The hall is the threshold of the house. It serves as an introduction.
This first impression should be one of welcome and dignity and, above
all, of order. Good light, genial colors on the walls and floors, a
sense of free space for the passage of persons, an ample provision for
the necessary wraps and umbrellas in a tidy and concealed form, are the
essential characteristics of a well-considered hall, regardless of its
size. -from "Home Furnishing" This classic text of home management was
found in every proper household in the post World War I period, and it
continues to have much to offer today. Looking at the home literally
from the ground up and from the inside out, its invaluable and still
timely advice includes: . choosing a sound house floor plan and exterior
design . how to read gas and electric meters . protecting and storing
silverware . removal of stains on a variety of soiled fabrics . proper
diet for the sick . how to make pastries and yeast breads . and much
more. First published in 1919, this is a fascinating peek back at
American domesticity... and a reminder of how much, and how little, has
changed. American editor and activist MARTHA VAN RENSSELAER (1864-1932)
wrote regularly on home economics for popular women's magazines. In
1908, she and American educator FLORA ROSE (1874-1959) created the
Department of Home Economics at Cornell University, which became the
School of Home Economics in 1919; Rose served as deputy director for the
New York State division of the United States Food Administration during
World War I. They were assisted at Cornell by American educator HELEN
CANON (1888-1954), who, in 1930, became the university's first head of
the Department of Economics of the Household and Household Management.
