320 



Popular Sciejice Monthly 



Model Minnesota farmhouse erected on the State 

 Fair Grounds. The plans are given on page 318 



A meeting was called of practical 

 farmers, art commissioners, architects 

 and agricultural experts. The farmers 

 said, "\^'c want a farmhouse service if 

 you can supply it. We don't want any 

 city-made plan. We want a house with 

 modern conveniences in farmer's style." 

 "All right," replied the art commission- 

 ers, "Tell us what you want and we will 

 give it to you." The farmers answered, 

 "Ten rooms with a bath and separate 

 quarters for the help. We want set 

 tubs and run- 

 ning water, 

 and labor sav- 

 ing devices be- 

 cause the farm- 

 er's wife is an 

 asset that de- 

 mands con- 

 servation. We 

 want all this 

 for not more 

 than $3,500." 

 The art com- 

 mission con- 

 sulted the Min- 

 nesota Chap- 

 terofthe 

 American Institute of Architects who 

 agreed to endorse and support a model 

 farmhouse competition. The commis- 

 sion raised a substantial amount of 

 money for prizes, and the farmers 

 dictated the terms of the competition. 

 The farmers were asked to serve as a 

 jury, along with the architects and 

 agricultural experts. 



The competition was open to anyone 

 living in Minnesota. It brought to- 

 gether thirty sjilendid model farmhouses 

 which were considered worthy to be 

 judged in the final awards. But what 

 was in a measure more hopeful than 

 even the accepted drawings, were the 

 hundreds of ideas submitted by farmers 

 and farmers' wives from all sections of 

 the state. Some of the jjlans were 

 submitted on wraj^ping paper, others 

 on birch-bark and still more on shoe-box 

 covers, showing all the elevations, even 

 the water running in the kitchen sink. 



In two years' time, over a million 

 plans have been sent from the offices of 

 the State Art Commission and these in 

 booklet form, free. If a farmer wants 

 full size working-drawings and specifica- 



tions, he can have them for just the cost 

 of making the blueprints. Working 

 drawings are sold by the commission for 

 $3.50 to anyone living in Minnesota and 

 $5.00 to anyone living outside the state. 

 The commission set about to build a 

 model farmhouse for demonstration and 

 through the co-operation of the building 

 material interests it built upon the 

 State Fair grounds a complete first 

 prize design. This house is properly 

 landscaped and furnished from attic to 



cellar. E\'ery 

 labor-saving 

 device and 

 every modern 

 convenience 

 shows the 

 farmer and his 

 wife what can 

 be done for a 

 certain amount 

 of money. 



A new kind 

 of farmhouse is 

 being built in 

 M innesota. 

 The plans have 

 been sent to 

 the far corners of the United States and 

 other countries. The plans and even 

 a small-sized model have circulated 

 through Minnesota to farmers' institutes 

 and short courses. The farmer and 

 the Art Commission in Minnesota are 

 on speaking terms now. The commis- 

 sion is able to assist in the selection 

 of the wall paper. And this helps 

 some in advancing the cause of pictures 

 and "old masters." 



This farmhouse campaign was only a 

 beginning. People living in the small 

 towns and villages said, "Why not do 

 something for the small home builder 

 who cannot afford to employ an archi- 

 tect? You hav'e helped the farmer, now 

 do something for us." A second com- 

 petition for a moelel village house was 

 held. This house was to cost $3,000 

 complete. Tiie architects enthusiastic- 

 ali>' endorsed and supported this com- 

 petition and from it came some fift\' of 

 the most attractive and "architecturally 

 fit" houses that have ever been accumu- 

 lated. The immediate result was a 

 great state-wide interest in better farm- 

 homes and a quickining of home in terests. 



