colors used must be such as will make no discord with this background. Choose the dominant tone of color in your room and keep everything else in accord with it. Read with the pupils from Professor Morse's " Japanese Homes and their Surroundings," some descriptions of Japanese interiors. While we need not feel boimd to prune our ideas to the simple severity of furnishing adhered to by the Japanese, we may be instructed by the elegance, refine- ment, and serenity of mind expressed in their surroundings. TOPIC VI The Bedrooms The Attitude of the Teacher in these Lessons. — The most important principles of household furnishing have now been illustrated. -Keep these principles clearly in your own mind and make each succeeding lesson illustrate them, leading the pupils to deduce them from the facts offered. In the end they should be able to formulate them and write them out in such shape as will impress them upon their minds. Of course the pi'inciples are the only really important things in the lessons. House furnishing is not an exact science. ISTo hard and fast rules can be laid down as to how any one should furnish one's house. It should be an expression of one's own personal character and liking guided by the fun- damental principles of good taste. The sole purpose of these lessons is to elucidate and inculcate these principles. Serious Considerations. Discussion. — 1. The sanitary requirements of the bed- room ; why sun is more necessary here than in any other room in the house. 2. The furnishings consistent with sanitary requirements. 3. The adornments expressive of the individuality of the occupant. THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 17 A Test for the Pupils. — Instead of formulating the " con- clusions " as in previous lessons, test the impression made by your teaching by letting the pupils write a description of a bedroom that shall satisfy all sanitary and artistic requirements. Let them call it " My Bedroom." It may be wholly imaginary of course. Read the best of the descriptions in class and supply any missing points. Suggestion. — Give a brief historical sketch of the develop- ment of the bedroom, — its outgrowth as an escape from the promiscuity of the hall ; its division into the company chamber (or drawing-room) and the actual sleeping room, which was, however, used as the family living room and as the scene of suppers, card parties, etc., and sometimes even as the kitchen. This sketch may be gathered from "The Decoration of Houses," by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman. TOPIC VII The Bath-room Discussion. — 1. Sanitary principles and requirements. 2. Floors and walls. 3. Furnishing. Conclusions. Sanitary Requirements. — 1. All pipes must be exposed and easily accessible ; all waste pipes trapped and ventilated ; all fixtures set on legs or brackets ; no woodwork that can possibly be dispensed with. Suggestions for Furnishing. Floor and Walls. — 2. A tiled floor if possible ; linoleum the next choice ; small rugs which can be easily dried. Walls, tiled or painted. Paper is not desirable even when varnished. A hard wood wainscoting simply oiled, 18 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE and walls and ceiling painted in uniform tint is excellent. A stencilled frieze, or border above the wainscoting, of very simple design, adds to the attractiveness of the room. Plumbing Fixtures.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

colors used must be such as will make no discord with this background. Choose the dominant tone of color in your room and keep everything else in accord with it. Read with the pupils from Professor Morse's " Japanese Homes and their Surroundings," some descriptions of Japanese interiors. While we need not feel bound to prune our ideas to the simple severity of furnishing adhered to by the Japanese, we may be instructed by the elegance, refinement, and serenity of mind expressed in their surroundings. TOPIC VI The Bedrooms The Attitude of the Teacher in these Lessons. — The most important principles of household furnishing have now been illustrated. -Keep these principles clearly in your own mind and make each succeeding lesson illustrate them, leading the pupils to deduce them from the facts offered. In the end they should be able to formulate them and write them out in such shape as will impress them upon their minds. Of course the principles are the only really important things in the lessons. House furnishing is not an exact science. No hard and fast rules can be laid down as to how any one should furnish one's house. It should be an expression of one's own personal character and liking guided by the fundamental principles of good taste. The sole purpose of these lessons is to elucidate and inculcate these principles. Serious Considerations. Discussion. — 1. The sanitary requirements of the bedroom ; why sun is more necessary here than in any other room in the house. 2. The furnishings consistent with sanitary requirements. 3. The adornments expressive of the individuality of the occupant. A Test for the Pupils. — Instead of formulating the " conclusions " as in previous lessons, test the impression made by your teaching by letting the pupils write a description of a bedroom that shall satisfy all sanitary and artistic requirements. Let them call it " My Bedroom." It may be wholly imaginary of course. Read the best of the descriptions in class and supply any missing points. Suggestion. — Give a brief historical sketch of the development of the bedroom, — its outgrowth as an escape from the promiscuity of the hall ; its division into the company chamber (or drawing-room) and the actual sleeping room, which was, however, used as the family living room and as the scene of suppers, card parties, etc., and sometimes even as the kitchen. This sketch may be gathered from "The Decoration of Houses," by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman. TOPIC VII The Bath-room Discussion. — 1. Sanitary principles and requirements. 2. Floors and walls. 3. Furnishing. Conclusions. Sanitary Requirements. — 1. All pipes must be exposed and easily accessible ; all waste pipes trapped and ventilated ; all fixtures set on legs or brackets ; no woodwork that can possibly be dispensed with. Suggestions for Furnishing. Floor and Walls. — 2. A tiled floor if possible ; linoleum the next choice ; small rugs which can be easily dried. Walls, tiled or painted. Paper is not desirable even when varnished. A hard wood wainscoting simply oiled, and walls and ceiling painted in uniform tint is excellent. A stencilled frieze, or border above the wainscoting, of very simple design, adds to the attractiveness of the room. Plumbing Fixtures.

Handbook of domestic science and household arts for use in elementary schools