sunlight never penetrates to the interior of some of these buildings. They are ill-ventilated and unsanitary. There is no room for playgrounds for the children. Among a crowd of people in such wretched dwellings there are always many ignorant, immoral, and vicious persons, who have a bad influence upon others with whom they are constantly thrown. Criminals often find a safe hiding place in the dark and crowded tenements of the slums. homes rests upon the whole community Families living in such conditions as we have described are less likely to take an interest in the welfare of the community and to contribute to its well-being. The burden On the other hand, their part of the community of the worst is a constant burden and menace to the whole community. Fires are likely to start among the crowded and poorly constructed buildings, and to spread to other parts of the city. The unsanitary conditions invite epidemics of disease, which may not easily be restricted to the district where they originate. Disorder, vice, and crime are more frequent there, requiring police supervision, which has to be paid for by the whole community. In many ways the possessor of the good home in the better part of the city has to bear the burden of, and help pay for, the existence of these poor homes. A very large part of the expense of government could be avoided if the poor homes of the city could be converted into pleasant homes, with plenty of room, light, and fresh air. Much of government is made necessary in order to take the place of what is lacking in the and the home life of the community. Government home In many large cities a movement has been begun for the improvement of conditions in the tenement districts. The old, unhealthful tenements are being removed and better ones built. More sunlight is being let in and better Movement toward reform plumbing introduced. Open courts, or yards, are provided in order that the people may get out of doors. Parks and playgrounds are being established in the vicinity of the crowded districts. The introduction of rapid transportation has done much to induce people to move out to the suburbs, where life is more healthful and where conditions are better for home life. The evolution of the tenement It is much better, however, to prevent wretched home conditions from gaining a foothold in the community than to have to correct them after they have appeared. They are conditions that tend to appear wherever the population is rapidly increasing. "The earliest stage of the evolution is the small one- or two- or three-story house, with its yard and flower beds, occupied by a single family. As the city grows and the demand for housing facilities increases, rents become higher and one floor of the house is re-rented to another family. A still greater demand results in a further re-renting, while the yard is built up with other small houses occupied by one or two families; or perhaps the original house is moved to the rear of the lot, and a greater part of the remaining space is filled by one large wooden building, fashioned expressly for the use of several families. It is possible, too, that the large rooms of the original house, which its tenant can no longer afford to pay for, have been subdivided, thus increasing the capacity of the house, and swelling its total income. The basement and attic are both occupied, and the house, having been built for the use of one family, is almost devoid of water, bath, and toilet facilities." 1 1 Report of Cleveland Chamber of Commerce on "Housing Conditions in Cleveland,” pages 8, 9. In some of our largest cities the government has taken hold of the problem of the tenement, and laws have been passed, prohibiting the building of dwellings with- Tenementout sufficient space around them to admit light house laws and air, requiring good sanitation, and forbidding the overcrowding of people in a single building. Unfortunately these laws are violated, and the government frequently fails to enforce them. In the smaller cities, where such conditions have not become sufficiently apparent to attract notice, there are often very few laws upon the subject. It is in these cities that especial care should be taken to prevent the growth of dangerous tenements, by the enactment of preventive laws. It is not merely the dwelling, however, but the life within it, that really makes a home good or bad. Some of the worst homes are occasionally found in surroundings of luxury. Unless the relations between husband and wife, between parents and children, and between brothers and sisters, are of the right kind, the home will be imperfect, even though it be sheltered in a beautiful dwelling; and it will fail to perform its best service to the community. FOR INVESTIGATION 1. Do most of the people in your neighborhood own their homes, or do they rent? Can you give illustrations to show that home owners take a greater interest in the community than those who rent? 2. Is there some section of your community where most of the people own their homes, and another section where most of the people rent? If so, do you notice any difference in the general appearance of the two sections? Do you think that the difference, if any, is due in any part to the fact that some of the people own and some rent? 3. Observe the character of the homes (dwellings, yards, gardens), as you pass from the center of your city to its outskirts. Is there any difference in their appearance? If so, why is it? 4. Is there any tendency for farmers' families in your neighborhood to move to the city? If so, try to find the reasons for it. What becomes of their farms when the families move away? 5. Is there any tendency for families in the city to move toward the outskirts of the city, or to the suburbs? If so, why? Is it chiefly the poorer people or the well-to-do? What happens to their old dwellings in the center of the city? 6. Are flats and apartment buildings being erected to any extent in your community? If so, try to find the causes. What are some of the effects on family life of dwelling in flats? 7. What is being done in your community to improve the home life of the poorest families? 8. Can you think of any public institutions in your community that are made necessary by imperfect conditions of home life? 9. If there is no law forbidding it, has a man the right to make all the money he can by crowding as many tenants into a house as it will hold? Explain. 10. Show how good home life tends to decrease the need for gov ernment. II. Are there any tenement-house laws in your community? If so, what are some of the most important? REFERENCES Riis, Jacob A., "How the Other Half Lives." Mr. Riis's books are very interesting and helpful to an understanding of the conditions of the slums. These two books might be used by the pupils. The following references are intended primarily for the assistance of the teacher, though the pupils may often use them beneficially : Henderson, "The Social Spirit in America," chapter II: "Home-Making as a Social Art," and chapter IV: "Better Houses for the People." Slums of Great Cities," Seventh Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor, by E. R. L. Gould, Washington, 1894. "Housing of the Working People," Eighth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor, by E. R. L. Gould, 1895. Estabrook, H. K., "Some Slums in Boston." First Report of the Tenement House Department of the City of New York, 1902-1903. Housing Conditions in Cleveland," Report of Investigation by the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, 1904. "The Housing Problem," Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Philadelphia, July, 1902. |