366 BIOLOGY AND HUMAN LIFE 



an increasing proportion of the population live in apartments 

 or tenements— that is, in houses built for two or more homes. 



In cities most people have no choice as to where they are going 

 to live, or very little choice. The location of a home is deter- 

 mined by the location of the industry or office in which one can 

 find employment ; or it is determined by the fines of transporta- 

 tion or by the amount of money one can afford to spend for 

 renting a dwelling place. In most cities most of the people are 

 exposed to one or more of the disagreeable by-products of indus- 

 try and commerce — dirt, dust and fumes, smoke, odors, and 

 noise ; and until quite recently most of those who built tene- 

 ment houses for other people's dwellings paid no attention what- 

 ever to the beauty of the structures or of the surroundings. 



Where people have larger incomes, they take into account 

 light and air, the nearness of parks and playgrounds, the near- 

 ness of good schools, attractive outlook, and beautiful surround- 

 ings. They try to get enough space to avoid overcrowding in 

 bedrooms, and to assure opportunities for recreation and rest at 

 home. It is true that these conditions are not always consid- 

 ered by those who build houses and cities or by those who are 

 responsible for the regulation of building; still, more and more 

 people are finding out the advantages of suitable homes and are 

 making efforts to improve conditions in their own communities 

 and to raise standards for all communities. 



In the country and in villages, air and light usually take care 

 of themselves ; yet there are many houses in the rural parts of 

 this country that seem to have been built by people who knew 

 nothing at all about the importance of air and light. Many people 

 keep their windows closed all the time, either through ignorance 

 or for fear of "drafts" or "night air." Many keep their shades 

 drawn to exclude the light, for fear of fading the carpets or 

 wall paper. In many regions little attention has been given to 

 the location of the house on the most favorable site for drainage, 

 protection from winds, and the water supply. 



276. The dwelling. It goes without saying that roofs should 

 be waterproof and cellars dry. Heating arrangements should be 



