"Home-keeping hearts are happiest;
For those who wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best."
—Longfellow
The first home was purposely built beside the "Sacred Fire".
The story runs that fire came as a gift from the Gods to Man. And so heavenly seemed its qualities of beauty, light and warmth, that Man reverenced it—ceased wandering and built his abode around its glowing radiance.
Through the ages—from the rugged cave, the rough tent of animal skins, the crude log cabin, down to the Home Beautiful of To-day—home building has been the strong primal instinct. Men have practiced all the pursuits of peace and war for those things for which home stands—love, family, hospitality, security, worship. Indeed, the home building spirit is the very backbone of civilization. Intelligent, thoughtful men always desire their families to live the home life, because they know that the best of physical, mental and moral powers are developed under home's benign influence.
Almost the first thought of the Pilgrims after they had landed on America's new shores was of a home. And so immediately they built themselves sturdy houses of the straight-shafted pine trees that stood everywhere about the rugged shores. And some of these homes are still standing, amazing testimony to the vigor and endurance of wood.
Today, more than ever before, people are seriously considering how they shall live. They realize that the dwelling place has a marked influence upon living and character—that the inspiration of home, next to religion, is the greatest in life.
Perforce, many must live part of their lives in the rented house. But however desirable, no family can ever acquire quite that deep-seated love and interest for, nor have the incentive to adorn and beautify, a dwelling place for which they pay toll to a landlord. But when the place which shelters the family belongs to them, when they know that every thought and every dollar they put into it is a permanent investment which pays big dividends in the family happiness and contentment—then that place, however lowly or humble, becomes truly a home. Naturally then, the tendency is strongly toward the owned private home.
The dainty cottage—the inviting semi-bungalow—the comfortable Colonial—the cosy story-and-a-half—these are the leading types of homes to-day. And when there is built into them that particular beauty, and those conveniences—modern sanitation, lighting, ventilation and heating—that will suit the taste of the individual family, their mode of living and their pocketbook—then indeed does the dwelling place become "a thing of beauty and a joy forever".