Domestic Architecture

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) a branch of the building art which has special reference to houses, villas, and edifices designed primarily for dwelling purposes. Ancient Greek and Roman. In general all the rooms were grouped on the ground floor, round an atrium or court, and a peristyle or hall, which two portions of the house had he most importance attached to them, because they constituted the favorite spot in summer on account of the breeze, and in winter on account of the sun. Both the Roman and Greek houses consisted of two divisions, but the meaning and employment of these divisions did not coincide; for whereas in Greek houses the front part constituted the andronitis or men's apartments, in Roman houses it formed the public part of the building, in which clients used to wait upon their patrons. The back part, on the contrary, was intended for the residence and real dwelling-rooms of the family; while in the Greek houses the back was the gynaikonitis, or apartments for the women and domestics. The atrium, or court, formed the central part of the front of the house and the peristyle, or hall, the central part of the bac back, both being open to the air. Round these the rooms were grouped , and from these principally they derived their light. Behind the peristyle were sleeping-rooms, and the triclinium, or the cubicula, or dining-room, which was quite open to the peristyle. ad Norman. The towns and ordinary of the houses Normans were entirely built of wood. Their castles, having but one destination, that of defense, aimed at nothing but strength in their plan or construction. The principal feature was always the keep or donjon, which contained the apartments of the lord of the castle, and was also meant to be the last refuge of the garrison if the outer works were forced. The keep was usually raised on an artificial mound, or placed on the edge of a precipice. The windows were few, and little more than chinks, unless very high up, or turned to the court. The whole fortress was defended by a moat. English. Like the Saxons the Norhad mans built almost entirely in wood or timber frame-work, houses of stone being the exception . The troubled state of the country, however, led to the erection of numerous strong stone buildings or fortresses . Gradually, as civilization improved , the necessity for defense decreased, and the efforts of Edward I. to introduce and encourage the arts in England by bringing over choice workmen and artists from France led to a marked change in the style of architecture. The close of the 17th century brought with it a taste for a return to classical models, and an attempt was made to work out a national style combining to some extent the characteristics of the Tudor and the Classical. This is commonly known as "Queen Anne" style. The buildings are generally of brick, solid and heavy. The domestic architecture of the Georgian era is a very debased imitation of the Classical. In the present day there is no essentially characteristic architectural style. American. As a matter of course, in earlier the years of the existence of the Republic the architectural styles were drawn almost exclusively from English sources, and up to the outbreak of the Civil War, except in very few instances, the country did not contain any architecture of distinctive features. But with the return of peace and prosperity the arts began to flourish, and great attention was bestowed upon the construction and ornamentation of domestic buildings. Numerous styles have appeared, had their day, and then given way in rapid succession to others. DOMESTIC SERVICE. Work done the house in by servants form duties assigned to them. It is genhired to pererally held to include cooks keepers , waiting-maids, butlers, chauf- , housefeurs, nurses, etc. The in the United States were the negro earliest servants slaves and those who paid for their transportation to the Colonies by becoming for a certain number of years servants to the people who paid their passage money. These latter known as redemptioners. In the North after the Revolution were this class was replaced by the free laborers, by the negro slaves. Up until the Civil in the South War the relation of the household servant to his or her employer was a very democratic one. Except in cities the "help" sat at the same table, the larger and were generally treated as the social equals of the family employing them. No badges of service such as a cap or livery were worn and the personal element entered into the largely. When, however, large numbers service very of unskilled laborers from foreign lands began to arrive in the United States this state of affairs was altered. From 1845- 1860 Irish, German, and a Chinese unskilled laborers immigrated little later into the States, and household service was taken up by a great many of them. Obviously the same conditions of familiarity between the family and the servants could not continue, at least not in the Eastern States where the bulk of the immigrants stayed. In the section this democratic relationship still Western obtained , and does so to this day in the extreme frontier regions. Another factor to be reckoned with in the East the opportunity offered increasingly to was household servants of working in factories and establishments where there are fixed hours of labor and no curtailments of their personal freedom. An increasing distance between the family and the servants was maintained by the wealthy and badges of service again came into , use a feature largely unknown period before the Civil War. The workin the ing of factors above mentioned was stimulated by conditions brought by the World War. An unprecedented about demand for all sorts of labor was made by the Government and industrial establishments, and wages, until then unheard of , were offered. Large numbers of household servants accepted these offers, and those who did not stayed 26-Vol. IIІ-Cyc only on very remunerative terms. The unrest which succeeded the war did nothing to solve the problem, if indeed it did not augment it. The present condition of the domestic servants in the United States as compared with other classes of labor is certainly good. The wages of a girl or woman doing the work of general housekeeping averages from twelve to fifteen dollars a week, and in addition she secures room and board. The only unsatisfactory part to the servant is the social inferic inferiority which such a position carries with it and the somewhat longer hours. To remedy this last abuse the "shift" system-allowing each servant to work but eight hours_has been suggested and in some localities been put in force by the very wealthy. Co-operative housekeeping has been attempted by those whose means are limited, to cope with the problem of securing help. "Community kitchens" supply the food, control heating plants, do away with the necessity of janitor service, while modern electric equipment vastly reduces the time consumed in housework. In England and on the Continent of Europe the conditions of labor of the household servant are not nearly so good. In most of these countries there is a class bred to service, and members of that class seldom aspire to a higher social status. This is more especially the case the farther eastward one goes in Europe, reaching its climax in nations such as Poland, Rumania, and Hungary, the personal restrictions on the where liberty of the servant remind one of the feudal serf. Prior to the Revolution in Russia much the same condition obtained there. Even in France or Germany the household servants are rather pleased to wear the white caps belonging to their order, while in America it remains one of the distasteful features of domestic service. In Germany at the termination of a servant's employment in the household the employer is obliged to enter a comment in a police book, stating how satisfactory that servant has been. In England domestic servants are hired by the year and the employer is free to discharge immediately and without any notice on the discovery of theft, immorality, extreme incompetence or disobedience. This practically leaves the servant at the mercy of the employer and this feature is one which is characteristic even in the United States. Wages in England and the Continent are considerably below those paid in the States. Seven and eight dollars lollars a week secure the same amount of service in England which twice that amount could scarcely command in America.