442 New Yokk at the World's Columbian Exposition. 



Conclusion. 



What the Workingman's Model Home attempted to do as an exhibit 

 has been outlined in the foregoing pases. Perhaps a word is in place 

 as to what it did not attempt to do. Among the many visitors to the 

 house were those who severely criticized because no complete schenae 

 of living was outlined. " How are you going to educate your chil- 

 dren ? " " Where is the money coming from for church, club, news- 

 paper and amusements ? " " What is the family to do in case of long 

 and severe illness ? " " What scheme have you devised for laying aside 

 money for old age?" These are only a few of the questions asked. 

 And they are all important questions. They must be met and answered 

 in some way by every family whose intelligence causes them to aim 

 higher than at the gratification of merely animal needs. 



And only $500 a year on which to do all this ! 



Let these who criticise try to answer. Every trial may help toward 

 a solution. True, we can spend less than $120 per year for rent. But 

 can we do it iii our cities without sacrificing the conveniences, fresh 

 air, sunlight, room for privacy and all that respectable quarters contrib- 

 ute toward hekltli and morality ? We can live and perhaps not suffer 

 from the cold \ by spending less than $100 a year for clothing. But 

 can we do it dnd be clothed so decently as to make ourselves self- 

 respecting ? It, is doubtful if we can be properly fed on less than $200 

 a year. From! what quarter is retrenchment to come % How many 

 families are there in the country who, striving by all means in their 

 power, cannot earn $500 a year ? 



The persons jsvlio will show how such families can live in comfort on 

 their present incomes will be the greatest benefactors of their time. 

 But the question is too closely involved with the social and industrial 

 problems of the day to be easily answered. It was obviously ridiculous 

 to look for a complete solution in such an exhibit as that made in ■ the 

 Workingman's Model Home. 



What, then, did the exhibit accomplish % Its chief value was in the 

 stimulation of thought along these lines. If its success can be meas- 

 ured by the interest shown in it by the public its projectors may well 

 be satisfied. That interest seemed to indicate increasing thought 

 among the people upon the subject of the importance of liousehold 

 economics. From the time of its opening in June, when many of the 

 officials of the World's Fair, leaving more ambitious entertainments, 

 attended the informal afternoon tea given in honor of the completion 

 of the house, t0 the last night in October, when crowds thronged the 

 house until after the hour for closing, not a day passed when there could 

 not be found aihong the guests those who came seeking information or 

 help. Among those who came were philanthropists of all shades of 

 opinion looking for practical ideas which they might carry home to 

 their work. There were builders and men specially interested in giv- 

 ing good homes to the laboring classes, who studied the plan of the 

 house and its arrangements. There were students of economics or of 

 domestic science who were interested in the food experiment, and young 

 people going to housekeeping who wanted to copy the lists of furnish- 



