We’ve been reading about the Roaring Twenties in history this week. We’re using All American History Volume 2 this year. In all honesty, I’m not particularly thrilled with the textbook. I find it dull and dry. However, I’ve discovered that it works out quite well to read the lesson and do the accompanying worksheets one day each week – then we spend the rest of the week doing fun stuff – like reading biographies, watching movies, or going on era-appropriate field trips. This approach is making year 2 of this curriculum much more enjoyable than year 1 was. ;)
Anyway, in reading about the 20’s today, I was struck by this section on architecture:
Perhaps the most common form of the Prairie style was the American Foursquare house. An American Foursquare usually had four square rooms built above three square rooms and an entrance hall, with stairs tucked to the side of the first floor. Because of its cubical shape, this type of home took full advantage of a small building lot, making it the most house for the lowest cost. Foursquare houses were commonly built in wood frame but were also constructed in stucco, concrete block, and brick.
Guess what? I live in that house! There’s a picture in the book that looks amazingly similar to our house, only in reverse. Not sure why we found this so fun, but we did. I looked up American Foursquare on Wikipedia, and the red brick ones pictured there look just like our house! Here’s an “aerial” view of our Foursquare home, taken this past summer ===>
7 comments:
Hey look! My air conditioner! I think our house looks pretty! :)
I just bought the 1st of that series used. Thanks for the heads up :) Cool house! BTW- I love the new design!
That's really cool, Heidi! I'd get excited if I read about my house in a book too.
I absolutely *love* it when our studies cross paths with 'real life'. ;)
I've seen this picture of your house before and I love that style. I lived in something similar in college with about 6 other girls. LOL
Way to persevere and make use of a curriculum that you are less than thrilled with!
I am so glad you are thinking outside the box - book! ;-) I thought about this fact when I was pre-reading for our upcoming work in that chapter. You can also find free great ideas and links for expanding on the topics. Just visit Simply Charlotte Mason and Tapestry of Grace.
Have fun with History!
~Becky
That is the first time I've heard a house labeled four square, but it sounds so much like my Grandparent's house in north La. Down the long hall, on the right side before the stairs was a door leading into a closet. The closet went under the stairs and back into their bedroom closet. It always seemed like a secret hideaway. Mammow kept a big ice cream bucket filled with crayons in there. Thanks for that reminder. :)
That is so cool! What a great part of history and to find out you're a part of it. And, what a really neat photo of your house!
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