the  fee  system  prevail? 

7.  Have    cooperative   methods    made    any    headway    in    your    community? 
One   State,   North    Carolina,    has    a    Superintendent   of    Credit   Unions 

who  is  responsible  for  organizing  and  supervising  local  groups  that 
wish  to  form  cooperative  mutual  benefit  banks.  Might  similar  official 
direction  be  given  to  cooperative  consumers,  buying  clubs,  or  coopera- 
tive stores?  Might  Home  Economics  agents  be  useful  in  this  regard? 


CHAPTER  XII 

-COMMUNITY  HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND 
EDUCATION 

IT  would  seem  that  we  are  moving  toward  a  larger  participation 
with  the  community  in  varied  and  rational  pleasure.  Far-sighted 
people  have  long  felt  that  there  must  be  public  provision  for  recrea- 
tion, especially  in  cities,  and  the  movement  for  providing  such 
facilities  has  grown  rapidly  in  the  last  ten  years.  It  is  only  by 
such  community  help  that  the  family  on  a  moderate  income  and  the 
great  mass  of  those  living  on  smaller  incomes  can  secure  reason- 
able recreation. 

The  Playground  and  Recreation  Association  of  America. — 
This  association,  founded  in  1906,  has  done  much  to  forward  the 
opening  of  parks  and  playgrounds,  to  devise  the  best  forms  of 
recreation,  and  to  train  teachers  for  conducting  physical  training 
and  play  centers.  It  stands  behind  the  compulsory  physical  train- 
ing laws  which  have  been  passed  or  are  being  considered  by  a 
number  of  states  to  remedy  the  conditions  which  led  to  the  failure 
of  such  a  startling  proportion  of  young  men  to  qualify  for  the  army. 

In  1916  the  total  number  of  cities  having  playgrounds  was  480. 
In  many  cities  the  public  schools  are  utilized  as  centers.  The 
supervision  and  teaching  in  the  playgrounds  and  recreation  centers 
has  become  a  profession,  over  6000  persons  being  employed  in  that 
capacity.  Public  parks  as  playgrounds  for  the  people  have  a  great 
future.  Wild  tracts  are  constantly  bein£  opened  and  put  under  the 
care  of  a  state  board  of  forestry,  which  protects  against  trespass 
and  fire.  Camp  sites  are  located  for  the  use  of  visitors,  as  boy 
ecout  troops;  fishing,  swimming,  canoeing  and  skating  have  been 
developed,  and  tents  and  camping  outfits  are  loaned  at  cheap  rates. 
These  wild  tracts,  which  are  often  reached  by  a  single  carfare  from 
the  city,  offer  the  great  opportunity  for  families  to  spend  a  part  of 
the  heated  term  in  the  open,  and  much  better  facilities  will  yet 
be  available. 

In  many  city  -parks  tennis  grounds  and  golf  courses  are  laid  out. 
IS 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  133 

When  the  system  of  parks  and  playgrounds  is  developed  it  will 
supply  healthful  and  delightful  outdoor  life,  fundamental  to  the 
health  and  happiness  of  the  people.  Athough  as  yet  too  few  in 
number,  small  parks  in  the  midst  of  the  most  crowded  parts  of  cities 
now  give  playgrounds  and  breathing  space.  Here  are  chances  for 
the  public  athletic  leagues  and  the  story-telling  centers  and  for  the 
production  of  little  plays  which  may  later  grow  into  pageants. 

Rural  Recreation. — The  play  movement  starting  in  the  cities, 
where  it  was  so  bitterly  needed,  is  now  spreading  to  village  and 
country.  No  group  of  houses  is  too  small  for  a  community  center, 
although  it  may  be  at  first  a  barn  or  a  vacant  room  in  which  dances 
and  plays  are  organized.  For  the  best  results  help  must  come  from 
outside.  Advice  may  always  be  asked  of  the  Playground  Associa- 
tion, No.  1,  Madison  Avenue,  New  York.  It  reports  that  among  the 
many  questions  that  have  been  submitted  are:  What  plans  do 
you  suggest  for  celebrating  the  Fourth  of  July?  What  pieces  of 
playground  apparatus  have  been  found  most  valuable?  Suggest 
program  and  method  of  conducting  a  community  Christmas  tree. 
Please  give  the  names  of  men  and  women  engaged  in  rural  recreation 
work  with  whom  I  can  correspond  about  some  of  our  problems  here. 
What  recreation  development  do  you  advise  for  a  town  of  2500? 
What  can  our  university  do  to  develop  commundty  music  and  drama 
throughout  the  state? 

Community  Help  in  Music  and  Drama. — Musicians  have 
called  attention  to  the  fact  that  "  our  only  claim  to  being  a  musical 
nation  is  that  in  the  cities  large  sums  are  paid  out  by  private  indi- 
viduals for  concerts,  instruments  and  instruction.  Thirteen  million 
out  of  our  eighteen  million  school  children  receive  no  instruction 
in  music  and  many  more  millions  of  adults  have  little  or  no  music 
in  their  lives.  At  the  same  time  taste  for  music  is  almost  universal 
and  it  is  one  of  the  simplest  of  the  arts  to  obtain." 

It  is  this  latter  statement  which  seems  incredible  to  those  who 
do  not  realize  the  changes  that  have  come  about  in  the  last  few 
years  and  the  helpful  agencies  that  are  at  work  which  will  in  time 
bring  music  within  the  reach  of  all. 

Music  as  a  Social  Force. — Mr.  Arthur  Farwell  has  called 
attention  to  the  fact  that  people  in  the  mass  will  listen  to  music 
which  as  individuals  they  would  find  taxing  and  without  interest. 


134     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

It  is  this  social  and  uniting  force  of  music  that  is  yet  to  be  of 
immense  value  in  every  community ;  it  would  seem  to  be  especially 
needed  among  a  people  that  is  reserved  and  self-centered.  Music 
seems  to  be  truly  democratic,  in  that  people  of  widely  different 
cultural  attainments  and  attitude  toward  life,  those  who  would  find 
any  other  united  action  difficult,  meet  on  a  common  ground  in  its 
enjoyment  and  production.  A  love  of  music  bridges  what  would 
seem  to  be  impassable  social  gulfs,  and  perhaps  our  growing  feeling 
of  need  for  whatever  will  help  to  unite  our  heterogeneous  popu- 
lation will  explain  our  new  interest  in  community  music. 

We  have  never  been  wholly  without  our  local  choral  societies  and 
singing  unions,  some  of  many  years'  standing  and  of  great  repute 
like  that  in  Bethlehem,  Pa.  In  the  great  Northwest  many  musical 
festivals  are  enjoyed.  They  show  what  is  possible  in  even  the 
smallest  community.  West  of  the  Mississippi  there  is  a  little  town 
of  two  thousand  inhabitants,  peopled  mostly  by  Swedes,  where 
Handel's  "  Messiah  "  is  performed  every  Easter  by  a  chorus  of  five 
hundred  voices  and  an  orchestra  of  forty  pieces.  To  the  three-hour 
performance,  which  is  "like  a  religious  meeting,"  thousands  of 
people  come  from  the  surrounding  country. 

Help  from  Trained  Musicians. — In  this  movement  for  com- 
munity music  everything  depends  on  the  help  of  the  trained 
musician.  To  arouse  interest  and  start  the  formation  of  local 
bands  and  chorus  classes  money  should  be  raised  to  pay  for  the 
services  of  such  a  person.  But  if  the  money  is  not  forthcoming 
because  of  lack  of  interest,  such  help  may  still  be  obtained,  for  no 
professional  people  give  of  their  time  more  generously  than 
do  musicians. 

Small  country  towns  are  often  started  in  community  music  by 
city  musicians  during  a  summer  vacation.  In  one  case  the  printing 
office  gave  the  programs,  the  visiting  musician  swung  the  baton, 
and  5000  people  sang  old  songs  together.  This  was  repeated  the 
following  summer,  a  ten-cent  admission  fee  was  charged,  and  the 
$300  realized  was  set  aside  as  the  nucleus  for  a  fund  toward  making 
a  park  on  the  river  bank  where  pageants  were  to  be  given. 

In  any  community  citizens  who  have  some  knowledge  of  music 
have  a  great  opportunity.  It  is  they  who  should  endeavor  to  put 
the  public  school  music  on  as  high  a  plane  as  possible.  An  appeal 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  135 

may  always  be  made  through  the  school  board  to  the  extension 
division  of  the  state  university  or  state  college  to  furnish  advice, 
to  send  a  lecturer  on  music,  or  an  organizer,  or  to  put  the  inquirer 
in  touch  with  other  agencies  that  are  now  helping  in  this  movement. 
Small  towns  and  country  districts  are  most  in  need  of  such  help. 
Even  in  the  smallest  towns  there  are  people  who  sing  in  the  church 
choirs  who  could  unite  as  a  working  nucleus.  Perhaps  some  one  is 
capable  of  training  a  chorus  class  or  the  beginnings  of  a  small  band. 
In  any  case,  a  man  or  woman  should  be  brought  from  outside  who 
will  give  an  inspiring  address  on  music,  illustrated  by  instrument 
or  voice.  Musicians  assure  us  that  the  chief  reason  for  failure  in 
home-made  music  is  a  scorn  of  small  successes,  a  failure  to  find 
joy  in  little  triumphs  and  achievements  which  look  toward  the 
larger  success. 

Music  in  Schools. — It  would  be  difficult  to  tell  how  the  change 
has  come,  but  at  least  half  of  the  students  in  some  four  hundred 
high  schools  are  now  being  trained  in  chorus  singing  and  many 
schools  are  giving  credit  toward  graduation  for  this  chorus  work. 
Moreover,  schools  are  beginning  to  give  credit  toward  graduation 
for  properly  supervised  private  lessons  in  music.  Cities  as  far 
separated  at  Berkeley,  Calif.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Hartford,  Conn.,  and 
Chelsea,  Mass.,  are  among  those  that  have  made  the  beginning. 
Moreover,  certain  colleges  and  universities  allow  these  credits  to 
count  for  admission.  The  importance  of  this  acknowledgment  of 
music  in  the  scheme  of  education  cannot  be  exaggerated.  More 
children  will  undertake  the  study  of  music  if  it  can  be  placed  on  a 
plane  with  other  studies  in  the  school,  for  overwork  threatens  all 
who  undertake  it  as  an  extra. 

Our  conservatories  of  music  are  broadening  their  courses  to 
reach  more  classes  of  people,  state  universities  are  giving  extension 
courses  in  music  which  are  in  touch  with  all  parts  of  the  state. 
A  high  point  in  the  development  seems  to  have  been  reached 
in  Wisconsin.  The  music  experts  of  the  extension  department  of 
the  university  of  this  state  may  be  consulted  'personally  or  by 
correspondence  regarding  music  in  school  and  community,  and  they 
supply  lists  of  materials,  books  and  speakers.  They  lend  music  for 
choruses,  for  bands  and  orchestras,  rolls  for  mechanical  players  and 
disks  for  phonographs,  to  be  used  in  a  course  in  musical  apprecia- 


136    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

tion.  They  also  assist  through  their  Department  of  Public  School 
Music  in  providing  teachers  of  music  for  communities  that  are 
too  small,  unaided,  to  maintain  them.  This  help  applies  to  vocal 
music  and  also  to  the  building  up  of  bands  and  orchestras,  the 
performers  being  not  professional  musicians  but  those  who  have 
business  during  the  day. 

Many  city  libraries  lend  both  sheet  and  bound  music,  and  in  a 
few  cases  victrola  records  and  rolls  for  the  player-piano. 

Dramatics. — In  the  last  few  years  the  acted  play  has  been 
brought  to  the  front  by  cities  and  schools  and  by  many  private 
volunteer  agencies.  Young  people  in  amateur  dramatics  throw 
themselves  with  zest  into  the  vicarious  character  and  are  seen  to 
develop  under  the  experience  in  the  most  remarkable  way. 

In  response  to  this  new  impulse,  in  hundreds  of  schools  plays 
are  now  acted  which  once  were  merely  read  by  students  as  part  of  the 
literature  course. 

In  settlement  work  among  the  very  poor  the  delight  taken  in 
the  acted  play  has  been  found  to  have  deep  meaning.  The  director 
of  the  Children's  Theatre  in  New  York  City  says :  "  I  studied  these 
efforts  of  the  people  from  in  front  and  behind  the  footlights  and 
I  found  that  what  lay  behind  the  tremendous  instinctive  effort  of 
every  man,  woman  and  child  was  the  desire  to  get  beyond  the 
restricted  limits  of  factory,  shop  and  schoolroom  and  grow  out, 
if  only  for  a  few  hours,  into  the  broad  phyletic  or  race  life." 

The  same  enthusiasm  that  has  followed  the  recent  revival  in 
England  of  the  songs  and  games  and  dances  that  were  a  normal 
part  of  English  country  life  a  century  and  more  ago  has  been  seen 
in  America  accompanying  the  remarkable  growth  of  the  people's 
drama,  not  only  in  cities  but  in  remote  country  districts  and  in 
sparsely  settled  states,  like  North  Dakota.1 

Sources  of  Community  Help. — It  will  be  noted  that  the  sources 
of  community  help  are  various,  especially  in  their  origin.  Some 
which  have  their  start  in  individual  enterprise  justify  themselves 
through  years  of  careful  experiment  on  a  volunteer  basis  and  are 
then  taken  over  by  the  city  or  state.  Many  organizations  that 

1  The  Drama  League,  New  York  City,  will  furnish  selected  lists  of 
dramas  suitable  to  a  purpose  named.  A  useful  list  is  also  found  in  General 
Federation  Magazine,  September,  1919. 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  137 

have  been  helpful  in  education  and  recreation  start  in  the  church, 
•the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  and  various  guilds  and  societies 
which  render  social  and  industrial  service  of  solid  value.  From  this 
source  we  are  to  look  for  increasingly  valuable  contributions.  One 
church  has  recently  held  a  six  days'  meeting  on  the  general  subject 
of  the  relation  of  the  church  to  the  community. 

Community  Help  in  Education. — For  the  schooling  of  the 
children  of  our  moderate  income  family  little  provision  can  be  made 
in  the  household  budget.  That  a  thing  so  important  as  education 
for  the  efficiency  and  happiness  of  citizens  should  be  provided  by 
the  state  is  now  taken  for  granted  in  our  country.  Moreover,  the 
broadening  view  of  what  is  comprised  in  a  modern  education  is 
resulting  in  new  help  in  the  preparation  of  the  boy  and  girl  for 
their  place  in  life. 

Libraries. — Under  free  education  must  be  classed  loan  and 
consultation  libraries,  now  to  be  found  in  towns  large  and  small, 
also  the  system  of  travelling  libraries  which  in  some  states  serve 
the  rural  regions.  The  town  family  living  on  $2500,  more  or  less, 
must  learn  to  use  the  public  library  and  reserve  what  money  they 
have  for  books  for  the  purchase  of  dictionaries  and  encyclopedias, 
Few  citizens  fully  understand  the  various  kinds  of  help  afforded 
by  the  modern  city  library,  the  wealth  of  classified  material,  the 
special  helps  given  by  trained  librarians,  and  the  lectures  on  special 
subjects,  which  are  also  a  feature.  In  every  city  and  town,  not  only 
in  connection  with  the  public  library  but  with  other  organizations, 
free  lectures  and  exhibits  of  high  educative  value  are  now  common, 
some  being  on  secure,  long-established  foundations,  as  the  Lowell 
lectures  in  Boston.  The  list  of  free  lectures  advertised  in  the  New- 
York  dailies  in  the  winter  season  often  reaches  a  hundred  for  the 
week,  and  they  cover  a  wide  range  in  science,  art,  travel  and  general 
information.  Every  town  dweller  should  investigate  these  helps 
and  utilize  them  to  the  fullest  extent,  and  where  they  do  not  exist 
start  a  movement  to  secure  them. 

Excellent  as  are  many  of  the  libraries  in  cities  and  towns,  it 
cannot  be  claimed  that  the  people  as  a  whole  are  well  served.  The 
United  States  Bureau  of  Education  has  recently  reported  that  in 
thirty  states  less  than  50  per  cent,  of  the  population  have  access 
to  libraries;  in  six  states  less  than  10  per  cent.,  and  in  one  state 


138     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

less  than  2  per  cent.  The  income  of  public  libraries  is  estimated  as 
only  one-sixth  of  the  amount  needed  for  adequate  service. 

Vocational  Training. — In  addition  to  the  regular  school  cur- 
riculum almost  every  state  now  furnishes  in  one  or  more  of  its 
institutions  of  advanced  grade  instruction  free,  or  at  a  nominal  cost, 
in  many  technical  lines,  including  agriculture.  As  to  the  public 
school  courses,  it  has  been  suggested  that  they  be  divided  for  those 
who  elect  technical  work  into  two  periods — the  first  period  to  be 
spent  in  the  elementary  and  the  second  in  the  high  school,  the  latter 
to  be  made  up  of  alternate  weeks  or  months  of  school  and  of  outside 
work  in  shop  or  office,  or  in  other  application  of  the  course  chosen, 
so  that  the  boy  and  girl  may  be  kept  under  the  close  supervision 
of  the  school  and  thus  made  ready  for  their  future  work  while 
contributing  something  to  the  family  funds.  The  chance  to  earn 
money  afforded  by  such  a  plan  enables  the  youth  to  continue  the 
school  life  with  all  its  helpful  influences  beyond  the  usual  time  at 
which  earning  would  otherwise  begin.  A  good  example  of  such 
an  experiment  is  seen  in  the  High  Schools  of  Cincinnati.  Among 
the  courses  offered  are  "two  "  Technical  Cooperative  Courses,"  one 
for  girls  and  one  for  boys.  At  the  end  of  the  second  high  school 
year  those  who  have  chosen  this  course  are  placed  in  positions  by 
the  school  in  some  chosen  trade  or  business  under  the  arrangement 
that  every  fortnight  they  spend  alternately  in  business  and  in  school. 
They  receive  pay  for  their  work  from  their  city  employers.  In 
the  schools  of  that  city  the  cooperative  courses  are  constantly  being 
extended ;  it  is  considered  no  longer  an  experiment.  It  is  claimed 
that  largely  on  account  of  this  new  method  of  instruction  high  school 
attendance  has  doubled,  and  promotion  from  the  lower  grades  has 
also  greatly  increased.  Such  opportunities  need  not  be  interpreted 
as  furthering  industrial  as  compared  with  liberal  education,  which 
has  been  heretofore  far  more  accessible,  but  as  furnishing  a  necessary 
help  since  the  breakdown  of  the  apprenticeship  system  to  those 
who  are  to  earn  their  living  in  trade  and  industry.  The  Federal 
Child  Labor  Law  forbids  continuous  employment  of  children  under 
the  age  of  fourteen,  twenty-one  states  are  requiring  continuation 
attendance  on  school  courses  of  from  four  to  eight  hours  a  week 
after  that  age,  and  in  time  all  of  the  states  will  adopt  this  policy. 

To  meet  the  need  of  a  full  curriculum  and  a  good  teaching 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  139 

force  in  these  continuation  day  and  evening  schools,  the  funds 
appropriated  under  the  Smith-Hughes  Act,  frequently  referred  to 
in  these  pages,  are  now  operative. 

Vocational  Training  for  the  Housewife. — There  is  one  de- 
partment of  education  which  is  of  especial  interest  to  the  moderate 
income  family,  that  which  will  train  the  woman  for  her  service  to 
the  household  in  managing  and  buying,  in  doing  housework  and 
caring  for  children.  We  train  our  teachers,  our  architects,  our 
lawyers,  our  engineers,  we  even  establish  a  system  of  examinations, 
diplomas  and  licenses  to  defend  the  public  from  the  dishonest  or 
incompetent  among  them,  but  our  house  mothers,  the  largest  indus- 
trial group  in  the  state,  and  one  having  the  most  important  social 
and  educational  relations  to  the  present  and  the  coming  generation, 
we  have  only  begun  to  train  by  advanced  modern  methods.  In 
actual  practice  we  still  take  for  granted  that  a  woman  knows  by 
instinct  how  to  take  care  of  her  baby,  to  train  her  children,  to  choose 
the  food  for  the  family,  how  to  make  ends  meet  on  the  income, 
whatever  it  may  be.  But  inadequate  as  are  our  present  methods 
for  training  in  this  line,  a  promising  beginning  has  been  made  of 
which  we  must  first  take  account.  All  improvements  must  be  built 
upon  the  system  already  established. 

Help  Through  the  Home  Economics  Movement. — Thanks 
to  the  growth  of  the  Home  Economics  movement,  there  is  now  an 
admirable  body  of  trained  professional  workers,  teachers  and  ad- 
ministrators who  are  organized  under  various  governmental  and 
other  agencies,  and  to  them  we  look  to  take  a  leading  part  in  the 
new  education  for  home-making. 

The  most  important  work,  foundational  in  character,  is  that  done 
by  government  specialists : 

1.  Those  working  in  the  Office  of  Home  Economics,  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture  for  research  and  publication  on 
problems  pertaining  to  the  home.  Beginning  with  "Nutrition 
Investigations  "  in  1894,  it  has  broadened  its  scope  in  recent  years 
to  include  research  and  publication  on  food,  clothing,  shelter  and 
household  management,  and  it  has  created  and  collected  the  body 
of  information  which  is  at  the  basis  of  modern  education  in  house- 
keeping. Its  leadership  in  the  research  that  has  made  intelligent 
control  of  family  consumption  possible  was  recognized  during  the 


140    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

war  by  foreign  governments  as  well  as  our  own,  its  standards  being 
used  as  the  basis  of  war-food  control.  Its  publications,  both,  popu- 
lar and  scientific,  have  made  large  contributions  to  the  subject  mat- 
ter of  home  economics,  which  is  now  receiving  additions  through 
research  done  in  state  universities  and  other  centers  of  learning. 

2.  The  specialists  in  the  Home  Economics  Divisions  of  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Education  and  of  the  Federal  Board  of 
Vocational  Education  which  furnish  a  national  information  service 
for  the  teaching  of  Home  Economics,  including  replies  to  personal 
inquiries  regarding  local  problems. 

3.  The  specialists  in  the  United  States  Children's  Bureau  under 
the  Department  of  Labor  which  investigates  problems  related  to 
child  welfare,  maintains  in  many  centers  a  staff  of  physicians  and 
nurses  for  examination  and  treatment  of  children,  and  publishes 
technical  and  popular  bulletins  of  great  value  on  such  subjects  as 
child  labor,  infant  mortality,  physical  care  of  the  mother,  of  infants 
and  of  children  and  the  training  of  children  in  the  home. 

4.  The  Savings  Division  of  the  United  States  Treasury  Depart- 
ment with  its  thrift  studies,  as  frequently  quoted  in  these  pages, 
the  specialists  in  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics 
with  its  budget  studies,  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Standards  with 
its  investigations  of  household  measures  and  materials,  the  United 
States  Public  Health  Service,  and  the  workers  in  the  individual 
states  in  State  Departments  of  Education,  Boards  of  Health,  De- 
partments and  Colleges  of  Agriculture  and  State  Libraries. 

The  above  sources  furnish  the  solid  background  on  which  must 
be  built  up  a  comprehensive  system  of  instruction  in  housekeeping 
and  home-making  for  the  girls  and  adult  women  of  the  country. 

As  a  beginning  in  the  actual  teaching  force  we  had,  according 
to  the  figures  of  1914,  the  Home  Economics  teachers  in  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  colleges,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  normal 
schools  and  twenty-five  hundred  or  more  high  schools. 

Public  School  Classes  in  Home  Economics. — The  state  of 
public  opinion  now  justifies  the  establishment  of  classes  in  the  public 
schools  for  the  teaching  of  sewing  and  cooking,  while  in  the  more 
progressive  schools  other  branches  have  been  added  which  have 
a  direct  effect  on  housekeeping  and  home-making.  The  aim  of  these 
courses  is  nothing  less  than  the  teaching  of  the  age-old  household 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  141 

arts  in  their  new  significance  and  meaning,  informed  with  modern 
science  and  adapted  to  the  new  requirements  now  made  on  the  indi- 
vidual and  the  family.  The  educative  value  of  these  practical 
courses  so  long  and  so  strenuously  debated  seems  now  to  be  granted, 
if  the  character  of  the  teaching  and  the  subjects  treated  are  rightly 
adapted  to  the  age  of  the  pupil. 

The  place  of  the  family  in  society,  personal  and  home  hygiene, 
care  of  children,  the  keeping  of  accounts,  the  family  budget,  dress- 
making and  millinery,  laundry  work,  home  management,  the  choice 
and  the  preparation  of  food,  are  among  the  subjects  that  have  their 
place  in  such  courses.  Some  of  this  work  is  required  and  some  is 
optional ;  it  would  be  more  frequently  chosen  by  students  if  a  liberal 
system  of  credits  for  college  admission  were  adopted,  including 
all  these  subjects. 

Extension  Courses  for  Adults. — All  of  the  state  agricultural 
colleges  and  a  few  women's  colleges,  as  well  as  many  special  insti- 
tutions, offer  Home  Economics  courses  for  older  girls  and  women, 
and  the  short  courses  in  agricultural  colleges  given  in  winter  fill  up 
a  fortnight  with  attractive  lectures  and  demonstrations.  "  Exten- 
sion "  courses  are  also  given  in  localities  remote  from  the  college, 
while  in  the  rural  districts  the  county  home  demonstration  agent, 
under  the  provisions  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act,  reaches  farm  women 
in  groups  or  in  their  own  homes,  thus  giving  assistance  in  housekeep- 
ing equipment  and  methods.  This  legislation  recognizes  the  teach- 
ing value  of  courses  carried  on  outside  the  schoolroom  in  clubs  for 
women  and  girls,  in  demonstrations  given  in  the  home  in  such 
subjects  as  canning  and  poultry-keeping  for  profit  and  through 
neighborhood  cooperative  enterprises.  Some  of  this  instruction  is 
of  excellent  quality,  while  in  many  instances  it  leaves  much  to  be 
desired,  largely  for  the  reason  that  the  training  of  competent 
teachers  has  not  kept  pace  with  the  rapidly  growing  demand  for 
such  courses. 

Vocational  Home  Economics. — Extension  or  "field"  teach- 
ing of  home  economics  does  not  follow  schoolroom  and  class  methods, 
but  the  plan  for  vocational  education  under  the  Smith-Hughes 
law  returns  to  these  methods  and  works  in  every  state  under  the 
State  Board  of  Education.  In  1918  "the  National  Government 
assumed  its  responsibility  in  the  matter  of  training  women  for  the 


142     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

vocation  of  home-making  by  the  inclusion  of  home  economics,  along 
with  agriculture  and  trade  and  industry,  in  the  Federal  Vocational 
Education  Act.  The  forty-eight  states  likewise  have  assumed  theirs 
both  by  their  acceptance  of  the  provisions  of  the  Act  and,  on  the  part 
of  a  number  of  states,  by  the  enactment  of  further  legislation  which 
provides  additional  state  funds  to  establish  schools  and  classes  for 
home-making  instruction/'  This  vocational  movement  promises  to 
alter  the  type  of  home  economics  teaching  given  to  young  women  of 
high  school  age  by  emphasizing  its  practical  aspects  and  it  will  also 
develop  new  evening  schools  and  classes  in  home-making  which  can 
be  attended  by  young  women  employed  in  industry,  by  home  women, 
and  others  who  desire  to  fit  themselves  professionally  in  the  general 
art  of  household  management  or  in  institutional  work. 

The  funds  available  under  this  Act  have  certain  restrictions 
on  their  use,  and  the  state  claiming  such  help  must  contribute  an 
amount  of  money  equal  to  the  sum  it  receives  from  the  federal  grant. 
In  general,  local  interest  and  cooperation  will  be  necessary  to  induce 
the  state  to  make  such  grants,  and  it  is  for  organized  groups  of 
citizens  in  clubs  and  other  associations  to  unite  in  demanding  that 
these  courses  be  given  in  the  community.  Such  groups  should  also 
follow  the  further  development  of  the  home  economics  division  of 
the  Federal  Vocational  Education  law,  and  support  the  request 
now  before  Congress  for  additional  funds. 

Vocational  Subject  Matter  and  Methods. — Setting  aside  as 
more  nearly  settled  by  the  experience  of  a  generation  the  courses 
that  shall  be  given  to  the  schoolgirl  under  fourteen,  what  are 
the  needs  of  the  two  far  larger  groups  as  stated  by  the  Vocational 
Education  Board: 

1.  The  women  employed  in  the  occupation  of  home-making, 
either  in  their  own  home  or   for  wage-earning  in   some   one's 
else  home. 

2.  The  girls  and  women  employed  outside  of  homes  in  industrial 
or  commercial  occupations. 

Their  needs  are  various.  To  quote  from  Miss  Anna  E. 
Richardson,  Assistant  Director  for  Home  Economics  Education, 
Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Education: 

"  Homemaking,  as  has  been  said,  ia  a  composite  occupation.  The  mod- 
ern home  is  much  less  a  production  plant  than  it  was,  yet  the  home  is  and 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  143 

will  continue  to  be  concerned  with  productive  jobs;  and  the  woman  is, 
therefore,  a  worker  in  the  several  semi-skilled  occupations  which  are  prac- 
ticed in  the  home.  In  addition,  the  homemaker's  job  is  a  management  job. 
She  is  largely  responsible  for  the  buying  of  supplies,  the  planning  of  the 
work  in  the  home,  and  the  management  of  the  family  life.  No  two  homes 
offer  quite  the  same  conditions  and  the  management  and  work  jobs  vary  with 
the  income,  size  of  family,  location  of  home  and  the  ability  of  the  home- 
maker.  For  one  homemaker  the  job  is  largely  that  of  a  worker  in  the 
various  occupations  that  make  up  the  life  in  the  home;  for  another  it  is 
largely  that  of  a  manager  of  a  business  enterprise,  for  the  majority  it  com- 
bines both  elements.  We  have  never  made  a  thoroughgoing  study  of  the 
successful  homemaker  and  the  elements  of  her  success.  Do  we  know  the 
amount  of  time  necessary  to  train  a  girl  in  the  fundamental  operations  of 
the  work  of  the  home  and  at  the  same  time  give  her  sufficient  related  in- 
struction to  make  of  her  an  intelligent,  independent  worker? 

"  For  the  group  employed  in  homemaking  activities,  the  instruction 
offered  should  do  three  things:  First,  it  must  offer  opportunity  to  learn 
simple  processes  as  they  are  carried  on  in  the  home;  second,  it  must 
supplement  any  skill  which  the  home  worker  already  possesses  and  increase 
her,  ability  to  do  the  work  of  the  home;  and  third,  it  must  develop  an 
understanding  and  appreciation  of  what  the  job  as  a  whola  means,  develop 
managerial  ability  and  appreciation  for  the  finer  an'd  more  spiritual  and 
aesthetic  side  of  homemaking.  The  extent  to  which  these  three  aims  of 
instruction  can  be  carried  out  will  depend  upon  the  ability,  general  educa- 
tion and  training  of  the  women. 

"  Neither  must  we  rest  content  with  merely  offering  courses ;  we  must 
see  to  it  that  the  women  are  reached,  interested  and  attracted  to  come 
for  instruction.  We  have  so  little  machinery,  no  compulsory-attendance  laws, 
no  hope  of  advancement  in  wages  for  most  of  those  who  come — nothing  to 
bring  them,  unless  we  have  something  to  give  which  they  want.  With 
about  twenty  million  women  to  reach  through  short  courses,  we  can  not 
feel  that  we  have  a  really  national  vocational  program  until  a  large  pro- 
portion of  these  are  reached  by  short  courses  in  homemaking." 

Demonstrations  and  Exhibits. — These  will  play  a  large  part 
in  the  education  of  women  who  are  not  students  or  even  readers. 
During  the  war  when  food  conservation  was  urgent,  the  ignorant 
or  indifferent  householder  was  not  allowed  to  go  her  way,  but  was 
approached  by  all  the  methods  which  the  food  administrator  could 
devise,  and  it  was  found  that  those  who  were  not  interested  in  study 
or  reading  would  look  at  demonstrations  and  exhibits  and  listen  to 
a  persuasive  talker  who  knew  how  to  arouse  interest.  For  instance, 
the  value  of  canning  demonstrations  and  of  exhibits  of  food  sub- 
stitutes was  at  this  time  fully  proved.  But  the  methods  that  had 
then  to  be  used  because  time  was  pressing  may  be  greatly  improved 
for  permanent  effect.  Exhibits  can  be  held  together  for  a  longer 
time  and  moved  from  place  to  place  so  as  to  fully  utilize  their 


144    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

teaching  value.     And  the  best  of  these  exhibits  should  find  a  per- 
manent place  in  teaching  centers  or  Home  Economics  institutes. 

The  Permanent  Home  Bureau. — It  is  idle  to  say  that  the 
mere  existence  of  these  helps,  as  classes,  literature,  exhibits  and 
lectures,  will  suffice  for  the  improvement  of  housekeeping  and  home- 
making  on  a  large  scale ;  a  very  active  propaganda  is  needed  to  catch 
the  attention,  to  break  up  the  isolation  in  which  the  housekeeper 
of  the  past  has  worked  and  to  arouse  in  her  a  demand  for  such  help. 
It  would  seem  that  a  permanent  Home  Bureau  might  prove  to  be 
the  connecting  link  between  the  home  and  the  many  interests  and 
activities  which  exist  to  serve  it.  Such  a  bureau  would  naturally 
be  in  control  of  county  and  city  agents  working  under  the  pro- 
visions of  various  federal  acts.  It  should  become  a  "  clearing 
house/'  Here  the  housewife  will  come  in  contact  with  trained 
and  experienced  people  who  can  answer  her  questions  and  tell  her 
the  result  of  work  done  in  research  laboratories  on  food  and  nutrition 
or  on  the  efficiency  of  new  household  appliances ;  here  she  may  learn 
the  wearing  quality  and  fastness  of  color  of  fabrics  she  must  buy, 
such  help  as  was  given  out  during  the  war  by  the  Clothing  Infor- 
mation Bureau  of  Boston.  Here  she  will  find  the  best  books  and 
expert  advice  on  such  subjects  as  the  care  and  training  of  children ; 
here  she  will  meet  groups  of  women  interested  in  the  same  subjects. 
This  ideal  has  already  been  realized  in  part.  The  State  of  Utah  has 
in  Salt  Lake  City  such  a  central  bureau  fully  equipped  to  serve  the 
people.  It  houses  the  Child  Welfare  Clinic  and  offers  free  to  various 
organizations  the  use  of  assembly  rooms;  and  its  staff  of  trained 
Home  Economics  men  and  women  are  at  hand  to  answer  questions 
and  to  advise  individuals  and  groups  on  a  wide  range  of  topics. 
Their  building  has  been  furnished  rent  free;  office  expenses  with 
heat,  light  and  demonstration  material  are  paid  from  an  annual 
budget  of  $5000  furnished  by  the  city.  Its  lecturing  and  teaching 
staff  is  made  up  of  men  and  women  from  the  Utah  State  Agricultural. 
College  and  the  University  of  Utah,  and  there  is  a  close  cooperation 
with  the  City  Board  of  Health  and  the  public  school  system.  With 
such  a  Home  Bureau  might  cooperate  the  many  experimental  enter- 
prises which  were  developed  in  wartime  and  are  still  doing  work  along 
special  lines,  such  as  the  Food  Facts  Bureau  and  the  Dietetic  Bureau 
of  Boston.  Among  the  subjects  that  would  be  covered  in  lectures 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  145 

and  in  groups  and  individual  conferences  are  home  hygiene,  civics, 
nutrition,  clothing,  household  decoration,  household  management 
and  budgeting;  also  such  cooperative  -projects  as  the  cooked-food 
center,  cooperation  with  public  schools,  community  kitchen,  co- 
operative buying,  and  cooperation  with  the  Bed  Cross,  Boy  Scout 
Masters,  Allied  and  Associated  Charities,  and  other  organizations. 
It  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  such  a  bureau  would  prove  to  be  a 
natural  rallying  point  for  all  interested  in  the  improvement  of 
home  life,  gathering  around  it  libraries  and  exhibits  and  other 
educational  facilities,  and  that  it  would  mee,'  a  need  which  is 
acutely  felt  by  intelligent  housekeepers  and  ii\  time  help  those 
who  as  yet  hardly  realize  the  importance  of  the  problems  that 
confront  them  in  every  branch  of  efficient  management  of  the  home. 
Its  most  valuable  feature  would  be  the  chance  for  contact  between 
the  housekeeper  and  the  women  of  broad  training  and  sympathies 
who  should  be  found  to  head  such  an  undertaking. 

Questions  That  Will  be  Asked  at  the  Home  Bureau. — In 
order  to  furnish  concrete  illustrations  of  the  work  of  such  a  bureau, 
we  may  ask  what  are  some  of  the  questions  that  will  be  asked  of  the 
women  who  preside  over  it  ?  To  take  a  number  at  random  will  show 
the  scope  of  the  subjects  on  which  information  is  sought  and  already 
available  for  the  home-maker: 

First,  and  perhaps  most  pressing,  are  all  those  questions  that  have  to 
do  with  nutrition,  as  "What  must  I  expect  to  spend  on  the  table  for  a 
family  of  four  ?  "  and  "  What  special  food  should  I  buy  for  the  younger 
children?  "  "  Shall  I  make  my  bread  or  buy  of  the  bakers?  " 

To  answer  such  questions  the  leader  will  have  already  at  hand  avail- 
able tables  and  charts  and  literature  on  nutrition  to  supplement  her  own 
knowledge  and  experience,  and  being  in  close  touch  with  the  Departments 
of  Home  Economics  in  Washington  and  in  the  State  Agricultural  Colleges, 
she  can  lay  special  cases  before  higher  authorities  by  letter.  She  will 
be  acquainted  with  all  local  agencies  and  will  receive  from  them  advice 
and  help,  and  also  be  able  to  cooperate  with  them  in  their  work  for  im- 
proving the  home  table. 

Then  next  are  the  questions  of  wise  household  management:  "Which 
is  my  cheapest  fuel,  coal  or  gas  or  kerosene?"  "Is  it  safe  to  set  away 
cooked  food  in  aluminum  vessels?"  "Does  it  pay  to  sift  cinders?  The 
coal  I  buy  has  much  slate  in  it,  but'  I  can  get  no  satisfaction  from  the 
dealer.  How  can  I  know  that  I  get  the  right  weight?  How  many  bushels 
go  to  the  ton  ?  "  "  What  is  the  best  refrigerator  and  what  ought  it  to 
cost?  If  I  can't  afford  it,  what  shall  I  do  wih  the  baby's  milk?  "  "  Would 
you  advise  an  electric  washing  machine  for  a  family  of  six?  And  of 
what  type  shall  it  be?  Please  compare  it  for  my  needs  with  the  water- 
10 


146    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

power  machine."  "  Can  you  show  me  how  to  make  a  fireless  cooker,  or 
should  I  buy  one?  "  "  I'm  spending  five  or  ten  times  as  much  on  cleaning 
substances  as  my  mother  used  to — can  you  show  me  how  to  make  a  saving 
in  that  item?  "  "  Has  the  government  made  any  analysis  of  these  cleaning 
powders,  soaps,  etc.  ?  " 

"Does  our  city  inspect  the  laundries?  Are  there  any  that  do  not 
use  chemicals?  In  using  the  wet  wash  of  the  public  laundries  am  I  safe 
from  some  other  family  that  may  have  an  infectious  disease?"  "Our 
underclothes  certainly  wear  out  faster  than  they  used  to.  How  am  I  to 
find  out  whether  the  cloth  is  poorer  or  the  laundry  methods  at  fault?  Is 
there  any  way  of  finding  out  how  long  a  dozen  collars  ought  to  wear  ?  " 

These  are  but  random  illustrations  of  the  questions  that  would  be 
asked.  It  becomes  evident  that  the  present  adviser  of  the  housewife  in 
the  line  of  equipment  is  the  advertiser  or  the  dealer  in  such  commodities, 
whose  interest  is  solely  in,  making  a  sale.  Why  should  she  not  be  helped, 
just  as  the  farmer  is  helped  in  buying  seed  and  machinery,  by  the  advice 
of  expert  people  who  have  the  interest  of  the  buyer,  not  the  seller,  at  heart? 

Another  set  of  questions  will  have  to  do  with  money  spending,  or 
investing,  or  with  the  use  of  the  housewife's  time:  "We  are  a  family  of 
two  adults  and  two  children  and  we  are  running  in  debt  on  our  income 
of  $3000.  Must  I  do  my  own  housework,  put  the  children  in  the  public 
schools,  or  move  into  a  smaller  house?  Can  you  tell  me  what  we  ought  to 
do  to  become  solvent  and  begin  to  save  ?  " 

"  My  husband  brings  me  the  pay  envelope  of  $40.00  a  week.  How 
much  of  this  ought  he  to  have  for  his  own  use?  We  have  a  family 
of  four."  "  We  want  to  go  to  housekeeping.  What  do  you  think  of  the 
installment  houses?  Unless  we  buy  of  them  we'll  have  to  wait  six  months 
for  furniture."  "  Would  it  be  better  to  borrow  the  money  and  pay  cash 
for  It?" 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  our  savings  ? " 

"  Shall  I  keep  up  the  home  garden  now  that  the  war  is  over,  or  do 
something  else  with  my  time?"  "I'm  called  handy  with  my  needle,  but 
the  street  clothes  I  make  don't  look  right.  Where  shall  I  learn,  or  do  you 
advise  me  to  buy  ready  made  ?  "  "  My  husband  earns  $50.00  a  week.  He 
thinks  we  can  afford  an  automobile.  Can  we?"  "We're  just  married 
my  husband  earns  $30.00  a  week.  We  don't  see  any  way  but  to  board, 
and  yet  we  don't  want  to — can  you  help  us  figure  it  out  how  we  can  go 
to  housekeeping?"  "What  is  the  best  system  of  keeping  accounts  for  a 
small  family?  I  cannot  give  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  a  week  to  it." 

"  I  have  some  free  time,  now  that  all  my  children  go  to  school.  Can, 
you  tell  me  of  any  half-time  jobs  for  money  earning  ?  " 

"  I  have  three  hours  time  free  in  the  day,  can  you  tell  me  how  I  can 
use  it  to  learn  how  to  bring  up  my  children  better  ?  " 

"  We  are  trying  to  decide  whether  or  not  to  buy  a  home  in  the  suburbs ; 
it  would  take  all  of  our  savings.  Is  it  a  good  thing  to  do?  Who  can, 
advise  us  ? " 

Noble  Impulse  and  Second  Wind. — Here  are  questions  that 
strike  deep  into  the  foundations  of  daily  life;  their  solution  might 
well  make  part  of  a  "  Bride's  Baedecker "  to  guide  those  young 
women  who  now  too  often  go  through  two  stages  in  their  housekeep- 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  147 

ing,  one  where  noble  impulse  and  ignorance  rule  and  the  other 
where  they  get  their  "  second  wind  "  and  reach  out  for  all  the  helps 
which  the  community  may  offer  them.  As  one  said :  "  When  I  was 
married,  if  only  someone  had  talked  this  all  over  with  me  and  had 
shown  what  was  possible  and  what  was  not  possible  with  our  money ! 
It  makes  me  shiver  now  when  I  realize  how  near  we  came  to 
making  shipwreck/' 

The  list  of  interesting  and  important  practical  subjects  with 
which  such  a  Home  Bureau  promises  to  deal  is  very  striking.  Its 
work  ought  to  improve  housekeeping  as  a  business  and  also  home- 
making  in  any  community  in  which  it  opens  its  hospitable  doors. 

Home  economics  so  far  offers  a  far  more  adequate  program 
for  instruction  in  housekeeping  than  in  home-making;  that  is,  all 
that  has  to  do  with  the  non-material  life  of  the  household,  the 
relations  between  parents  and  children,  all  that  affects  the  family 
spirit  and  happiness,  its  choice  of  amusements,  the  right  training 
for  the  children,  its  relations  to  the  community. 

The  Home  Training  of  Children. — The  question  is  often 
asked :  Has  science  anything  to  offer  to  parents  regarding  the  mental 
and  moral  training  of  children  ?  General  opinion  on  these  subjects, 
even  of  the  wisest,  seems  to  change  greatly  from  generation  to 
generation ;  what  we  crave  is  the  application  of  principles  that  have 
the  solid  backing  of  research  done  by  the  trained  investigator  in 
psychology  and  allied  sciences.  Such  a  demand  has  brought  forth 
a  few  series  of  lectures  and  timely  books,1  but  it  must  be  admitted 
that  the  amount  of  available  data  of  an  accurate  character  is  as  yet 
small,  and  the  number  of  people  who  can  apply  it  wisely  is  smaller 
yet.  The  immense  importance  of  the  subject,  especially  for  the 
young  mother,  warrants  a  plea  for  the  organization  of  such  knowl- 
edge as  exists  and  that  it  be  made  accessible  through  some  means  yet 
to  be  devised.  Why  should  not  the  Home  Bureau  make  connection 
with  people  who  could  give  help  in  matters  of  such  great  importance  ? 

The  mother  of  two  active,  temperamental  children  said  of  them : 
(<  They  simply  terrify  me.  They  need  so  much  and  I  don't  know 
how  to  give  it  to  them."  Was  she  a  neglectful  and  careless  mother  ? 
Quite  the  contrary ;  she  was  thoughtful  and  very  honest.  She  knew 

1  Suggestions  of  Modern  Science  Concerning  Education,  1917.  H.  S. 
Jennings  and  others. 


148     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

that  she  needed  advice  and  she  saw  no  way  of  obtaining  it.  If 
she  had  had  access  to  a  psychologist  educator  of  wide  experience, 
she  would  have  said :  "  My  older  boy  is  the  greatest  puzzle  to  me. 
He  is  rebellious,  idle  and  untruthful.  If  I  could  only  know  which 
of  his  faults  must  be  rooted  out  and  which  he  will  outgrow!  I 
think  my  children  must  be  different  from  all  other  children."  Is 
it  too  much  to  believe  that  there  might  be  advisers  wise  enough 
to  reply:  "By  no  means;  I  have  known  any  number  who  display 
such  characteristics  at  the  same  age ;  here  is  my  card  catalogue  that 
will  show  you  how  such  children  have  been  successfully  treated." 
Such  work  once  organized  would  partake  of  the  system  and  accurate 
knowledge  found  in  hospital  methods  for  the  treatment  of  disease, 
where  generations  of  doctors  have  left  on  record  the  description  of 
cases,  treatment  and  results  as  an  aid  in  diagnosis  of  new  cases. 
There  will  always  be  great  individual  differences,  but  it  is  much, 
very  much,  to  know  what  tendencies  have  been  found  in  some  degree 
common  to  certain  ages  and  certain  types  of  children  and  some  of 
the  ways  which  have  been  used  in  their  treatment. 

Probably  no  greater  help  and  relief  could  be  offered  parents  than 
to  be  shown  what  they  can  do  for  the  best  development  of  their 
children,  especially  in  those  wonderful  pre-school  years  when  the 
child  is  wholly  in  home  care.  In  addition  to  being  taught  to  care 
for  the  child  physically,  parents  should  be  helped  through  some 
agency  to  know  something  of  the  psychology  of  childhood,  to  get 
insight  into  its  swiftly  changing  phases,  and  thus  find  an  absorbing 
and  beautiful  study  in  place  of  what  is  now  so  often  a  puzzle 
or  a  bore. 

In  our  coming  Home  Bureau  even  a  shelf  of  books  devoted  to 
the  subject  would  be  a  beginning.  It  would  contain  popular  books 
like  Professor  McKeever's  Training  the  Boy  and  Training  the 
Girl  that  assist  by  their  good  sense  and  their  observation  of  family 
life,  while  studious  parents  will  find  there  copies  of  the  few  inten- 
sive studies  tha/t  have  been  made  of  individual  children. 

QUESTIONS 

BECBEATION 

1.  A  woman  in  a  Maine  village  trained  the  young  people  in  chorus  sing- 
ing and  taught  piano  and  voice  culture  for  a  generation  and  thus 
gave  the  town  musical  expression.  Who  are  the  people  in  your  com- 


HELP  IN  RECREATION  AND  EDUCATION  149 

nrunity  who  are  rendering  like  service,  or  is  it  furnished  to  any 
extent  by  schools? 

2.  A  father  on  an  Oklahoma  farm  taught  every  child  to  play  a  musical 

instrument.  Might  not  the  inhabitants  of  several  small  villages 
unite  in  paying  a  teacher? 

3.  Do  you  know  of  any  active  singing  club?     Have  the  church  choirs  or 

any  fraternal  organizations  in  your  community  ever  put  on  a 
musical  production? 

4.  Do  the  municipalities  of  your  state  have  the  right  to  own  park  lands 

outside  the  city  limits?  Los  Angeles  has  a  recreation  park  with 
cottages  and  other  facilities  for  campers. 

5.  Are  there  public  museums  of  art  and  natural  history  in  your  town? 

What  are  the  important  collections  in  cities  of  your  state?  Is  there 
any  provision  for  travelling  exhibits  of  such  collections?  If  not, 
would  it  be  impossible  to  work  up  a  system  by  which  day-long  visits 
of  children  and  adults  could  be  made  to  such  collections,  including 
special  railroad  fares  and  guides?  Could  a  collection  be  started  in 
connection  with  your  public  library,  beginning  with  whatever  illus- 
trates early  local  history? 

6.  Are  moving  pictures,  even  when  censored,  to  be  substituted  for  forms  of 

recreation  which  have  constructive  and  social  character?  Are  they 
healthful?  (Eyestrain.)  Do  they  emphasize  right  impulses  and 
instincts?  Do  they  stimulate  the  mind,  or  do  they  bring  about 
apathy  and  a  desire  for  more  entertainment  that  calls  for  no  personal 
effort?  What  are  the  dangers  of  all  commercialized  recreation? 

7.  A  small  village  that  had  been  using  a  hay  barn  in  summer  for  dances 

and  plays,  raised  money  to  add  to  what  could  be  voted  from  the 
taxes  to  build  a  town  hall  adapted  to  many  uses.  A  small  fee  was 
charged  for  its  use  until  the  money  was  repaid.  Why  isi  not  such  a 
plan  more  generally  followed? 

EDUCATION 

1.  Are  you   in   touch  with   associations   and   journals   devoted   to  special 

phases  of  homemaking.  They  should  be  to  the  housewife  and  mother 
what  the  medical  society  is  to  the  doctor,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  to 
the  business  man. 

Are  you  on  the  mailing  list,  of  the  Office  of  Home  Economics,  U.  S. 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  your  State 
College  of  Agriculture,  that  you  may  receive  free  bulletins  on  sub- 
jects of  interest  to  the  housekeeper?  Is  your  community  benefiting 
from  free  courses  given  under  the  Smith-Lever  Act? 

For  information  as  to  courses  given  under  the  Smith-Hughes  Act,  address 
your  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  at  the  State  Capital. 

2.  Is  the  present  interest  in   industrial   training  tending  to  obscure  the 

importance  of  broadening  the  intellectual  basis  of  life  by  attention 
to  non-vocational  studies? 

3.  Suggest  subjects  for  study  for  a  young  man  of  eighteen  who  will  be  a 

plumber  so  that  he  may  also  play  his  part  as  an  American  citizen. 

4.  If  no  library  is  available  in  your  community,  how  could  a  group  of 

families  organize  a  book  club  or  a  magazine  club  for  exchanging 
reading  material?  Suggest  practical  rules  for  operating  such  a  club. 


150    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

How  will  you  ascertain  whether  you  can  obtain  the  loan  of  a  travelling 
library  in  a  farming  community  or  small  town? 

5.  How  far  should  parents  concern  themselves  with  courses  of  study  in 

the  schools  which  their  children  attend?  Is  there  a  parents'  teachers' 
association  in  your  community?  If  not,  could  you  organize  one? 
(Get  information  from  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  Washington,  D.  C.). 

6.  Plato  said  more  than  2000  years  ago  that  the  first  act  of  a  wise  gov- 

ernment would  be  to  send  out  into  the  country  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city  who  were  more  than  ten  years  old  and  then  take  possession 
of  their  children  who  were  as  yet  unaffected  by  the  habits  of  their 
parents.  Would  it  not  be  already  too  late,  and  do  you  know  of  any 
government  wise  enough  to  undertake  their  education? 

7.  A   prominent  psychiatrist   says   that   we   might  well   have  "  marriage 

counsellors"  as  a  kind  of  professional  service.  Do  you  think  there 
is  a  need  for  such  service?  Describe  the  qualifications  of  the  person 
who  could  fill  such  a  post.  Might  it  be  connected  with  some  institu- 
tion? For  instance,  it  is  well  known  that  families  on  the  brink  of 
disaster  are  sometimes  saved  by  the  friendly  advice  of  the  court  or 
some  social  agency. 

8.  The  Home  Economics  agent  in  an  eastern  city  sent  a  letter  ,and  liter- 

ature to  every  young  woman  who  was  given  a  license  to  marry.  The 
service  in  a  large  number  of  cases  was  accepted  and  was  probably 
useful.  Might  not  a  course  in,  for  instance,  family  finance,  be  offered 
to  men  in  the  new  public  vocational  courses  or  by  classes  of  the 
local  Y.  M.  C.  A.? 

9.  Should  the  compulsory  school-attendance  age  be  advanced  to  eighteen 

years?  How  do  the  young  people  feel  about  it?  What  is  the  view 
of  employers? 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  FAMILY  BUDGET 

WE  have  considered  the  various  sources  of  the  income  as  derived 
from  the  earnings  of  the  different  members  of  the  family,  the  sav- 
ings of  the  preceding  generation  and  the  contributions  from  the 
community,  and  we  shall  now  in  several  chapters  consider  the 
handling  of  the  money  income.  This  is  the  problem  of  the  family 
budget.  Technically,  the  budget,  whether  of  a  nation  or  of  a  family, 
is  concerned  with  dividing  up  the  estimated  income  before  the  money 
is  spent.  As  applied  to  household  finances,  it  is  distinctly  new ;  it 
is  yet  to  be  accepted  in  any  but  very  progressive  families. 

But  this  should  occasion  no  surprise  perhaps,  since  our  national 
government  with  full  control  of  its  income  in  the  form  of  taxes, 
and  with  all  the  necessary  machinery  for  calculation  and  record,  is 
still  floundering  in  the  expense-account  stage.  "  The  present  plan/' 
we  are  told,  "  by  which  appropriations  are  made  and  the  people  then 
taxed  to  meet  them,  would  not  be  tolerated  in  private  business  for  a 
single  year."  When  the  government  of  city,  state,  or  the  United 
States  comes  to  be  run  on  the  budget  plan  the  entire  cost  for  the 
next  fiscal  year  will  be  known  in  advance  and  the  people  will  have 
ample  time  to  approve  or  disapprove  the  various  items  and  to  ask 
for  additional  information.  Then,  waste  in  all  departments  ought 
to  be  disclosed  to  view  and  there  should  be  a  chance  to  discuss  the 
relative  importance  of  proposed  expenditures. 

Misuse  of  the  Term. — The  word  budget,  as  applied  to  house- 
hold finance,  is  often  wrongly  used.  It  should  have  the  same  mean- 
ing that  it  bears  in  public  finance,  a  forecast  or  estimate  of  expendi- 
tures for  the  year  to  come,  while  the  items  for  which  the  money 
was  spent  in  the  year  past  would  appear  as  expense  account  or  a 
summary  of  it;  but  perhaps  because  domestic  finance  is  in  such  an 
Undeveloped  state,  the  compact  word  budget,  suggestive  of  large 
and  exact  methods,  seems  to  have  been  seized  on  and  put  to  a 
double  use  and  so  the  expense  account  of  the  past  as  also  the  calcu- 
lated plan  for  the  year  to  come  is  sometimes  called  the  budget. 

151 


152    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

The  principles  that  are  to  guide  in  the  division  of  the  income 
of  any  given  family  may  be  worked  out  by  a  study  of  its  previous 
expenditures  aided  by  a  comparison  with  similar  records  of  other 
families,  all  made  to  bear  on  the  attainment  of  aims  and  plans  for 
the  future.  Past  financial  history  is  represented  by  the  summary 
of  the  expense  account;  the  plan  for  future  spending  is  shown  by 
the  budget. 

Expense  Account  vs.  the  Budget. — The  account  book  in  some 
stage  of  development  is  known  to  most  households.  It  is  felt  that 
"  you  must  put  things  down/'  But  account  keeping  cannot  be  said 
to  be  popular.  Many  would  applaud  the  saying  of  Cardinal 
Manning :  "  Keeping  accounts  is  writing  epitaphs  on  dead  money," 
and  this  distaste  is  found  even  in  families  that  have  learned  to  set 
down  every  item  and  to  balance  every  page. 

The  explanation  is  found  in  the  fact  that  -few  have  discovered 
that  the  real  value  of  the  individual  or  family  expense  account  lies 
in  its  summaries,  which  furnish  the  basis  of  comparison  with  the 
preceding  years  and  those  which  are  to  come.  Viewed  in  this  light 
the  work  takes  on  new  meaning,  the  budget  is  in  sight.  The  budget 
is  interesting  because  it  is  forward  looking ;  all  the  plans  and  pur- 
poses of  the  family  are  seen  to  depend  on  it  while  the  trouble,  with 
the  old-fashioned  expense  account  was  that  it  led  nowhere;  it  did 
not  connect  up  with  future  desires  and  their  attainment.  The  most 
painstaking  keepers  of  the  itemized  account  are  sometimes  found 
to  be  least  able  to,  make  these  connections,  they  have  lost  their  way 
in  the  forest  of  figures. 

Early  Studies  of  the  Budget. — Before  taking  up  the  spending 
of  the  individual  family  income  of  to-day,  it  will  be  interesting  to 
note  wfaat  previous  study  has  been  put  on  the  subject  up  to  this  time. 
The  study  of  family  incomes  and  their  expenditure  was  practically 
begun  in  the  last  century  by  a  French  engineer  and  economist, 
Frederic  Le  Play.  For  twenty-five  years  he  had  spent  his  vacations 
travelling  in  different  countries  of  Europe  and  everywhere  he  stud- 
ied the  condition  of  the  workingnmn.  His  method  was  to  live  a 
week  or  more  with  a  typical  family,  and  as  he  had  rare  social  gifts, 
great  tact  and  spoke  five  languages,  he  always  learned  what  he  set 


THE  FAMILY  BUDGET  153 

out  to  learn.  This  man,  so  capable  as  an  engineer  that  he  was 
selected  by  Napoleon  III  to  organize  the  Exposition  of  1855,  did  a 
unique  service  to  the  science  of  economics  by  publishing  in  the  same 
year  his  thirty-six  budgets  of  workmen's  families  or  Family  Mono- 
graphs. He  drew  no  statistical  conclusions,  but  his  material  became 
the  basis  of  later  work  of  the  kind  done  by  others.  Ernst  Engel 
a  few  years  later  compared  the  Monographs  with  other  available 
Budgets,  added  similar  data  of  his  own  gathered  in  Saxony,  and 
announced  what  the  student  of  economics  knows  as  Engel's  Laws 
of  Consumption. 

EngeL's  Laws. — 1.  As  the  income  of  a  family  increases,  a 
smaller  percentage  is  expended  for  food.' 

2.  As  the  income  of  a  family  increases  the  percentage  of  expendi- 
ture for  clothing  remains  about  the  same. 

3.  The  percentages  for  rent,  fuel  and  light  remain  the  same 
whatever  the  income. 

4.  As  the  income  increases  in  amount  a  constantly  increasing 
percentage  is  expended  for  education,  health,  recreation,  amuse- 
ments, etc. 

Thus,  to  illustrate  the  first  law,  it  would  be  found  that  at  present 
out  of  a  $1500  income  perhaps  50  per  cent.,  or  some  $700,  would  be 
spent  for  food  for  the  family  of  normal  size;  while  of  a  $2500 
income,  the  amount  spent  might  remain  about  the  same,  but  the  pro- 
portion of  the  income  required  would  fall  to  possibly  28  per  cent. 

According  to  the  second  and  third  laws  the  family  will  use  a 
larger  sum  for  clothing,  housing  und  all  that  goes  to  the  upkeep 
of  the  house  in  order  to  meet  the  higher  standard  of  living  which  an 
increased  income  will  allow,  but  the  same  relation  of  these  outgoes 
to  the  entire  income  is  apt  to  be  kept. 

As  concerns  the  fourth  law,  the  money  spent  for  other  than 
physical  necessities,  or  the  items  that  are  classed  in  the  modern 
budget  under  the  word  advancement,  will  be  very  small  in  amount 
and  in  percentage  in  the  lower  range  of  incomes,  but  as  the  family 
becomes  better  off,  the  percentage  left  over  for  education,  recreation, 
cultural  expenditures  and  luxury  of  all  kinds  will  increase,  it  may 
even  reach  one-half  of  the  income. 

Engel's  Laws  are  not  concerned  with  any  recommended  or 
advised  division  of  family  incomes,  only  with  observed  customs  of 


154     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

his  time,  and  these  relationships  between  the  items  in  budgets  of 
all  sizes  seem  to  hold  good  to  a  surprising  extent  up  to  the  present, 
based  'as  they  are  on  well-known  habits  of  people.  They  are  falsi- 
fied only  when  the  owner  of  the  income  elects  to  spend  or  economize 
in  an  unusual  way,  as,  for  instance,  by  one  who  continued  to  live 
by  preference  in  the  same  house  or  in  the  same  style  after  his 
income  had  doubled.  These  proportions  are  also  upset  when  prices 
become  deranged,  as  was  seen  in  the  price  of  food,  and  later,  clothing 
and  rent,  in  wartime. 

The  Bondy  Budget. — An  interesting  budget  that  reflected  the 
customs  prevailing  in  middle-class  families  in  central  Europe  at  the 
time  was  brought  out  in  1890  by  Ottilie  Bondy,  of  Vienna.  In  this 
case  the  division  of  the  income  was  into  six  parts  and  was  designed 
to  answer  the  question :  "  How  to  maintain  the  equilibrium  in 
domestic  expenses,  without  which  neither  dignity  nor  peace  of  mind 
can  be  preserved."  The  income  was  divided  into  six  parts: 

1.  Rent  16%%  or  y6 

2.  Operating  Expenses;  i.e.,  fuel,  light,  service,  dress,  laundry.  16%%  or  y6 

3.  Life  insurance,  sickness  and  accident 16%%  or  % 

(That  which  is  saved  by  keeping  well  is  used  for  recrea- 
tion the  following  year.) 

4.  The  children's  heritage,  not  to  be  disturbed  except  in  case 

of  dire  necessity   16%%  or  % 

5  &  6.  Food  and  other  daily  expenses   33y3%  or  y3 

Unfortunately,  exact  figures  were  not  given  as  to  the  outlay 
for  food  and  the  items  coming  under  running  expenses,  but  this 
budget  is  suggestive  as  differing  in  several  points  from  the  Ameri- 
can estimates,  as  in  granting  a  somewhat  smaller  proportion  for 
rent  and  in  reducing  dress  to  a  subordinate  place,  while  insurance 
and  health  is  granted  a  main  division  of  the  income.  Still  more 
important  is  the  prominence  given  to  the  children's  heritage  arid 
to  the  safeguards  placed  around  the  use  of  this  comparatively  large 
proportion.  According  to  foreign  custom,  this  fund  may  be  bor- 
rowed from  for  the  youth's  education,  or  to  start  'him  in  business,  or 
to  meet  some  great  family  emergency;  but  it  is  held  sacred  as  a 
trust  fund  and  it  must  be  again  built  up  through  savings  and 
handed  on  intact  so  that  the  generation  following  may  have  the 
same  advantage  by  its  use  as  a  safe  backing  to  the  family  life. 
These  apportionments  suggest  the  tremendous  economic  pressure 


THE  FAMILY  BUDGET  155 

felt  by  the  middle  classes  in  older  countries  and  the  consequent 
incentive  to  caution  and  economy  and  the  long  look  ahead. 

Mrs.  Richards'  Suggested  Division  of  the  Income.— The 
following  figures  were  brought  out  some  twenty  years  ago  by 
Ellen  H.  Eichards  as  the  suggested  "  ideal  budget "  in  the  United 
States  for  the  division  of  a  $2000  to  $4000  income  to  cover  the 
needs  of  the  normal  family : 

1.  Rent     20%  or  */. 

2.  Food    25%  or  % 

3.  Running   expenses    15%  or  */T 

(This  in  case  the  wife  does  most  of  the  housework.    Other- 
wise running  expenses,  chiefly  service,  will  equal  rent. ) 

4.  Clothing    15%  or  VT 

5.  Recreation,  health,  church  and  charity,  savings  and  insurance. 25%  or  14 

This  estimate,  suggestive  only,  has  remained  for  a  long  time 
our  most  useful  generalization  on  the  American  family  budget. 

The  Minimum  Budget  for  Health  and  Decency. — The  United 
States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  reported  in  December,  1919, 
$2262.47  as  the  result  of  their  estimate  of  the  budget  that  shall 
be  sufficient  to  maintain  "  a  standard  of  health  and  decency  "  among 
government  employees  for  a  family  consisting  of  husband,  wife  and 
three  children  below  the  age  of  fourteen  years  in  the  City  of 
Washington,  D.  C.  Its  divisions  are  as  follows : * 

I.  Food $773.93 

II.  Clothing: 

Husband    $121.16 

Wife   166.46 

Boy  ( 11  years)    96.60 

Girl   (5  years   82.50 

Boy  (2  years)    47.00 

513.72- 

III.  Housing,  fuel,  and  light   428.00 

IV.  Miscellaneous     546.82 


Total  budget  at  market  prices 2,262.47 

Possible  saving  upon  market  cost  by  a  family  of  extreme  thrift, 
of  high  intelligence,  great  industry  in  shopping,  good  fortune  in 

*A  valuable  detailed  account  of  the  items  under  each  head  is  found  in 
a  government  publication,  entitled  "  Tentative  Quantity  and  Cost  Budget — 
Necessary  to  maintain  a  family  of  five  in  Washington,  D.  C.,  at  a  level  of 
health  and  decency."  U,  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  Washington. 


156    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 


purchasing  at  lowest  prices,  and  in  which  the  wife  is  able  to  do  a 
maximum  amount  of  home  work: 

I.  Food    ( 7y2   per   cent. )     $58.04 

II.  Clothing  ( 10  per  cent.)    51.37 

III.  Housing 30.00 

IV.  Miscellaneous    . 107.50 


Total    economies 


246.91 


Total  budget  minus  economies  2,015.56 

The  U.  S.  Thrift  Budgets. — A  budget  estimate  of  much  interest 
has  been  sent  out  by  the  Savings  Division  of  the  United  States 
Treasury  Department,  p.  157,  working  in  conjunction  with  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture.2  It  undertakes  to  advise  upon  such  a 
plan  for  spending  the  family  money  as  will  permit  of  substantial 
savings  .to  be  invested  in  government  bonds  or  other  securities 
and  since  it  was  a  part  of  a  widespread  thrift  propaganda  for  the 
country,  it  involved  a  careful  study  of  the  minimum  expenditure 
of  the  normal  family  for  the  necessities  of  life.  Several  estimates 
are  here  quoted : 

For  the  $2400  budget,  the  percentages  by  the  month  and  year 
stand  as  follows : 


THE  $2400  INCOME  FOR  FIVE 

Percentage. 

Savings    10y2 

Kent u  • 13y2 

Food     32 

Clothing     15 

Housekeeping 10 

Church  and  charity 

Health,      recreation      and 
education     

Personal  and  miscellaneous 


Advancement 


19 


100 


Month. 
$21 
27 
64 
30 
20 

38 


$200 


Year 
$252 
324 
768 
360 
240 

456 


$2400 


This  suggested  arrangement  of  the  family  budget  is  the  result 
of  careful  work  on  the  part  of  Home  Economics  experts  and  it  comes 
with  greater  authority  than  anything  of  its  kind  that  has  been  done 
in  recent  years.  It  offers,  therefore,  a  good  basis  for  the  discussion 

2How  Other  People  Get  Ahead.  Government  Printing  Office,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 


THE  FAMILY  BUDGET 


157 


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158    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

of  iihe  subject  of  this  chapter.  For  actual  use  the  proportion 
assigned  to  each  division  must  be  adjusted  to  individual  needs. 
It  must  be  repeated  that  this  and  all  other  estimates  of  the  kind  are 
suggestive  only.  There  is  no  "  model "  budget  in  the  sense  of  one 
that  can  be  applied  without  change  to  any  income  whatever. 

How  to  Begin  a  Budget. — Suppose  a  given  family  to  be  a  unit 
regarding  the  disposal  of  the  income,  or  if  not  fully  agreed,  to 
have  developed  a  generous  give-and-take  that  furnishes  a  working 
basis,  how  would  they  start  out  to  assign  to  each  department  of  their 
expenditure  what  it  should  have? 

If  they  have  the  expense  account  for  the  preceding  year  it  will 
help  greatly  as  giving  the  actual  family  practice,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  reasons  for  it;  moreover,  the  results  of  spending  as 
they  did  will  still  be  fresh  in  mind.  The  results,  we  will  say,  have 
not  been  wholly  satisfactory;  perhaps  no  money  has  been  saved — 
they  may  even  have  run  in  debt.  They  must  have  been  spending 
more  in  some  line  than  they  had  a  right  to ;  the  question  is  where  ? 

Plans  and  Purposes. — The  first  thing  for  this  family  to  con- 
sider is,  what  do  they  want  to  accomplish,  say  in  the  next  five  years 
and  how  much  money  can  be  set  aside  to  carry  out  those  plans? 
What  present  outgoes  must  be  cut  down  ?  Such  decisions  are  espe- 
cially important  for  the  young  married  couple  who  will  certainly 
be  able  to  make  enough  of  a  plan  to  prevent  the  disagreeable  experi- 
ence of  two  young  people  who  started  out  gaily  on  a  $2500  salary, 
and  in  the  last  month  of  the  year  were  nearly  reduced  to  a  bread- 
and-water  diet  to  keep  from  going  into  debt.  But  they  did  not 
go  into  debt  and  the  keeping  of  that  resolve  was  the  founding  of 
their  later  success. 

It  would  be  a  great  deal  if  this  typical  young  couple  could  be 
persuaded  that  there  really  is  a  science  of  seamanship  in  these  new 
waters,  not  perfect,  but  charting  the  worst  rocks  and  the  most 
dangerous  currents !  For  they  sometimes  seem  to  start  out  on  their 
voyage  without  rudder  or  compass,  and  as  for  chart  they  have  only 
the  yarns  of  old  sailors  now  safe  in  port.  And  many  of  these 
ancient  mariners  have  drifted  in  rather  than  steered  their  course 
and  some  have  lost  their  cargo  and  barely  saved  their  lives ! 

Any  really  definite  plan  for  the  future  will  furnish  the  begin- 
nings of  a  good  division,  for  it  will  be  based  on  a  thoughtful  com- 
parison of  needs.  Thus,  the  couple  who  have  begun  to  live  on  a 


THE  FAMILY  BUDGET  159 

budget  have  a  better  rule  than  doing  what  other  people  think  they 
should.  Perhaps  an  expensive  wedding  trip  is  not  taken,  they 
may  choose  a  more  unpretentious  way  of  living  than  has  been 
expected  of  them,  but  they  have  bravely  "struck  their  gait,"  for 
they  know  exactly  what  they  want  to  do  with  the  money  saved. 
Moreover,  their  example  makes  it  easier  for  everyone  thev  know 
to  live  the  honest  life. 

A  Budget  That  Does  Not  Know  it  is  a  Budget. — One  family 
started  out  with  just  three  aims  for  the  next  twenty-five  years: 

1st.  To  make  the  utmost  out  of  the  man  in  his  profession. 

2nd.  To  be  able  to  give  the  children  a  good  education. 

3rd.  To  have  enough  to  live  on  in  old  age. 

After  twenty-five  years  they  look  back  on  all  three  accomplished 
and  done  on  a  moderate  income.  And  yet  this  family  denies  that 
it  kept  a  budget,  or  even  an  expense  account  in  detail.  What  they 
felt  to  be  necessary  was  a  knowledge  of  the  large  outgoes,  so  that 
they  might  be  scanned  and  compared  with  what  will  be  called  for 
in  the  following  year  or  years.  If  they  did  not  keep  a  budget  it  was 
in  the  same  sense  that  the  experienced  cook  does  not  need  a  written 
recipe  for  making  bread,  because  she  has  long  had  it  by  heart  and 
is  frequently  practicing  it. 

The  Foundation  of  Success. — This,  then,  is  the  foundation  of 
budget-making ;  to  know  what  you  want  to  do  with  your  life — it  is 
the  wand  which  marshalls  the  figures  in  order !  Of  all  those  groups 
of  figures  which  we  are  now  calling  family  budgets,  the  most 
valuable  in  their  suggestion  for  others  are  those  which  have  been 
evolved  by  families  having  a  clear  purpose  in  life,  a  purpose 
which  they  carried  out  with  courage  and  the  single  eye.  Their 
success  makes  easier  the  adoption  of  the  budget  by  the  next 
generation  of  housekeepers  who  have  had  the  better  school  training 
in  family  finance.  By  this  plan  careful  attention  is  given  to  the 
different  claims  on  the  purse,  and  decisions  are  reached  which  the 
members  of  a  family  agree  to  consider  binding  unless  unusual 
circumstances  arise  to  make  a  readjustment  necessary.  Such 
decisions  bring  to  any  family  a  feeling  of  dignity  and  command 
over  their  future  which,  once  experienced,  makes  any  other  method 
seem  childish  and  makeshift  and  likely  to  bring  disaster.  The 
"  beasts  that  perish  "  show  a  better  directing  intelligence  than  does 
the  man  who  drifts.  Decisions  made  in  advance,  tentative  and 


160    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

general  though  they  may  be,  help  enormously  to  steady  us  when  we 
are  tempted  to  courses  of  action  involving  outlays  not  in  the  original 
estimate  for  good  judgment  tells  us  that  we  are  apt  to  have  been 
right  when  we  coolly  compared  in  advance  the  claims  of  our  different 
needs  and  desires.  On  these  decisions  we  may  rely  as  we  do  on 
social  conventions  and  rules  of  conduct  which  become  second  habit 
and  relieve  us  from  the  necessity  of  making  an  independent  decision 
each  time,  but  which  on  the  other  hand,  are  not  ironclad  and  can 
be  amended  for  good  and  sufficient  reasons. 

An  Illustration. — "  How  much  will  you  give  me  for  the  Old 
Ladies'  Home  ?  "  says  a  friend  with  that  taken-f or-granted  expres- 
sion which  means,  "  Of  course  you  will  help  with  my  pet  charity." 
The  woman  who  is  living  on  the  budget  plan  does  not  put  on  that 
cold,  self-defensive  look  which  informs  the  wretched  visitor  that 
her  request  will  be  granted  only  under  social  pressure.  She  says 
cordially,  "  I'd.  love  to  help ;  nothing  appeals  to  me  more  than  those 
old  ladies,  but  it  all  depends  upon  how  much  is  left  in  envelope 
No.  6 ;  you  see,  I  live  on  the  budget  plan."  The  label  on  envelope 
No.  6  reads,  "  Church  and  charity  $100,"  and  a  slip  inside  shows 
what  has  been  expended.  Church  subscription,  $20 ;  church  supper, 
$1 ;  charity  organization,  $5.  Since  the  account  shows  a  good 
surplus,  $3  is  given  to  the  Old  Ladies'  Home  and  the  sum  is 
written  on  the  slip. 

Use  of  Money  Comparatively  New. — Perhaps  one  reason  why 
it  is  difficult  to  grasp  the  importance  of  money  spending  as  an  .edu- 
cator is  that  the  majority  of  our  people  are  still  so  near  the  time 
when,  as  dwellers  on  farms,  people  had  hardly  any  money.  A  great- 
aunt  remembers  the  sixty-three  cents  which  was  the  first  money  she 
ever  owned,  and  she  was  eighteen  years  old !  Barter  in  what  might 
be  called  its  secondary  phase  was  the  method  of  exchange,  farmers 
"  helped  each  other  out "  at  harvest  and  other  times,  the  women 
at  quiltings.  If  the  family  went  to  town  it  was  in  the  farm  wagon, 
and  they  bought  at  stores  which  would  take  farm  produce,  those 
which  would  not  take  butter  and  eggs  having  no  chance  with  the 
women  buyers.  Rent,  fuel,  food  were  not  represented  in  the 
mind  by  money,  they  came  from  the  farm,  and  the  farmer  even  of 
to-day  is  unable  to  separate  these  items  from  what  he  sells. 

The  Budget  Marks  an  Advance  in  the  Art  of  Living. — 
There  are  those  who  still  say  that  they  have  no  interest  in  a  plan 


THE  FAMILY  BUDGET  161 

of  spending  which  divides  the  income  before  any  of  it  is  given  out, 
who  do  not  believe  in  the  educational  value  of  the  allowance  for 
children  and  are  averse  to  giving  the  time  and  thought  that  older 
people  must  render  in  order  that  it  may  become  a  valuable  depart- 
ment of  home  education;  to  such  must  be  recommended  an  actual 
trial  and  a  faithful  one  of  the  new  plan,  for  in  most  cases  such  a 
trial  would  convince  them  that  it  marks  a  distinct  advance  in  satis- 
factory living. 

The  following  is  a  concise  statement  of  the  results  that  may  be 
expected  to  follow  the  Thrift  and  Household  Budget  campaign 
of  the  Treasury  Department: 

"  There  are  three  reasons  why  it  is  fortunate  that  banks  and  banking 
associations  are  helping  to  promote  the  study  of  the  family  budget,  and 
that  the  U.  S.  Treasury  Department  has  taken  up  this  work.  First,  it  will 
bring  more  directly  to  the  attention  of  heads  of  families  who  mistakenly 
believe  the  way  to  make  a  woman  economize  is  to  give  instead  of  share, 
that  no  one  can  save  without  the  right  kind  of  knowledge  and  purpose,  or 
something  to  save  from.  Again  and  again  women  desire  to  run  their  homes 
by  approved  business  methods,  but  cannot  because  they  lack  the  right  kind 
of  cooperation  from  the  one  upon  whom  support  depends.  A  budget  compels 
cooperation  in  the  family. 

"  Second,  it  promotes  the  study  of  economics  and  supplements  the  work 
of  home  economics  departments  by  giving  practical  assistance  to  those 
who  might  otherwise  fail  to  find  the  right  kind  of  help  in  economic  adjust- 
ments. Third,  it  may  in  the  course  of  time  compel  state  and  national 
legislatures  to  adjust  their  finances  by  intelligent  economic  methods.  When 
enough  citizens  recognize  the  results  of  applied  budget  principles,  the 
demand  for  a  proper  system  of  Government  expenditures  based  on  actual 
known  income  will  be  too  insistent  to  be  refused."  * 

Restatement. — 1st.  It  will  be  found  important  to  make  a 
somewhat  definite  separation  between  necessities  as  required  by 
health  and  efficiency  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other,  things  important 
but  exchangeable  to  a  degree  with  each  other. 

2d.  A  definite  written  budget  or  plan  of  spending  the  income 
should  be  made  in  advance  for  the  week,  month  or  year,  possibly  in 
outline  for  several  years,  this  plan  to  embody  the  aims  and  purposes 
of  the  family;  it  will  not  be  perfect,  but  it  will  furnish  a  good 
working  outline.  The  plan  of  spending  will  naturally  be  based  on 
the  account  book  of  a  previous  year  or  term  of  years,  and  a  study 
of  the  budgets  of  other  families,  as  found  in  home  economics  litera- 
ture, will  be  helpful. 

"General  Federation  Magazine,  April,  1919. 
11 


162    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

3rd.  The  making  of  this  family  budget  will  be  a  matter  of 
family  conference  to  which  the  children  will  be  admitted,  nor  will 
the  plan  once  adopted  be  changed  without  bringing  it  before 
this  conference. 

4th.  Partial  budgets,  as  a  housekeeping  or  a  clothing  budget, 
are  also  of  value,  and  sometimes  offer  the  necessary  training  for  the 
keeping  of  the  whole  budget.  To  live  on  them  with  satisfaction 
requires  careful  saving  for  the  larger  items  and  forbids  the  drib- 
bling away  of  money  on  unconsidered  trifles. 

5th.  One  of  the  most  important  budgets  is  that  of  the  child's 
allowance  which  should  be  used  as  a  means  of  education  in  com- 
parative values. 

6th.  The  budget  plan  once  adopted  should  have  a  year's  fair  trial, 
and  the  proportions  agreed  on  in  advance  should  be  adhered  to  if 
possible,  even  at  considerable  inconvenience.  The  next  year  changes 
may  be  made  as  suggested  by  experience. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Which  is  the  strongest  influence  in  deciding  how  you  will  divide  up 

your  money,  present  habits  and  standards  or  a  thrifty  outlook  on, 
future  needs? 

2.  Is  it  easier  to  change  standards  of  spending  to  meet  a  lowered  income 

or  to  earn  more  money  to  keep  up  the  old  standards? 

3.  Has  a  lack  of  unity  as  to  the  money  spending  in  a  family  any  direct 

relation  to  the  increasing  number  of  divorces? 

4.  If  a  family  has  $2500  and  then  gets  $3000,  will  it  be  likely  to  spend 

as  much  or  more  money  on  the  table?  Will  the  amount  be  the  same 
percentage  or  a  smaller  percentage  of  the  total  income?  What  is 
Engel's  rule? 

5.  What  goals  ahead  seem  to  you  worth  saving  money  for  ?    How  much  of 

your  income  would  it  take  every  month  to  reach  one,  at  least,  of 
these  goals. 

6.  What  would  be  the  benefits  to  the  nation  if  it  became  common  to  budget 

personal  income  as  to  proposed  savings  and  expenditures? 

7.  Outline  reasonable  plans  for  children's  participation  in  family  budget- 

ing and  finance — for  example,  at  what  age  can  they  help  plan  for 
recreation  expenses,  for  their  own  clothing,  for  buying  a  new  home 
for  the  family? 

8.  If  budgeting  is  planning  in  advance  for  expenditures  and  then  carry- 

ing out  one's  plan  is  it  true  that  good  housekeepers  have  always 
budgeted?  What  is  new,  then,  in  the  present  budget  movement? 

9.  "Every  budget  is  an  individual  problem" — why  then  consult  average 

budgets,  percentage  divisions  and  the  like? 

10.  Ask  business  men,  bankers,  lawyers,  doctors  and  others  how  far  they 
use  what  might  be  called  a  budget  system  (though  they  may  not 
use  the  word)  in,  their  business. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  THE 
NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE 

IN  the  division  of  the  income  we  must  first  set  aside  the  require- 
ment for  food,  clothing,  shelter  and  operating  for  the  household; 
not  until  we  have  provided  for  these  essential  physical  needs,  which 
we  call  living  expenses,  can  we  know  what  is  left  for  the  fifth  great 
division,  which  has  been  called  advancement,  made  up  of  items 
which  may  be  compared  with  each  other  as  to  their  desirability  and 
which  therefore  come  within  the  region  of  choice. 

Definition  of  the  Minimum. — By  the  "minimum  family  in- 
come "  is  not  meant  the  sum  which  is  barely  enough  to  sustain  life, 
but  the  smallest  sum  on  which  health,  working  power  and  self- 
respect  may  be  maintained.  There  are  widely  different  decisions 
as  to  what  is  necessary  to  this  end,  but  an  attempt  to  set  such  a 
limit  will  at  least  suggest  the  line  to  be  drawn  between  the  foun- 
dational  needs  of  life,  on  the  one  hand,  for  any  family,  and  on 
the  other,  what  must  be  classed  under  comfort  and  luxury,  a  depart- 
ment of  expenditure  which  admits  of  a  comparison  of  values. 

Scientific  and  Social  Studies. — The  determination  of  this 
necessary  minimum  is  in  some  respects  no  longer  guesswork; 
scientific  and  social  enquiries  give  a  basis  for  the  estimate.  As  to 
food,  the  estimate  has  reached  something  like  certainty,  since  the 
science  of  nutrition  is  able  to  state  the  amount  of  the  essential  ele- 
ments needed  for  growth  and  working  power  for  man,  woman 
and  child;  the  minimum  would  be  found  in  furnishing  those  ele- 
ments in  cheap  rather  than  in  dear  foodstuffs. 

As  to  housing  and  clothing  we  have  no  standards  so  conclusive, 
but  social  studies  in  a  large  number  of  cases  have  shown  the  per- 
centage of  the  income  devoted  to  these  needs  beyond  which  it  is  not 
safe  to  go  in  justice  to  other  demands  on  the  purse;  for  instance, 
to  meet  the  requirements  of  hygiene  and  decency  it  has  been  stated 
that  at  least  five  rooms  will  be  needed  for  the  family  which  contains 

163 


164     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

both  boys  and  girls ;  that  clothing  should  provide  for  the  demands  o 
health  in  different  reasons  and  it  must  also  provide  occupationa 
dress  and  what  will  meet  simple  social  requirements.  Likewise,  tin 
items  included  under  operating  expenses  may  be  reduced  to  ; 
minimum  list  that  covers  necessities. 

Much  more  difficult  is  it  to  state  the  minimum  outgo  whicl 
is  to  maintain  self-respect ;  it  will  differ  widely  in  different  f amilies 
and  in  times  of  restlessness  and  social  upheaval  is  not  to  be  state< 
at  all.  It  is  found  in  the  "  fair  "  rather  than  the  minimum  allow 
ance  of  the  economist,  which  provides  for  "  a  degree  of  comfort  an< 
mental  satisfaction  in  addition  to  physical  efficiency/' 

Ryan  says : *  "  In  order  to  live  becomingly  men  must  possess  no 
only  those  goods  which  are  objectively  necessary,  but  in  som 
measure  those  that  they  think  are  ...  Not  to  be  able  to  satisf; 
the  more  important  of  the  conventional  needs  always  involves  i 
grave  injury  to  self-respect." 

Luxury  has  been  defined  as  "that  which  is  not  necessary  fo 
health,  strength  and  efficiency,"  but  "the  universal  consensus  o 
opinion  "  must  be  regarded,  as  that  it  is  decent  to  wear  shoes,  evei 
in  hot  weather.  Still  the  line  between  luxuries  and  decencies  wil 
be  an  obscure  and  wavering  one."  2 

The  Committee  on  Industrial  and  Social  Problems  of  th( 
Lambeth  Conference  of  Bishops  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  July 
1920,  calls  for  what  is  necessary  to  live  "  a  decent  and  complete,  j 
cleanly  and  noble  life." 

To  what  extent  the  families  that  make  up  a  community  can  liv< 
up  to  these  requirements  is  beside  the  question.  Standards  of  effi 
ciency  and  comfort  should  be  outlined  at  stated  intervals  to  mee 
changing  prices  and  needs. 

Food  Requirements. — That  food,  sufficient  in  quantity  and  o: 
the  right  variety,  is  the  first  great  requirement  of  the  human  being 
is  as  evident  as  is  the  need  of  fuel  and  repairs  for  the  steam  engine 
Until  the  family  has  enough  to  eat  of  the  proper  kind  it  will  be  idl< 
to  talk  of  the  use  of  money  in  other  ways.  Here  is  a  factor  01 
which  depends  the  sense  of  well-being  for  the  whole  family,  th< 
development  of  the  young  and  the  working  power  of  the  adul 


1  John  A.  Ryan,  "  The  Living  Wage." 
3  T.  N.  Carver,  "  War  Thrift." 


MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE    165 

members,  whether  that  work  be  of  mind  or  of  muscle.  No  depart- 
ment of  expenditure  is  more  dependent  on  knowledge,  nowhere  will 
false  economy  be  so  ruinous. 

Food  requirements  are  chiefly  affected  by  the  size  and  age  of  the 
individual  and  by  the  degree  of  activity  involved  in  the  labor  per- 
formed, while  the  relish  with  which  the  food  is  taken  depends  some- 
what on  habit,  especially  on  long-standing  racial  habits.  Economy 
consists  in  providing  the  needed  food  elements  in  cheap  rather  than 
in  dear  materials,  and  in  making  the  prepared  dish  acceptable 
through  the  arts  of  cookery. 

The  United  States  Thrift  Budget  quoted  in  the  previous  chapter 
allows  for  the  $2400  family  of  five  persons  of  different  ages,  whose 
food  requirement  is  equal  to  three  and  a  half  adults,  $768  a  year,  or 
$15  a  week.  Many  other  estimates  result  in  similar  figures  for 
food  prices  now  current. 

The  Amount  of  Money  Required. — A  helpful  suggestion s  has 
been  made  as  to  the  division  of  this  money  so  as  to  obtain  proper 
balance  from  a  nutritional  point  of  view ;  that  is,  an  approximately 
equal  amount  of  money  should  be  spent  on  the  five  food  groups 
now  known  to  be  necessary  for  a  satisfactory  daily  diet.  For 
instance,  in  using  $10,  $2,  or  a  little  more,  should  go  for  grain 
products,  $2  for  milk,  $2  for  meat,  eggs  and  cheese,  $2  for  fruit 
and  vegetables  and  $2,  or  a  little  less,  for  sugar,  fat  and  condiments. 

For  children  milk  is  the  first  necessity,  a  pint,  or  better,  a  quart 
per  child,  is  the  standard  amount,  some  milk  daily  for  adults  being 
also  desirable.  If  the  requisite  variety  is  furnished  and  the  food 
well  prepared,  the  normal  appetite  of  the  family,  especially  in  the 
case  of  children,  furnishes  a  good  guide  as  to  amount. 

How  to  Obtain  Knowledge  of  Food. — The  housewife  must 
first  be  convinced  that  she  needs  advice  about  feeding  her  family. 
Then  the  requisite  knowledge  of  food,  how  to  purchase  and  to 
prepare  it  is  to  be  gained  in  many  ways.  Instruction  for  young 
girls  as  afforded  by  the  public  day  schools,  and  by  evening  classes 
for  older  girls  and  adult  women,  should  be  utilized  to  the  fullest 
extent  and  more  help  of  the  kind  called  for  in  no  uncertain  tones 
by  women  who  have  come  to  realize  their  need  of  more  knowledge 

•Adequacy  and  Economy  of  some  City  Dietaries,  1917.  Sherman  & 
Gillett,  New  York  Association  for  Improving  Condition  of  the  Poor. 


166    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

on  these  matters.  Helpful  literature,  simply  expressed  and  up  to 
date  in  its  statements,  is  furnished  free  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture;  any  woman  may  obtain  it  by  asking  for  Farmers 
Bulletins  on  food  and  nutrition;  a  full  list  of  titles  will  be  sent 
her  by  the  Superintendent  of  Documents,  Washington,  from  which 
to  choose.  Here  again  the  woman  in  need  of  instruction  should  ask 
for  more  literature  on  a  greater  variety  of  topics.  Then  when  a 
plan  for  better  feeding  of  the  family  has  been  evolved,  she  must 
try  it  with  much  persistence,  she  must  learn  the  art  of  cookery, 
adjust  to  the  tastes  of  the  family  and  watch  results.  No  economies 
are  so  difficult  to  put  through  as  those  which  involve  a  change 
in  food  habits ;  if  they  are  at  -present  unhygienic  and  extravagant, 
skill,  patience  and  time  will  be  needed  by  the  purveyor  to  effect 
improvement.  The  home  economics  teacher,  the  school  physician 
and  the  school  nurse  are  among  the  most  helpful  agencies  for  advis- 
ing the  housewife  how  to  provide  proper  food  for  the  family  and 
how  to  judge  the  results  by  means  of  weighing  and  other  tests  of 
their  health. 

Housing  Requirements. — The  house  must  provide  facilities 
for  household  processes  and  for  the  personal  and  social  life  of  the 
members  of  the  family.  The  dwelling  chosen  is  of  great  importance 
because  many  other  outgoes  are  affected  by  it  for  all  operating  ex- 
penses, as  heat,  light,  cleaning  and  other  forms  of  labor,  bear  a 
distinct  relation  to  the  size  of  the  house  and  its  interior  arrange- 
ment and  finish.  For  instance,  in  planning  the  improved  houses 
for  workingmen,  the  War  Industries  Board  suggested  that  a  family 
could  not  afford  more  rooms  than  their  actual  needs  required,  even 
though  the  larger  house  cost  no  more  than  the  smaller,  because 
furnishing,  light,  heat  and  care  had  to  be  taken  into  account. 
Again,  such  items  as  good  floors,  convenient  arrangement  of  rooms, 
good  heating  and  cooking  stoves  diminish  labor;  well-fitting  or 
double  windows  cut  down  the  coal  bill,  while  a  poorly  built  house 
is  in  many  ways  expensive  to  run. 

The  location  of  the  house,  its  distance  from  business,  school, 
markets  and  centers  of  social  life,  determines  the  expense  for  trans- 
portation. If,  for  instance,  three  members  of  the  family  have  to 
use  the  street  car  daily,  from  $100  to  $150  must  be  considered  as 
added  to  the  rent  as  compared  with  the  house  which  is  within 


MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE    167 

walking  distance  of  these  centers.  The  time  used  in  going  to  and 
fro  and  the  fatigue  of  travel  must  also  be  reckoned  for  those  who 
live  in  suburbs  and  balanced  against  the  larger  living  quarters  and 
healthful  surroundings. 

Socially  the  house  sets  the  pace,  as  it  were,  announcing  what 
the  family  expects  to  live  up  to.  It  is  an  external,  like  dress,  not 
to  be  hidden  from  the  public,  something  by  which  our  means,  our 
taste  and  requirements  may  be  judged.  That  is,  this  would  be  true 
if  the  houses  that  suit  individual  requirements  were  as  readily 
obtained  as  is  a  suit  of  clothes  of  any  desired  grade. 

Present  Cost  of  Housing. — But  this  is  not  the  case.  The 
matter  of  housing  for  the  family  of  moderate  income  has  long  since 
reached  the  dignity  of  a  "  problem  "  in  this  country,  a  problem 
which  is  especially  acute  in  our  cities,  and  since  the  war  too  large 
a  proportion  of  the  income  is  needed  to  pay  for  the  type  of  dwelling 
which  will  meet  modern  requirements  for  health  and  social  effi- 
ciency, and  too  few  of  such  houses  are  available  at  any  price.  We 
are  thus  confronted  with  an  entirely  different  situation  from  that 
found  in  dress  and  food,  for  in  these  lines  what  can  be  afforded  can 
generally  be  obtained. 

The  National  Housing  Association  reports  tnat  all  outlay  for 
rent  that  reaches  one-quarter  of  the  income  is  too  large.  One-fifth 
or  less  spent  for  rent  should  be  the  limit  until  the  income  passes 
$3000,  and  even  then  it  is  wise  to  hold  to  the  smaller  proportion. 
According  to  Mr.  Lawrence  Veiller,  in  some  of  the  model  housing 
enterprises  of  foreign  countries  the  management  refuses  to  rent  to 
workingmen  apartments  whose  rental  would  exceed  this  ratio  of 
one-fifth.  Although  the  abnormal  conditions  that  prevail  in  hous- 
ing at  present  make  it  impossible  to  conform  to  this  rule,  it  is  true 
that  in  justice  to  other  requirements  on  the  income,  one-fifth  should 
be  the  limit  of  what  is  paid  for  rent.  If  the  house  is  owned  it  is 
not  considered  wise  to  invest  in  it  more  than  twice  the  amount  of 
the  annual  income. 

The  Thrift  Budget  of  the  United  States  Treasury  Department 
allows  for  rent  $300  to  $400  a  year,  or  about  17  per  cent.,  out  of  an 
$1800  to  $2400  income  but  the  difficulty  of  meeting  decent  hous- 
ing requirements  for  this  sum  emphasizes  the  fact  that  the  old 
commercial  relations  between  landlord  and  tenant  have  been  out- 


168    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

grown.  To  quote  from  a  Government  report,  "  Private  initiative 
has  proved  inadequate  to  deal  with  the  problem,  and  systematic 
government  regulation,  encouragement  and  financial  aid  must 
be  given." 

It  would  seem  that  housing  may  in  the  future  ,be  rated  with 
health,  education  and  insurance  as  a  question  for  government 
control  and  help,  based  on  the  results  of  investigation  by  trained 
people.  Its  relation  to  city  planning  and  systems  of  transporta- 
tions, to  the  erection  of  industrial  plants,  to  land  valuation,  the  tax 
system  and  other  large  national  and  municipal  questions  is 
readily  seen. 

Helps  Toward  Better  Housing. — Of  great  importance  are 
the  standards  adopted  by  the  United  States  Shipping  Board  for  the 
erection  of  houses  during  the  war,  standards  that  met  the  approval 
of  the  most  prominent  architects  and  are  destined  to  have  a  great 
effect  on  all  house  building. 

The  rebuilding  of  houses,  especially  in  the  country  and  small 
towns,  is  receiving  attention  in  current  journals,  and  advice  may 
be  obtained  through  their  system  of  correspondence,  while  the  free 
use  of  plans  for  building  and  for  rebuilding  with  reliable  specifi- 
cations are  offered  in  some  states  by  a  department  of  the  agricul- 
tural college  or  by  other  state  institutions. 

Cooperation  in  house  owning  by  a  copartnership  method  long 
in  use  in  the  "  garden  cities  "  of  England  and  on  the  continent,  has 
been  adopted  in  certain  building  schemes  in  this  country,  and  it 
promises  help  to  the  man  of  small  means,  both  by  reducing  the  cost 
of  building  and  by  helping  him  to  sell  his  house,  if  he  wishes  to  move. 

Much  is  to  be  expected  from  the  work  of  Housing  Associations, 
national,  state,  and  city,  and  from  conferences  on  city  planning 
which  are  discussing  desirable  standards  of  housing  and  spreading 
such  knowledge  among  the  people.  One  State  Homestead  Com- 
mission, that  of  Massachusetts,  has  made  an  interesting  experiment 
to  show  what  can  be  done  by  state  purchase  of  tracts  of  land  near 
large  cities  and  the  erection  of  dwelling  houses  on  a  large  scale. 

It  would  seem  that  for  the  present  the  individual  must  take 
what  he  can  get  in  the  way  of  housing,  holding  his  expenditure 
for  rent  as  nearly  as  possible  to  one-fifth  of  his  income  in  justice 


i 


MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE    169 

to  the  other  demands  on  it,  but  paying  more  if  it  is  found  necessary 
in  order  to  obtain  decent  living  conditions  for  his  family. 

Minimum  for  Clothing. — Clothing  to  meet  the  demands  of 
comfort  and  of  the  social  and  occupational  standards  of  one's 
group  comes  next  in  importance  after  food  and  housing.  The 
minimum  for  clothing  is  very  difficult  to  state.  To  quote  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics :  "  Scientific  dietary 
studies  have  laid  down  generally  accepted  standards  of  the  kinds 
of  food  and  the  expenditure  necessary  to  feed  a  family  or  an  indi- 
vidual so  as  to  maintain  health  and  a  reasonable  degree  of  comfort. 
No  corresponding  standards  in  regard  to  clothing  have  ever  been 
made.  The  task  of  working  out  standards  of  the  kinds,  the  quali- 
ties, and  the  cost  of  clothing  indispensable  for  an  average  working- 
man's  family  or  for  individual  workers  in  different  occupations 
is  well-nigh  impossible,"  and  this  because  of  "  wide  variations 
in  individual  tastes,  in  knowledge  of  materials  and  styles,  in  oppor- 
tunities to  buy  advantageously,  in  capacity  to  make  and  mend 
garments  and  in  ability  to  consume  clothes  with  the  minimum  of 
wear  and  tear." 

One  factor,  however,  was  held  to  be  fairly  constant  in  its 
effect  on  clothing  plans  and  expenditures.  This  is  the  occupational 
requirement.  The  worker  must  adjust  to  ruling  standards  of  dress 
in  his  or  her  occupation,  else  there  will  be  no  true  efficiency  for 
lack  of  a  feeling  of  ease  and  self-possession  on  the  part  of  the 
worker.  Even  the  holding  of  a  position  may  depend  on  this 
degree  of  conformity  to  what  others  do. 

Money  to  be  Used  for  Clothing. — The  proportion  of  the  in- 
come to  be  used  for  clothing  was  established  by  early  students  of 
the  subject  to  be  nearly  constant;  that  is,  as  the  income  rises  the 
family  is  more  able  to  indulge  its  desire  for  dress  in  order  to  meet 
higher  standards  of  what  is  beautiful  and  fitting  and  will  continue 
to  spend  about  the  same  proportion  of  income  for  dress.  In  the 
middle-class  European  family  clothing  is  not  given  a  seat  in  the 
front  row  of  requirements ;  it  is  apt  to  appear  as  one  item  in  "  run- 
ning expenses."  In  the  United  States  Thrift  Budget  of  $2400, 
15  per  cent.,  or  $360,  is  allowed  for  clothing.  In  the  Budget  issued 
by  the  Department  of  Labor  in  December,  1919,  2%y2  per  cent,  of 
the  $2262.47  is  allowed  for  clothing,  or  $513.72— an  allowance  that 


170     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

was  larger  than  normal  because  of  the  relatively  inflated  prices  of 
clothing  prevailing  at  that  time. 

Instruction  Required. — That  clothing  requirements  may  be 
met  on  the  sum  that  can  be  afforded  by  the  family  living  on  the 
moderate  income  requires  intelligent  thought  given  to  the  matter 
and  abundant  help  on  the  part  of  the  community  in  providing  good 
classes  of  instruction  in  purchasing  and  in  designing  and  making 
clothing  with  skill  and  taste.  Through  the  Agricultural  and  Home 
Economics  Extension  Instruction,  maintained  by  State  Colleges  of 
Agriculture  in  cooperation  with  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  under  the  provisions  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act,  help  on 
clothing  has  been  for  sometime  available  for  women  living  in  rural 
districts  and  villages.  Similar  help  is  now  to  be  offered  by  evening 
classes  to  towns  and  villages  through  the  Smith-Hughes  Vocational 
Education  Act,  since  Home  Economics  is  included  under  its  pro- 
visions for  vocational  schools  and  classes  and  it  is  hoped  that  future 
legislation  will  increase  the  money  available  for  this  work.  The 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  in  its  Home  Economics  Division 
issues  bulletins  on  clothing,  as  do  also  the  State  Agricul- 
tural Colleges. 

Operating  Expenses. — The  operating  or  running  expenses  of 
a  house  include  such  items  as  fuel,  light,  telephone,  insurance  on 
furniture,  and  house  supplies  of  all  kinds  except  food,  and  also 
most  important  and  costly  of  all,  household  labor,  a  subject  which  is 
treated  in  a  separate  chapter.  The  Thrift  Budget  for  $2400  allows 
$240,  or  10  per  cent.,  for  operating  expenses.  The  "  Health  and 
Decency  Budget "  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor  for  an 
income  of  $2262.47  allows  for  operating  expenses,  upkeep  of  home 
and  furnishings,  $70 ;  laundry,  $107 ;  cleaning  supplies,  $32.92 ;  fuel 
and  light  are  estimated  at  $128— a  total  of  $337.92,  or  nearly 
15  per  cent. 

The  Budget  Plan  Helpful. — So  many  items  come  under  oper- 
ating expense  that  all  manner  of  small  economies  must  be  prac- 
ticed. Similar  outgoes  must  be  grouped  for  comparison;  for  in- 
stance, the  postage  stamp  must  be  used  instead  of  the  more  expensive 
telephone  and  telegram,  a  substitution  that  requires  foresight  which 
may  be  stimulated  by  the  knowledge  that  these  means  of  communi- 
cating with  the  outside  world  have  together  a  very  small  appropria- 
tion in  the  budget,  not  to  be  increased  except  from  the  carfare 


MINIMUM  EXPENDITURE  FOR  NECESSITIES  OF  LIFE    171 

allowance.  Again,  if  laundry  and  house  cleaning  go  together  in 
the  budget,  the  girl  who  wants  a  fresh  dress  every  day  in  summer 
will  perhaps  take  better  care  of  half  that  number  rather  than  to 
herself  launder  them,  or  be  obliged  to  scrub  the  kitchen  to  eke  out 
the  time  of  the  laundress. 

The  family  will  be  obliged  to  study  the  best  use  of  the  material 
equipment  of  the  house,  as  the  construction  of  stoves  and  ranges 
and  the  comparative  values  of  different  fuels.  They  must  learn  how 
to  make  small  repairs;  above  all,  they  must  know  where  to  obtain 
advice  on  difficult  questions  involved  in  the  business  of  running 
the  house. 

QUESTIONS 

FOOD 

1.  Name  the  five  food  groups. 

2.  What  group  or  groups  of  foods  must  be  more  largely  used,  if  one  wishes 

to  reduce  the  costs  of  the  table  while  giving  full  nutrition? 

3.  What  single  food  is  most  important  in  providing  adequate  diet  for  those 

who  are  in  the  period  of  growth? 

4.  Explain  the  large  use  of  meat  in  America  compared  with   European 

countries. 

5.  It  is  said  that  a  woman  requires  eight-tenths  as  much  food  as  a  man; 

should  any  qualifications  be  added  to  such  a  statement? 

6.  Keep  a  record  of  kinds  of  foods  used  during  a  day  or  a  week  in  your 

own  or  another's  family;  what  items  could  be  changed  to  reduce  cost, 
and  what  to  improve  the  menu  from  a  nutritional  standpoint?  If 
your  food  expenditure  could  be  decreased,  what  would  you  do  with  the 
money  saved?  If  it  must  be  increased,  from  what  other  department 
of  expenditures  would  you  take  the  money? 

7.  What  influences  are  at  work  in  your  community  to  increase  knowledge 

of  food  values  ?  What  additional  measures  might  be  employed  ?  What 
action  might  be  recommended  to  a  woman's  club?  What  might  a 
public  library  do  besides  keeping  books  on  the  subject? 

CLOTHING 

1.  Remembering  that  the  laundering  of  clothes  is  an  essential  item  in  cost, 

make  a  list  of  necessary  articles  for  a  girl  of  ten  to  last  a  year's  time. 

Give  the  purchase  cost  of  such  a  wardrobe,  the  items  and  the  total. 

Deduct  partial  value  of  what  could  be  worn  still  longer  than  a  year. 

2.  Illustrate  the  effect  of  age,  climate  and  occupation  on  clothing  costs. 

3.  Name  three  garments  of  men  and  three  of  women  of  which  it  is  good 

economy  to  buy  the  best  possible  quality  with  the  idea  of  long- 
term  service. 

4.  Point  out  ways  in  which  careless  use  of  clothing  increases  cost.     State 

five  practical  rules  which  may  be  given  to  children  for  the  care 
of  clothing. 

5.  What  losses  have  you  sustained  by  a  change  of  style  which  has  made  a 

good  piece  of  clothing  useless?  Add  experience  of  others.  How 
avoid  this  loss? 


172     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

6.  A  girl  away  at  school  spends  $500  on  her  clothing.     On  the  basis  of  15 

per  cent,  of  the  income  spent  for  dress  and  assuming  that  there  are 
three  other  members  in  the  family,  what  ought  the  income  to  be  in 
order  to  justify  this  expenditure? 

7.  How  can  Home  Economics  teachers  and  mothers  cooperate  to  influence 

the  standards  of  dress  among  high-school  girls? 

8.  Would  you  criticise  our  whole  scheme  of  balanced  economy  as  resulting 

too  seldom  in  what  is  beautiful  in  dress  ?    What  would  you  do  about  it  ? 

HOUSING 

1«  Do  children  need  a  special  living  room  or  nursery?  Under  what  cir- 
cumstances? Lacking  such  a  room,  could  a  children's  corner  in  the 
living  room  be  devised  to  meet  some  of  their  needs? 

2.  What  are  the  arguments  for  ownership  of  the  home  for  families  of 

small  income?  What  against  it?  Are  the  latter  to  be  overcome 
in  any  way? 

3.  Arrange  in  order  of  importance  the  following  improvements  for  farm 

houses:  bathroom,  kitchen  sink  with  piped  water,  indoor  toilet,  fly 
screens,  porch,  sleeping  porch.  Which  would  you  select  for  use  in  a 
campaign  for  better  rural  housing? 

4.  Suggest  a  program  of  popular  education  for  a  housing  association  in 

your  community. 

5.  How  is  a  Building  and  Loan  Association  organized  under  the  laws  of 

your  state?  Is  it  subject  to  state  inspection?  How  are  citizens  to  be 
assured  of  its  honest  and  efficient  management? 

6.  Criticise  floor  plans,  heating,  lighting,  ventilation  and  working  equip- 

ment of  the  house  in  which  you  live  and  suggest  improvements  that 
might  have  been  made  with  a  little  or  no  expense  at  the  time  the 
house  was  built. 

7.  Shall  a  family  of  moderate  income,  now  paying  too  much  for  their 

housing,  take  in  a  roomer  either  temporarily  or  permanently,  or  shall 
they  seek  a  house  with  lower  rent?  What  are  the  fundamental  con- 
siderations that  should  govern  such  a  decision? 

8.  What  should  be  the  general  requirements  of  a  housing  law  to  control 

construction  and  occupancy  of  houses,  tenements,  etc.?  Should  legal 
housing  standards  concern  one-family  houses  occupied  by  the  owners, 
as  well  as  tenement  property?  Give  reasons. 

9.  Granted  that  our  ideal  for  a  family  should  be  the  detached  house  with 

some  lawn  and  garden,  owned  by  the  family,  what  other  features  do 
you  consider  essential?  Name  in  order  of  importance. 

10.  Suppose  a  house  that  is  lived  in  by  the  owner  would  rent  for  $600; 

about  what  would  be  its  present  market  value  if  $200  is  paid  out 
yearly  for  taxes,  insurance  and  repairs?  Estimate  what  the  house 
would  probably  sell  for  in  ten  or  twenty  years,  and  what  must  be 
set  aside  for  deterioration. 

11.  Would  it  be  feasible  for  a  number  of  families  to  undertake  a  group 

housing  scheme,  as,  for  instance,  a  house  to  be  used  for  vacations, 
each  family  of  the  group  possessing  it  for  a  fortnight? 

12.  Draw  up  a  house  plan  for  a  family  of  moderate  income,  one  in  which 

the  housekeeper  will  do  her  own  work  and  care  for  her  children.  Also 
a  plan  for  a  grown-up  family  in  which  there  are  several  daughters. 


CHAPTER  XV 
THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE 

Saving  Comes  First. — The  new  thrift  budget  of  the  United 
States  Government  in  its  suggested  division  of  the  family  income 
places  saving  at  the  head  of  the  list.  This  recommendation,  as 
indicating  the  practice  that  ought  to  prevail  in  the  American  family, 
is  nothing  short  of  revolutionary  in  character.  It  comes  with  all 
the  force  of  a  discovery,  a  veritable  new  idea;  nothing  like  it  in  its 
power  to  catch  the  imagination  has  appeared  in  many  a  day.  It 
is  the  very  opposite  of  the  older  method,  which  has  been  to  save  what 
was  "  left  over."  To  place  savings  first  is  to  ask  the  money-earner 
to  consider  that  his  or  her  income  is  chargeable,  first  of  all,  with 
a  duty  to  the  future,  and  that  this  duty  should  be  met  by  setting 
aside  a  certain  proportion  of  the  income  on  every  pay  day  before 
a  cent  is  spent.  What  is  left  is  the  actual  money  income  and  the 
whole  scale  of  living  must  adjust  to  it.  "  What !  before  the  primary 
needs  of  life  are  met  ?  "  Yes,  for  only  so  can  the  right  habit  be 
established ;  only  so,  the  provision  for  future  needs  be  made  stable. 
However  small  the  sum  that  can  be  saved,  it  must  be  set  aside  and 
the  principle  established. 

Of  the  importance  of  this  thrift  campaign  for  our  people  there 
can  be  no  doubt.  It  was  our  lack  of  providence  for  the  future  that 
brought  out  a  generation  ago  the  trenchant  words  of  James  J.  Hill, 
the  railway  president,  in  which  he  told  young  men,  "If  you 
want  to  know  whether  you  are  going  to  be  a  success  or  a  failure  in 
life,  you  can  easily  find  out.  The  test  is  simple  and  infallible. 
Are  you  able  to  save  money?  If  not,  drop  out.  You  will  fail  as 
sure  as  you  live.  You  may  not  think  so,  -but  you  will.  The  seed 
of  success  is  not  in  you."  It  would  seem  that  this  dictum,  long 
scorned  in  our  hopeful  and  prosperous  country,  is  on  the  way 
to  acceptance. 

The  Reasons  for  Saving  Money. — It  cannot  be  denied  that 
even  when  given  the  more  alluring  name  of  "  deferred  spending  " 
the  habit  of  saving  has  not  been  generally  established  in  this  country. 

"  Why  should  I  save,  "  says  reckless  youth.  "  For  liberty,  for 
power  to  choose  your  way  of  life,  to  change  your  occupation  if 
need  be,  to  be  able  to  carry  out  plans  that  will  some  day  appeal  to 

173 


174    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

you  with  an  urgency  that  you  cannot  now  credit ! "  As  the  am- 
bitious young  workman  said  to  his  bride,  "  We  must  save,  Annie ; 
only  low-down  folks  don't  save !  " 

To  have  an  aim  and  to  know  the  way  to  it  is  to  realize  that  we 
cannot  spend  all  we  earn  on  what  we  want  to-day ;  and  better  yet,  to 
hold  to  a  good  plan  of  life  against  all  temptations  is  to  build  up 
character  and  to  attain  standards  far  more  valuable  than  the  savings 
account  itself. 

Economy  Need  Not  be  Petty. — Perhaps  the  greatest  enemy  to 
the  practice  of  thrift  is  the  conviction  which  is  held  by  the  majority 
of  people,  that  it  is  all  made  up  of  petty  decisions  and  cheese-paring 
economies ;  this  is  especially  to  be  seen  in  the  attitude  of  the  young 
who  detest  saving  and  other  forms  of  thrift  unless  the  good  to  be 
gained  is  immediate  and  personal.  Why  be  careful  of  the  gas  and 
electricity  in  a  hotel?  It  is  not  included  in  the  bill.  Why  use  a 
pad  of  cheaper  paper  for  notes  or  first  drafts?  The  saving  is  too 
small  to  consider.  Why  "clean  the  plate,"  now  that  the  war  is 
over?  It  is  very  important  for  our  people  to  change  this  attitude 
and  it  can  be  done  only  by  gaining  a  broader  view  of  the  material  re- 
sources of  the  community  and  of  the  country ;  indeed,  of  the  whole 
world,  in  their  relation  to  the  well-being  of  peoples.  If  we  except 
a  now  fast-receding  period  in  our  own  country's  history,  there  has 
never  been  a  time  when  the  stock  of  manufactured  goods  and  raw 
materials  was  beyond  the  common  need  if  there  were  ahundant 
means  of  exchange. 

Jane  Addams  says :  "  Those  of  us  who  have  lived  among  immi- 
grants realize  that  there  is  highly  developed  among  them  a  certain 
reverence  for  food.  Food  is  the  precious  stuff  men  live  by,  that 
which  is  obtained  only  after  long  and  toilsome  labor;  it  is  the 
cherished  thing  which  the  poor  have  seen  come  into  their  homes, 
little  by  little,  and  often  not  enough,  since  they  were  children,  until 
to  waste  it  has  come  to  seem  sinful  and  irreligious." 

The  destruction  of  the  late  war  which  reduced  the  world's  stock 
of  finished  products  and  raw  materials,  the  urgency  of  the  plea  to 
save,  which  was  forced  home  by  the  lecturers  who  multiplied  for 
their  audiences  the  spoonful  of  flour  in  one  family  kitchen  by 
twenty  millions  to  show  the  astounding  amount  of  waste  in  the 
whole  country,  ought  to  have  broadened  the  vision  and  have  shown 
how  inadequate  are  present  resources  of  all  kinds  for  the  world's 


THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE  175 

needs  if  we  are  to  have  any  high  standards  of  prosperity.  It  is 
this  broader  view  which  raises  thrift  to  a  dignified  and  noble  place. 
Accumulations  of  capital  are  necessary  to  allow  of  large  enterprises, 
dollars  are  made  up  of  pennies  and  nickels,  and  great  aggregations 
of  material  out  of  many  small  hoardings.  It  removes  all  pettiness 
from  the  practice  of  thrift  if  our  aim  is  to  conserve  the  stock  of 
necessaries  for  the  common  good.  Thus,  saving  would  seem  to 
depend  on  an  attitude  of  mind  rather  than  on  the  following  out 
of  a  set  of  rules.  It  accepts  as  a  principle  that  all  of  our  income 
is  not  ours  to  spend  on  immediate  needs,  however  pressing  they  may 
seem  to  be;  a  certain  proportion  must  be  set  aside  to  be  used  for 
purposes  that  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  minimum  of  present 
needs  which  we  have  agreed  to  consider  the  basis  of  our  eco- 
nomic life. 

What  Form  of  Savings?  Five  Considered. — As  seen  in  a 
preceding  paragraph,  the  Government  budget  suggests  that  the 
family  of  five  receiving  the  $2400  income  can  save  11  per  cent,  of  it, 
or  $264.  This  savings  fund  may  be  assigned  to  many  differ- 
ent uses. 

1st.  Investment  of  money  as  such,  in  order  to  obtain  interest  on 
it  in  the  form  of  government  securities,  saving  bank  deposits  or 
other  investment. 

2nd.  Premiums  on  a  life  insurance  for  security  of  the  family 
against  death  of  the  money-earner,  or  an  accident  insurance  if  the 
business  is  hazardous,  possibly  a  sickness  benefit. 

3rd.  The  buying  of  what  is  necessary  for  the  very  basis  of 
living,  as  the  house  and  lot  and  household  furniture,  an  investment 
which  brings  income  through  the  use  of  goods  which  it  would 
require  money  to  hire. 

4th.  Education  or  training  for  self-support  for  any  member  of 
the  family;  this  must  be  considered  one  of  the  best  forms 
of  investment. 

5th.  Such  rest  and  recreation  for  the  money-earners  as  will 
make  continued  earning  possible  should  also  be  considered  an  in- 
vestment, and  an  absolutely  necessary  outgo,  not  to  be  placed  at 
the  end  of  the  list  under  the  division  advancement  to  take  its  chances 
with  the  thousand  and  one  things  that  the  family  desire.  The 
first  and  second  methods  for  the  use  of  savings  makes  a  universal 
appeal  for  security  of  some  kind  for  old  age  is  imperative.  There 


176    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

are  sights  around  us  which  drive  home  the  lesson  that  while 
poverty  in  youth  may  be  a  stimulus  to  effort,  poverty  in  middle  life 
and  old  age  is  a  calamity.  Failing  powers  and  growing  infirmities 
need  easy  circumstances  to  make  life  tolerable  and  to  prolong  use- 
fulness, some  variety  in  the  days  as  given  by  travel,  the  dear  privi- 
lege of  giving.  On  this  subject  of  provision  for  the  future,  the 
older  people  in  the  family  must  stand  firm,  since  the  younger  ones 
have  no  experience  to  contribute.  "It  is  a  good  rule  to  make/' 
said  an  old  lady  who  was  spending  her  last  days  in  the  house  to 
which  she  had  come  as  a  bride,  "  that  when  you  get  old  you'll'  put 
your  knees  under  your  own  table."  The  fund  for  investment  and 
for  life  insurance  must  grow  at  the  expense  of  temporary  indulgence ; 
it  is  a  part  of  that  fearless  facing  of  life  and  its  possibilities  which 
characterize  the  steadfast  mind.  The  other  forms  of  savings  are 
sometimes  not  looked  on  as  such,  they  are,  however,  true  methods 
of  investment  to  make  sure  of  present  development,  including  happi- 
ness and  future  earning  power. 

Two  Conditions. — Among  the  many  conditions  in  family  life 
that  will  affect  the  use  made  of  the  savings  fund  are  two  which  will 
be  found  to  have  controlling  influence  in  a  large  number  of  cases : 
first,  the  occupation  of  the  income-earner;  second,  the  age  of  the 
children  in  the  family. 

Professional  and  Clerical  Pursuits. — In  professional  and 
other  pursuits  that  require  a  more  or  less  expensive  preparation  for 
money-earning  this  outgo  for  training  is  considered  as  an  invest- 
ment that  increases  earning  power.  It  may  have  to  be  repaid 
as  money  borrowed  for  the  purpose. 

For  instance,  the  preparation  of  the  teacher  will  have  required 
a  period  of  higher  schooling,  and  even  after  earning  begins,  there 
may  be  a  small  salary  for  years  on  account  of  low-paid,  preparatory 
positions.  Such  outlWs  constitute  a  sort  of  lien  on  the  present 
income  and  must  be  considered. 

The  social  requirements  on  the  professional  or  clerical  family 
are  apt  to  be  larger  than  on  the  artisan's  family.  Their  dress  will 
cost  more,  at  least  for  the  money-earner,  who  also  has  needs  in  the 
way  oi  vacation,  travel,  attendance  on  conferences,  and  other  outlays 
required  by  mind-workers  to  keep  efficient  in  their  chosen  field. 

This  requirement  is  seen  more  pointedly  in  older  countries,  such 
as  England,  where  the  bank  clerk  and  others  of  his  class  are  required 


THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE  177 

to  dress  in  black  and  until  recently  to  wear  the  high  hat,  and  they 
ars  not  allowed  by  custom  to  occupy  a  house  that  does  not  meet 
certain  standards.  In  this  class,  because  they  have  no  means 
through  combination  of  obtaining  an  increase  in  salary  sufficient 
to  meet  changing  costs  of  living,  unrest  and  dissatisfaction  is  the 
prevalent  state  of  mind.  It  is  evident  that  such  families  can  invest 
less  of  their  saving  in  the  forms  that  will  bring  them  financial 
returns  in  the  future  than  can  the  family  of  the  artisan.  The 
savings  fund  will  be  heavily  drawn  on  to  pay  for  training,  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  social  position,  and  to  keep  earning  power  at  a 
high  level.  In  the  budget  of  government  employees,  quoted  in 
Chapter  XIII,  it  will  be  noted  that  no  provision  was  made  for 
savings  except  for  a  small  life  insurance.  It  is  this  comparative  in- 
ability to  save  for  old  age  that  seems  to  justify  the  system  of  pensions. 
In  the  teacher's  budget  submitted  by  L.  C.  Karpinski,  giving  an 
average  of  the  actual  outgoes  in  the  families  of  twenty  assistant 
professors  in  the  University  of  Michigan  in  the  years  1917-18  and 
also  the  minimum  estimated  as  necessary  for  the  same  families  for 
1919-20,  we  see  the  urgency  of  the  demands  due  to  the  nature  of 
the  occupation  and  to  the  position  which  this  occupation  gives  the 
family  in  the  community.  The  other  methods  of  investment  men- 
tioned for  savings,  as  the  buying  of  the  house  and  what  is  needed 
to  keep  the  earning  powers  at  a  high  level,  will  be  apt  to  be  used. 
A  MINIMUM  DECENT  LIVING  BUDGET1 

(FOR   A   PROFESSIONAL   WORKER'S    FAMILY) 

Average  actual  Estimated 

expenditure  of  necessary 

20  assistant  expendi- 

professors    in  ture  for 

1917-18  1919-20 

Rent  . , , , , ^ $530  $600 

Food  581  700 

Heat,    light,    water,    telephone,    repairs    and 

renewal    261  300 

Clothing    348  450 

Laundry  and  help  259  300 

Income  tax   82  100 

Professional  and  personal  68  100 

Church  and  charity    65  75 

Physician  and  dentist   189  150 

Society,  books,  travel  and  recreation  165  225 

Insurance  and  savings  125  300 

$2673.00 $3300.00 

School  and  Society,  December  63  1919. 
12 


178    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Artisan  and  Business  Families. — The  artisan  or  business  man 
who  earns  $2500,  more  or  less,  has  in  general  invested  a  smaller 
sum  in  his  training  than  has  the  professional  man.  He  may  have 
begun  earning  at  fourteen  and  become  self-supporting  a  few  years 
later.  His  whole  education  was  at  the  expense  of  the  state,  and  so 
probably  will  be  the  education  of  his  children.  The  occupational 
requirements  to  be  met  by  his  family  in  housing,  dress  and  other 
expenditures  that  meet  outside  criticism,  are  also  less;  for  in- 
stance, the  $324  set  aside  for  rent  in  the  government  budget  he  will 
be  more  likely  to  find  adequate  than  will  the  family  of  the  pro- 
fessional man.  For  these  reasons  they  will  be  able  to  place  more 
of  their  savings  in  the  form  of  direct  investment  than  will  the  other 
family,  but  on  the  other  hand,  they  may  need  to  save  more,  as 
both  artisan  and  business  man  is  in  general  a  less  competent  worker 
after  middle  age  than  is  the  man  of  the  professions. 

The  Age  of  the  Children  in  Relation  to  Form  of  Saving. — 
Another  important  consideration  which  bears  on  the  principles  that 
will  govern  the  expenditure  of  the  income,  and  especially  the  savings 
fund,  is  the  age  of  the  children  in  a  given  family. 

If  a  young  married  couple  looks  ahead  at  all  they  know  that 
in  the  early  years  savings  must  be  large  to  make  up  for  the  heavier 
expenses  that  are  coming  later.  They  must  save  as  much  as  possible 
now,  so  as  to  average  well  for  the  next  ten  years.  The  time  is  com- 
ing when  the  children  will  require  an  adult's  share  of  fdod  and 
shelter  and  clothing  and  recreation,  although  not  yet  able  to  add 
to  the  income  from  their  earnings.  The  young  couple  will  economize 
in  dress,  in  amusements  and  in  other  ways  to  increase  this  fund  for 
future  outgoes  remembering  also  that  there  will  be  additions  to  the 
operating  expense  because  of  extra  service  at  the  birth  of  the  chil- 
dren and  for  help  in  housework  while  the  cares  of  the  wife  and 
mother  are  the  heaviest. 

In  this  family,  because  of  the  risks  they  are  running,  life  and 
sickness  insurance  for  the  money-earner  will  come  first;  next,  some 
safe  investment,  perhaps  in  a  house,  on  the  building-and-loan  plan, 
or  in  savings-bank  or  government  securities.  It  is  in  the  early  years 
that  investment  in  good  furniture  and  household  equipment  is  espe- 


THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE  179 

cially  to  be  recommended  because,  if  wisely  purchased,  it  may  be 
enjoyed  for  many  years. 

A  family  whose  children  are  in  their  early  teens  is  passing  through 
its  most  difficult  years  financially.  As  one  thrifty  manager  said : 
"  Sometimes  at  the  end  of  the  year  I  haven't  ten  dollars  in  the  bank ; 
we  just  squeeze  through  and  hold  our  breath  till  next  pay  day." 
During  these  years  it  would  seem  impossible  to  set  aside  out  of  the 
monthly  income  the  recommended  11  per  cent,  for  savings  of  any 
kind ;  the  family  that  has  been  able  to  increase  this  percentage  in 
former  years  now  sees  the  wisdom  of  their  action.  A  family  of  five 
members  require  at  least  the  five  rooms  that  have  been  called  the 
minimum  for  housing,  and  they  will  probably  manage  to  get  six. 
The  children  require  as  much  food  or  more  than  adults ;  they  must 
be  properly  dressed  for  school,  they  must  have  their  money  allow- 
ance and  be  trained  to  use  it  so  as  to  play  their  part  happily  in  their 
little  world,  they  may  require  no  service  from  the  paid  physician, 
but  their  teeth  must  be  carefully  looked  after.  The  pressure  at  this 
period  of  family  life  may  be  so  great  that  the  children  will  find 
some  way  to  add  to  the  income  by  working  after  school  and  on 
Saturdays.  Parents  must  consider  that  they  are  now  investing 
their  savings  in  their  children,  their  health  and  general  develop- 
ment and  their  future  earning  ability. 

When  the  Children  Begin  to  Earn. — The  next  condition  in 
family  life  that  affects  savings  and  all  other  outgoes,  and  which 
decides  certain  principles  in  expenditure,  is  when  the  young  people 
go  out  to  begin  to  earn  their  own  living ;  this  marks  a  critical  time 
for  them  and  for  their  relation  to  the  home.  They  may  not  be  able 
to  fully  support  themselves  and  the  parents  must  help.  Or  they  may 
be  in  possession  of  enough  money,  but  they  spend  it  on  themselves, 
in  that  case  they  are  to  be  reminded  that  they  have  not  yet  reached 
safety,  and  any  failure  brings  them  back  on  the  family.  It  will 
be  a  false  kindness  to  give  them  their  living  at  home  free,  and  they 
must  hear  what  the  government  has  told  us  all  about  saving — 
"  This  money  you  are  earning  is  partly  owed  to  the  future." 

The  Individual's  Income. — The  Government  budget  has  also 
a  plan  for  the  Individual's  Income,  which  should  be  put  in  the 
hands  of  the  young  earner. 


180    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 


THE  INDIVIDUAL'S  INCOME2 


$15  a  Week,  or  $65  a 
Month,  or  $780  a  Year 

$17.30  a  Week,  or  $75 
a  Month,  or  $900  a 
Year 

A  Week 

A  Year 

A  Week 

A  Year 

Savings  

$0.25 
8.00 
1.50 
.60 
3.00 
.45 
.20 
.75 
.25 

$13.00 
416.00 
78.00 
31.20 
156.00 
23.40 
10.40 
39.00 
13.00 

$1.00 
8.00 

1.50 
.60 
3.50 
.50 
.50 
1.00 
.70 

$52.00 
416.00 
78.00 
31.20 
182.00 
26.00 
26.00 
52.00 
36.40 

Room  and  board  

Lunches  

Carfare  to  business  

Clothing  

Laundry 

Church,  charities,  gifts  

Health,  recreation,  education  
Miscellaneous       ...    . 

Total  

15.00 

780.00 

17.30 

899.60 
.40 

Balance  for  extra  Thrift  Stamps 

900.00 

$23.08  a  Week,  or 
$100  a  Month,  or 
$1,200  a  Year 

$34.60  a  Week,  or 
$150  a  Month,  or 
$1,800  a  Year 

A  Month 

A  Year 

A  Month 

A  Year 

Savings 

$12.00 

1.00 
40.00 
8.00 
2.60 
16.75 
3.25 
4.40 
8.00 
4.00 

$144.00 
12.00 
480.00 
96.00 
31.20 
201.00 
39.00 
52.80 
96.00 
48.00 

$30.00 
4.00 

45.00 
11.00 
2.60 
25.00 
4.00 
10.00 
12.00 
6.40 

$360.00 
48.00 
540.00 
132.00 
31.20 
300.00 
48.00 
120.00 
144.00 
76.80 

Federal  income  tax  

Room  and  board 

Lunches        

Carfare  to  business  

Clothing  

Laundry  

Church,  charities,  gifts  

Health,  recreation,  education  

Miscellaneous 

Total  

100.00 

1,200.00 

150.00 

1,800.00 

These  estimates  were  made  in  1919.  They  may  not  fit  a  given 
case,  but  this  budget,  like  the  family  budget,  offers  an  excellent 
basis  for  comparison. 

The  Uncertain  Income. — It  is  often  claimed  that  on  an  uncer- 
tain or  varying  income  it  is  impossible  to  set  aside  a  definite  sum 
for  saving.  On  the  contrary,  planning  and  forethought  is  more 
necessary  in  this  case,  since  the  variable  income  tempts  a  family 

*"How  Other  People  Get  Ahead."  Savings  Division,  U.  S.  Treasury 
Dept.  Government  Printing  Office,  Washington. 


THE  SAVINGS  FUND  AND  ITS  USE  181 

to  drift.  For  safety,  the  lowest  income  received  during  a  term  of 
years  may  be  selected,  or  an  average  over  those  years  as  a  basis  for 
planning  savings.  The  requirements  for  reporting  the  income  for 
government  tax  has  had  a  wholesome  effect  on  the  family  which  has 
never  before  known  its  financial  standing. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Give  illustrations  of  where  savings  for  investment  may  be  unwise. 

2.  Give  both  sides  of  the  argument  often  heard:     "We  must  live  up  to 

our  meansi  or  beyond  in  order  to  meet  the  expectations  of  business 
acquaintances  and  to  give  the  impression  that  we  are  prospering.  If 
we  do  not  seem  to  be  successful  we  may  not  be  trusted  or  advanced." 
Is  this  true  worldly  wisdom? 

3.  "  Save  first."    Is  this  principle  used  in  buying  a  house  by  monthly  pay- 

ments through  a  building  and  loan  association?  In  the  case  of  a 
young  couple  struggling  to  buy  housefurnishings  for  the  new  home? 

4.  Suppose  the  "  bread-winner "  in  some  family  you  know  well  were  to 

be  taken  away,  how  much  net  savings  and  property  are  available  to 
care  for  the  family?  What  annual  income  could  they  secure  from  it 
and  from  wages  possibly  earned  by  other  members?  Is  their  scheme 
of  living  rational  in  view  of  this  possibility?  What  do  you  suggest? 

5.  "  When  I  was  just  starting  my  savings,  I  carried  heavy  life  insurance, 

but  as  my  savings  grew  I  decreased  my  life  insurance."  Is  that  a 
wise  plan? 

6.  What  is  the  relation  of  children  to  the  need  and  possibility  of  savings 

in  some  definite  family  situation  that  you  know?  At  what  age  are 
the  children  the  heaviest  financial  liability?  When  will  they  begin 
to  earn?  When  to  be  fully  self-supporting?  Can  the  parents  reason- 
ably anticipate  being  cared  for  in  old  age?  Or  do  you  think  all  parents 
should  prepare  to  care  for  themselves  in  old  age? 

7.  In  your  community  what  savings  institutions  are  there — for  people  of 

the  smallest  means,  for  those  with  larger?  Show  how  the  following 
may  serve  the  purpose  of  savings  institutions:  life  insurance  com- 
panies; securities;  building  and  loan  associations;  real  estate;  real 
estate  mortgagee. 

8.  Suppose  a  committee  were  formed  by  a  local  women's  club  to  promote 

savings  in  your  community:  what  would  you  do  about  a  school  sav- 
ings system;  publicity  for  Postal  Savings  and  for  Government  Savings; 
industrial  savings  in  shops  and  stores ;  credit  unions  ? 

9.  Suppose  a  family  expects  to  inherit  property,  should  that  expectation 

make  unnecessary  the  budgeting  of  the  income?  Should  it  affect  the 
savings  fund? 


CHAPTER  XVI 

SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND 

ALWAYS  at  the  end  of  our  list,  and  promising  to  reward  our 
economies,  is  that  department  of  the  budget  to  which  is  consigned 
all  that  is  left  after  necessities  are  met,  the  fund  which  has  been 
called  advancement,  the  one  on  whose  items  we  are  to  exercise  our 
choice  to  some  extent.  According  to  accepted  home  economics 
nomenclature  advancement  includes  the  last  three  headings  given  in 
the  Government  Budget: 

1.  Health,  Becreation,  Education. 

2.  Church,  Charities. 

3.  Personal  and  Miscellaneous. 

Divisions  of  the  Advancement  Fund. — If  we  have  been  op- 
pressed by  the  iron  limitations  of  the  necessities  of  life,  here  is 
our  breathing  space.  Here,  to  some  extent,  we  are  to  do  as  we  will. 
And  the  sum  allowed  in  the  government  budget  is  a  goodly  one,  or 
it  seems  such  until  we  come  to  spend  it,  $456,  nearly  one-fifth  of 
the  $2400  income,  or  approximately  one  hundred  dollars  apiece  for 
this  family  of  five.  The  actual  size  of  the  sum  set  aside  for  advance- 
ment is  perhaps  less  important  than  that  the  line  has  been  drawn 
which  separates  it  from  the  minimum  outgo  which  must  provide 
necessities,  comfort,  and  decency.  Up  to  this  point  there  has 
been  little  scope  for  choice  for  there  must  be  adequate  food  and  decent 
shelter  and  clothing  for  at  least  occupational  needs. 

The  items  that  make  up  advancement,  however,  may  be  discussed 
and  compared  with  each  other.  Shall  it  be  greater  comfort  in  the 
home,  more  sizable  rooms,  a  better  street  to  live  on,  more  becoming 
clothes,  help  to  a  neighbor  in  distress,  greater  security  for  the 
future  through  life  insurance  or  savings  banks,  some  extra  training, 
as  in  music  for  one  of  the  children,  a  theatre  ticket  for  father 
and  mother,  new  curtains  for  the  parlor,  or  time  and  money  spent 
in  forwarding  some  public  enterprise?  All  are  desirable,  but 
choice  must  be  made. 
182 


SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND  183 

Health  the  Great  Essential. — So  important  is  health  as  a  means 
to  earning  or  enjoying,  that  if  we  may  judge  from  the  few  reports 
at  hand  made  by  the  Labor  Statistics  Bureau,  families  pay  out  for 
doctor,  dentist  and  medicine  in  direct  proportion  to  the  size  of 
income;  that  is,  all  they  can.  The  single  man  and  woman  in  the 
government  employ  was  found  to  pay  on  the  average  $32  and  $43 
a  year,  respectively,  for  this  purpose.  As  said  in  Chapter  VII,  the 
burden  for  maintaining  health  is  a  very  heavy  one  on  all  but  the 
rich,  who  can  afford  it,  and  the  very  poor,  who  are  given  medical 
services  free.  It  is  agreed  that  much  more  must  be  done  for  the 
moderate  income  family  in  this  regard  than  is  now  done  and  as 
an  extension  of  the  free  public  health  service. 

In  the  family  great  emphasis  must  be  placed  on  the  personal 
care  of  health,  as  the  cleaning  of  the  teeth,  proper  dress  and  exercise, 
for  much  illness  is  preventable  by  simple  means.  Note  the  principle 
that  was  introduced  in  the  Bondy  budget,  Chapter  XIII,  of  putting 
care  of  illness  in  the  same  division  with  pleasure.  By  this  plan 
preventable  sickness  is  punished  by  taking  the  doctor's  bill  out  of 
the  fund  set  aside  for  pleasure  and  recreation  !  Thus,  the  child  who 
overeats,  the  man  who  overworks,  those  who  gulp  their  dinner  or 
neglect  their  teeth,  find  their  punishment  in  seeing  the  money  for 
doctor  and  dentist  paid  out  of  what  has  been  assigned  for  their 
dearest  pleasures. 

With  the  exception  of  this  item  of  health,  which  the  majority 
of  families  would  rank  among  the  necessities,  the  spending  of  the 
sum  which  we  have  put  under  advancement,  will  be  most  intimately 
connected  with  individual  development  and  expression.  The  method 
of  making  their  choice  is  important  to  consider  because  it  is  the 
expression  of  the  family  tastes,  standards,  and  ideals. 

The  Open  Forum  on  Other  Needs. — In  the  whole  business  of 
home-making  there  is  perhaps  nothing  more  important  than  the 
open  discussion  of  comparative  values  of  that  for  which  the  family 
spends  its  money.  These  questions  are  not  theoretical,  they  are  not 
out  of  a  book  or  proposed  as  part  of  a  schedule  of  social  economy. 
They  are  imminent  and  pressing  on  the  very  people  who  discuss 
them ;  they  range  between  the  desirability  of  ice  cream  for  Sunday 
dinner  and  the  price  of  music  lessons;  they  compare  a  new  set  of 
furniture  with  a  week's  stay  at  a  world  exposition.  The  result 


184     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

is  a  constant  striving  to  get  things  of  first  rank  into  the  front  row 
and  to  retire  those  of  secondary  rank  to  the  back  seats.  Shall  $60 
be  spent  for  wedding  cards  when  the  daughter  is  married?  Oh, 
poignant  question !  Shall  they  buy  a  phonograph  on  the  install- 
ment plan?  Do  georgette  waists  belong  in  the  clothes  budget  of 
a  girl  earning  $15  a  week?  No  " primer  of  logic/'  no  "  manual  for 
teaching  morals  to  the  young "  can  equal  the  training  that  may 
come  through  such  discussions  if  led  by  parents  who  have  good 
standards  and  who  have  not  forgotten  their  own  youth. 

The  Chancellor  of  the  British  Exchequer  must  discuss  with  the 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  whether  the  income  tax  and  the  liquor 
tax  shall  be  used  for  the  building  of  a  dreadnought  or  for  harbor 
improvements,  or  whether  by  calling  on  the  contingent  fund  both 
needs  shall  be  met.  Just  as  important  from  the  family  point  of 
view,  and  only  to  be  decided  in  a  committee  of  the  whole,  is  whether 
Mary  shall  be  allowed  to  visit  her  cousins  in  the  next  town  and 
have  the  new  gown  required  for  the  occasion,  or  John  go  with  the 
boys  on  that  fishing  trip.  Such  decisions  call  for  sympathy  with 
each  other's  need,  for  family  helpfulness,  as  who  will  do  the  home 
work  of  the  member  who  goes  forth,  or  can  a  cheaper  outing  be 
devised  so  that  both  may  go  ?  Can  Mary  make  the  dress  and  John 
cut  his  own  fishing  pole  in  the  woods  ? 

Children  have  a  natural  good  sense  that  should  be  more  used 
than  it  is  in  this  branch  of  education.  A  little  visitor  remarked, 
"  I  like  sugar  on  my  oatmeal,  and  cream,  too,  the  thick  kind/'  But 
he  got  on  very  well  with  milk  when  his  your  entertainers  owned 
their  own  liking  for  the  "thick  kind."  "But  cream's  gone  up, 
mother  says,  and  she  gives  us  the  money  for  Thrift  Stamps.  We 
just  can't  have  both,  for  that  would  grab  into  the  summer  money." 
And  when  the  plans  for  that  summer  trip  are  enlarged  on, 
Mr.  Greedy  wishes  that  his  family  could  swap  cream  for  mountains. 

The  children  of  a  certain  family  so  ardently  desired  to  live  in 
a  larger  house,  whose  rental  was  beyond  the  prescribed  fifth  of 
the  income,  that  they  volunteered  to  divide  among  themselves  all 
house  service  except  the  laundry  work;  and  they  performed  their 
tasks  without  complaint.  There  was  as  their  constant  reward  space 
and  beauty  and  guest  rooms  for  dear  friends. 

"I  want  a  college  education,"  says  the  boy.     Is  he  willing  to 


SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND  185 

work  summers,  to  go  without  high-priced  amusements,  to  take  care 
of  his  clothes  in  order  to  extend  their  life  ?  Or  does  he  say  vaguely, 
"  I'd  rather  economize  some  other  way  "  ?  But  where  ? 

Honesty  in  the  Family  Life. — The  right  use  of  money  is  an 
essential  part  of  honesty,  whose  cultivation  is  hy  no  means  unneces- 
sary in  the  modern  family.  Courage,  the  high  heart,  liberty  of 
spirit  are  not  to  be  attained  by  people  who  are  habitually  in  debt, 
who  grasp  at  joys  they  have  no  money  to  pay  for.  A  life  of  subter- 
fuge and  dodging  in  money  matters  is  often  seen  to  undermine 
the  moral  nature,  and  perhaps  nothing  so  hardens  the  heart  and 
dulls  the  conscience  as  does  the  habit  of  living  beyond  the  income. 
"  The  world  owes  you  a  living,"  "  One  must  live  up  to  one's  stand- 
ards," are  mischievous  phrases  founded  in  dishonesty  and  false 
pride.  There  is  nothing,  on  the  other  hand,  that  gives  such  dignity 
to  individual  and  family  life  as  a  determination  to  keep  solvent 
and  to  gather  even  a  small  surplus  for  emergencies. 

That  there  is  a  relation  between  honesty  as  taught  in  the  home 
and  honesty  in  public  life  is  a  subject  that  might  well  engage  the 
attention  of  statesmen  as  well  as  parents.  The  amount  of  embezzle- 
ment in  this  country  is  starting,  for  1917,  $31,000,000  is  reported 
as  lost  to  bonding  companies  alone.  How  much  of  this  comes  from 
the  habit,  begun  in  early  youth,  of  taking  what  we  want  rather  than 
what  we  can  afford?  The  tendency  to  it  is  common  enough  in 
childhood  and  wholly  natural,  for  the  child  cannot  earn  his  keep; 
whether  this  tendency  is  to  become  a  habit  depends  on  the 
practice  and  attitude  of  the  family,  and  the  standards  upheld  in 
their  conversation. 

A  man  said :  "  One  of  the  memories  that  somehow  has  stuck 
in  my  mind  is  of  seeing  my  mother,  when  I  was  a  tiny  boy,  remedy 
a  mistake  in  the  grocer's  account  by  which  she  was  the  loser  by  $1.10. 
I  remember  exactly  the  sum."  What  if  he  had  heard  instead  the 
sly  maxim :  "  Let  him  look  out  for  himself ! "  The  same  man 
remembers  that  once  his  father  brought  home  a  basket  of  wonderful 
hothouse  nectarines,  the  gift  of  a  man  with  whom  an  important 
business  deal  was  pending.  Should  the  gift  have  been  accepted? 
The  discussion  of  this  question,  in  which  the  older  children  were 
encouraged  to  take  part,  brought  to  them  an  understanding  of  graft 
in  some  of  its  subtlest  forms  in  the  business  world. 


186    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

For  Children  the  Budget  Must  Be  Visualized.— Only  the 

experienced  or  elderly  economist  is  content  to  know  that  the  account 
in  the  savings  bank  is  growing;  for  the  majority  of  the  family  the 
savings  must  be  expressed  in  actual  tilings,  so  that  their  comparative 
desirability  may  be  openly  discussed. 

For  instance,  if  the  little  boy  has  helped  father  save  a  $5  plumb- 
ing bill,  the  sum  ought  not  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  general  sav- 
ings fund.  That  $5  bill  is  an  individual  thing  with  a  history 
of  its  own  and  the  boy  helper  has  a  vote  as  to  its  disposal.  Its 
many  possible  uses  with  all  the  lessons  they  -bear  as  to  com- 
parative values  are  apt  to  furnish  rich  topics  of  conversation,  and 
when  its  final  use  is  chosen  retrospect  may  still  add  to  the  ripening 
judgment  of  the  child.  The  baseball  suit  bought  with  its  help  may 
not  turn  out  to  be  the  thing  he  wanted  most  of  all. 

In  short,  the  child  must  always  be  shown  the  reverse  side  of 
the  coin  and  the  reward  for  a  sacrifice  must  not  be  too  long  delayed. 
Let  the  money  that  another  family  uses  for  the  movies  be  set  aside 
in  the  form  of  visible  nickels  and  dimes  to  pay  for  tickets  to  a 
great  Shakespearean  play  the  next  month,  or  for  a  Saturday  outing, 
and  let  that  Saturday  be  this  week  rather  than  next !  It  has  been 
found  that  money  is  more  easily  diverted  from  the  said  "  movies  " 
to  a  fund  that  is  to  purchase  the  properties  for  an  Easter  Punch 
and  Judy  show  if  Easter  be  very  near  at  hand. 

Three  Rules  for  Success. — What  are  some  of  the  rules  that 
successful  families  have  evolved? 

1st.  Never  live  up  to  your  income  and  never  borrow.  How  like 
is  this  to  our  modern  "  saving  comes  first " ! 

2nd.  Set  aside  weekly  or  monthly  what  will  be  needed  to  build 
up  the  sum  agreed  on  for  the  larger  aims  and  live  on  the  rest.  It 
may  be  life  insurance  or  some  form  of  investment  for  the  children 
or  buying  your  house  or  training  for  the  next  step  in  your  business 
or  profession. 

Again,  how  like  to  our  new  scanning  of  the  minimum  to  cover 
the  physical  demands  of  food,  clothing  and  shelter,  and  other  abso- 
lutely necessary  outgoes,  and  then  putting  all  the  rest  together 
so  that  every  possible  use  of  it,  as  better  food,  more  spacious  dwell- 
ing, more  beautiful  dress,  may  have  their  "  swapping  value  "  with 


SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND  187 

each  other  and  with  what  is  needed  to  carry  out  those  larger  plans. 

3rd.  Never  dribble  your  spendings;  respect  the  penny  and  the 
nickel.  Save  up  till  a  really  good  thing  can  be  bought,  something 
that  will  satisfy  you  either  with  its  serviceableness  or  its  beauty,  or 
whatever  quality  you  bought  it  for. 

The  Dribbler. — In  this  third  rule  we  see  outlined  an  attack 
on  one  of  the  bad  habits  too  frequently  seen,  a  disregard  for  small 
sums,  the  result,  of  course,  of  a  far  deeper  and  more  significant 
thing,  the  failure  to  hold  a  desired  good  clearly  in  the  imagination. 
"  Sixty  dollars  for  a  suit !  "  said  a  woman  to  a  friend  no  better  off 
than  herself.  "  Why,  Fd  be  scared  if  I  had  that  much  in  hand  at  a 
time  for  clothes !  " 

"Of  course  I  had  to  save  for  it,"  was  the  reply.  " I  go  to  a 
store  sometimes  to  buy  just  one  little  thing  that  I  need.  I  do  not 
look  to  right  or  left  for  fear  of  what  I  might  be  tempted  to  do." 

The  dribbler,  on  the  other  hand,  returns  each  time  with  an  empty 
pocket  and  many  odd  trifles;  there  is  nothing  saved  for  a  hidden 
box  in  which  grows  the  $60  for  a  coveted  season's  outfit.  "  I  never 
spend  the  pennies  I  get  in  change/'  she  says.  "  I  empty  my  purse 
when  I  come  from  town  and  the  pennies  go  into  a  jug  for  the 
children ;  sometimes  we  get  out  $5  at  a  time." 

"  But  for  what  ?  "  "  Oh,  almost  anything  that  they  want ;  I  can't 
bear  to  deny  them."  These  are  the  children  well  known  to  teachers 
who  helped  in  the  Thrift  Stamp  campaign,  children  who  were  always 
provided  with  expensive  candies  and  always  able  to  produce  a 
quarter  for  a  gift,  but  who  would  not  buy  Thrift  Stamps. 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  know  a  trio  of  rules  as  good  as  those 
here  quoted;  then  hold  to  them,  for  rules  there  must  be  to  enable 
the  owner  of  an  income  to  reach  his  aims  whatever  they  may  be. 

Those  who  are  making  their  first  effort  at  the  keeping  of  a  budget 
will  run  up  against  many  snags.  It  cannot  be  claimed  that  the 
family  will  be  a  unit  even  after  long  discussion.  As  Lowell  said : 

"  The  the'ry's  plain  enough, 
It's  just  the  human  nature  side  that's  tough." 

But  some  compromise  will  be  made,  something  learned  on  both  sides. 

The  consumption  of  values  in  which  the  family  is  constantly 

engaged  gives  the  means  by  which  the  relation  of  the  individual  to 


188    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

the  material  world  may  be  taught,  but  this  rich  teaching  plant,  vital 
and  living  because  of  its  intimate  connection  with  our  daily  needs 
and  decisions,  can  only  be  utilized  at  its  full  value  by  careful 
thought  on  the  part  of  the  older  members  of  the  family. 

Money-spending  as  an  Educator. — Said  Mrs.  Van  Vorst  in 
"The  Woman  Who  Toils":  "In  America,  where  tradition  and 
family  play  an  unimportant  part,  the  great  educator  is  the  spending 
of  money."  And  yet  we  hear  little  of  money  as  an  educator  in  a 
democracy,  only  of  its  power  for  evil. 

As  an  instance  in  point,  take  the  testimony  of  a  cultivated 
Englishwoman,  who  said:  "My  mother's  income  was  £2000,  or 
$10,000,  and  it  was  spent  with  the  greatest  care  in  order  to  make 
it  cover  all  that  it  must  cover.  First,  of  course,  was  the  keeping  up 
of  our  home  in  the  country — the  house,  the  lawn,  the  garden,  in  the 
style  that  was  expected  of  us;  next  came  the  payment  of  the  many 
servants  and  the  pensioning  of  old  ones ;  next  our  duty  to  the  church 
and  the  village,  a  duty  which  we  all  held  sacred ;  then  the  education 
of  both  boys  and  girls.  To  maintain  our  social  position  a  few 
weeks  in  London  in  the  height  of  the  season  seemed  necessary,  and 
to  bring  this  about  meant  anxious  consultation  as  to  ways  and 
means.  I  assure  you  that  there  was  little  left  to  divide  up  among 
us  four  children  to  be  spent  according  to  our  individual  desires. 
And  that  is  the  reason  why  English  women  are  badly  dressed,  as  you 
say,  on  what  you  count  a  large  income.  We  haven't  the  money." 

In  such  a  case  the  great  bulk  of  the  income  is  disposed  of  accord- 
ing to  traditions  that  were  firmly  laid  down  before  the  holders  of 
this  income  were  born,  and  the  power  of  choice  is  applied  only 
to  the  items  that  make  up  the  larger  divisions  of  outlay  already 
determined.  On  the  other  hand,  in  a  new  country  where  public 
opinion  draws  its  roots  from  a  shallower  soil,  the  attitude  toward 
the  income  is  more  individual,  and  the  scope  offered  for  choice,  and 
therefore  of  course  for  education  in  comparative  values,  is  greater. 
The  working  girl  who  earns  $50  a  month  is  sometimes  allowed  by 
her  family  to  spend  $40  on  her  clothing,  and  she  has  perhaps  more 
pin-money  than  has  the  English  gentlewoman  in  the  family  with  a 
$10,000  income. 

Family  and  individual  spending  depends  on  standards ;  a  French 
family  which  has  dessert  only  on  Sunday  and  allows  no  cream  for 
the  morning  coffee  may  be  educating  two  sons  for  professions.  The 


SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND  189 

art  student  says :  "  I  hear  music  from  a  gallery  seat,  in  that  way 
I  am  saving  money  for  a  lovely  copy  of  Delia  Robia's  '  Sing- 
ing Boys.' " 

Spending  is  a  Fine  Art. — It  must  be  freely  admitted  that  the 
perfect  management  of  an  income  of  any  size  is  an  achievement; 
it  is,  in  fact,  the  expression  of  a  highly  disciplined  life.  To  have 
definite  aims  and  to  keep  them  well  sorted  as  to  their  relative 
importance  is  the  great  thing,  but  this  achievement  comes  only  after 
many  attempts  and  failures.  Said  old  Eoger  Ascham :  "  Experience 
is  the  schule  house  of  fules";  Benjamin  Franklin  expressed  much 
the  same  idea,  adding  out  of  the  fullness  of  his  knowledge  of  human 
nature:  "But  men  will  learn  in  no  other/' 

Therefore,  a  study  of  costs  does  not  lead  to  materialism,  but  is 
a  needed  help  in  placing  and  comparing  values.  It  has  been  said 
that  "  Money  is  the  blood  of  the  body  politic  and  the  body  domestic. 
When  you  discover  how  a  household  or  a  nation  spends  its 
money  you  have  something  tangible  on  which  to  hang  guesses  as 
to  character." 

Said  Francis  Walker,  the  economist:  "It  matters  far  less  for 
the  future  greatness  of  a  nation  what  is  the  sum  of  its  wealth  to-day 
.  .  .  than  what  are  the  habits  of  its  people  in  the  daily  con- 
sumption of  that  wealth." 

We  have  yet  to  learn  as  a  people  that  the  expenditure  of  money 
belongs  to  the  social  sciences  and  is  a  worthy  subject  of  study; 
that  the  whole  community  is  affected  by  the  way  in  which  every 
individual  and  family  income  is  distributed  to  cover  needs  and 
desires,  and  that  the  ethical  and  cultural  value  of  the  decisions 
involved  may  outweigh  the  material. 

The  power  of  choice  is  a  magic  word — it  offers  a  playground  to 
the  imagination ;  here  we  exchange  and  balance  and  enjoy  in  fancy 
a  thousand  possible  ways  of  spending  the  surplus,  and  end,  perhaps, 
by  returning  the  treasure  to  the  bank  that  it  may  grow  large  enough 
to  furnish  forth  a  still  finer  dream. 

There  is  Never  Enough. — As  in  the  old  fairy  tale,  there  is 
never  enough  silver  paper  to  cover  the  basket;  we  have  always  to 
choose  which  shall  be  bare,  the  handle  or  the  bowl.  The  balancing  of 
our  desires,  the  one  against  the  other,  enters  into  the  use  of  any  grade 
of  income.  Even  the  millionaire  who  marries  his  daughter  to  a 
foreign  nobleman  may  have  to  take  from  what  he  had  expected  to 


190    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

give  his  other  children  in  order  to  provide  the  dowry  that  is  to 
rebuild  a  ruined  castle.  To  take  from  a  $5000  income  $500  for 
Liberty  Bonds  may  mean  a  readjustment  that  upsets  many  cherished 
habits  and  customs.  The  fact  is,  there  is  never  enough;  spending 
is  always  a  question  of  which  rather  than  of  what.  Is  the  com- 
parison of  values  a  simple  thing?  It  requires  judgment,  whose 
training  must  be  begun  in  childhood  and  is  never  finished. 

Emerson  said :  "  I  suppose  no  wise  man  was  ever  rich  in  the 
sense  of  freedom  to  spend,  because  of  the  inundation  of  claims." 
Needs  and  desires  come  knocking  at  the  door  like  the  spirit  babies  in 
"  The  Blue  Bird,"  "  Let  me  come  in.  I  will  make  you  so  happy !  " 

This  family  may  spend  but  a  part  of  their  surplus  in  bettering 
their  material  state  and  the  rest  on  one  or  two  other  objects  listed 
under  Advancement;  they  may  unfortunately  need  to  spend  it  all 
on  health ;  they  may  give  very  generously  to  the  church ;  social  life 
may  claim  most  of  it  during  certain  years ;  some  artistic  or  intellec- 
tual craving  may  swallow  it  all  up,  and  even  encroach  on  the 
absolute  necessaries,  for,  from  the  psychic  point  of  view,  it  may  not 
be  so  easy  to  define  the  "  necessities  of  life." 

"  There  is  always  a  surplus ! "  says  the  student  of  social  con- 
ditions, who  knows  life  on  the  poverty  line  in  mean  streets,  under 
cramping  conditions.  There  is  no  one  so  poor  that  he  may  not 
choose,  else  life  would  be  unendurable.  Even  the  tramp  chooses 
his  freedom  and  irregular  meals  rather  than  hard  work  with  civilized 
bed  and  board.  The  woman  who  cannot  exist  without  help  from 
charity  funds  borrows  $10  to  buy  silver-plated  handles  for  her 
child's  coffin ! 

But  the  fact  remains  that  our  progress  in  physical  and  economic 
science  has  made  it  possible  to  draw  the  very  important  line,  which 
sets  on  the  one  side  the  minimum  necessary  to  obtain  for  a  family 
health  and  working  power  and  leaves  the  rest  of  the  income,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  free  to  an  extent  for  that  great  modifier  of  life,  the 
Power  of  Choice.  The  poor  can  apply  it  in  only  the  narrowest  sense, 
as  in  the  choice  of  one  substantial  food  rather  than  another,  or  in 
the  color  and  cut  of  a  needed  garment;  but  for  the  family  with  a 
surplus  the  range  widens  to  cover  the  cultural  as  well  as  the  material 
things  of  life. 

It  was  a  fortunate  day  for  the  home  economics  movement  when 
it  took  up  the  spending  of  the  family  money  as  a  serious  study. 


SPENDING  THE  ADVANCEMENT  FUND  191 

It  vitalizes  all  the  processes  of  daily  life  and  is  found  to  have  deep 
roots  in  ethics  as  well  as  economics.  Men  acquire  knowledge,  skill, 
power  over  material  things,  and  yet  go  to  pieces  because  of  lack 
of  purpose.  The  eye  must  be  fixed  on  the  goal,  to  know  what  you 
want  is  to  know  very  soon  what  you  cannot  have,  and  with  a  clear 
aim  in  view,  miracles  are  wrought  out  of  unpromising  beginnings ; 
new  ideas  of  thrift  are  adopted,  there  is  new  stimulus  to  earn  in 
outside  ways,  the  judgment  as  to  value  grows  apace.  The  difference 
soon  appears  between  mere  wishing  for  a  good  and  that  passionate 
desire  for  it  which  moves  to  sacrifice  for  its  sake.  The  best  system 
of  ethics  is  mere  theory  until  it  comes  to  living  it  out,  for  it  may 
be  truly  said  that  sacrifice  is  the  measure  of  devotion;  we  really 
desire  a  thing  only  so  far  as  we  are  willing  to  give  up  other 
things  for  it. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  The  "advancement  fund"  has  been  called  the  fund  for  "higher  life," 

"  personal  and  social  expenses,"  "  sundries "  or  "  general  expense," 
"elective  expenses  or  those  of  the  region  of  choice,"  and  recently, 
"welfare  expenses."  Why  this  confusion  of  terms?  Do  you  see  ad- 
vantages and  disadvantages  in  any  of  them? 

2.  Many  families  give  one-tenth,  the  tithe,  for  church  and  charity.    If  pos- 

sible talk  with  some  one  who  has  this  or  some  other  plan  of  liberal 
giving,  as  to  their  experience  with  the  plan. 

3.  Some  families  are  saving  one-tenth.    Are  both  this  and  the  tithe  pos- 

sible to  the  moderate  income? 

4.  What  local  philanthropic  institutions  are  worthy  of  your  financial  sup- 

port? How  can  you  find  whether  some  new  local  agency  is  worthy? 
If  there  is  no  local  investigation  bureau  (as  in  large  city  charitable 
societies)  has  the  individual  approached  for  a  contribution  any  re- 
sponsibility for  making  an  investigation  himself  and  possibly  report- 
ing it  publicly? 

5.  If  you  have  no  visiting  nurse  service,  write  to  the  Visiting  Nurse  Asso- 

ciation, New  York  City,  for  information  and  make  a  plan  at  least  as 
to  how  such  work  could  be  started  in  your  community. 

6.  "There  are  educational  possibilities  in  choosing  objects  of  expenditure 

beyond  the  necessity  line.  Is  this  education  a  fact  that  concerns 
the  adults  as  well  as  children  ?  Illustrate. 

7.  Outline  a  plan  that  will  insure  the  children  of  the  family  as  well  as 

the  adults  having  a  voice  in  choosing  different  objects  of  expenditure. 

8.  Is  it  just  to  spend  because  our  group  does?     Who  is  to  set  rational 

scales  of  spending  unless  persons  come  out  against  unreasonable 
customs?  Can  a  child  get  this  point  of  view  by  discussion  in  the 
family  circle? 

9.  How  early  can  a  child  project  ahead  plans  for  his  fund  for  self-develop- 

ment and  the  start  in  life?  Sketch  the  growing  interest  of  a  child  in 
this  matter,  and  the  varied  expression  it  may  have — gifts — from 
whom;  allowance — how  much  and  when  to  start,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES 

IN  order  to  study  family  living  conditions,  with  special  regard 
to  the  money  income,  it  has  been  necessary  in  this  book  to  limit 
the  enquiry  to  a  certain  group,  the  family  of  five  living  on  what 
has  been  called  the  moderate  income  of  $2500,  more  or  less,  the 
equivalent  of  what  was  $1400  to  $2000  before  the  war.  The  fol- 
lowing family  histories  that  illustrate  these  conditions  are  of  real, 
not  imaginary,  people,  only  enough  changes  being  made  in  their 
report  to  conceal  identity.  The  details  of  their  life  are  presented  at 
some  length  in  order  to  give  human  meaning  and  interest  to  the 
financial  statements,  since  a  certain  dreariness  and  unreality  seem 
to  hang  about  the  expense  account  or  budget  which  consists  of 
figures  only;  to  the  special  student  they  may  be  full  of  meaning, 
but  people  in  general  are  unable  to  visualize  the  family  life  as  built 
on  these  various  expenditures.  If  we  know  something  of  the  ante- 
cedents and  early  history,  the  present  problems  and  future  plans, 
just  as  we  know  conditions  in  our  own  family  or  that  of  a  relative, 
we  have  then  the  real  situation  in  hand. 

The  family  histories  given  here  have  been-  selected  because  of 
their  similarity  as  to  income,  size  of  family  and  age  of  its  members, 
thus  giving  a  basis  of  comparison  for  the  points  under  consideration. 
Such  a  selection  is  necessary,  for  a  study  of  this  kind  must  be 
strictly  limited  in  scope  if  it  is  to  be  of  any  value  in  adding  to  our 
body  of  conclusions  as  to  the  working  out  of  principles  as  stated 
in  different  parts  of  this  book. 

Standards  That  Apply  to  All  Families  Studied: 

1.  Size  of  Family. — Four  to  five  members,  including  two  or 

three  children  under  fifteen  years. 

2.  Date  of  Study.— 1913  to  1917. 

3.  Nationality. — American  of  at  least  two  generations. 

4.  Money  Income. — Fifteen  hundred  dollars  to  $1800,  earned 

entirely  by  the  man. 
192 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES 


193 


5.  Wife's  Contribution  to  Income.— Through  buying  and 

management,  housework,  sewing,  and  sometimes  gar- 
dening; care  and  training  of  children. 

6.  Health  and  Ability. — It  is  understood  that  the  parents 

are  of  average  health  and  ability  and  that  the  children 
are  expected  to  share  the  family  responsibilities  accord- 
ing to  their  age. 

7.  Comparison. — In  the  following  tables  the  grouping,  head- 

ings, etc.,  have  been  made  as  simple  as  possible.  If 
certain  necessary  items  do  not  appear  where  expected, 
it  should  be  remembered  that  these  histories  were  gath- 
ered in  various  parts  of  the  country,  by  different  people, 
and  that  the  classification  is  not  exactly  the  same. 
The  figures  given  are  the  actual  outlay  for  the  preceding 
year  and  it  is  assumed  that  they  will  hold  for  the 
following  year,  thus  furnishing  a  true  budget.  In 
some  cases  the  expense  account  was  kept  for  the  entire 
year,  in  others  an  estimate  was  made  on  a  three 
months'  account. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  bring  the  histories  up  to  date,  as 
far  as  prices  are  concerned,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  uncertain  what 
prices  will  hold  in  the  future.  They  must  stand  for  thejr  value 
in  adjustment  of  proportions  in  the  expenditure  and  for  their 
human  interest. 

The  Need  of  Records  of  Family  Budgets. — It  is  very  im- 
portant that  we  should  have  on  record  many  household  expense 
accounts  and  budgets  on  the  moderate  income  level,  and  indeed 
on  all  levels,  covering  various  conditions  and  requirements,  includ- 
ing the  standard  of  living  and  the  experience  of  families  in  meeting 
it.  Unfortunately,  no  such  body  of  classified  information  exists. 
We  do  not  know  enough  of  household  finance  as  actually  practiced 
in  the  moderate  income  household  to  serve  as  a  basis  for  any  system 
|  of  averages  that  will  be  more  than  suggestive.  The  only  method 
[possible  at  present  is  the  intensive  study  of  a  few  budgets,  the 
|  method  which  is  applied  in  this  chapter. 

Subsistence  Incomes  and  Our  Knowledge  of  Them. — The 
I  reason  for  this  scarcity  of  material  as  to  the  middle-class  income 
is  seen  when  we  consider  how  we  have  come  by  our  comparatively 
I  full  information  regarding  incomes  which  are  nearer  the  subsistence 
13 


194    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

level.  Thousands  of  pre-war  family  budgets  under  $1200  have 
been  collected;  how  has  it  been  done?  Chiefly  at  the  instance  of 
public  officials  concerned  with  the  wage  problem  and  of  officers 
of  charitable  societies  concerned  with  families  that  are  apt  to  fall 
into  the  dependent  class  in  case  of  misfortune.  Those  who  receive 
public  aid  must  answer  questions  as  to  their  earnings  and  their 
spendings,  just  as  the  charity  patient  in  a  hospital  must  allow  the 
medical  student  to  accompany  the  visiting  physician  and  learn  from 
his  case.  Another  large  group  whose  financial  histories  are  on 
record  consists  of  the  workingmen's  families  whose  incomes  and 
expenditures  have  been  collected  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  and  which 
appear  in  the  valuable  reports  of  that  department.  This  work 
has  been  necessary  because  the  standard  of  living  in  such  families 
bears  such  direct  relation  to  the  wage  scale  and  to  industrial  con- 
ditions in  general  that  it  must  receive  the  most  careful  study. 

The  Moderate  Income  Less  Known, — But  valuable  as  are 
these  records  of  -the  subsistence  income,  they  throw  little  light  on 
the  problems  of  families  living  on  the  "moderate"  income,  those 
that  possess  several  hundred  dollars  beyond  the  subsistence  line, 
on  the  spending  of  which  they  can  exercise  more  or  less  intelligent 
choice.  They  are  independent  of  public  help  and  are  thus  able  to 
guard  their  affairs  from  the  eyes  of  strangers,  and  they  see  no  reason 
why  they  should  hand  over  their  household  accounts  to  persons  who 
call  themselves  students  of  social  conditions.  An  English  econo- 
mist reports  that  when  he  asked  for  such  data  he  met  "pained 
surprise/'  and  his  request  was  called  "inquisitorial";  he  was 
given  to  understand  that  rack  and  thumb  screw  would  not  elicit 
information  so  "purely  personal"  to  the  owner  of  the  income 
in  question. 

The  True  Value  of  Budgets. — It  is  a  question  of  great  impor- 
tance to  this  branch  of  home  economics  study  to  persuade  the 
family  group  to  look  upon  their  expenditure  from  a  broader  point 
of  view  and  to  be  willing  to  furnish  the  results  of  their  experience 
in  family  finance  in  order  to  help  build  up  the  "  theory  and  prac- 
tice," to  borrow  a  medical  term,  of  money-spending  in  the  family. 
A  given  expenditure  is  proved  wise  or  unwise  only  as  it 'can  be 
shown  to  have  given  pleasure  or  profit  as  compared  with  what  the 
same  money  would  have  given  spent  according  to  another  plan. 
JIow,  for  instance,  are  young  people  in  schools  and  colleges  to  be 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  195 

taught  the  principles  on  which  wise  expenditure  is  based  ?  Chiefly 
by  placing  at  their  disposal  many  records  of  this  kind  with  their 
results.  The  financal  history  of  a  family  is  a  very  real  and  living 
thing,  if  accompanied  by  an  account  of  how  standards  were  met 
by  a  given  way  of  dividing  the  income  to  cover  needs  and  desires. 
Such  records,  built  around  the  budget,  would  furnish  the  necessary 
groundwork  for  a  social  study  of  great  value  to  all  classes  of  the 
community.  Only  as  this  fact  comes  to  be  realized  will  a  sufficient 
number  of  budgets  be  intrusted  to  students  and  teachers. 

As  yet  even  the  most  intelligent  people  are  ignorant  of  the  value 
of  a  family  expense  account.  Only  recently  on  the  breaking  up  of 
a  Scotch  household  a  family  account  book,  kept  in  the  same  hand 
over  a  period  of  two  generations,  was  destroyed  as  being  of  no  value. 
The  record  extended  over  the  long  lifetime  of  the  gentlewoman  who 
had  been  the  head  of  a  large  household,  and  had  been  kept  with  an 
exactness  that  took  note  of  every  farthing.  Such  a  record,  including 
an  estimate,  actual  or  inferable,  of  how  far  the  standards  of  such  a 
family  have  been  met,  could  not  fail  to  be  a  valuable  document. 

A  Plea  for  Budgets. — Copies  of  account  books  and  budgets  of 
families  living  on  incomes  between  $1500  and  $3000  or  more  are 
earnestly  requested  by  the  American  Home  Economics  Association ; 
address,  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Outlines  and  directions  for  filling 
them  out  will  be  furnished  on  application.  Here  is  a  public  service 
which  readers  of  this  book  can  render.  Their  importance  can  be 
judged  from  the  histories  of  families  that  follow : 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  1,  1913 

Family  made  up  of  grandmother,  aged  fifty-four;  man,  thirty- 
nine  ;  woman,  thirty-five ;  boy,  fifteen ;  girl,  fourteen. 

Place  of  residence9  suburb  of  large  eastern  city. 

Occupation  of  man,  bank  clerk  in  city. 

Parentage,  Education,  Character. — Man:  Born  of  industrious 
parents  of  no  special  attainments.  One  year  in  High  School.  In- 
telligent, strong  character.  Takes  pleasure  in  carpentry — has  bench 
and  tools;  made  study  table,  book  shelf,  window  seat,  and  attends 
to  many  repairs. 

Woman:  Of  similar  parentage.  Went  through  High  School. 
Married  six  months  after  graduation.  Intelligent,  sensible.  With 
the  help  of  grandmother  does  all  housework  except  washing,  much 


196    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 


canning  and  all  the  sewing  for  three  women.  Grandmother  has 
small  garden. 

Children:  Healthy  and  well  endowed.  Have  ideal  home  train- 
ing. Boy  learns  use  of  tools  with  father;  girl,  housework  with 
mother ;  boy  cleans  windows  and  keeps  lawn,  helps  with  garden. 

Helps  to  Start  Housekeeping. — The  man  had  saved  $800. 
The  woman  received  from  her  family  $500.  Relatives  and  friends 
gave  trousseau,  linen,  furniture,  piano,  etc. 

BUDGET  I 
FINANCIAL  REPORT— INCOME  $1600.00 


Rent  or  Equivalent 

Operating 
Expenses 

Food 

Clothing 

Interest  on  a 
$1500   mort- 
gage at  7  per 
cent  $105.00 

Fuel  and 
light..  $102.60 
Laundry 
and 
clean- 
ing. ..     75.00 

Calculated    for    five 
adults.       Groceries 
bought     wholesale, 
moderate     use     of 
meat,  returns  from 
garden   counted  at 
cost  of  seed.  Outlay 
for  food  on  this  basis 
is  about  $2.00  apiece 
weekly 

Total  $527.38 

This  item  in- 
cludes suits 
for  two  men 
and  mate- 
rialsforthree 
women. 

Total.  $318.82 

Taxes           .         90.00 

Repairs  .         .       6.00 

Water                     20  00 

Carfare  and  res- 
t  a  u  r  a  n  t 
lunches 
of  man            101  20 

$177.60 

$321.20 

Recreation,  Health,  Church,  Charity  and 
Sundries 

Savings 

(Not  itemized)                          $127  22 

Payment  on  house  $80.00 

Savings                         48.00 

$128.00 

'  Total  Outlay 


Rent  or  its  equivalent (20  per  cent,  of  income)  $321.20 

Operating  expenses (11  per  cent,  of  income)  177.60 

33  per  cent,  of  income)  527.38 

20  per  cent,  of  income)  318.82 

8  per  cent,  of  income)  128.00 

(  8  per  cent,  of  income)  127.00 


Food 

Clothing 

Savings 

Recreation,  church,  charity,  health,  etc. 


Total  ..  $1600.00 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  197 

Family  Life,  Recreation,  Etc. — Evenings  generally  spent  in 
reading  aloud  or  in  music,  nuan  plays  violin,  the  wife  and  children 
the  piano.  There  is  much  discussion  of  ethical  and  social  ques- 
tions in  this  family. 

Social  Ufe  is  simple,  being  made  up  largely  of  visits  and  outings 
with  relatives  living  near.  Children  never  go  to  the  theater.  Satur- 
day afternoons  they  are  apt  to  separate,  the  grandmother  taking 
the  children  to  visit  relatives,  to  the  public  library,  or  to  free  lectures 
or  concerts,  while  father  and  mother  go  to  the  city  to  attend  some 
entertainment  and  to  take  dinner  together  at  a  restaurant. 

Holidays  are  spent  together  and  are  well  planned  ahead.  Father 
and  son  sometimes  go  fishing. 

Church  is  regularly  attended  and  the  Sunday  School  lesson 
studied  together. 

The  Prospects  for  the  Future. — Standards  of  living  of  this 
family  have  advanced  beyond  that  of  the  former  generation. 

Financial. — The  habit  of  saving  was  begun  at  once  at  $1  a 
week.  Eleven  years  ago  they  began  to  buy  a  house  with  first  pay- 
ment of  $900;  $25  a  month  has  been  paid  since;  $1500  still  owed. 
The  house  has  nine  rooms  and  bath,  cellar  and  furnace,  a  25  x  40  ft. 
garden.  Value,  $4500. 

The  savings  are  small  and  would  be  swept  away  by  accident  or 
sickness,  but  all  are  healthy  and  the  children  will  be  able  to  support 
themselves  in  a  few  years.  They  are  both  to  go  to  college.  If 
college  is  free  this  may  be  accomplished  df  children  work  summers 
and  help  in  other  ways. 

The  Future. — The  prospects  are  bright.  They  have  congenial 
tastes,  cheap  and  elevating  pleasures.  An  ideal  family  life  gives 
prospect  of  unity  in  carrying  out  future  plans. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  II,  1913 

Family  made  up  of  man  aged  thirty-five  years ;  woman,  thirty- 
seven  ;  three  children,  aged  ten,  eight,  and  one  year. 

Place  of  residence,  western  town  of  23,000  inhabitants. 

Occupation  of  man,  cashier  in  business  house;  an  eight-and-a- 
half -hour  day. 


198    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man  of  well-to-do 
farmer  stock;  parents  own  260  acres  of  fine  land;  went  to  school 
winters  and  worked  summers ;  energetic,  public  spirited.  Attended 
Normal  School  and  was  a  teacher  when  he  married. 

Woman  similar  parentage ;  public  school  to  seventeen  years,  good 
abilities,  industrious,  cheerful,  contented,  does  all  housework  and 
sewing  (some  help  since  birth  of  last  child),  very  careful  of  health 
of  family. 

Children  show  good  parts;  boy  of  eight  learning  use  of  tools 
with  father,  girl  of  ten  has  done  well  with  piano  lessons;  they 
attend  an  excellent  public  school. 

Helps  to  Start. — The  young  people  lived  the  first  year  after 
marriage  with  man's  parents,  who  gave  financial  aid  also  in  the 
second  year,  when  man  went  to  a  business  college,  so  that  he  might 
change  his  occupation. 

BUDGET  II 
FINANCIAL  REPORT— INCOME  $1620.00 


Rent  or  Equivalent 

Operating 
Expenses 

Food 

Clothing 

Interest    on    a 
$1500   mort- 
gage              $106  00 

Fuel..  .  $40.00 
Light...     22.00 
Furnish- 
ings..    95.00 
Service..  110.00 
Tele- 
phone    15.00 

Total  $282.00 

Cereals                $85.00 

Total  $145.00 

Fats                       32.00 

Meats           .         83.00 

Taxes               .     76  00 

Milk  and  cheese    47.00 
Fruits  and  veg- 
etables       49.00 
Other  items.  ..     21.20 

Repairs            .     55.00 

Water  rent....     18.00 
Total  $255.00 

Total    .     .  $317.20 

Outlay  for  food,  count- 
ing  the    family   as 
three  adults,  is  $2.00 
apiece  weekly 

Recreation,  Health,  Church,  Charity  and 
Sundries 

Savings 

Outings  $15.00 

Paid  on  house  $370.00 

Church                                           85  00 

Life  insurance                    .    .  .     91.00 

Health  40.00 

$461.00 

Music  lessons  20.00 

$160.00 

SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  199 

Total  Outlay 


Rent  or  its  equivalent  ................  (15^  per  cent,  of  income 

Operating  expenses  ..................  (17      per  cent,  of  income 

Food  ...............................  (19      per  cent,  of  income 

Clothing  ............................  (  9      per  cent,  of  income 

Recreation,  health,  etc  ...............  (  9}^  per  cent,  of  income)          160.00 

Savings  and  insurance  ................  (29      per  cent,  of  income)          461.00 


$255.00 
282.00 
317.00 
145.00 


Total  ......................................................  $1620.00 

NOTE.  —  An  automobile  is  kept  in  this  family  but  no  mention  is  made  of  interest 
on  investment,  upkeep  or  gasoline  in  the  expense  account. 

Family  Life,  Recreation,  Etc.  —  Public  meetings  invariably 
attended;  family  much  interested  in  town  improvement.  They 
enjoy  piano  playing  of  girl  of  ten,  but  parents  are  not  musical. 

They  own  an  automobile  and  take  many  rides  together. 

There  is  regular  attendance  at  church  and  Sunday  school. 

"  Our  wants  are  not  overstimulated." 

Prospects  for  the  Future.  —  Financial:  These  are  excellent. 
The  man's  salary  has  been  raised  several  times  and  he  now  has  an 
interest  in  the  business.  He  has  good  judgment  and  is  capable  of 
intense  application.  They  began  six  years  ago  to  buy  an  eight-room 
house  on  lot  40  x  160,  valued  at  $400;  still  owe  on  it  $1500.  They 
enjoy  life,  but  are  thrifty. 

College  education  is  planned  for  the  children.  Their  aim  is  to 
give  good  training  and  high  standards  to  children  and  to  leave  life 
insurance  and  some  accumulated  property. 

COMPARISON-  OF  I  AND  II 

These  two  family  histories  have  so  many  points  in  common  that 
the  importance  of  the  one  factor  in  which  they  differ  is  plain.  That 
factor  is  — 

The  Place  of  Residence.  —  It  would  seem  probable  that  to  attain 
the  essentials  of  family  life  a  given  income  "  goes  farther  "  in  the 
small  town  than  in  the  large  city,  and  this  assumption  is  so  generally 
made  that  similar  positions  are  better  paid  in  city  than  in  small 
town,  a  fact  that  may  offset  .any  financial  advantage  that  the  latter 
may  give.  There  are,  however,  other  considerations  of  much  im- 
portance from  the  standpoint  of  family  life. 


200    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Rent — The  rent  of  the  city  flat  may  be  no  more  than  that  of 
the  house  in  the  small  town,  but  the  space  is  very  restricted  and  the 
conditions  for  the  bringing  up  of  young  children  not  good.  In  the 
city  or  the  suburbs  there  must  be  added  to  rent  the  cost  of  carfare 
and  restaurant  luncheon  for  the  man  of  the  family  and  perhaps 
for  others.  In  Budget  I,  this  amounts  to  $100;  no  similar  item 
appears  in  the  financial  report  of  No.  II. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  living  at  a  distance  from  the  place 
of  work  separates  the  man  from  his  family.  In  the  case  of  young 
children  he  may  be  obliged  to  leave  before  they  are  awake  and  to 
return  after  they  are  in  bed. 

Cost  of  Food. — The  difference  in  the  cost  of  food  between  city 
and  country  is  less  than  generally  supposed;  staple  groceries  cost 
the  same,  but  milk,  eggs,  fresh  vegetables  and  fruits  will  be  cheaper 
in  the  country  and  there  is  the  chance  to  raise  vegetables  in  the 
home  garden.  If  milk  products,  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  enter 
largely  into  the  diet,  a  healthful  variety  can  be  furnished  there 
for  less  money. 

Intelligent  selection  and  preparation  of  food  are,  however,  more 
important  than  the  market.  The  two  families  in  question  spent  the 
same  amount  for  each  adult  eater  and  according  to  the  report  they 
were  equally  healthy. 

Clothing  is  probably  cheaper  in  a  city,  but  better  clothing  may 
have  to  be  worn  there  to  meet  requirements. 

The  standard  of  living  is  perhaps  more  important  than  the  price 
of  commodities,  it  is  less  exacting  in  the  small  town  and  this 
affects  the  amount  spent  on  clothing,  pleasures  and  hospitality. 
Among  their  neighbors  family  No.  II  was  "considered  to  be  in 
easy  circumstances." 

Savings. — The  above  facts  explain  to  some  extent  why  the 
savings  in  No.  II  are  larger. 

Personal  and  social  considerations  play  a  large  part  in  the  de- 
cision where  there  is  free  choice  as  to  residence,  one  family  may 
more  easily  manage  conditions  to  which  they  are  accustomed; 
another  finds  great  zest  in  new  surroundings. 

A  family  whose  parents  and  grandparents  were  solid  citizens  in 
the  same  small  town  in  which  they  live  are  conscious  of  a  support- 
ing background  in  public  opinion  that  does  not  exist  for  them 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  201 

elsewhere.  The  respect  and  regard  of  neighbors  is  to  a  certain 
extent  guaranteed  by  the  past;  it  is  not  so  much  to  be  gained  as 
to  be  kept. 

A  given  family  living  where  they  are  well  known  may,  for 
instance,  live  very  plainly  in  order  to  save  for  the  future  without 
losing  public  approval ;  whereas,  if  they  live  in  newer  surroundings 
where  only  the  externals  of  their  life  are  noted,  they  may  be  tempted 
to  larger  outlays  than  they  ought  to  afford  in  order  to  make  desirable 
social  connections. 

It  would  seem  that  the  most  careful  attention  should  be  given 
by  the  young  couple  in  choosing  a  place  of  residence  before  making 
ties  that  will  be  hard  to  break.  What  a  town  offers  in  the  way 
of  public  improvements  must  be  taken  into  account  and  how  exten- 
sive and  good  are  the  courses  offered  in  free  education — whatever, 
in  fact,  will  help  the  income  to  cover  the  needs  of  the  family. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  Ill,  1913 

Family  made  up  of  man,  aged  thirty-six  years ;  woman,  thirty- 
four  ;  and  three  children  of  seven,  five,  and  two. 

Place  of  Residence. — Large  eastern  city. 

Occupation  of  Man. — Inspector 'of  immigration;  seven-and-a- 
half  hours  work  a  day  and  three  weeks  vacation. 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man:  In  ability  this 
man  shows,  perhaps,  a  reversal  to  his  grandfather,  who  was  a  man 
of  unusual  parts,  but  his  father,  though  possessing  talent,  was  weak 
of  will,  squandered  opportunities,  was  intemperate,  had  no  regular 
occupation,  and  was  useless  to  his  family.  His  mother,  though 
uneducated,  had  a  fine  character.  The  boy  was  obliged  to  leave 
school  at  thirteen  to  help  support  the  family,  began  as  newsboy  at 
$6  a  week,  went  into  railroad,  became  brakeman,  then  con- 
ductor. He  saved  and  studied,  and  at  twenty-seven  took  civil  ser- 
vice examination  and  stood  high ;  he  was  sent  to  the  main  office  and 
is  called  their  "  learned  man  " ;  has  a  passion  for  reading,  owns 
five  hundred  choice  books,  bought  after  careful  examination  in 
library;  reads  evenings  and  Sundays.  He  is  credited  with  the  re- 
mark :  "  I  call  that  man  friend  who  says  c  Good  evening  and  good 
night  *  and  leaves  me  to  my  books/'  He  is  a  "free  thinker/'  a 
good  talker,  and  "  can  hold  his  own  with  college  men." 


202     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

The  man  is  remarkable  for  the  determination  with  which  he  has 
overcome  early  defects  in  education;  he  raised  himself  to  a  good 
position  in  congenial  work  that  gives  him  some  leisure;  he  is  also 
fortunate  in  a  wife  that  does  not  interfere  with  his  form  of  happiness. 

Woman:  Comes  of  plain  people  and  has  little  education,  but  in 
character  as  interesting  as  is  her  husband,  because  she  is  working 
out  a  successful  family  life  under  singular  difficulties.  She  is 
high-minded,  tolerant,  reasonable,  and  gets  on  well  with  neighbor?, 
but  has  no  intimates ;  cooperates  with  her  husband  in  maintaining  a 
high  standard  of  health  for  the  family,  is  a  good  housekeeper,  and 
does  all  housework  and  sewing  in  order  to  meet  her  husband's 
desire  for  a  large  savings  account  which  is  to  buy  a  farm.  She  is 
devoted  to  her  husband  and  helps  him  to  the  fullest  enjoyment  of 
his  pleasure  in  reading  by  going  out  evenings  with  the  children, 
so  that  the  house  may  be  quiet.  Only  a  woman  of  character  and 
self-control  could  play  her  par(t,  if  she  were  not  equal  to  it  the 
family  would  doubtless  fall  apart.  She  is  very  happy  in  her  children. 

The  children:  Seem  to  be  well  endowed,  are  obedient  and  well 
trained,  but  see  too  little  of  their  father  and  too  much  of  the  movies. 

Helps  to  Start  Housekeeping. — None. 

BUDGET  III 
FINANCIAL  REPORT— INCOME  $1600.00 


Rent  or  Equivalent 

Operating 
Expenses 

Food 

Clothing 

Rent  for  flat  of 
five  rooms...  $216.00 
Carfare  of  man     48.00 

Fuel  and 
light..  $73.80 
Furnish- 
ings .  .     16.20 

Total  .             $347.52 

$216.60 

$2.23  weekly  for  three 
adults 

$264.00 

$90.00 

Recreation,  Health,  Church,  Charity  and 
Sundries 

Savings 

Travel,  movies,  etc                    $  72.00 

$431.68  Used  in  buying  a  farm. 

Education                            .          45.00 

Health.  .                 ...         ...   133.20 

$250.20 

SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  203 

Total  Outlay 

Rent  or  its  equivalent (163^  per  cent,  of  income)  $264.00 

Operating  expenses (  5%  per  cent,  of  income)  90.00 

Food (22^  per  cent,  of  income)  347.52 

Clothing (13^  per  cent,  of  income)  216.60 

Recreation,  health,  etc (15      per  cent,  of  income)  250.20 

Savings (27     per  cent,  of  income)  431.68 

Total $1600.00 

Recreation  and  Family  Life. — The  family  all  together  make  an 
annual  visit  to  the  father's  mother;  this  trip  is  greatly  prized. 
The  children  have  a  half  hour's  play  with  the  father  after  dinner. 
There  is  a  phonograph.  Social  life  is  much  restricted,  but  the  chil- 
dren will  make  friends  in  school. 

There  are  no  parties  or  entertainments  of  any  kind  in  the  house, 
as  this  is  counted  a  useless  expense. 

Prospects  for  the  Future. — The  family  has  one  great  ambition 
which  they  will  undoubtedly  achieve,  to  buy  a  farm  to  which  they 
will  go  as  soon  as  possible ;  the  savings  are  large,  health  of  family 
good.  The  plan  is  to  make  a  teacher  of  the  girl,  a  physician  of 
the  boy. 

The  home  life  is  not  ideal,  but  may  work  out  well  as  the  man 
comes  to  realize  what  his  part  must  be  in  the  development  of  his 
children.  Considering  the  great  handicaps  of  his  early  life,  this 
man  has  achieved  a  remarkable  degree  of  success. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  IV,  1913 

Family  made  up  of  man,  thirty-three  years;  woman,  thirty-one; 
boy,  seven;  girl,  five. 

Place  of  Residence. — Large  eastern  city. 

Occupation  of  Man. — General  manager  in  packing  house;  ten- 
hour  day,  work  uncongenial. 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man.:  His  father  was 
unsuccessful  in  business;  the  boy  had  to  leave  school  when  in  the 
grammar  grades  and  go  to  work  to  help  the  mother.  He  had  a  good 
mind,  loves  reading  and  is  well  informed.  Had  no  chance  to  get 
training — became  cashier  in  butcher  shop;  there  met  wife  and 
married  at  twenty-five.  He  gets  little  time  for  reading  and  has 
no  congenial  friends,  -as  he  yields  to  the  wife's  love  of  society  and 
tries  to  make  himself  agreeable  to  her  friends. 


204     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 


Woman:  Has  little  education;  early  became  self-supporting  as 
clerk  in  a  packing  house ;  is  neat,  industrious,  of  happy  disposition. 
She  has  spirit  and  vivacity  and  is  well-meaning;  loves  to  cook  for 
company,  has  no  time  for  sewing,  is  ignorant  and  never  reads;  is 
inordinately  fond  of  amusement. 

Children:  The  boy  is  well  endowed.  The  children  are  little 
trained,  too  much  left  to  themselves  and  to  the  neighbors,  are 
not  in  good  health. 

Start  in  Life. — None. 

BUDGET  IV 
FINANCIAL  REPORT—INCOME  $1650.00 


Rent  or  Equivalent 

Operating 
Expenses 

Food 

Clothing 

Rent     for     six 
room       flat, 
steam  heated  $360.00 

Light  and 
fuel  for 
cook- 
ing.... $36.00 
Furnish- 
ings .  .  .  25.00 
Fire      in- 
surance   7.00 

Total  ..$509.00 

Man..  $75.00 
Woman  150.00 
Chil- 
dren 100.00 

Total..  $325.00 

On  basis  of  three  adults 
$3.27  apiece  weekly 

$68.50 

Recreation,  Health,  Church,  Charity  and 
Sundries 

Savings 

Entertaining  .      .                        $100.00 

Premium  on  a  $2000.00  life  in- 
surance policy  $45.00 

Vacation  for  woman  and  chil- 
dren       75.00 

Church  15.00 

Doctor's  fees  75.00 

Miscellaneous  .                               87  50 

$352.50 


Total  Outlay 


Rent . « (223^  per  cent,  of  income) 

Operating  expenses (  4      per  cent,  of  income) 

Food (31^  per  cent,  of  income) 

Clothing (20      per  cent,  of  income) 

Recreation,  etc (22  :*  per  cent,  of  income) 

Savings (  3      per  cent,  of  income) 


Total . 


$360.00 

68.50 

509.00 

325.00 

352.50 

45.00 

.$1660.00 


Recreation  and  Family  Life. — There  is  no  community  of  tastes 
or  ideas  between  husband  and  wife,  little  effort  to  enjoy  with  chil- 
dren or  to  influence  them. 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  205 

She  has  little  understanding  of  her  husband's  needs,  insists  on 
his  going  out  with  her  alter  a  long  day's  work,  so  thlat  he  never  has 
enough  sleep.  She  refused  to  live  in  the  country,  which  he  prefers. 
She  is  pleasure-loving,  especially  enjoys  card-playing,  belongs  to  an 
afternoon  bridge  club  and  both  belong  to  club  for  playing  "five 
hundred."  They  go  often  to  theater  and  have  many  guests  who  are 
served  with  expensive  food.  They  have  better  furniture  than  they 
can  afford,  a  piano  which  the  wife  cannot  play  and  a  victrola  with 
high-priced  records.  She  takes  children  for  vacations,  which  the 
man  needs  far  more,  but  cannot  afford  a  day's  idleness. 

Prospects  for  the  Future. — To  the  experienced  eye  this  family 
is  approaching  disaster. 

As  to  Health. — The  earner  of  the  income  is  on  a  strain;  long 
hours  of  uncongenial  work,  constant  inroads  on  needed  sleep 
because  of  pleasures  that  do  not  really  recreate,  worry  as  to  the 
future  and  lack  of  vacations  are  all  together  sapping  his  vitality. 
His  health  is  in  danger  and  might  give  way  under  an  attack  of 
disease  or  any  extra  call  for  effort.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
reported  as  pale  and  tired  looking.  The  children  are  often  sick. 

Happiness. — There  is  no  real  happiness  in  the  family  as  they 
lack  community  of  tastes  and  ideals  and  the  pleasures  are  badly 
chosen.  There  is  already  friction  between  man  and  woman  regard- 
ing training  of  children. 

Causes  of  Failure. — The  man's  plans  for  the  family  are  far 
superior  to  those  of  the  wife,  but  he  has  yielded  to  a  strong-willed 
woman  incapable  of  getting  his  point  of  view.  He  has  tried,  failed, 
and  given  up  in  his  attempt  to  influence  her. 

He  was  so  heavily  handicapped  in  youth  by  the  failure  of  his 
family  to  give  him  any  help  that  he  was  unable  to  make  the  social 
connections  that  would  have  brought  him  in  touch  with  the  kind  of 
woman  that  would  have  made  him  a  congenial  and  helpful  wife. 

The  Woman. — The  mismating  is  so  evidently  the  chief  cause  of 
failure  that  it  seems  unfair  to  lay  upon  the  wife  the  responsibility 
that  apparently  belongs  to  her. 

As  the  wife  of  a  laboring  man,  her  ignorance  would  have  brought 
no  friction  and  her  energy  would  of  necessity  have  been  directed 
to  adding  to  the  income  by  hard  work  for  the  family  itself,  rather 
than  in  dissipating  the  money  in  social  pleasures. 

Her  blindness  as  to  the  future  and  her  determination  to  have 


206    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

diversion  at  any  cost  has  made  them  live  beyond  their  means  and 
rendered  saving  impossible.  There  is  nothing  to  fall  back  on  but 
a  small  life  insurance  and  the  man  dare  not  take  the  necessary  time 
off  to  find  more  congenial  work. 

The  Family  History  Illustrates. — 1.  Importance  of  help  from 
preceding  generation,  in  furnishing  money  for  training,  proper 
standards  and  social  connections. 

2.  Importance  of  saving  from  the  first  to  establish  future  posi- 
tion and  conditions.  Only  the  bank  account  can  give  ease  of  mind 
regarding  sickness  and  accident  or  the  need  for  change  of  work. 

COMPARISON  OF  NOS.   Ill  AND  IV 

Both  family  histories  give  proof  of  the  difficulties  under  which 
a  family  struggles  when  no  help  comes  from  a  former  generation. 

Both  men  are  naturally  well  endowed ;  the  father  in  both  cases 
failed  to  support  the  family,  so  that  the  sons  had  to  leave  school 
early  and  go  to  work  to  help  support  younger  brothers  and  sisters. 
Both  were  of  studious  habit  and  by  reading  at  night  became  well 
informed  men  "able  to  hold  their  own  with  college  men."  But 
they  could  not  enter  a  profession  which  would  have  been  more  con- 
genial than  business,  nor  were  they  able  to  manage  the  social  affilia- 
tions which  would  have  brought  them  in  touch  with  women  who 
were  their  equals  in  education  and  ambition. 

This  resulted  in  the  one  case  in  a  great  limitation  of  common 
interest  of  husband  and  wife,  although  a  working  compromise  is 
effected ;  while  in  the  other  case  there  was  such  a  failure  to  choose 
the  right  woman  as  will  probably  wreck  the  family  prospects. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  V,  1913 

FamUly  made  up  of  man  aged  forty;  woman,  forty;  children, 
sixteen  twelve,  ten  and  eight  years. 

Place  of  Residence. — On  farm  in  southern  state. 

Occupation  of  Man. — Farmer. 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man:  Comes  of 
farmer  stock;  parents  poor  as  to  accumulation  of  property;  he 
is  industrious,  went  to  school  winters,  but  barely  learned  to  read 
and  write.  At  twenty-one  left  home  and  worked  as  farm  hand, 
saved,  and  had  when  married  enough  for  tools,  stock  and  house- 
hold furniture,  took  an  eighty-seven-acre  farm  on  $1000  mortgage 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  207 

which  was  paid  up  iu  eight  years.  He  is  a  man  of  character,  a 
leader  in  his  community,  deacon  in  the  church,  choir  leader,  and 
superintendent  in  the  Sunday  School. 

Woman:  She  is  of  similar  inheritance  and  education,  is  one 
of  nine  children,  a  devoted  wife  and  mother,  her  judgment  much 
relied  on  by  her  husband.  She  does,  with  help  of  her  two  daughters, 
ten  and  eight  years,  all  housework  and  sewing,  makes  butter,  tends 
poultry ;  does  some  sewing  for  neighbors  which  is  paid  for  in  labor. 

Children:  All  normal.  Boy  of  sixteen  is  working  on  a  neigh- 
bor's farm,  other  three  go  to  school  winters.  Boy  of  twelve  "  does 
the  work  of  a  man  "  in  summer. 

Helps  to  Start. — None. 

Recreation  and  Family  Life. — Social  life  centers  round  the 
church  as  has  that  of  their  forbears  for  generations ;  the  family  are 
devout  Baptists.  Two  weeks  in  the  year  there  are  revival  services. 

In  July  and  August  there  are  picnics  and  barbecues ;  in  winter, 
husking  and  quilting  bees,  political  meetings,  and  hunting.  Christ- 
mas is  always  celebrated.  The  children  go  everywhere  with  their 
parents,  and  the  possession  of  a  buggy  and  phaeton  shows  that  the 
family  go  about  a  good  deal.  The  woman  is  a  member  of  the  Bible 
Class  and  of  the  Missionary  Union. 

Home  life  is  very  happy,  as  the  pair  are  congenial  and  deeply 
attached  to  their  children  and  give  them  much  religious  and  other 
training.  Children  are  to  be  further  educated  in  town  school. 

Prospects  for  the  Future. — Habits  of  industry  and  thrift  are 
established,  health  of  family  is  excellent,  so  that  the  future  looks 
bright.  They  are  in  affectionate  accord  and  will  doubtless  work 
out  their  plans  together. 

Since  paying  for  the  farm,  their  savings  have  been  used  to  buy 
a  house  in  the  outskirts  of  a  town  fifteen  miles  away  and  in  this 
house  they  are  planning  to  live  for  the  better  education  and  social 
advantages  for  the  children.  In  this  case  the  farm  would  be  leased ; 
what  would  be  the  man's  occupation  for  the  support  of  the  family 
is  not  stated. 

BUDGET  V 

FINANCIAL  EEPOET 

Income  $1727,  of  which  $800  is  in  Cash 

This  report  will  be  lacking  in  many  details  since  fanners  have 
rarely  used  any  schedule  by  which  they  can  easily  separate  salable 


208     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

products  from  those  used  by  the  family,  or  make  a  full  accounting 
for  the  value  of  labor  performed  by  different  members  of  the  family. 
The  main  facts  are  that  the  eighty-seven-acre  farm  bought 
seventeen  years  ago  is  now  valued  at  $3000,  that  accumulated  stock, 
implements,  etc.,  have  added  $1175,  which  with  the  town  house 
bought  at  $2500  makes  property  equal  $6675. 

Income  (estimated  value  of  farm  products)  ....   $1,787.00 
Earned  by  man  by  outside  work    50.00 

$1,837.00 
From  this  must  be  deducted  $110.00,  the  expenses 

of  fertilizer,  fire  insurance  and  tools 110.00 

$1,727.00 

But  no  deduction  is  made  for  labor,  taxes  or  depreciation.  Eight 
hundred  dollars  of  this  $1727  has  been  realized  in  cash  by  sale 
of  products.  The  rest  of  the  produce  is  used  as  food  for  family 
and  stock  and  to  trade  for  labor  at  cotton-picking  time. 

The  income  from  the  farm  is  in  reality  much  more  than  $1727, 
as  it  includes  rent  for  the  house,  fuel  cut  in  winter  on  wood  lot, 
use  of  vehicles  for  pleasure,  upkeep  of  house  and  implements  from 
skill  of  farmer  in  mending.  If  but  one-third  the  surplus  products 
are  used  for  food  of  family  the  sum  for  food  would  amount  to 
over  $300. 

Here  is  economic  and  social  success.  Health,  contentment,  up- 
right living,  a  good-sized  family  to  be  given  a  better  start  than 
parents  had,  and  it  is  done  by  an  uneducated  couple  on  a  medium- 
sized  farm.  Could  they  achieve  this  degree  of  success  in  any 
other  occupation? 

FAMILY  HISTOKY  No.  VI,  1916 

Family  made  up  of  man  aged  thirty ;  woman,  twenty-seven ;  chil- 
dren, six,  four  and  two  years. 

Place  of  Residence. — Village  in  a  northern  state. 

Occupation  of  Man. — Skilled  mechanic. 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man:  Of  industrious 
and  capable  farmer  stock ;  one  year  high  school. 

Woman:  Of  educated  and  industrious  parents.  High  school 
and  normal  college.  Was  a  teacher  when  married.  Does  nearly 
all  housework  and  sewing.  Has  help  of  a  schoolgirl  mornings  and 


SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES 


209 


nights.  A  devoted  and  intelligent  mother,  giving  much  thought 
and  time  to  the  training  of  the  children. 

Children:  Healthy  and  well-endowed.  They  are  well-trained 
and  will  be  given  all  the  educational  advantages  they  will  take. 

Helps  to  Start  Housekeeping. — An  inheritance  of  $2000  out  at 
interest.  Clothing  and  house-furnishings. 

BUDGET  VI 
FINANCIAL  REPORT— INCOME  $1287.77 


Rent  or  Equivalent 


Operating 
Expenses 


Food 


Clothing 


The    house    is    partly 


$332.38  Fuel  and 


owned  and  the  above  Service 


light.. 

49.29 
of  Laundry    36.31 


sum  is  made  up 

taxes,  interest  on  the  Furnish- 

mortgage,  insurance 

and  repairs 


Total $299.23 

$47.03  Being  $1.91  per  week 
per  adult  eater 


Total.. $120.00 


ings..     34.11 
$166.74 


Recreation,  Church,  Health,  Charity 
and  Sundries 


Savings 


Church  and  Men's  Club . . . 

Books  and  newspapers 

Recreation 24.07 

Doctor  and  dentist 


$64.40  Life  and  accident  insurance $67.13 

17.87  Invested  in  stock  of  firm  for 

which  the  man  works 157.10 

17.90 Paid  debt  of  preceding  year..     20.95 


$124.24 


$245.18 


Total  Outlay 


Rent  or  equivalent (25      per  cent,  of  income) 

Operating  expenses (123^  per  cent,  of  income) 

Food (23      per  cent,  of  income) 

Clothing (  9      per  cent,  of  income) 

Recreation,  health (  9^  per  cent,  of  income) 

(19     per  cent,  of  income) 


$332.38 
166.74 
299.23 
120.00 
124.24 
245.18 

Total $1287.77 

In  1918  the  budget  of  this  family  shows  that  $800.00  has  been  added  to 
the  yearly  income.  Expenses  remain  about  the  same  except  that  $70.00  has 
been  added  to  food,  $70.00  to  education  and  $100.00  to  doctor  and  dentist 
beyond  the  1916  outlay.  $629.00  was  added  to  saving  and  insurance. 

Family  Life,  Recreation,  Advancement. — Social  Life  cen- 
ters around  church  and  relatives  who  live  near.  They  are  contented 
and  happy,  meeting  social  and  other  demands  of  a  small  town  where 
family  has  lived  for  three  generations. 

Financial  outlook  good;  savings  large  and  advance  in  income 
certain  in  the  near  future. 
14 


210    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

This  budget  illustrates  how  easily  well-being  is  attained  if : 

1.  A  good  start  in  life  is  given. 

2.  Habits  of  thrift  practiced  from  the  first. 

3.  The  standard  of  living  is  one  established  by  many  other  fami- 
lies in  the  community  of  like  income  or  less,  so  that  it  is  met 
with  ease. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  No.  VII,  1916 

Family  made  up  of  man  aged  fifty ;  woman,  forty-five ;  two  boys, 
thirteen  and  eleven  years. 

Place  of  Residence. — Large  eastern  city. 

Occupation  of  Man. — Teacher. 

Parentage,  Education,  and  Character. — Man:  Of  industrious 
parents  of  small  means.  Determined  on  a  college  education,  he  in 
part  worked  his  way  through  for  Ph.D.  degree,  borrowing  $800. 
Of  excellent  attainments  and  character. 

Woman:  Ancestors  were  farmers  for  generations,  parents  of 
good  social  standing,  but  little  money.  They  gave  her  a  college 
education  and  she  was  teaching  in  a  college  when  married,  she  has 
good  health  and  is  exceptionally  cheerful  and  sensible,  devoted  to 
the  family  interests  and  a  true  companion  to  husband  and  sons, 
does  all  housework  except  washing  (no  sewing). 

Children:  Well  endowed  physically  and  mentally.  Training 
excellent;  are  to  be  well  educated.  They  help  with  the  housework 
and  are  soon  to  work  summers. 

Start  in  Life. — Wife's  savings  furnished  house. 

BUDGET  VII 
FINANCIAL  REPORT— INCOME  $1600.00 


Rent  or  Equivalent 

Operating  Expenses 

Food 

Clothing 

Interest    on 
mortgage.  .  .$130.00 
Taxes  75.00 
Repairs  50.00 

Fuel    for    heat 
and    gas  for 
cooking  $41.10 
Electricity    for 
light  and  iron    23.32 
House  furnish- 
ing       36.56 
Wet  wash  31.00 
Ice                          6.50 

Total...  $491.24 
Being  $2.40  per 
week     per 
adult  eater 

Father  $41.00 
Mother   39.24 
Boy.    -  39.48 
Boy...     36.18 

$155.90 

Fire  insurance.       5.00 
Water  tax  9.00 

$269.00 

Insurance      on 
furniture  3.00 

$141.48 

SEVEN  FAMILY  HISTORIES  211 


Recreation,  Health,  Church,  Charity 
and  Sundries 


Savings 


Amusements $  20.00  Total $375.85 

Reading 11.20 

Church 20.00 

Allowance  to  boys 33.80 

Doctor 22.00 

Dentist 32.00 

Ophthalmologist 12.55 

Medicines 14.98 

$166.53 


Total  Outlay 


Rent  or  equivalent (17      per  cent,  of  income)  $269.00 

Operating  expenses (  8^  per  cent,  of  income)  141.48 

Food (31      per  cent,  of  income  491.24 

Clothing (10     per  cent,  of  income  155.90 

Recreation,  health,  etc (10^  per  cent,  of  income  166.53 

Savings (23     per  cent,  of  income  375.00 

Total $1600.00 

Family  Life,  Recreation,  Advancement. — Social  life  has  close 
connection  with  church  activities.  In  the  summer  there  are  always 
excursions  to  visit  relatives. 

They  attend  free  concerts  and  lectures  and  make  constant  uise 
of  the  free  library.  All  the  family  are  great  readers. 

The  family  life  is  congenial  and  affectionate. 

Prospects  for  the  Future. — The  financial  margin  is  small  but 
all  are  healthy  and  hopeful.  Savings  are  large  now.  They  are 
buying  their  house  as  being  a  good  investment,  and  will  then  apply 
savings  to  payment  of  the  $800  debt. 

The  budget  gives  a  good  illustration  of  the  handicap  of  debt. 
Several  times  in  the  twenty  years  since  marriage  they  have  been 
free,  but  a  bad  investment  or  some  accident  has  plunged  them  in 
again.  Now  deliverance  is  near,  but  it  is  late  to  begin  saving  for 
old  age.  There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  strain  and  aging  in  this 
process,  which  would  have  discouraged  people  of  less  character 
and  poorer  mental  resources. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Make  a  study  of  the  history  of  your  own  family  as.  to  educational  and 
other  factors ;  go  back  to  your  grandfathers'  families  for  all  the  con- 
trolling conditions  that  you  can  discover,  work  out  in  detail  as  sug- 
gested in  this  chapter  and  apply  to  your  parents'  family. 


212    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

2.  Make  a  similar  study  of  some  family  not  your  own. 

3.  Make  a  study  of  the  factor  of  aid  given  by  a  preceding  generation  for 

the  start  in  life  by  asking  five  friends  to  secure  such  facts  regarding 
their  own  or  others'  families  and  also  their  judgment  as  to  the  effect 
of  the  amount  of  help  granted  or  withheld.  Draw  such  conclusions 
as  you  can. 

4.  Ask  members  of  a  woman's  club  to  contrast  the  plans  they  have  for 

their  own  children's  education  and  start  in  life  with  what  their  own 
parents  had  for  their  children.  Are  the  differences  due  to  differences 
in  general  economic  conditions  or  to  what  other  factors? 

5.  In  Budget  III,  what  is  your  opinion  of  the  wisdom  of  such  sacrifice  on 

the  part  of  the  wife  and  mother  ?  Do  you  see  any  other  way  in  which 
she  could  have  made  the  home  happy  and  successful? 

6.  Will  you  not  add  to  the  slender  body  of  statistics  on  the  subject  of 

money  spending  by  sending  in  one  family  expense  account  of  a  past 
year  or  an  estimated  budget  of  a  year  to  come,  to  the  American  Home 
Economics  Association,  Baltimore,  Md.? 

7.  Suggest  how  the  women  of  these  different  families  could  have  met  their 

problem  better  than  they  did. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING 

FOOD,  shelter  and  clothing,  that  masterful  trio  under  which 
we  group  the  absolute  needs  of  our  material  life,  hold  the  whip 
over  us;  from  otir  labor  each  must  be  satisfied,  else  labor  itself 
fails.  But  when  we  have  set  aside  out  of  our  income  the  minimum 
for  comfortable  existence,  when  we  are  warmed  and  clothed  and 
fed  and  safe  from  the  storm,  may  we  then  begin  to  divide  up  the 
rest  of  our  money  as  we  will?  That  godlike  thing,  the  Power  of 
Choice,  which  has  been  our  goal,  have  we  reached  it?  No,  there 
is  another  compelling  power  which  also  holds  the  whip,  and  it  may 
be  the  most  stinging  whip  of  all.  We  call  it  the  Standard  of  Living. 

The  Standard  of  Living  Defined. — What  does  the  term  mean  ? 
It  is  everywhere  different  and  always  changing.  It  is  "  what  is 
expected  of  us  "  and  it  records  community  decisions  for  the  time 
being  as  to  what  is  obligatory  on  its  members  according  to  their 
station  and  ability.  Tradition  forms  customs,  custom  makes  the 
rule  of  life ;  we  seem  to  be  free,  and  yet  are  not. 

As  we  study  the  matter  more  closely,  we  see  that  the  different 
groups  to  which  different  standards  apply  are  divided  from  each 
other  for  the  most  part  by  income  lines,  and  it  would  seem  that 
the  lower  we  descend  in  the  scale  of  living,  the  more  imperative 
become  the  requirements  on  the  individual  and  the  family  as  set 
by  the  narrowing  lines  of  their  own  group.  Those  who  have  made 
a  study  of  primitive  peoples  find  that  their  every  act  is  decided  by 
traditions  that  go  back  countless  generations;  they  are  the  slaves 
of  ancient  usage,  their  bathing,  the  cutting  of  the  hair,  eating,  drink- 
ing, and  fasting  must  not  vary  from  inherited  custom.1  Civilized 
man  is  only  a  little  more  free,  but  that  little  is  the  basis  of 
all  advance. 

Our  Standard  Compels  Us. — Whatever  our  standard,  whether 
we  have  chosen  it  or  it  has  been  forced  upon  us,  we  must  reckon  with 
it.  It  is  not  to  be  defied  without  counting  the  cost.  The  peasant 

1  Folk  Ways,  by  W.  G.  Simmer. 

213 


214    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

woman  who  descends  the  gang  plank  at  Ellis  Island  with  a  shawl 
over  her  head  has  come  from  a  place  where  all  women  of  her  class 
wear  some  such  covering  or  go  bareheaded,  but  her  relatives  who 
landed  five  years  ago  soon  force  her  to  reach  into  her  savings  to  buy 
a  hat.  Her  chestful  of  solid  linen,  her  handsome  silver-trimmed 
peasant  costume  inherited  from  her  mother  and  grandmother, 
avail  her  nothing  here,  although  they  were  necessary  to  her  standing 
among  her  own  people  in  the  land  she  has  left. 

Comparison  with  Living  in  Foreign  Countries. — This  illus- 
trates how  in  any  discussion  of  the  cost  of  living  in  foreign  coun- 
tries compared  with  our  own,  the  difference  in  prevailing  standards 
ds  the  factor  of  greatest  importance.  Living,  we  say,  is  cheaper  in 
Paris  than  in  New  York,  but  this  is  true  only  if  the  Paris  standard 
is  adopted.  In  the  furnished  apartment  in  a  foreign  city  which 
the  American  family  has  rented,  there  is  no  bath,  the  rooms  are 
small  *and  have  scant  floor  covering;  it  is  reached  from  a  narrow 
street  and  there  are  long  stairs  to  climb,  but  people  whom  they 
meet  sociallv  are  living  in  a  similar  way,  and  they  are  therefore 
content.  Before  the  war  thousands  of  English  families  were  to  be 
found  living  in  Continental  cities,  not  only  because  of  the  cheaper 
schooling,  music  and  other  cultural  opportunities  which  these  cities 
offered,  but  because  they  could  meet  the  scale  of  living  of  people  in 
their  own  intellectual  and  social  rank  on  an  income  which  would 
not  avail  for  that  purpose  in  England. 

"  The  American  lady  will  buy  strawberries  ?  "  said  the  Alsatian 
landlady ;  "  very  well,  they  are  not  dear.  They  used  to  be  dear,  and 
poor  people  looked  on  them  as  luxuries ;  so  we  still  do,  for  no  reason 
at  all.  If  I  were  to  buy  strawberries  and  carry  them  in  my  basket, 
my  little  grandson  who  always  runs  to  meet  me  would  spread  the 
news  and  all  the  family  and  neighbors  would  call  me  an  extrava- 
gant woman." 

Why  is  the  French  peasant  thrifty  ?  Why  are  the  savings  banks 
in  Holland  full?  Because  the  community  upholds  the  citizen  in 
this  habit  and  has  made,  as  we  are  trying  to  do  in  America,  "  saving, 
not  spending,  a  badge  of  honor."  Community  standards  are  more 
important  to  the  budget  than  is  the  price  of  flour. 

Keeping  Up  Appearances. — To  "  keep  up  appearances  "  is  the 
pathetic  phrase  that  covers  the  effort  to  retain  a  social  position 


THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  215 

which  is  beyond  ones  means.  A  novelist  who  deals  with  European 
life  depicts  the  sordid  economies  of  a  noble  Italian  family  who 
half  starve  on  vegetables  in  their  palace  in  order  to  afford  the 
smart  pair  of  horses  in  public  and  a  coachman  on  the  box  of  a  new 
victoria,  and  the  compulsion  in  this  case  is  exactly  the  same  as  that 
which  moved  the  East  Side  woman  to  say  to  the  charity  visitor, 
"Fve  heard  of  women  who  could  go  out  on  the  street  without  a 
clean  dress,  but  /  can't/' 

It  is  this  Standard  of  Living,  varying  as  it  does  for  every 
decade,  which  explains  how  life  was  accepted  with  some  degree  of 
contentment  in  pioneer  times  in  our  country  for  the  mass  of  people 
who  lived  on  farms  or  in  small  villages,  where  one  fire  sufficed 
in  a  house  in  winter,  and  the  family  took  turns  bathing  in  a 
washtub  in  the  kitchen,  where  the  bedrooms  were  icy  cold  and  the 
sanitary  conveniences  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  water  being  often 
brought  in  pails  from  a  distance ;  where  a  long  walk  to  school  was 
a  matter  of  course — where  food  for  even  the  well-to-do  was  monoto- 
nous, and  amusements  few.  But  others  had  the  same  privations ! 
These  farm  women,  we  are  told,  had  often  but  one  extra  dress  hang- 
ing in  the  closet  at  a  time,  but  their  neighbors  were  no  better  off. 

It  was  this  same  moral  support  from  united  action  which  helped 
during  the  war  in  the  economies  which  all  had  to  share.  To  go 
without  new  clothes  was  easy  since  others  did  also.  It  is  false 
that  one  generation  is  more  heroic  than  another  in  these  matters; 
standards  are  set  we  know  not  how;  no  question  is  more  complex 
than  that  of  custom  or  fashion. 

The  Standard  of  Living  and  the  Family  of  Moderate 
Income. — In  all  countries  at  present  the  pressure  is  greatest  on  the 
people  of  good  standards,  living  on  small  salaries  or  fixed  incomes. 
They  are  generally  city  dwellers  and  they  stand  as  consumers  help- 
less between  the  laborers  'on  the  one  hand,  who  can  tie  up  industry 
if  their  wage  is  not  increased,  and  on  the  other,  the  business  men 
who  can  "hand  on"  the  prices  that  they  themselves  must  pay. 
It  has  been  truly  said :  "  The  laborer  may  live  as  cheaply  as  he 
must,  the  farmer  can  reduce  his  personal  expenditure  to  equal  his 
income,  but  the  salaried  worker  must  live  up  to  certain  conventions 
of  dress  and  surroundings  at  peril  of  forfeiting  the  chance  to 
earn  a  living/' 


216     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

This  class  come  in  contact  with  the  well-to-do,  even  the  rich. 
The  teacher,  the  clerk,  and  the  minister  do  not  live  on  the  same  street 
with  the  artisan  and  yet  their  income  may  be  less  than  his.  To  live 
up  to  what  is  "  fitting  "  is  to  be  comfortable,  to  fall  below  is  to 
writhe  under  criticism. 

To  meet  these  outside  requirements  economies  are  practiced 
on  what  does  not  meet  the  public  eye,  the  homie  knows  them  all.  A 
study  of  household  budgets  reveals  the  fact  that  after  absolute 
necessities  are  met  the  money  is  spent  on  dress,  the  externals  of 
the  house,  and  public  recreation;  in  short,  what  meets  the  public 
eye;  for  instance,  when  the  house  is  presentable,  the  dress  may  be 
plain,  but  lacking  a  good  home  to  which  to  invite  her  friends  the 
working  girl  spends  on  her  dress  much  more  than  the  15  per  cent, 
of  her  income  that  has  been  set  as  the  ideal  proportion.  "  I  must 
show  somehow  what  I  am,"  said  a  girl  to  a  would-be  adviser ;  "  you 
have  your  handsome  home ;  you  could  dress  in  a  bag." 

First  Understand  It. — How  much  is  our  moderate  income 
family  to  yield  to  this  Standard  of  Living  which  presses  hard  on  the 
heels  of  the  three  primal  needs — food,  shelter  and  clothing  ?  What 
will  avert  the  whip  it  holds  over  us  ? 

It  is  first  of  all  necessary  to  understand  it  and  to  accept  the 
fact  that  it  is  a  real  force,  to  remember  that  it  always  has  been 
and  always  will  be  the  habit  of  society  to  measure  your  success  or 
failure  by  your  ability  to  live  up  to  certain  accepted  standards. 
Moreover  these  standards,  although  sometimes  meaningless  tyranny, 
may  be  a  great  power  for  good ;  custom,  habit,  tradition  are  civiliz- 
ing agents,  "  much  of  our  conscience  is  in  other  people's  keeping." 
Witness  the  tendency  to  deterioration  in  the  case  of  men  living 
in  the  wilds  far  removed  from  social  restraints.  The  missionary, 
David  Livingston,  testified  to  the  importance  of  keeping  up  the 
requirements  of  civilized  life  by  all  small  observances ;  for  instance, 
he  shaved  every  morning  in  those  long  years  in  which  he  never  saw 
a  white  man.  Desires  must  always  be  ahead  of  achievement  in 
order  to  spur  ambition,  only  by  discontent  with  what  we  have  does 
the  race  advance,  and  it  is  in  the  power  of  society  to  m£ke  us  dis- 
contented with  a  low  achievement. 

Two  Ways  of  Progress. — But  how  are  we  to  deal  with  these 
community  standards  so  that  they  may  exert  their  civilizing  power 


THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  217 

and  yet  not  tyrannize  over  our  individuality  ?  To  what  extent  we 
yield,  to  what  extent  we  defy  or  avoid  is  the  great  test  of  men  and 
women.  Success  along  this  line  seems  to  depend  on  two  things: 

1st.  A  clear  estimate  of  values  in  life  with  the  necessary 
hardihood  to  endure  criticism  when  we  know  that  resistance  of 
accepted  standards  is  wise  and  necessary. 

2nd.  The  ability  to  obtain  group  action  for  improvement  of 
standards  for  the  community. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Standard  of  Living  which  is 
applied  to  any  rank  of  life  has  been  worked  out  by  its  own  members 
and  that  it  fits  the  average  ability  and  needs  in  a  general  way. 
Therefore  he  who  would  assert  his  independence  of  requirements 
as  maintained  in  his  walk  of  life  must  have  a  clearly  denned  plan 
for  something  better,  else  he  may  as  well  float  with  the  tide.  Mere 
wanton  defiance  of  what  expresses  the  opinion  of  the  majority  is 
foolish  and  of  no  avail  for  higher  uses.  The  man  who  risks  his 
influence  by  insisting  on  some  individual  dress  or  way  of  living 
which  is  not  essentially  important  or  involving  a  -principle,  offends 
the  general  public  and  throws  away  his  own  influence,  a  thing  of 
real  value,  in  exchange  for  having  his  own  way,  which  may  be 
worth  nothing  at  all.  "  The  fool  said, '  The  wolf  has  wool.  I  need 
wool.  I  will  go  forth  and  shear  the  wolf/  "  and  he  met  the  fate 
he  deserved. 

"What  advice  would  you  give  to  a  young  couple  who  are 
starting  out  with  high  aims  and  a  small  income  ?  "  All  the  maxims 
of  Poor  Richard  will  be  given  in  reply  to  this  question,  all  the 
methods  of  thrift  that  have  been  passed  on  from  one  generation 
to  the  next,  but  the  following  reply  may  well  engage  the  attention. 
"  Tell  them  to  cultivate  cheap  pleasures  and  to  be  independent ; 
they  must  not  be  influenced  by  what  others  do  and  say/'  Noble 
advice,  touching  the  very  core  of  the  matter,  but  only  to  be  carried 
out  by  people  of  great  natural  gifts  and  Spartan  courage,  and,  may 
one  add,  a  certainty  that  this  way  is  the  only  way  for  them  to  follow. 
They  must  read  the  motto  over  the  fourth  door  of  the  eastern  temple, 
for  the  story  goes  that  over  the  first  door  was  written  "  Be  Bold," 
and  over  the  second  door  "  Be  Bold,"  and  over  the  third  door  "  Be 
Bold,"  but  over  the  fourth  door,  "  Be  Not  Too  Bold." 

Young  People  and  the  Standard  of  Living. — The  parents 


218     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

with  a  moderate  income  may,  by  courage  and  wise  use  of  what  the 
community  offers,  work  out  their  own  ideals  of  life,  but  how  make 
the  children  contented  with  what  is  different  from  the  ruling  stand- 
ard around  them? 

The  young  are  apt  to  be  timid  and  snobbish  for  lack  of  experience 
and  achievements  of  their  own  to  lean  against.  They  must  have 
the  good  opinion  of  their  fellows.  How  early  it  is  heard  "  I  want 
to  do  as  the  other  boys  do,  mother/'  None  realize  better  than  do  the 
young  the  bracing  effect  of  all  the  accessories  of  social  life.  The 
boy  who  was  taken  to  hear  Hamlet  brought  away  one  deep  impres- 
sion :  "  Did  you  notice,  father,  what  the  old  man  said  to  his  son 
about  buying  good  clothes  to  wear  when  he  went  across  ?  He  knew 
Laertes  needed  to  feel  chesty  when  he  met  those  Frenchmen;  a 
friend  of  mine  whose  father  is  a  lawyer  told  me  that  when  he  has  a 
big  case  on,  he  spends  more  time  dressing  than  a  girl — nothing 
dashing,  you  know,  but  everything  just  perfect.  Then  he's  sure  he's 
going  to  win."  Parents  must  use  much  ingenuity  to  provide  sources 
of  pleasure  that  shall  take  the  place  of  activities  and  possessions 
which  must  be  denied  their  children.  If  the  girl  is  to  wear  home- 
made clothing,  her  mother  must  learn  to  design  and  make  what 
pleases  her ;  if  home  amusements  are  to  be  relied  on,  parents  must 
cultivate  their  own  powers  of  entertainment  and  that  of  the  children. 

'Group  Action  for  Improved  Standards. — Here  is  where  public 
opinion,  which  we  all  help  to  make,  may  come  to  our  assistance. 
Custom  is  powerful,  but  not  all  powerful ;  in  its  slow  modification 
by  individuals  and  by  outside  forces  lies  the  secret  of  community 
advance  or  retrogression.  Great  things  have  been  done  by  people 
who  note  the  character  of  public  opinion  and  use  its  general  trend 
while  improving  the  object.  Thus,  the  local  pride  of  a  village 
may  be  turned  toward  an  improved  water  system  or  the  maintenance 
of  community  music.  The  work  of  women's  clubs  has  had  wide- 
spread influence  on  public  standards. 

In  a  number  of  cities  the  Parents'  League  has  had  a  great  success 
in  helping  to  control  the  social  activities  of  schoolboys  and  girls  by 
publishing  lists  of  recommended  plays  and  other  amusements; 
while  agreement  as  to  how  many  social  nights  a  week  a  student 
should  be  allowed  and  at  what  hour  the  dancing  should  stop,  makes 
easy  the  decision  of  the  individual  parent.  Parents'  and  Teachers' 


THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  219 

Associations  that  have  been  started  in  connection  with  the  public 
chools  have  doubtless  a  great  future  in  bringing  about  better 
ooperation  between  home  and  school  and  a  higher  public  standard, 
kf rs.  Julia  Ward  Howe  once  said,  "  I  foresaw  that  my  girls  would 

want  to  do  as  other  girls  did,"  and  she  started  the  Saturday  Morning 
lub,  which  made  serious  study  popular  among  their  friends  and 

acquaintances.  Said  an  intelligent  and  devoted  mother,  "  We  used 
o  think  that  we  were  bringing  up  our  children,  but  we  early  found 
hat  the  community  was  doing  it  and  that  we  must  bestir  ourselves 
o  see  that  it  was  doing  it  well/' 

A  workingman  gave  his  view  of  "  pulling  together "  in  the 

narrower  circle  of  relatives  and  friends.  He  said :  "  It  is  foolish 
o  try  to  get  away  from  your  relations  and  old  friends  and  pretend 
o  be  above  them.  You  can  get  together  and  help  each  other  out 
n  all  kinds  of  ways  if  you  live  in  the  same  neighborhood.  When 

my  cousins  and  I  buy  houses  on  the  instalment  plan,  we  don't 
ive  out  a  cent  for  repairs;  among  us  we  have  all  the  trades  and 

we  work  evenings  for  each  other.    But  the  best  of  it  is,  the  children 

are  satisfied  with  what  their  cousins  have,  and  that  is  half  the  battle." 
An  Individual  Matter. — Any  family  or  individual  may  well 
lave  aims  so  important,  so  foundational,  that  they  must  pursue 
hem  whether  the  community  approves  the  necessary  methods  or 

not.  Non-conformity  for  noble  ends,  moreover,  wins  admiration. 
?or  instance,  a  family  may  live  very  plainly  in  a  small  town  where 
;hey  are  well  known  if  the  object  of  their  economy  is  to  care  for  a 

needy  relative  or  to  give  better  opportunities  of  education  to  the 

children.     On  the  other  hand,  pretense  gets  short  shrift  and  the 

V^oman  who  is  setting  up  housekeeping  on  $100  a  month  will  gain 

nothing  in  her  neighbor's  esteem  by  managing  in  some  way  to  have 
,  half -grown  girl  to  answer  the  doorbell  in  order  to  hint  at  a  scale 
f  living  that  does  not  exist. 

Part  of  the  joy  of  life  and  part  of  its  development  comes  from 

danger  and  risk.     To  such  daring  ones  the  world  becomes  a  great 

constructive  adventure.  They  are  determined  to  obtain  the  things 
>est  worth  while.  Such  people  may  refuse  to  "  conform  to  the 
ockstep  of  life,"  to  allow  habit  and  convention  to  dictate  their 

spendings  and  their  withholdings ;  they  take  to  themselves   the 

noble  words  of  Emerson : 


220    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

"  A  man's  money  should  not  follow  the  direction  of  his  neigh- 
bor's money,  but  should  represent  to  him  the  things  he  would 
willingliest  do  with  it.  I  am  not  one  thing  and  my  expenditures 
another.  My  expenditure  is  me.  That  our  expenditure  and  our 
character  are  twain  is  the  vice  of  society."  Then  the  time  has  come 
for  revolt,  and  it  may  be  found  that  the  reasons  for  the  standards 
apparently  held  are  quite  worn  out  and  may  be  upset  by  a  little 
determined  opposition,  and  everyone  is  relieved  when  better  ones  are 
substituted !  It  is  well  to  remember  what  came  to  Alice  at  the  end 
of  her  wonderland  dream — "  Hold  your  tongue !  "  said  the  Queen, 
turning  purple. 

"I  won't!  "said  Alice. 

"  Off  with  her  head !  "  the  Queen  shouted  at  the  top  of  her  voice. 
Nobody  moved. 

"  Who  cares  for  you  ?  "  said  Alice.  "  You're  nothing  but  a  pack 
of  cards ! " 

QUESTIONS 

1.  What  do  community  standards  most  affect,  clothing,  food,  amusements, 

kitchen  outfit,  parlor  furnishings? 

2.  Do  standards  explain  at  all  the  attitude  of  the  citizen  soldier  toward 

regular  army  life  ?  Why  does  the  professional  soldier  regard  it  more 
favorably  ? 

3.  Does  legislation  ever  affect  standards  of  living?    Have  we  to-day  any- 

thing comparable  to  the  sumptuary  laws  of  an  older  time  regarding 
dress  ?  Does  prohibition  belong  to  this  class  of  laws  ? 

4.  What  new  standards   of  living  were  adopted  among  civilians  in   the 

United  States  during  the  late  war  ? 

6.  Are  young  people  who  are  brought  up  in  wealthy  homes  handicapped 
for  married  life  on  small  incomes? 

6.  Are  they  to  be  encouraged  to  undertake  life  on  a  lower  financial  level 

than  they  have  been  accustomed  to,  and  under  what  circumstances  ? 

7.  Who  sets  the  standards  for  the  children's  amusements  in  your  town? 

Is  there  any  joint  consideration  of  such  matters  by  parents?  What 
organizations  might  help,  and  how? 

8.  Does  your  community  favor  home  or  church  weddings,  home  or  church 

funerals?  Has  the  practice  of  funeral  insurance  any  effect  on  funeral 
standards  in  certain  income  groups,  or  do  the  standards  require  the 
insurance? 

9.  Which  is  the  stronger  force,  the  one  which  drives  a  family  to  reach  the 

standard  of  those  with  higher  incomes  or  the  fear  of  falling  back  to 
the  standards  of  those  with  less  income? 

10.  If  some  prevailing  standard,  as,  for  example,  the  custom  of  making 

formal  calls  in  a  college  town,  becomes  oppressive,  how  can  it  be 
changed  ? 

11.  It  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  home  will  induct  young  people  into  the 

customs  of  the  family  group,  for  example,  those  concerning  honesty, 


THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  221 

attitude  toward  the  property  of  others,  industry,  good  manners,  per- 
sonal cleanliness,  dress,  social  relations ;  if  it  fails  to  do  this,  to  what 
institutions  shall  we  look  for  setting  and  transmitting  standards  ? 

12.  Are  standards  more  important  as  a  method  of  educating  youth  or  of 

controlling  adult  action?  Does  the  same  standard  function  in  both 
cases?  Are  standards  chiefly  to  bring  about  conformity,  or  do  they 
make  for  permanent  progress?  What  standards  may  be  considered 
basic  or  permanent?  How  about  the  modern  feeling  that  one  should 
get  all  the  schooling  possible?  How  has  it  come  about? 

13.  Is  not  a  skilled  workman  on  $30.00  a  week   ($1500  a  year)   better  off 

than  a  teacher  on  the  same  salary,  that  is,  can  he  not  more  easily 
meet  the  needs  of  his  family  and  keep  himself  in  condition  and  train- 
ing for  his  work?  Has  the  teacher's  family  any  compensations? 

14.  Do  we  not  in  general  exaggerate  the  amount  of  independent  decision) 

that  people  use  in  their  decisions  as  to  money-spending  ?  "Convention, 
imitation  of  others  and  submission  to  the  bullying  of  the  advertiser  " 
is  credited  with  the  making  of  these  decisions  rather  than  intelli- 
gence. Do  you  agree  with  this,  and  if  so,  how  can  the  condition  be 
improved  ? 

15.  Is  there  a  better  rule  than  the  following:    "Stand  firm  on  essentials; 

give  way  on  non-essentials  ?  "  Illustrate  what  are  essentials  and  non- 
essentials. 

16.  Is  not  the  compulsion  to  uniformity  too  great  in  this  country  and  does 

it  not  repress,  individual  development?  It  is  said,  "A  man  may  go 
out  in  a  straw  hat  in  Paris  and  no  one  notice  it;  if  he  did  it  here 
they  would  have  him  in  a  lunatic  asylum  before  night." 


CHAPTER  XIX 
THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE 

THE  preceding  suggestions  for  money-spending  have  been  for 
the  most  part  devoted  to  meeting  bodily  needs.  All  the  grim  guard- 
ians of  thrift  should  have  been  placated,  and  it  is  time  to  ask  whether 
the  family  living  on  this  moderate  income  with  its  necessary  re- 
strictions are  to  find  such  joys  and  satisfactions  as  make  life 
worth  living. 

To  quote  a  late  chief  of  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics : 
"  Some  economic  theorists  who  do  not  know  anything  about  eco- 
nomic theory  have  held  that  amusement  is  a  luxury,  but  it  is  as  much 
a  necessity  as  food  and  clothing." 

Contentment,  satisfaction,  even  joy,  make  their  imperative 
claim  before  the  first  pay  day.  Of  what  use  the  divisions  and  sub- 
divisions of  the  income,  to  what  end  labor  and  thrift,  if  happiness 
is  forever  to  wait  on  the  doubtful  assembling  of  a  bank  account  ? 

But  what  do  we  mean  by  amusement  ?  There  is  probably  nothing 
in  which  people  differ  so  much  as  in  what  gives  them  pleasure.  It 
is  so  often  taken  for  granted  that  enjoyment  is  a  thing  to  be 
"  sought,"  and  sought,  of  course,  in  some  distant  flowery  field  where 
there  is  neither  sowing  nor  reaping. 

The  Foundational  Things. — On  the  contrary,  unless  daily  life 
with  its  development  of  our  powers  is  to  lay  deep  and  broad  the 
groundwork  of  happiness,  "amusements"  will  but  thinly  cover 
the  poverty  of  our  emotional  life.  We  shall  be  forever  seeking  and 
never  be  enriched.  Our  moderate  income  family  may  have  already 
gained  through  their  everyday  life  many  of  what  President  Eliot 
has  called  "the  solid  satisfactions  of  life";  labor,  health,  home, 
friends,  a  degree  of  success  among  our  fellow-men.  According  to 
their  estimate  of  the  value  of  these  things  do  men  strive  for  them. 
Some  take  them  as  their  right,  but  those  of  any  experience  or 
imagination  see  even  the  modest  successes  of  life  against  a  dark 
background  where  lurks  cruel  chance  and  misfortune,  and  they  are 
222 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  223 

deeply  thankful  for  a  sufficiency  of  things  needful,  for  the  priceless 
value  of  affection,  for  the  opportunity  to  help  in  the  development 
of  a  child.  Those  who  are  still  more  far-seeing  realize  how  few  there 
are  who  can  return  to  the  world  as  much  as  they  are  receiving  from 
it  in  their  share  of  a  rich  civilization  developed  by  myriad  unknown 
hands,  or,  as  one  modestly  expressed  it :  "  I  am  always  afraid  I  shall 
cost  more  than  I  come  to." 

We  have  here  a  question  of  more  than  superficial  importance, 
for  it  concerns  what  makes  life  worth  living  for  this  family  of  the 
moderate  income,  and  indeed  for  the  great  majority  of  our  people. 

Limitations  Fixed  by  the  Income. — There  is  a  degree  of  satis- 
faction where  there  is  success,  and  the  success  of  this  family,  such 
as  it  is,  is  believed  to  be  largely  due  to  the  discipline  which  results 
from  the  normal  conditions  of  life  and  work  which  are  forced  upon 
it  by  its  very  limitations.  Its  members  have  no  more  innate  power 
of  goodness  than  the  ones  above  or  below  them  in  the  income  scale ; 
they  are  simply  placed  by  good  fortune  in  conditions  which  they 
would  not  have  been  wise  enough  to  choose  for  themselves,  and  there 
results  a  system  which  offers  at  least  an  opportunity  for  growth. 

Success  for  this  family  is  not  to  be  reached  without  hard  work. 
They  will  all  work,  and  it  is  well  that  one  of  the  deepest  satisfactions 
which  life  gives  is  in  work  well  done;  nothing  else  will  take  its 
place.  Work  is  the  greatest  blessing  in  life;  it  is  overwork  under 
bad  conditions  that  maims  and  destroys.  Thus  the  first  and  most 
important  factor  in  the  development  of  the  moderate  income  family 
is  secured  in  the  necessity  to  labor  together  for  a  desired  end.  The 
home  must  be  served  by  its  own  members,  by  the  father  who  is  spurred 
to  his  task  by  the  knowledge  that  he  provides  the  sinews  of  war,  that 
without  his  efforts  material  comforts  will  be  lacking  for  those  he 
loves ;  by  the  mother,  who  is  not  "  supported  "  but  who  contributes 
her  share  in  working  up  the  raw  materials  of  life  into  what  nourishes 
body  and  spirit,  just  as  surely  as  the  plant  in  the  sun  uses  the 
mineral  constituents  of  the  soil  to  build  organic  foods;  by  the 
children,  who  contribute  not  only  the  tremendous  stimulus  of  their 
need  and  helplessness,  but  of  their  labor  according  to  their  ability. 
Here  is  a  chance  for  comradeship,  for  happy  and  effective  work 
together,  and  this  experience  and  discipline  continued  year  after 
year  help  toward  normal  development,  and  the  happiness  that  is 


224     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

gained  through  self-expression.  As  idle  and  aimless  surroundings 
never  do. 

Through  all  folklore  and  every  form  of  national  art  we  see  the 
background  of  the  primitive  home.  The  touching  Irish  plays  and 
poems  are  never  far  from  the  market  place  and  the  circle  around 
the  peat  fire.  Padriac  Colum's  "  Old  Woman  of  the  Road  "  dreams 
in  the  mist  and  the  cold  of  a  little  house  with  the  shining  row  of 
delft  on  the  dresser  and  the  pile  of  sods  by  the  door.  A  simple 
domestic  environment  seems  especially  favorable  to  the  develop- 
ment of  little  children,  for  homes  that  are  full  of  those  activities 
which  minister  to  the  comfort  of  their  inmates  are  near  to  the 
simple  tasks  and  events,  the  primitive  experiences  of  the  race  which 
children  are  re-living. 

"  I  know  now,"  said  a  woman  in  middle  life,  "  that  when  I  was 
a  child  we  were  very  poor,  but  we  never  felt  poor;  we  were  so  happy, 
and  we  still  talk  of  the  good  times  we  had  together ."  For  this 
woman  the  things  that  are  of  real  value  shine  undimmed  through 
the  years;  privations,  if  felt  at  the  time,  are  forgotten.  It  would 
seem  certain  that  the  childhood  looked  back  upon  most  fondly  is 
one  with  a  background  of  domestic  needs  and  amenities,  the  home 
served  by  its  inmates ;  and  not  only  children  but  adults  of  healthy 
mind  and  instincts  have  this  same  enjoyment  in  simple  processes 
by  which  daily  life  is  carried  along.  "  If  you  had  lived  in  the 
stony-hearted  city  as  long  as  I  have/'  writes  a  woman,  "  you  would 
know  what  bliss  it  is  to  be  sitting  on  a  country  doorstep  pitting 
cherries  for  a  pie." 

We  speak  of  a  subtle  pervading  thing  which  we  call  the  home 
atmosphere.  It  does  not  come  down  from  the  skies,  it  seems  to  be 
made  of  very  substantial  happenings  and  events,  the  work  together, 
the  being  together,  the  mutual  services  that  build  up  sympathy 
and  understanding  year  after  year.  The  nearness  to  families  of 
relatives,  the  presence  of  elderly  people  in  the  home  is  for  children 
an  extension  of  their  small  horizon,  a  growth  of  possessions  within 
safe  limits ;  for  what  is  within  the  circle  is  known  and  trusted,  what 
is  outside  is  not  yet  "  ours."  "  Is  he  mine,  my  own  ?  "  said  a  lonely 
child  with  something  like  ecstasy,  when  told  that  a  cousin  was 
coming  to  visit. 

Pride  in  the  Home. — "Do  they  keep  hold  of  their  children! 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  223 

when  they  have  grown  out  of  childhood  ?  "  was  asked  of  a  woman 
who  knew  intimately  the  life  of  the  families  in  whole  blocks  of 
two-story  houses. 

"Yes,  almost  invariably,  the  chief  pleasure  for  all  of  them  is 
in  the  home  itself.  You  see,  most  of  these  families  own  their 
houses,  and  the  improvements  they  make  belong  to  them.  'We 
are  going  to  have  a  sleeping  porch/  and  the  news  is  so  precious  that 
it  goes  through  the  block.  Mary's  making  her  own  graduating 
dress/  is  of  no  less  thrilling  interest,  and  all  the  family  work  for 
Mary  to  give  her  time  to  sew.  The  family  are  all  proud  of  the  way 
mother  keeps  the  house ;  f  you  don't  have  to  be  afraid  to  bring 
someone  home  to  supper/  " 

Out-of-door  Life. — Out-of-door  life  for  its  beauty  and  for  the 
physical  exercise  to  which  it  invites  has  a  prominent  place  in  the 
pleasures  of  this  family,  especially  if  living  in  the  city.  Walking 
for  the  vigor  and  refreshment  that  it  gives,  and  the  long  ramble 
which  has  some  branch  of  nature  study  as  its  end,  are  for  old  and 
young  alike,  and  free  out-of-door  games  for  which  provision  is 
made,  or  should  be  demanded,  in  the  public  parks,  are  to  give 
health  and  pleasure  to  this  family. 

The  absolute  necessity  for  finding  pleasure  without  the  expendi- 
ture of  money  develops  these  and  other  resources  to  the  utmost. 
A  long  walk  with  a  friend  takes  the  place  of  the  matinee  ticket, 
while  a  friendship  is  being  cultivated  rather  than  a  number  of 
passing  acquaintances  formed;  just  as  reading,  taken  up,  perhaps, 
because  there  is  nothing  else  to  do,  may  start  a  habit  which  will 
enrich  the  life.  Everything  must  be  done  out-of-doors  that  can 
be  done  there.  The  children  who  have  free  range  in  farm  or  village 
have  a  great  start  in  life,  but  the  tiniest  back  yard  or  porch  has 
its  possibilities. 

Nature-study  and  Skill  of  Hand. — Out-of-door  life  may  well 
center  about  that  very  tangible  thing,  the  collection ;  the  collecting 
and  naming  of  moths  and  butterflies,  for  instance,  leads  to  minute 
observation  and  considerable  skill  in  mounting.  Such  pursuits  and 
also  the  gaining  of  skill  of  hand  for  which  youth  offers  such  leisure 
and  opportunity  will  require  help.  The  child  soon  reaches  the  limit 
of  his  own  skill  and  inventiveness.  If  a  home-made  archery  set  is 
planned,  for  instance,  the  boy  of  twelve  cannot  produce  arrows  and 
15 


226    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

bow  and  target  good  enough  to  satisfy  when  used.  He  must  be 
helped  and  encouraged;  he  must  be  furnished  good  materials  and 
tools  and  a  book  on  sports  from,  the  public  library. 

The  whole  fascinating  repertory  of  the  sailor  in  the  tying  of 
knots  may  be  mastered  by  father  and  children  together,  helped  by 
the  same  illustrated  book.  A  father  may  consider  Saturday  after- 
noons well  spent  if  he  can  teach  his  boys  and  their  friends  the  ele- 
ments of  wood  craft,  as  skill  with  the  boat,  the  fishing  rod,  the 
simplest  cutting  instruments.  Skill  of  hand  and  its  results  are 
highly  prized  by  children.  One  may  see  in  the  school  yard  a 
poorly  dressed  boy  lord  it  over  the  sons  of  the  well-to-do  because  of 
his  skill  with  a  jack-knife.  In  all  lines  even  a  moderate  degree  of 
effort  carries  one  beyond  the  average  attainment  to  some  degree  of 
satisfaction;  it  is  too  common  to  stop  with  naming  a  half  dozen 
of  the  best-known  flowers  or  birds,  or  such  striking  constellations 
as  the  Great  Bear  and  Orion.  Popular  books  for  self -instruction  in 
all  the  subjects  here  suggested  are  to  be  found  in  public  libraries, 
and  faithful  work  with  their  help  will  soon  carry  the  enquirer  far 
beyond  the  superficial  level  of  achievement  to  attainments  that  give 
real  satisfaction. 

It  was  said  during  the  European  war  that  the  American  soldier 
made  a  very  unhappy  prisoner — as  a  rule  he  had  no  fads,  no  skill 
of  hand,  no  accomplishments  of  any  kind,  while  the  foreign  soldier 
was  tolerably  happy  whittling  out  toys,  even  making  toy  villages 
and  playing  on  musical  instruments,  some  of  which  he  himself  made. 

Human  Relations. — The  joy  of  life  for  all  people  is  largely 
in  human  relationships.  A  home  that  is  a  real  home  has  something 
about  it  glowing,  comforting  and  attractive  to  the  lonely.  How 
many  people  are  socially  hungry  it  is  well  for  even  little  children 
to  learn ;  to  realize  that  gayety  and  affection  and  comradeship  may 
be  shared  with  the  help  of  the  home  background  is  to  hold  in  the 
hand  gifts  that  are  without  price.  The  American  family  must  learn 
that  the  cultivation  of  the  mind  and  heart  does  not  depend  on  money 
and  that  no  rank  of  life  is  debarred  from  culture.  But  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  conscious  effort  will  be  needed  for  cultural  development. 
For  instance,  it  cannot  be  taken  for  granted  that  expression  through 
speech,  except  in  its  most  primitive  form,  will  come  by  itself.  There 
is  nothing  more  stimulating  to  the  intelligence,  nothing  that  so 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  227 

helps  the  sluggish  mind  as  good  talk,  just  as  there  is  nothing  more 
stunting  to  the  nature  than  morose  silence.  Does  anyone  suppose 
that  conversation  is  not  an  art,  something  to  be  practiced  with 
direct  aim  at  self-expression  and  to  bring  pleasure  to  others  ?  How 
is  this  important  part  of  the  social  side  of  family  life  to  be  developed 
without  those  too  obvious  efforts  at  "  improvement,"  which  may  be 
the  mistake  of  the  overzealous  parent  ? 

A  British  Instance. — Our  failings  in  this  regard  seem  to  be 
shared  by  our  British  relatives.  Arnold  Bennett  thus  describes  tea 
time  in  a  certain  English  household.  "  This  tea  which  is  the  daily 
blossoming  time  of  the  home  that  Mr.  Smith  and  his  wife  had 
constructed  with  twenty-six  years'  continual  effort  ought  to  be  a 
very  agreeable  affair.  Surely  the  materials  for  pleasure  are  present ! 
But  it  does  not  seem  to  be  a  very  agreeable  meal.  There  is  no  regular 
conversation.  Everybody  has  the  air  of  being  preoccupied  with  his 
own  affairs.  A  long  stretch  of  silence;  then  some  chaffing  or  sar- 
donic remark  by  one  child  to  another;  then  another  silence;  then 
a  monosyllable  from  Mr.  Smith;  then  another  silence.  No  subject 
of  wide  interest  is  ever  seriously  argued  at  that  table.  No  discussion 
is  ever  undertaken  for  the  sake  of  discussion.  It  has  never  occurred 
to  anyone  named  Smith  that  conversation  in  general  is  an  art  and 
may  be  a  diverting  pastime,  and  that  conversation  at  table  is  a  duty. 
Besides,  conversation  is  nourished  on  books,  and  books  are  rarer 
than  teaspoons  in  that  home.  Further,  at  back  of  the  excellent, 
honest,  and  clean  mind  of  every  Smith  is  the  notion  that  politeness 
is  something  that  one  owes  only  to  strangers/' 

Why  is  the  home  life  so  often  bleak,  shallow,  joyless?  Family 
happiness  would  seem  to  be  dependent  not  only  on  affection  and 
sympathy,  but  on  their  frequent  expression  in  some  form,  and  yet 
"  excellent  people  may  live  together  day  in  and  day  out  without 
ever  voicing  the  pleasant  thoughts  they  have  of  one  another." 

The  Dinner  Table. — Breakfast,  at  least  in  city  families,  is  apt 
to  be  a  hurried  meal.  It  has  been  too  difficult  to  get  up  until  the 
last  minute,  the  day  ahead  is  near  and  its  problems  pressing.  But 
the  dinner  table  may  be  used  as  one  of  the  great  social  forces  for 
this  family.  The  mother  has  done  her  best  to  provide  something 
they  like  to  eat;  there  will  be  at  least  one  favorite  dish  and  perhaps 
a  surprise  dessert.  Some  member  of  the  family  helps  at  the  last 


228    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

so  that  an  unhurried  mother  sits  down  with  them,  and  whatever 
getting  up  there  must  be  during  the  meal  is  not  done  by  her.  Then, 
no  grouchiness  is  allowed,  no  unpleasant  subjects  are  to  be  brought 
up;  bickering  and  fault-finding  are  barred. 

This  cultivation  of  the  social  life  may  not  come  easily.  It  will 
start  as  the  result  of  persistent  effort  and  finally  all  will  catch  the 
spirit.  It  is  essentially  the  spirit  of  unselfishness — to  encourage 
the  telling  of  adventures,  the  expression  of  views  and  to  seek  out 
what  will  truly  entertain  from  one's  own  doings  or  thoughts.  To 
this  conscious  direction  of  home  life  the  parents  will  bring  all  their 
resources;  but  the  entire  plan  will  fail  if  they  assume  the  didatic 
or  introduce  their  own  favorite  topics  without  the  most  skilful 
camouflage.  Good  talk  has  something  of  spontaneity  about  it;  it 
chooses  its  own  ways,  and  if  those  ways  are  not  treated  with  respect 
the  younger  ones  at  least  feel  a  frost  in  the  air.  One  excellent 
method  used  in  a  family  much  interested  in  public  events  has  been 
to  hang  on  the  dining-room  wall  a  map  of  the  world,  so  that  they 
become  familiar  with  countries  and  cities  that  are  alluded  to  in 
conversation  during  the  best  visiting  hours  of  the  day,  those  spent  at 
the  table. 

The  Father's  Part. — A  guest  at  the  table  helps  with  the  intro- 
duction of  fresh  interests;  but  it  will  be  novelty  enough  if  the 
father  enters  into  the  conversation  and  does  his  share  in  contribut- 
ing to  the  talk !  Here  is  the  father's  chance  to  play  a  part.  He 
comes  from  outside  and  brings  another  point  of  view.  But  in  some 
families  he  makes  this  the  time  for  what  the  children  call,  "  review- 
ing the  forces."  The  whole  meal  may  be  taken  up  with  reminders  of 
shortcomings,  and  if  any  protest  is  made  against  the  too  public 
punishment  and  the  spoiling  of  the  meal,  the  father's  reply  is  "  what 
other  time  have  I  to  rake  'em  over  ?  "  He  has  his  part  in  discipline 
and  training,  but  he  may  have  regard  to  times  and  seasons.  We 
read  of  "  the  diminishing  figure  of  the  father  in  American  family 
life."  He  ought  to  be  made  wholly  unsatisfied  with  merely  furnish- 
ing the  money  for  his  family  to  spend.  And  those  guests  which  the 
children  are  looking  forward  to  for  Sunday's  dinner  may  oftener 
be  father's  friends !  It  may  be  said  in  passing  that  children  need 
more  fathering  than  they  are  apt  to  get,  and  in  general  more  real 
friendship  with  those  of  an  older  generation. 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  229 

The  Mother's  Part. — But  because  of  the  greater  amount  of 
time  that  the  mother  gives  to  the  family  life,  because  she  is  in  the 
center  of  the  household  doing  her  work  in  close  contact  with  all 
its  members  at  least  some  part  of  the  day,  choosing,  deciding, 
helping,  with  a  chance  to  ease  up  hard  places,  to  understand  and 
sympathize,  to  fill  every  smallest  service  with  affection  and  wise 
suggestion,  it  is  she  who  has  the  greatest  responsibility  for  the  spirit, 
courage,  and  joyousness  of  the  family.  If  she  is  glum  and  dispirited 
all  will  feel  it.  If  it  is  her  determination  to  stimulate  and  en- 
hearten,  new  life  courses  through  the  talk  and  work;  to  do  this 
she  must  be  a  woman  who  prizes  at  its  full  worth  her  vantage  ground 
at  the  heart  of  a  family  group,  with  all  its  social  and 
spiritual  possibilities. 

Why  not  a  course  in  high  schools  and  vocational  classes  for  young 
married  women  whose  distinct  aim  would  be,  not  only  housekeep- 
ing, but  home-making  with  emphasis  put  on  its  social  side? 

The  Cheapest  of  All  Home  Pleasures. — The  limitations  of  the 
moderate  income  bear  most  heavily  on  the  large  number  of  educated 
people,  to  whom  travel  and  other  expensive  means  of  broadening  the 
intellectual  life  make  a  strong  appeal.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
have  already  access  to  the  cheapest  of  all  pleasures,  reading;  for 
two  carfares  all  that  the  public  library  has  to  offer  is  theirs.  To 
give  children  a  taste  for  good  reading  is  to  bring  them  in  touch 
with  the  great  of  all  time.  The  family  with  a  "  reading  mother  " 
enjoys  a  priceless  advantage. 

Reading  Aloud. — Reading  aloud  as  a  source  of  cultivation  and 
happiness  in  a  family  is  utilized  far  less  than  it  might  be.  Nothing 
will  equal  it  for  improving  the  speaking  voice,  for  providing  topics 
of  conversation  interesting  to  all  and  which  may  take  the  place 
of  the  constant  repetition  of  trivial  things  which  is  too  apt  to 
monopolize  the  table  talk.  A  good  comedy  whose  parts  are  taken 
by  the  members  of  the  family  and  read  without  rehearsals  gives 
great  enjoyment. 

Here  again  the  limitations  of  the  family  income  may  be  a  help 
to  this  end.  A  couple  with  little  children  during  the  evenings  which 
they  spend  at  home,  not  only  save  the  money  they  would  -pay  out  for 
cheap  amusements,  but  they  have  been  known  to  take  to  reading 
aloud  or  to  music  in  some  form  and  thus  begin  to  develop  the 


230     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

home  pleasures  which  are  to  help  in  holding  the  family  together  and 
maintaining  such  standards  as  the  father  and  mother  are  capable 
of  setting. 

But  it  would  seem  that  only  in  the  very  exceptional  family  is 
this  habit  of  reading  aloud  now  to  be  found.  There  are  few  good 
readers  since  no  point  is  made  in  school  of  this  accomplishment. 
Then,  "it  goes  too  slow."  Nevertheless,  here  is  a  great  oppor- 
tunity wasted,  one  which  was  more  used,  it  would  seem,  in  a  previous 
generation.  As  a  matter  of  course  the  mother  reads  to  her  little 
children  and  she  has  always  this  chance  to  form  the  habit  for  what 
is  worth  while  in  literature. 

Story-telling. — This  is  at  once  more  easy  and  more  difficult 
than  reading  aloud.  It  depends  more  on  personal  temperament 
and  skill  and  less  on  education.  There  are  people  like  Maxim 
Gorky's  peasant  grandmother  whose  dramatic  instinct  seizes  upon 
the  salient  points  in  their  own  experience  and  they  charm  both 
young  and  old  by  their  tales.  But  a  degree  of  this  talent  is  com- 
mon and  can  be  cultivated  under  the  spur  of  giving  pleasure  to 
others.  Every  mother  can  tell  nursery  stories  to  her  baby,  but 
she  must  make  an  effort  to  keep  up  with  the  growing  demands  of 
the  child  between  four  and  seven,  when  the  imagination  is  perhaps 
most  active  and  the  reliance  on  the  mother  for  this  form  of  enter- 
tainment is  at  its  height.  She  will  do  well  to  make  a  study  of  the 
tales  which  appear  in  slightly  different  form  in  all  languages  and 
have  stood  the  test  of  time.  A  list  of  such  stories  is  here  given, 
as  compiled  by  one  of  the  professional  story-tellers  now  employed  in 
a  public  recreation  center.1 

From  three  to  six  years  of  age  children  enjoy  Mother  Goose,  and  such 
stories  as  "  Billy  Goal's  Gruff "  and  "  Why  the  Bear  is  Stumpy "  from 
Popular  Tales  from  the  Norse;  "The  Three  Bears,"  "Little  Red  Riding 
Hood,"  "  The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker  " ;  or  "  Bremen  Town  Musicians  " 
from  Grimm's  Fairy  Tales;  "The  Gingerbread  Boy,"  "The  Little  Fir 
Tree,"  and  "How  Brother  Rabbit  Fooled  the  Whale  and  the  Elephant" 
from  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children ;  "  The  Crow  and  the  Tortoise  "  and  "  The 
Crow  and  the  Pitcher"  from  Aesop's  Fables;  "Wishing  Wishes"  from 
More  Mother  Stories;  and  "Little  Black  Sambo,"  by  Bannerman. 

For  children  from  six  to  nine  years  old  there  are  "  Hansel  and  Gretel," 
"  The  Frog  Prince,"  "  Briar  Rose,"  "  Hans  in  Luck,"  and  "  The  Coal,  the 
Bean  and  the  Straw  "  from  Grimm's  Fairy  Tales ;  "  Why  the  Sea  is  Salt," 

1  These  stories  are  all  to  be  found  in  collections  obtainable  in  any  pub- 
lic library. 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  231 

"The  Straw  Ox,"  "The  Lad  and  the  North  Wind"  from  Popular  Tales 
from  the  Norse;  "The  Brahmin,  the  Tiger,  and  the  Jackal,"  "Little  Half 
Chick"  from  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children;  "The  Fox  and  the  Crow"  and 
"  The  Town  Mouse  and  Country  Mouse  "  from  Aesop's  Fables ;  "  The  Pea 
Blossom"  from  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales;  and  "Cinderella"  by  Perrault. 

From  nine  to  twelve  years :  "  Peter,  Paul  and  Espen  "  from  Popular 
Tales  from  the  Norse,  is  suitable;  also  "Robert  of  Sicily"  from  Stories  to 
Tell  to  Children ;  "  The  Ugly  Duckling  "  from  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales ;  "  The 
Wolf  and  the  Kid  "  from  Aesop's  Fables ;  "  The  Fisherman  and  the  Genii " 
and  "Aladdin  and  His  Wonderful  Lamp"  from  Arabian  Nights;  "  Toomai 
of  the  Elephants,"  "Rikki  Tikki  Tavi,"  and  "Mowgli"  by  Kipling; 
"Raggylug "  by  Ernest  Seton  Thompson ;  "  How  Little  Cedric  Became  a 
Knight "  from  In  Storyland ;  "  The  Rhine  Gold,"  "  Siegfried,"  and  "  Brun- 
hilde "  from  Wagner  Opera  Stories ;  "  Robinson  Crusoe "  and  selected 
stories  from  Uncle  Remus. 

Story-telling  by  the  Child. — There  is  a  phase  of  this  form 
of  entertainment  which  is  often  overlooked  and  it  is  a  most  im- 
portant one.  The  child  may  be  helped  to  make  his  own  contribution 
to  the  entertainment  of  others,  instead  of  always  receiving.  This 
cultivates  cooperation,  improves  the  speech  and  gives  self-confidence 
and  pleasure  to  a  timid  child.  A  mother  may  say  to  a  child  who 
is  telling  her  an  adventure,  "  How  very  funny !  Wait  until  you  can 
tell  us  all  together !  " 

The  Creative  in  Play. — It  has  been  said  that  "the  best  life 
is  one  in  which  the  creative  impulses  play  the  largest  part  and  the 
possessive  impulses  the  smallest."  Something  is  here  to  be  con- 
sidered more  serious  than  amusement,  it  is  the  education  of  the  artis- 
tic nature,  the  joy  of  self-expression  in  some  form  of  creative  play. 
Even  a  little  leisure,  a  little  money  opens  many  doors.  Beauty 
does  not  sit  on  a  throne  to  be  approached  only  by  those  who  can 
wear  fine  raiment.  It  has  been  said  that  "we  are  potentially  a 
truer  democracy  in  aesthetics  than  in  economics  or  politics."  How 
is  this  side  of  the  home  and  national  life  to  be  developed  for  people 
of  moderate  means  ?  Did  the  nameless  authors  of  the  folk  songs  of 
older  nations  -possess  our  standardized  "necessities  and  comforts 
of  life"  before  they  turned  toward  artistic  expression?  We  read 
that  the  wandering  bard  sang  not  only  to  kings  and  courtiers  but 
to  poor  peasants  around  the  scanty  fire.  Did  the  peasantry  of 
Elizabethan  England  develop  those  public  games  and  dances  which 
we  are  now  trying  to  revive,  only  when  they  were  well  clothed  and 
fed  every  day? 


232     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

In  general  it  may  be  said  that  pleasures  are  to  be  chosen  which 
allow  of  active  rather  than  passive  participation.  Too  much  of 
"  being  entertained  "  is  not  good  for  young  or  old,  and  it  is  death 
to  initiative.  Even  the  best  censored  "  movies  "  are  worth  nothing 
from  this  point  of  view  compared  to  a  crude  play  or  a  mediocre 
piece  of  music  which  the  young  people  have  themselves  composed 
and  produced.  "  It's  only  looking  "  as  one  sensible  woman  remarked. 

How  are  we  to  meet  this  need  of  self-expression ;  how  feed  the 
imagination  without  expensive  training  under  masters  ?  Just  as  it 
has  been  done  in  more  primitive  times  the  world  over,  by  uniting 
with  others  in  the  simpler  forms  of  music  and  drama.  It  is  recog- 
nized by  artists  that  the  great  unrest  which  is  sweeping  over  all 
countries  is  not  wholly  economic,  it  is  partly  spiritual,  and  that  back 
of  it  is  a  great  longing  for  artistic  expression.  What  people  long 
for  more  or  less  definitely  is  not  so-called  amusement,  outside  their 
daily  life  and  purposes,  but  an  infusion  of  beauty,  fitness  and  har- 
mony into  every  act  and  situation.  It  would  seem  to  be  a  part  of 
the  genius  of  our  time  to  demand  that  more  beauty  and  joy  should 
inform  our  -daily  living,  that  the  sanitary  dwelling  should  also 
please  the  eye,  that  convenient  and  inexpensive  furniture  should 
not  be  ugly  of  outline,  that  clothing  should  satisfy  in  its  color 
and  form. 

How  much  of  this  craving  for  artistic  expression  is  to  be  met 
in  the  home?  In  this  regard  homes  differ  very  much  from  each 
other;  in  some  of  them  delightful  results  have  been  attained,  in 
almost  all  more  could  be  done  than  is  now  done. 

The  Festival  Play. — Every  family  should  learn  to  utilize  to 
the  full  the  possibilities  of  the  festival  occasion,  Christmas,  the 
birthday  and  other  anniversaries.  Here  the  play  spirit  should 
dominate,  the  dear  make-believe  of  the  child.  It  has  been  noticed 
that  children  who  have  good  mental  and  emotional  endowment 
early  show  imagination  of  the  constructive  kind.  They  love  to 
"act  out"  scenes  and  stories.  But  not  always  for  older  people, 
because  they  then  become  conscious  of  the  more  exacting  adult 
standards,  although  if  older  people  take  the  lead  and  themselves 
dress,  pose  and  gesture,  they  join  in  with  delight.  Excellent  collec- 
tions of  plays,  suitable  for  acting  by  a  family  or  a  group  of  friends 
and  relatives  are  issued  or  recommended  by  the  Drama  League, 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  233 

New  York  City ;  fairy  stories  offer  simple  and  attractive  plots  for 
home  dramatization. 

Still  better  is  the  play  which  is  written  as  well  as  staged  by 
home  talent.  As  subjects  for  the  original  home  drama,  a  good 
beginning  is  the  historical  background  of  the  family.  In  one 
family  it  was  New  England  history  with  its  strongly  contrasted 
personnel  of  Indian,  Puritan  and  Quaker.  In  another  there  was 
an  effort  to  dramatize  the  life  of  a  great  uncle  who  fought  for 
Italian  independence  under  Garibaldi.  It  required  much  searching 
for  points  in  the  library,  help  from  the  older  people,  and  for  all 
who  took  part  there  came  unconsciously  as  the  result  some  grasp 
of  a  great  period  in  history  which  was,  moreover,  their  own  history. 
In  these  plays  there  must  be  at  least  a  skeleton  of  a  plot,  and  always 
action  and  costume.  The  success  of  these  home  entertainments  is 
sometimes  amazing,  and  the  delight  they  give  to  the  performers 
offers  a  pedagogical  lesson  that  should  be  taken  to  heart.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  require  a  perfect  performance;  young  people  find  too 
much  rehearsing  irksome. 

To  produce  a  play  as  a  birthday  gift  will  be  perhaps  a  new  idea 
to  American  children.  They  thus  offer  something  of  their  own 
creation  as  a  gift  far  more  valuable  than  what  is  purchased  with 
money,  because  it  is  original,  their  very  own.  A  musical  family 
has  a  great  advantage  in  this  regard.  They  can  present  a  new  piece 
of  music  on  the  occasion  as  a  new  song  carefully  rehearsed  as  a 
surprise,  or  even  a  simple  composition  of  their  own.  Gifts  made 
or  partly  made  by  hand,  however  rude  or  simple,  should  be  praised 
for  the  effort  and  thought  they  represent — to  do  or  make  for  the 
pleasure  of  others  may  become  by  skilful  suggestion  the  very  keynote 
of  the  home  celebration.  In  one  family  a  feature  of  the  birthday 
is  a  processional  with  the  birthday  cake  carried  aloft,  the  singing  of 
songs  and  reading  of  original  jingle  verses. 

In  another  family  the  summer  vacation  always  ends  with  an 
evening  devoted  to  a  reproduction  of  such  of  its  happenings  as 
suggest  the  dramatic  touch,  or  form  the  basis  for  witty  extrava- 
ganza. The  family,  the  relatives  and  guests  are  divided  into 
"sides/5  thus  furnishing  the  stimulus  of  rivalry  in  presenting 
impromptu  acts  or  tableaux.  Here  appears  the  home-made  "  poem  " 
that  may  be  fitted  to  some  popular  air  and  which  always  delights  the 


234     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

hearers  if  only  there  are  enough  palpable  "hits."  It  is  often 
accompanied  by  an  acted  scene  too  simple  to  be  called  a  play.  Its 
"  motif  "  in  one  case  was  that  of  a  child  being  lost  in  the  city 
streets.  There  appeared  the  tearful  little  boy,  the  policeman  who 
questions  him,  the  bystanders  who  advise,  the  telephone  operator, 
the  joyful  parents.  Children  who  witness  such  a  dramatization  of 
an  incident  in  daily  life  are  sure  to  suggest  other  subjects  which 
are  at  once  staged. 

The  graphic  arts  have  also  their  home  development.  The  pen- 
and-ink  cartoon  has  great  possibilities ;  delightful  examples  of  this 
form  of  entertainment  are  found  in  Koosevelt's  "  Letters  to 
His  Children." 

Children  have  been  known  to  conduct  a  newspaper  written  and 
printed  by  themselves.  Often  they  need  only  a  little  suggestion 
and  encouragement  to  start  many  joyful  enterprises.  There  is  at 
present  a  vast  waste  in  outside  amusements,  especially  since  what 
has  been  termed  the  commercialization  of  leisure.  The  claims  that 
they  make  on  the  income  are  too  great  and  the  inroads  on  time  and 
health  and  family  life  are  still  more  serious.  The  home  must  pro- 
vide entertainment  for  its  own  members  as  far  as  possible. 

Music  in  the  Family. — Under  Community  Helps,  page  133, 
is  to  be  found  some  account  of  the  development  of  community 
music;  it  has  a  distinct  relation  to  music  in  the  home.  It  helps 
to  answer  the  question  just  what  advice  is  to  be  given  to  parents 
who  are  looking  forward  to  family  life  on  a  moderate  income,  those 
who  love  music  but  have  no  means  of  expressing  themselves  in  it. 
In  church  and  school  the  young  people  learn  to  sing,  and  music 
in  the  home  ought  to  follow  as  a  matter  of  course.  It  may  be  said 
that  there  is  always  music  of  some  kind  in  this  home  of  moderate 
means  and  it  ranks  very  high  dn  their  pleasures.  In  very  many 
homes  supported  on  an  income  of  no  more  than  $2500  the  very 
first  outlay  beyond  necessities  is  for  a  piano.  And  in  some  miracu- 
lous manner  they  learn  to  play  it,  at  least  for  dance  music  and 
to  accompany  singing.  A  phonograph  is  second  choice,  or  it  may 
come  first  in  those  families  whose  members  do  not  easily  learn 
to  play  an  instrument,  and  they  can  both  sing  and  dance  to 
its  accompaniment. 

Part  Singing. — It  would  seem  that  part  singing  ought  to  be 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  235 

the  most  easily  attained  of  all  inexpensive  home  amusements  that 
are  approached  from  the  artistic  side.  It  comes  very  readily  in 
some  families.  There  may  be  a  natural  love  of  music  which 
insists  on  expression,  or  some  background  in  musical  culture  in 
the  preceding  generation  that  enables  the  mother  to  play  accom- 
paniments, and  the  father  to  read  music.  Even  the  accompaniment 
may  not  be  necessary.  One  family  of  little  children  had  been  taught 
to  sing  with  the  father  and  mother  a  large  number  of  negro 
"  spirituals "  picked  up  by  ear  around  a  southern  plantation,  the 
strange  cadences  and  harmonies  being  perfectly  reproduced  by  the 
children  with  the  help  of  the  steadying  voices  of  the  two  leaders. 
They  were  able  to  give  in  this  way  a  unique  form  of  entertainment 
to  friends. 

Suggestions  on  Music  in  the  Home. — The  following  sugges- 
tions on  how  to  bring  about  more  music  in  the  home  were  given  by 
Mrs.  Henrietta  Baker  Lowe,  of  Peabody  Conservatory  of  Music, 
Baltimore,  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Child  Welfare  Club  of 
that  city.1 

Giving  of  music  books  and  books  on  music  as  presents.  Use  of 
musical  grace  at  meals,  musical  good  night. 

Example  of  elders  singing  everywhere,  especially  while  busy 
about  the  house,  is  useful,  also  hearing  their  elders  discuss  music, 
going  with  them  to  music  stores  to  buy  music  and  records. 

Also  important  are  new  songs  learned  beautifully  for  surprises, 
new  songs  taught  by  older  children  to  younger ;  having  the  several 
members  of  the  family  study  different  instruments  so  as  to  make 
a  family  ensemble,  singing  at  picnics  and  while  walking,  singing 
games  for  younger  children,  talking  machine  and  good  records, 
singing  softly  with  talking  machine  with  a  good  voice  record. 

See  that  children  sing  what  they  have  learned  at  school.  Sing 
softly,  pitch  high,  sing  rhythmically  and  rather  fast. 

Miss  Lowe  gave  also  the  following  bibliography  of  music  books  and 
records : 

1.  For  Singing  to  Young  Children  and  for  Children  to  Learn: 
Mother  Goose's  Nursery  Rhymes.     Elliott,    50c. 
Songs  for  a  Little  Child's  Day.  Eleanor  Smith.  $1.50.  Milton  Bradley 

Co.,  New  York. 
Records:  Mother  Goose — Victor  No.  17004 

Baa  Black  Sheep— Victor  No.  17937 
Lilts  and  Lyrics — Victor  No.  17686. 


236     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

Marching  and  Free  Movement. 

Bythm  and  Action.    Norton.    $1.00.    Oliver  Ditson  Co.,  New    York. 
Records:  Victor  No.  18216 
Victor  No.  64201 

March,  hop,  run,  skip,  fly,  just  as  music  suggests. 
Singing  Games: 

Children's  Old  and  New  Singing  Games.    Mari  Hofer.    Flanagan  Co., 

Chicago. 
Record:    Mulberry  Bush — Victor  No.  17104 

2.  Songs  for  Older  Children  to  Sing. 

Grammar  School  Song  Book.    Farnsworth.   Scribner  &  Co.    75c. 

Songs  of  Camp  Fire  Girls.  Neidlinger.  25c.  Camp  Fire  Outfitting 
Co.,  32  W.  24th  St.,  New  York. 

Songs  for  Beginning  Alto  (Records  on  request).  Congdon  Primer  No. 
IV.  Charles  H.  Congdon,  200  5th  Ave.,  New  York.  N.B.:  Let 
mother  or  older  friends  at  first  sing  the  alto,  with  children  singing 
soprano  softly  so  as  to  hear  both  voices. 

Boy  Scouts'  Book.   C.  C.  Birchard  &  Co.,  Boston. 

Learn  songs  from  good  records. 

3.  Songs  for  the  Family,  children  singing  choruses  and  easy  parts. 

Twice  55  Songs.    C.  C.  Birchard  &  Co.,  Boston. 

A  more  complete  list  of  books,  records  and  suggestions  has  been  com- 
piled and  can  be  obtained  in  mimeographed  form  at  cost  price  by  addressing 
Mrs.  Lowe,  Peabody  Conservatory  of  Music,  Baltimore,  Md. 

The  Outside  World. — Many  parents  who  are  equal  to  the  care 
and  direction  of  little  children,  at  least  as  far  as  holding  their 
confidence  and  affection  is  concerned,  fail  utterly  when  the  inevitable 
connection  is  made  with  the  outside  world  to  meet  social  cravings 
and  to  join  in  community  action.  This  failure  to  keep  in  touch 
with  the  adolescent  boy  and  girl  is  seen  on  every  side,  and  if  the 
parents  are  of  foreign  birth,  the  maladjustment  of  the  two  genera- 
tions may  have  tragic  consequences  well  known  to  social  workers 
in  large  cities. 

At  best  the  pressure  on  the  family  resources  and  wisdom  in  the 
direction  of  adolescent  children  is  great.  It  will  be  well  if  parents 
realize  very  early  the  coming  difficulty  and  make  friendly  connec- 
tion with  families  whose  resources  are  similar  to  their  own  and  who 
have  good  standards  of  living.  They  must  also  avail  themselves 
of  all  agencies  that  will  give  to  their  views  the  support  of  public 
opinion  and  the  chance  for  cooperation.  The  mother  who  attends 
the  Parents'  and  Teachers'  Association  meetings  may  cease  to  feel 
that  there  is  an  impossible  gulf  between  the  home  and  the  school. 
If  she  follows  the  reports  of  the  censorship  on  moving  pictures 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OF  LIFE  237 

she  will  exchange  distrust  and  ignorance  for  intelligent  use  of  what 
is  to  be  a  great  force  in  education. 

For  many  families  the  church  is  the  most  important  outside 
influence  for  development  and  happiness.  Church-going  may  be 
the  first  venture  of  parents  and  children  together,  there  the  whole 
family  are  apt  to  find  their  friends ;  the  church  social,  the  mission- 
ary society,  the  Sunday  school,  the  various  young  people's  meetings, 
all  have  something  to  offer. 

Free  City  Amusements. — A  city  family  made  up  of  young 
and  old  during  a  summer  vacation  resolved  to  spend  nothing  beyond 
carfares  for  public  amusements.  The  result  was  exactly  opposite 
to  the  general  belief  that  the  city  dweller  must  spend  more  money 
for  amusements  than  the  person  living  in  the  country.  The  temp- 
tation to  spend  is  there,  but  why  yield  to  it?  This  family  found 
that  most  museums  and  picture  galleries  were  open  on  Sunday 
afternoons  free,  that  by  going  from  one  park  to  another  in  the 
evening  excellent  band  concerts  were  to  be  heard  and  they  dis- 
covered the  community  "sing."  Saturday  rehearsals  of  church 
music,  visits  to  the  free  playgrounds  and  swimming  pools,  and  the 
recreation  piers  were  always  a  resource,  and  social  events  in  the 
church,  Y.M.C.A.,  etc.,  were  utilized  to  the  full.  For  instruction, 
there  were  the  free  libraries  and  summer  educational  courses. 

The  Family  in  the  Country. — The  satisfactions  of  life  in  the 
family  of  moderate  income  in  small  villages  and  in  the  country 
will  depend  more  than  in  the  city  on  their  own  resources,  but  social 
connections  outside  the  home  are  perhaps  more  easily  managed,  for 
there  is  a  background  of  well-known  community  life,  relatives  are 
apt  to  live  near,  >and  simple  outdoor  sports  are  directly  at  hand. 
The  intellectual  life  is  being  stimulated  by  the  endowed  library 
which  has  come  to  be  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception  in  small 
towns,  and  by  the  traveling  library  in  rural  districts.  A  great 
effort  is  now  made  by  the  country  church  to  broaden  the  interests 
of  the  community,  and  these  efforts  began  along  the  line  of  the 
most-needed  improvements  in  home  and  community  life,  for  better 
roads  and  markets,  for  cheaper  lights,  better  schools,  cleaner  sports, 
for  the  building  of  community  houses  for  gymnasium,  library  and 
recreation,  all  in  the  line  of  helpfulness  for  lives  that  may  be  hard 
pressed  on  the  material  side. 


238    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

In  general,  both  the  man  and  the  woman  of  the  family  willi 
seek  to  enjoy  forms  of  social  activity  in  which  the  children  do> 
not  share.  The  men's  club  in  churches  and  the  fraternal  orders 
keep  the  man  in  touch  with  other  men  in  ways  that  are  apart 
from  business  routine.  The  mother  will  find  a  club  whose  dues 
are  small  and  its  activities  will  rest  her  from  the  home  routine. 
It  is  ihe  I  rani -working,  self-denying  type  of  woman  that  espe- 
cially needs  tin's.  It  forces  her  to  spend  a  little  more  on  her 
clothes  even  if  the  daughters  must  have  less  and  to  play  her  part 
with  others,  thus  gaining  self-confidence  and  fresh  points  of  view. 
The  woman  of  the  middle  group,  economically  speaking,  would 
say  if  she  were  frank,  "I  love  my  home,  but  to  be  eternally  there 
makes  me  sometimes  hate  it."  For  her  this  social  outlet  is  abso- 
lutely needed. 

The  urgent  need  for  holding  the  family  together  for  most  of  its 
pleasures  may  lead  to  some  expenditures,  not  otherwise  justified 
for  the  moderate  income,  as  the  purchase  of  a  cheap  automobile 
which  is  financed  in  ways  not  discoverable  by  the  statistician. 

Summary. — In  conclusion,  it  must  be  said,  that  although  we 
^hiill  sometimes  find  members  of  this  typical  moderate  income 
family  rebcling  at  what  they  feel  to  be  tame  and  old-fashioned 
restrictions,  it  yet  remains  true  that  many  thousands  of  intelligent 
and  ambitious  groups  in  our  midst  are  finding  success  along  the  lines 
here  indicated,  anil  they  realize  that  they  have  within  their  reach 
a  possession  of  -great  value  to  themselves  and  to  the  community. 

The  satisfaction  and  contentment  that  make  life  worth  living 
seem  to  be  found  for  all  people  in  the  foundational  things,  health, 
home,  children,  friends,  a  degree  of  success  among  their  fellow-men, 
and  these  would  seem  to  be  more  easily  attained  in  the  home  of 
moderate  means  than  in  any  other,  because  of  the  intimate  relations 
that  must  exist  in  a  household  which  is  served  by  its  own  members. 
The  money  limitations  bring  about  this  opportunity,  and  affection 
and  inielliLrenec  will  make  use  of  it  to  develop  home  pleasures,  thus- 
placing  outside  amusements  in  their  proper  subordinate  place.  The 
family  group  in  its  most  successful  form  finds  its  happiness  in 
family  relations,  in  pride  in  the  home  itself,  in  simple  hospitality, 
in  conversation,  in  reading,  in  story- telling,  in  music,  in  the  simplest: 
forms  of  home  drama  or  theatricals,  in  dancing,  in  out-of-door  life1 


THE  SATISFACTIONS  OP  LIFE  239 

ith  walking  punos  and  nature  study.  Such  free  entertainment 
and  instruction  as  is  afforded  by  public  enterprise  is  also  to  be 
utilized  to  the  full. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  AcvtM-ilinir  to  your  personal  experience,  would  von  consider  that  the 

sujijiost ions  nuulo  in  t.his  chapter  arc  too  lucking  in  excitement  and 

too  rtiltural  in  oharaitor  to  appeal  to  tho  avorano  family  iiroup? 
'2.    \\hat    ooonpations   v,ouM   you    Mibstitnto.    romomborini:   alwa\ 

must  st  rive  for  a  high  type  of  family  life,  and  that  money  goes  farther 

it"    spoilt     tO::ot  hor  V 

;•'.   CiNf    -.:.  ..>  -tuMis    tor    koojunu    jiaronts    in    arroi\i    with    thoir    chiUhvn 
ilnrinj:  t.lu*  :uloli>si'iMU   yoars. 

4.  Mako   u}>   a    list    of   ivtYromv  books   whii'h    it    is  doMrablo   for   a    family 

to  h:nv. 

.">.  Suirir^st  a  program  of  vai-:Uii>n  possibilit ios  for  a  nunli<rai<'  iiu-onu^ 
family  list  possible  travol  trips  it\  AHUM  ioa  from  \vhi<'h  an  ovvasional 
fhoii-o  iniirht  bo  iu:iilo:  study  tho  j  robU-ni  of  tho  simplo  sunuiuM  i-ot 
taiio.  its  iosts  aiul  risnlt-s.  f-.t;  ,  its  Ix^iriuj;  on  tbo  oihuation  of  tho 
thililivn.  a^  ooinpartxl  with  tho  "  suuunor  Kiariling  houso " ;  in- 
oxponsivo  oainps  for  I'hiKlron  what  for  paront<.  oto  ' 

0.   SluniUl  tlu*  man  ami  woman  ha\o  oaoh  an  avi^'at  ion  ?     What  aro  iH>ssi- 
bilitios.  t'.f]..  in  art.  haiulioraft .  natuiv.  litoraturo.  oto.V    Mousuro  MI.:- 
tions  i;i  tt^vms  i>f  nicaniii::  for  tho  family's  life. 

7.  Work  out  some  facts  as  to  the  history  of  your  own  family  that  should 

bo  of  intorost   to  mombors  of  tho  family   if  not   to  othors'. 

5.  Mako  iltitaiK\l   plans   for  I'o.'-porat  ivo  arrani:omont  s  botwoon  noiiihborini: 

fainilios    rt-i:artlinir    rtn-roation.    roailin<:   aiul    tho    liko.    r.j;..    magiuiuc 
oxohungo  i-luh.  book  i-lub.  sin»:in>r  olub,  orohostra,  thoutrioals.  oto. 


CHAPTEE  XX 

THE  LOOK  AHEAD 

IN  the  preceding  chapters  an  effort  has  been  made  to  show  that 
the  moderate  income  family  in  this  country  can  make  an  unqualified 
success  of  their  life  if  certain  conditions  are  afforded : 

1.  A  fair  start  for  the  heads  of  the  household  as  given  by  the 
preceding  generation. 

2.  The  money  income  tolerably  certain  and  earned  wholly  or 
chiefly  by  the  man  of  the  family. 

3.  The  right  attitude  of  the  wife  and  mother  toward  her  part 
in  the  enterprise,  with  the  ability  and  training  to  be  a  good  manager 
and  buyer,  to  do  most  of  the  housework,  to  care  for  and  train  the 
children,  and  to  contribute  certain  immaterial  values  that  make  for 
happiness  and  success. 

4.  Generous  help  on  the  part  of  the  community  along  many 
lines,   as  health,   education,  recreation   and  economic  service   in 
checking  costs  of  living. 

What  Changes  are  to  be  Expected. — Every  generation  must 
examine  its  social  baggage  in  order  to  determine  what  is  to  be 
thrown  away  and  what  is  worth  keeping.  Are  the  above  require- 
ments to  remain  as  urgent  as  they  are  now  ?  Are  the  disintegrating 
factors  that  threaten  the  present  type  of  family  life  radical  in 
character  or  will  there  be  adjustments  only  ?  Human  nature  carries 
in  itself  a,  great  stabilizing  principle ;  revolution  is  not  as  easy  as  it 
seems.  The  home,  even  in  its  present  form,  will  not  be  easily  over- 
thrown ;'  while  keeping  its  essential  characteristics  it  will  doubtless 
prove  capable  of  adjustment  to  the  changing  times.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  while  growing  prosperity  has  softened  the  hard 
conditions  that  surrounded  the  pioneer  family,  forcing  them,  as  it 
did,  to  hold  together  against  cold  and  hunger,  yet  the  effort 
necessary  to  meet  advanced  standards  is  perhaps  greater  than  ever, 
and  if  success  is  to  be  reached,  the  solidarity  of  the  family  in  earning 
and  spending  still  remains  the  dominant  factor. 
240 


THE  LOOK  AHEAD  241 


The  Fair  Start. — There  is,  perhaps,  an  increasing  need  that 
each  generation  shall  provide  the  fair  start  in  life  for  the  heads  of 
the  new  family,  as  outlined  in  Chapter  V.  Standards  of  living  are 
held  with  more  definiteness  while  training  and  preparation  for  the 
chosen  work  have  become  more  imperative  for  the  young.  To  per- 
form this  duty  requires  of  the  parents  the  use  of  their  utmost  indus- 
try, knowledge  and  devotion  in  order  to  provide  the  conditions  for 
happy  development  in  childhood,  for  general  and  special  education, 
for  assembling  with  the  help  of  the  whole  family  such  an  outfit  as 
will  start  habits  of  thrift  and  foresight  in  the  young  couple  and 
bridge  over  difficulties  and  emergencies  in  the  early  married  years. 

The  Earner  and  the  Spender. — The  increasing  pressure  for 
specialization  in  all  kinds  of  work  gives  new  meaning  to  the  demand 
that  the  man  of  the  family,  at  least  that  family  in  which  there  are 
young  children,  shall  be  able  to  concentrate  on  the  earning  of  the 
money  income,  and  that  the  woman  shall  be  free  for  her  important 
duties  in  the  center  of  home  life,  of  choosing,  adjusting,  dispensing, 
teaching,  and  there  making  in  the  many  other  ways  that  have  been 
indicated  her  necessary  contribution  to  the  income.  She  must 
furnish  these  services  or  their  equivalent  if  she  is  in  any  true  sense 
the  business  partner.  Her  qualifications  for  the  work  thus  become 
of  financial  importance  and  they  can  no  more  be  ignored  in  making 
plans  for  family  life  than  can  the  size  of  the  husband's  wages  or 
salary.  We  expect  a  man  to  lift  his  share  of  the  world's  great  bur- 
den of  constructive  labor;  if  a  woman  is  tired  at  night  with  her 
tasks,  why  should  she  complain? 

This  attitude  and  ability  on  the  part  of  the  mother  of  the  family 
is  probably  the  most  important  of  all  the  factors  in  successful  family 
life.  The  preceding  generation  may  have  failed  to  contribute 
training  or  financial  backing;  the  community  may  be  niggardly  in 
providing  help  in  education,  or  any  control  of  public  utilities ;  even 
the  money  income  may  be  curtailed  and  yet  the  family  is  seen  to 
win  out,  but  if  the  mother  proves  unequal  to  her  part,  there  is 
almost  certain  disaster  ahead.  The  family  partnership  seems  to 
afford  no  place  for  the  selfish  individualist ;  privileges  involve  duties. 

Public  Help. — While  the  fair  start  in  life  and  the  part  to  be 
played  by  the  earner  and  the  spender  are  under  personal  and 
family  control,  the  help  that  must  come  from  outside  is  dependent 
16 


242    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

on  public  opinion  and  public  endeavor  following  the  establishment 
of  proper  standards  as  to  what  the  home  should  accomplish. 

At  present  such  help  on  the  part  of  the  public  is  neither  generous 
nor  intelligent.  If  our  civilization  were  not  the  imperfect  thing 
it  is,  if  it  were  not  full  of  waste  and  contradiction,  we  should  marvel 
more  than  we  do  at  the  contrast  between  soaring  ideals  and  shabby 
fulfilment  in  the  life  of  the  people.  We  hear  the  home  as  an  insti- 
tution proclaimed  as  the  center  of  the  social  fabric,  the  unit  of  the 
state,  but  what  we  see  around  us  is  ignorance  and  apathy  regarding 
those  types  of  social  action  which  would  contribute  certain  essentials 
for  success  in  family  life. 

We  Penalize  Parenthood. — It  has  become  a  commonplace,  so 
often  has  it  been  said,  that  society  has  a  stake  in  every  child  born, 
that  the  children  are  "  the  only  hope  of  the  future,"  yet  society  would 
seem  to  be  so  organized  as  to  penalize  parenthood,  and  the  punish- 
ment falls  heaviest  on  the  family  living  on  the  moderate  income. 
Parents  who  are  raising  children  according  to  good  standards  and 
at  much  personal  sacrifice  are  expected  to  meet  every  financial  and 
social  obligation  that  is  set  for  the  childless  whose  income  can 
be  spent  entirely  on  themselves.  Not  for  them  the  choice  dwellings 
with  open  spaces  for  play,  because  their  higher  rental  cannot  be  met 
out  of  funds  that  must  provide  food  and  clothing  for  little  bodies; 
not  for  them  the  desirable  apartments  where  "no  children  are 
allowed,"  nor  in  case  of  illness  free  treatment  in  endowed  hospitals 
without  loss  of  self-respect,  as  is  the  privilege  of  the  very  poor. 

A  little  Italian  girl  of  eleven  stood  waiting  for  the  street 
car  with  a  tiny  child  cuddled  in  her  arms.  "Isn't  the  baby  too 
heavy  ?  "  asked  the  lady  who  was  waiting  beside  her.  "  Oh,  no," 
she  replied,  looking  fondly  at  the  curly  black  head.  "  Tony's  not 
heavy,  he's  my  brother !  " 

Yes,  but  notwithstanding  the  strength  of  devoted  love,  Tony  is 
heavy ;  society  must  help  lift. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  we  fail  to  realize  the  importance  of 
the  home  as  the  place  which  has  most  to  do  with  the  health,  efficiency 
and  happiness  of  the  people,  else  it  would  be  better  served.  Good 
citizens  do  not  come  out  of  poor  homes,  and  poor  homes  are  those 
that  do  not  come  up  to  proper  standards.  Health  standards  must 
be  established  and  parents  must  be  taught  to  live  up  to  them ;  for 


THE  LOOK  AHEAD  243 

instance,  a  girl  who  has  learned  in  school  to  bound  the  states  of  the 
union  and  to  do  examples  in  percentage  is  quite  capable  of  learning 
also  what  a  healthy  child  should  weigh  at  different  ages  and  what 
are  the  most  evident  signs  of  well-being  or  the  opposite  for  every 
member  of  the  family.  In  the  same  way  standards  of  efficiency  in 
all  lines  may  be  established  by  teaching  them  in  schools  of  all  grades. 

The  woman  of  the  household  thus  comes  into  full  prominence 
as  the  person  who  must  have  the  best  of  training  in  order  that  she 
may  apply  to  her  many  tasks  and  duties  the  results  of  modern 
knowledge.  She  has  undertaken  a  business  which  must  be  learned 
just  as  any  other  business  is  learned.  She  can  no  more  make  a 
success  of  it  and  reach  high  modern  standards  than  can  the  engi- 
neer build  a  bridge  without  learning  the  principles  of  engineering. 
When  the  bridge  breaks  down  the  ignorance  of  the  builder  is  laid 
bare.  When  the  family  life  breaks  down  in  health  or  efficiency,  it 
is  not  easy  to  assign  to  all  the  causes  their  share  of  the  blame,  but 
we  do  know  that  if  the  woman  of  the  family  is  ignorant  and  un- 
trained her  share  will  not  be  light. 

Standards  of  what  ought  to  be  expected  as  the  result  of  family 
life  in  health,  comfort  and  general  efficiency  of  its  members  will 
not  be  established  at  once ;  they  will  depend  on  the  growing  intelli- 
gence of  the  people,  but  the  foundation  of  such  intelligence  will 
be  found  in  a  well  coordinated  system  of  instruction  which  the 
woman  must  realize  that  she  needs  and  must  demand  from  the 
proper  authorities  in  state  and  community. 

Ample  Courses  in  Home-making  Needed. — For  the  instruc- 
tion of  this  woman  only  the  merest  beginning  has  been  made  by  the 
establishment  in  the  public  schools  of  a  few  courses  in  cooking 
and  sewing.  Courses  of  instruction  covering  all  living  conditions 
and  all  of  the  housekeeping  arts,  amply  illustrated  by  exhibits  and 
demonstrations,  must  be  given  free  in  the  public  schools,  and  exten- 
sion classes  must  be  furnished  on  the  same  subjects  for  all  women 
and  girls  beyond  school  age.  These  courses  will  be  based  on 
hygiene  in  its  many  applications,  and  they  will  take  especial 
account  of  the  value  of  the  housewife's  time.  Even  more  important 
than  a  mastery  of  unconnected  processes  will  be  ranked  household 
management,  with  thrift  in  its  broadest  sense  as  the  keynote.  A 
study  of  the  actual  problems  found  in  daily  life  will  alone  decide 


244    SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

what  use  is  to  be  made  of  the  woman's  time  in  the  home  and  whether 
certain  forms  of  work  are  to  be  undertaken  at  all. 

By  these  courses,  demonstrations  and  conferences,  light  will  be 
shed  on  all  the  practical  problems  that  have  been  concealed  by  the 
traditional  closed  door  of  the  old-fashioned  home.  In  a  certain 
city  when  evening  courses  in  home  economics  were  started,  one- 
fourth  of  the  adult  students  chose  cooking,  and  three-fourths  dress- 
making and  millinery.  "  Why  this  proportion  ?  "  "  Because/'  was 
the  answer,  "every  woman  thinks  she  can  buy  food  and  cook  it, 
criticism  from  without  does  not  reach  into  her  home,  her  family 
has  to  take  what  she  sets  forth,  and  frequently  not  one  of  them 
knows  that  there  is  anything  better.  But  when  this  woman  passes 
a  store  window  she  says, '  I  cannot  make  that  dress !  If  I  could  only 
make  such  a  hat  as  that !  *  and  she  goes  to  learn  how/'  In  this 
case  a  regular  trade  with  established  method  and  technique  gives 
to  the  home  woman  the  standards  by  which  she  can  judge  her  own 
work.  Under  the  system  of  free  extension  courses  in  Home  Eco- 
nomics in  city  and  country  when  fully  developed,  the  home  woman 
should  find  well-taught  and  demonstrated  such  subjects  as  the 
principles  of  nutrition  with  the  right  choice  and  preparation  of 
food,  the  care  of  the  child,  the  use  of  labor-saving  devices,  the 
spending  of  the  income ;  and  standards  will  thus  be  set  up  regarding 
all  home  activities.  There  will  be  no  more  dark  corners,  and  every 
growth  in  interest  will  lead  to  a  demand  for  more  teaching 
and  investigation. 

The  Waste  of  the  Present  System. — It  would  seem  that  even 
the  most  stupid  would  be  shocked  at  the  wastefulness  of  the  present 
system.  The  economic  side  of  the  question  is  to  be  considered. 
The  money  value  of  what  is  used  in  these  millions  of  homes  is  enor- 
mous. Is  the  buying  wisely  done  ?  Are  the  raw  materials  worked 
up  efficiently  so  that  the  family  is  as  well  fed  and  clothed  and  cared 
for  as  they  should  be  for  the  money  spent?  A  chancellor  of  the 
British  Exchequer  once  said  that  the  whole  debt  of  the  nation  could 
be  paid  in  a  few  years  by  the  saving  effected  if  the  good  housekeepers 
could  be  sent  about  to  teach  the  others  how  to  economize.  An 
engineering  society  has  'been  known  to  spend  an  entire  day  in  dis- 
cussing the  height  of  factory  chimneys  as  affecting  the  utilization 
of  fuel.  What  is  the  aggregate  value  of  the  coal  burned  in  the  mil- 


THE  LOOK  AHEAD  245 

lions  of  private  homes,  and  is  the  same  intelligence  applied  to  its 
efficient  use? 

Costly  experiments  are  being  made  by  men  of  first-class  ability 
to  improve  methods  in  all  kinds  of  business,  railroading,  farming, 
manufacturing.  Business  has  the  advice  of  the  statistician  and  the 
specialist  on  boards  of  trade,  the  faculties  of  universities  and  techni- 
cal schools;  as  a  result  old  methods  are  improved,  old  machines 
scrapped,  while  the  best  brains  of  the  country  are  drawn  into 
business  and  they  play  their  part  in  what  has  been  the  immense 
growth  of  our  national  wealth;  and  all  this  to  increase  the  money- 
earning  power  of  the  people.  But  it  seems  probable  that  in  our 
country  the  ability  to  earn  a  dollar  has  outrun  the  ability  to  spend 
a  dollar  wisely.  A  man  who  can  make  a  fortune  may  be  a  babe  in 
the  art  of  living;  it  is  evident  that  the  same  careful  study  must 
be  put  on  money-spending,  that  is,  individual  and  family  budget- 
making,  in  order  that  right  standards,  ethical  and  educational  as 
well  as  economic,  may  be  met.  Such  studies  would  work  toward 
improving  the  very  foundation  of  home  life,  especially  in  what 
relates  to  the  most  important  product  of  the  home,  its  children. 
Few  are  the  teachers  or  social  workers  who  are  trained  to  help 
parents  solve  the  problems  of  child-rearing,  nor  do  most  of  our 
higher  institutions  of  learning  responsible  for  courses  for  farmers 
and  farmers'  wives,  for  community  weeks  and  the  like,  include 
work  that  will  train  people  to  be  intelligent  educators  of  their 
children  as  well  as  generous  providers  and  efficient  caretakers.  For 
child-rearing  parents  need  the  advice  of  the  hygienist,  the  physician, 
the  psychologist  and  the  most  profound  students  of  education.  We 
have  already  noted  the  beginnings  of  such  help  in  federal  and  state 
educational  agencies,  but  the  organization  is  at  present  only  partly 
financed  and  the  public  is  too  little  conscious  of  its  need  of  instruc- 
tion to  utilize  what  is  offered  and  to  demand  more.  To  what  an 
extent  low  standards  prevail  in  the  homes  of  the  country  and  how 
the  present  ignorance  and  apathy  on  the  subject  may  be  dissipated 
are  as  yet  hardly  realized. 

The  Coming  Home-maker. — Every  woman's  college,  every 
high  school  is  full  of  good  potential  home-makers  who  will  soon  be 
administering  the  homes  of  this  country.  If  so  many  of  them,  as  it 
is  claimed,  are  now  pleasure-loving,  thriftless,  wholly  lacking  in 


246     SUCCESSFUL  FAMILY  LIFE  ON  MODERATE  INCOME 

knowledge  of  household  arts  or  child-rearing,  and  averse  to  the 
sacrifices  necessary  to  maintain  home  life  on  a  good  level,  is  the 
blame  entirely  theirs  or  is  it  in  part  due  to  the  failure  of  home  and 
school  and  society  to  give  them  right  ideals  and  training  and  to 
show  them  the  high  rewards  that  may  be  theirs,  if  they  will  put 
into  the  profession  of  home-making  the  best  they  have  and  the  best 
they  can  learn?  And  what  of  the  serious-minded  and  ambitious 
among  them  whose  whole  interest  lies  in  preparing  for  a  money- 
earning  job  outside  the  home? 

They  are  following  the  only  course  that  is  regarded  with  favor 
by  educators  and  the  community,  but  their  destiny  within  a  home 
will  overtake  them  and  find  them  unprepared. 

Everything  goes  to  prove  that  we  are  doing  a  cruel  and  stupid 
thing  in  not  directing  the  splendid  initiative  and  driving  power  of 
the  young  to  find  its  scope  and  expression  in  constructive  home  life. 
Have  these  young  people  been  shown  that  their  future  activities  in 
the  home  are  not  necessarily  humdrum  and  narrow,  but  that  they 
may  be  full  of  development  and  happiness  ?  Can  they  be  convinced 
that  the  homes  they  have  known  which  were  failures  were  abnormal 
homes  and  that  effort  and  knowledge  and  patience  and  affection 
might  have  saved  them?  Do  they  believe  that  the  women  in  the 
homes  need  not  be  overwhelmed  by  tasks  which  they  have  not  been 
taught  to  perform,  need  not  be  denied  control  over  the  money  neces- 
sary to  carry  out  their  plans  and  to  evolve  a  family  life  with  any 
distinction?  Are  we  ready  to  promise  them  that  this  business  of 
home-making  is  at  last  acknowledged  as  a  profession  for  which 
training  is  necessary,  that  they  are  not  to  be  left  to  sink  or  swim, 
that  their  most  difficult  problems  have  been  thought  out  for  them 
and  that  science  is  at  work  on  every  phase  of  modern  life?  If 
these  young  people  could  be  made  to  believe  that  the  best  social 
forces  are  pulling  in  this  direction,  they  would  find  joy  in  answering 
the  new  call  to  self-restraint  and  ambition.  As  one  young  matron 
said :  "  I  just  love  to  feel  the  machinery  give  under  my  hand ! " 

Certainly  the  time  has  come  for  all  educational  and  social  forces 
to  play  their  part  in  the  development  of  home  life.  A  sympathetic 
study  of  its  problems  according  to  scientific  methods  will  go  hand 
in  hand  with  such  cooperation. 


THE  LOOK  AHEAD  247 

Said  Emerson :  "  Who  so  shall  teach  me  how  to  eat  my  meat 
and  take  my  repose  and  deal  with  men  without  any  shame  following 
will  restore  the  life  of  man  to  splendor  and  make  his  own  name 
dear  to  all  history." 

QUESTIONS 

1.  Considering  the  advances  that  have  been  made  during  the  last  twenty 

years  in  understanding  and  public  help  for  the  housewife  in  meeting 
her  duties,  outline  what  will  probably  be  educational  and  other 
facilities  offered  her  in  1930. 

2.  Read  a  few  selected  chapters  of  Sonnichsen's  or  Emerson's  "Cooper- 

ation," and  indicate  what  features  of  this  system  long  in  successful 
operation  in  Europe  are  applicable  to  conditions  in  the  United 
States. 

3.  Would  it  be  feasible  for  women's  organizations  to  conduct  educational 

work  for  the  benefit  of  the  home?  Indicate  what  would  be  apt  to 
succeed. 

4.  Make  a  list  of  sources  of  free  pamphlet  material  on  food,  child  care, 

clothing,  cleaning,  etc.,  which  the  housewife  can  secure. 

5.  Home  study  clubs  with  book  and  pamphlet  material  and  one  of  the 

members  as  leader  have  been  successful  in  a  small  way.  Would  the 
time  be  better  spent  if  by  contributing  a  fee  the  leadership  of  a 
trained  person  should  be  secured? 

6.  Has  the  local  Board  of  Education  in  your  community  done  anything 

for  home  economics  education  for  adult  women  ?  Ascertain  the  legal 
basis  for  such  a  plan  by  consulting  the  local  superintendent  of 
schools  and  state  educational  authorities.  Make  a  theoretical  plan  as 
to  what  seems  desirable.  How  put  it  into  effect  in  your  community? 


INDEX 


Account  Book,  61 

sample  page  of,  56 
Adoption,   13 
Allowance,  59 

age  for,  65 

children's,  64 

objections  against,  68 
Amusements,  for  city,  237 
Armstrong,  D.  B.,  126 
Artisan  family  and  savings,  178 

Babson,  R.  W.,  4 

Balderson,  L.  R.,  94 

Banks,  help  from,   in   accounts,  54 

and  budgetry,  161 
Bennett,  A.,  227 
Bequest,  39 
Beyer,  W.  C.,  26 
Bosanquet,  H.,  78 
Bowley,  A.  L.,  29 
Budget,  art  of  living  and,  161 

Bondy,  154 

British,  227 

children's,  162,  186 

early  studies  of,  154 

health  and  decency,  155 

how  to  begin  a,  158 

Karpinski,  177 

men's,  155 

misuse  of  term,  151 

need  of  records  of,  193 

plea  for,  195 

Richards,  155 

U.  S.  Thrift,  156,  157 
Buyer,  advertiser  and,  47 

budget  for,  50 

housewife  as,  43 

how  measure  value  of,  45 

lists  for,  50 

power  over  family  life  of,  48 
production  of,  44 

training  of,  49 


Carver,  T.  N.,  4,  164 

Cash  or  credit,  51 

Changes  to  be  expected,  240 

Chapin,  R.  C.,  26 

Children,  home  training  of,  147 
age  of,  as  'affects  saving,  178 

Clothing,  cost  of,  169 
instruction  in,  170 
requirements,  169  \ 

Cold  storage,   127 

Cooperation  in  spending,  62 
labor,  101 

Cooperative  League,  129 

Community    as    source    of    income, 

136 

help  in  education,   137 
relation  to   individual,    119 
responsible  for  health,    121 

Consumption,   laws  of,   153 

Debt,  danger  of,  35 
Demonstrations,  teaching  power  of, 

143 

Devices,  labor-saving,  92 
Devine,  E.  T.,  44 
Dinner  table  as  social  force,  227 
Dowry,  evils  of,  38 
Drama  League,  136 
Dramatics,   136 
Dribbler,  The,   187 

Earner  and  spender,  241 
Economy,  the  larger  view,  174 
Education  for  home  making,  80 

Wis.  journal  of,  64 
Eight-hour    day,    feasibility    of,    89 
Engel,  E.,  152 
Engel's  laws,  153 
Envelope   system  of   accounts,   54 

illustration   of,    160 
Experts,  scarcity  of,  81 

advice  needed  by,  93 

249 


250 


INDEX 


Expense  account  and  budget,   152 

Fair  Start,  The,   35,  241 
Family  building,   11 
group  defined,  9 
History  No.  I,   195 

II,   197 
Nos.    I    and    II    compared, 

199 
No.  Ill,  201 

IV,  203 

Nos.  Ill  and  IV  compared, 
206 

V,  206 

VI,  208 

VII,  210 
normal  or   standard,   9 

Farmer's   wife,  letter  from,   105 
bulletins,    92,    94 

Father's  part,  228 

Fatigue,  good  health  in  relation  to, 

98 

in  housework,  93,  95 
interest  in  relation  to,  96 
scientific   studies    of,   94 

Financial    status    of    moderate    in- 
come family,  6 

Financial   summary,  illus.   of,   152 

Food,  cost  of,  165 
distribution,    126 
knowledge  of,  to  acquire,  165 
materials  to  reduce  cost  of,  119, 

165 
minimum,   164 

Foundational  things,  222 

Girl  as  saver,  40 

Hard,    William,   40 
Health,  its  importance,  183 

service  and  extension  of  124 
Home  Bureau,  55 

Home,  its  advantages  as  workshop, 
74 

pleasures,  cheapest  of,  229 

pride  in,  224 


Home  economics,  classes  in,  139 

vocational,  140 
Hospitality,  101 
House,  as  making  or  saving  work, 

90 
Household     activities,    development 

through,    109 

Housekeeping  vs.  Boarding,  83 
Housewife,    intellectual    and    social 

needs  of,  99 
Housework  vs.  outside  earning,  71, 

82 
Housing  costs,  167 

association,  national,   167 
helps  toward  better,  168 
minimum  requirements  in,  166 
readjustment  in,  166 
Hygiene,  teaching  of,  112 

Illness,  preventable  losses  from,  122 

Income,  compared  with  foreign,  29 
effect  on  of  standard  of  living, 

30 

general  ignorance  of,  25 
groups,  summary  of,  27 
interest  as   source  of,   17 
national    divided    among    fam- 
ilies, 29 

purchasing   power   of,    30 
relation  to  health  of,  122 
sources  of  knowledge  of,  26 
subsistence,    193 
uncertain,    180 

Indian  suit,  boy  and,  116 

Inspector,  medical,  125 

Jennings,  H.  B.,  14 

King,  Clyde  L.,  127 
King,  W.  J.,  26,  29,  31 
Kitchens,  public,   129 

Laundry,  77 
Lee,  F.  S.,  79,  94 
Le  Play,  F.,  152 
Libraries,  137 


INDEX 


251 


Man,  relation  of,  to  family  income, 

21 

Market,  terminal,  127 
Marks,  M.  N.,  126 
Marriage,   rate  of,  affected  by  eco- 
nomic laws,  10 
Mendel,  L.  B.,  77 
Methods,  better  household,  80 
Minimum,  definition  of,  163 

scientific  and  social  studies  of, 

163 
Money,  as  an  educator,  188 

part  played  by,    116 

spending,   rules  for,   186 

as  fine  art,  189 
More,  L.  B.,  26 
Music  as   a  social   force,   135 

in  family,  234 

in   schools,   135 

suggestions  in  home,  235 

Nature  study,  225 
Operating  expenses,  170 

Parenthood  penalized,  242 
Play,  creative  in,  231 

festival,  232 
Power    of  choice,  2 
Professional  families,   176 
Property,  estimates  of,  32,  57 
Purse,  who  holds  the,  59 

Reading  aloud,  229 
Rent,  as  source  of  income,  17 
Richardson,  A.   E.,   142 
Ryan,  J.  A.,  164 

Savings,  form  of,  175 

reasons  for,  173 
Scott,  Rhea  C.,  94 


Self-control,  teaching  of,  112 
Services  of  family  as  source  of  in- 
come, 18 

of  mother,  value  of,  117 
Sherman  and  Gillett,  165 
Singing  in  home,  234 
Social   wealth  as   source  of  family 

income,  19 
Spahr,  C.  B.,  31 

Standards  of  living  defined,  213 
and   the  moderate  income,  215 

young  people,  217 
compared    with    foreign    coun- 
tries, 214 
group  action,  218 
Start  in  life,  35 
Story-telling,  230 

by  child,  231 

Struggle,    advantages  of,    115 
Sumner,  W.  G.,  213 

Tarbell,  I.  M.,  46 
Taylor,  A.  E.,  77 

Van  Vorst,  Mrs.,  188 

Variety  in  work,  effect  on  fatigue, 

79 
Village  mother,  letter  from,   107 

Wages  as   source  of  income,   17 

Warren,  Dr.  B.  S.,  124 

WTaste  in  present  system,  244 

Wealth  compared  with  income,  29 

Winslow,  C.  E.  A.,  124 

Woman,    her   position    in    moderate 

income  family,  5 

Woman's  contribution  to  income,  19 
Woolman,  M.  S.,  49 
Work,  mastery  of,  78 

saving,  90 

Working  mother  as  teacher,  111 
Worry,  effect  on  fatigue,  96 


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cm    SEP  3  o  1985 


IT 


2  9  1989 

UAN  1 5  2000 


IN  GTACK3 


LD  21-100m-12,'43(879Cs) 


GENERAL  LIBRARY  -  U.C.  BERKELEY 


TX32./    '• 
A3 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY