HOUSE AND GARDEN 
August, 1915 
metal was, however, the favorite medium for desk sets, lamps, 
bowls. To see not only the beauty of the things made, but also 
the pride and interest with which all, including the families and 
friends, regarded the work, and the relation it took to the home¬ 
furnishing, was something to consider seriously in the face of 
the accusation, that the modern home is cold and formal. 
Another instance of like import, but very different in character, 
is that of the effort of a clergyman in a Pennsylvania town to 
engage the interest of the boys amongst the poorer element by 
giving them employment which would keep them off the streets 
and provide an outlet into better things. Gathering about him 
a little group he showed them wood and tools and told them 
they might have the use of these to make something for their 
own homes, each to choose independently what his should be, 
the only condition being that it should be something for home. 
More or less simple things were chosen, some at once, some after 
a consultation with “mother.” One boy said he would like to 
make a bureau. The others jeered at his ambition, but the 
material things having been created by the shop work. 
Still further proof along the same line was given by the classes 
in a school of arts. Each, as soon as a design could be formed, 
was encouraged to apply it to something for home use; or to 
design something for such use. It resulted in a quiet enthusiasm 
and sense of reality which could not otherwise be gained, and 
eliminated the mercenary spirit too often hampering class 
expression. 
But it is in actual homes—homes built up by craftsmen gradu¬ 
ally and by hand for the accommodation of actual living—that 
best and most surely is demonstrated the truth of this claim. 
It has been my fortune to know several of these. One, most 
notable and first in time, was created by a man and woman, who 
were both artists and craftsmen. Often the wife designed the 
piece which the husband carried out, but this was not by any 
means so always, both being able to design and execute. To go 
into details is not necessary to an appreciation. Our illustrations 
show views of the reception-room and dining-room opening from 
An old broken brick wah in a city backyard was the basis for this scheme. Into it were let Mercer tiles, and over the wall face were trained quick-growing vines. 
The old and the new were thus readily amalgamated into a congruous and artistic whole 
clergyman said he might attempt anything he wished so long as 
he would stick to it until done. A year later a visit paid to 
the workshop found a rejoicing in progress: the bureau was 
finished ! It was a wonder-day for the boy and an event for the 
shop, the bureau having been the thing always there, its creator 
ploddingly in front of it, whatever else might come or go, it 
being more or less of a jest always. It was now the center of 
general rejoicings and compliment — comradeship as well as 
it. The furniture in each, with hardly an exception, was made 
by themselves, and other rooms held other pieces, notably a carved 
four-poster bed. The table and chairs in the dining-room 
were among the earlier productions, and there is a story of how 
the “rushing” of the chair seats was done, the process being 
learned partly from an old man who nearly remembered it, and 
partlv from an old chair, which was taken apart. The wall in 
the dining-room had a covering of burlap, self-colored, giving 
