4 SCIENCE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 



the top of the hut. As there was no chimney, the smoke 

 was often blown down the opening and filled all parts of 

 the hut. This method was probably used for thousands 

 of years. 



The primitive fireplace. When the first chimney was 

 built the fire was moved to one side of the room, a hole 

 was cut in the wall just over it, and a hood was made that 

 projected out over the fire to collect the smoke. A little later 

 this was improved by making a recess in the wall for the fire- 

 place and building a separate chimney to carry off the smoke. 

 By the end of the fifteenth century these fireplaces were 

 in common use throughout the civilized world. For two 

 hundred years after the settlement of this country by white 

 people, they depended entirely upon the open fireplace to 

 warm their homes during the cold winters. In the early 

 days the churches were not heated at all. 



Primitive stoves and furnaces. The next improvement 

 in heating was the invention of the stove. At first it con- 

 sisted of an iron box provided with openings at the top for 

 the escape of the smoke, which passed out into the room. 

 Charcoal was often burned in it, as that did not give off much 

 smoke. The next step was to connect a pipe with this box to 

 carry the smoke outdoors. The first stove of this type 

 was made about two hundred years ago. 



Stoves were first used in this country about fifty years 

 before the Revolutionary War. About thirty-five years before 

 this war (in 1742) Benjamin Franklin invented the stove 

 that was named after him. The Franklin stove was a box 

 with metal sides and entirely open in front. It was set 

 in the fireplace and connected with the flue of the chimney. 

 This was a great improvement over the fireplace. Other 

 improvements were continually made until the modern 

 stove that we use to-day was developed. 



The next great advance made in heating was the plan 

 of placing a single large stove, called a furnace, in the 



