Living in one of Springfield's older neighborhoods has also shown me another design feature in older neighborhoods often missing in the new low- density neighborhoods — the front porch.

The newest trends in home design have eliminated the front porch in favor of the "backyard deck," another concession to the new insulated suburban lifestyle. Our neighborhood has become a true place for neighbors to interact. On any nice evening, people can be found on their front porches. Conversations and

interaction in the evening and on weekends are encouraged when people actually see each other.

The backyard movement has limited people's vision of their neighborhoods to a few surrounding homes. Front porches give people a view of the entire block and beyond. The play and interaction of children together can also be viewed and enjoyed by all.

Developers and home builders can learn from visiting neighborhoods crowded with porches, by walking through some of these neighborhoods on a warm summer evening and watching neighbors interacting in ways they are not encouraged to do in the modem subdivision.

Children and adults can both benefit from the experience of belonging to a neighborhood rather than to a single- family house. Chet Brandt Springfield

How to write us
Your comments on articles and columns are welcome. Please: keep letters brief (250 words). We reserve the right to excerpt them. Send letters to:
Letters to the Editor:
Illinois Issues, K-10
P.O. Box 19243
University of Illinois at Springfield:
Springfield, IL 62794-9243
e-mail address on Internet:
Ilissues@uis.edu;
Editor: boyer-long.peggy@uis.edu

Correction
The Illinois State Historical Library provided photographs of Chicago street scenes. The source of two photographs was incorrectly identified in the December issue. We regret the confusion.

40 / January 2000 Illinois Issues