Welcome!

Enter a player name to begin or load your saved progress.

Boarding house Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

Study Hints Create Teach
Global Score: 0
Trophies: 0 🏆

‹ Back

Score: 0 / 100

Study Guide: The Social and Cultural History of Boarding Houses

Cheat Sheet:
The Social and Cultural History of Boarding Houses Study Guide

Defining Boarding Houses: Characteristics and Legalities

In a boarding house, the proprietor typically retains the right to access the rented rooms because lodgers only obtain a license to use the space, not exclusive possession.

Answer: True

Explanation: Lodgers in a boarding house are granted a license to use the space, which does not confer exclusive possession. Consequently, the proprietor retains the legal right to access the rooms.

Return to Game

The idiom "boardinghouse reach" originates from a practice related to:

Answer: False

Explanation: The phrase "boardinghouse reach" refers to a diner's ability to reach far across a table to serve themselves food, particularly in a family-style setting common in boarding houses, rather than the proprietor's actions.

Return to Game

A "full-board" arrangement in a boarding house typically includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Answer: True

Explanation: A full-board arrangement in a boarding house generally encompasses lodging along with all three main meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Return to Game

What legal right do lodgers possess in a boarding house, and what does this imply about the landlord's access?

Answer: A license to use the room, allowing the landlord the right to access the space.

Explanation: Lodgers in boarding houses obtain a license to use their rooms, not exclusive possession. This legal distinction grants the proprietor the right to access the rooms.

Return to Game

The phrase "boardinghouse reach" originates from a practice related to:

Answer: Diners reaching across a table for food served family-style.

Explanation: The idiom "boardinghouse reach" refers to the act of diners stretching across a table to reach food served family-style, a common practice in boarding houses where food was often shared communally.

Return to Game

What meal arrangement signifies a boarder receiving accommodation, breakfast, and dinner?

Answer: Half-board

Explanation: A "half-board" arrangement typically includes accommodation, breakfast, and dinner, distinguishing it from full-board (all meals) or bed-and-breakfast (only breakfast).

Return to Game

Historical Prevalence and Evolution

Historically, boarding houses commonly featured individual rooms equipped with private bathrooms and kitchens.

Answer: False

Explanation: Historically, boarding houses often required residents to share facilities such as bathrooms and dining areas. The prevalence of private bathrooms and kitchens within individual rooms is a more recent development.

Return to Game

Boarding houses were most prevalent in US cities during the early 20th century, declining significantly after World War I.

Answer: False

Explanation: Boarding houses were prevalent throughout the 19th century and continued to be common in US cities until the 1950s, not declining significantly after World War I.

Return to Game

In the 1830s, approximately 75% of Boston's population lived in boarding houses.

Answer: False

Explanation: In the 1830s, between one-third and one-half of Boston's population, including both landlords and boarders, resided in boarding houses, not approximately 75%.

Return to Game

Conversions of large houses and rooms rented out by "genteel ladies" were not historically common forms of boarding houses.

Answer: False

Explanation: Historically, boarding houses frequently took the form of large houses converted for residential use, and rooms were also rented out by individuals, such as "genteel ladies" seeking supplementary income.

Return to Game

19th-century boarding houses exclusively housed single, impoverished laborers.

Answer: False

Explanation: 19th-century boarding houses served a diverse population, including businessmen, laborers, single individuals, and even families, not exclusively single, impoverished laborers.

Return to Game

Between one-third and one-half of 19th-century urban dwellers were involved with boarding houses as either renters or boarders.

Answer: True

Explanation: In the 19th century, a significant portion of urban populations, estimated between one-third and one-half, participated in the boarding house system either as providers or residents.

Return to Game

By the 1950s, the primary clientele of boarding houses shifted from newlyweds and young professionals to:

Answer: False

Explanation: By the 1950s, boarding houses were increasingly utilized by postsecondary students, the working poor, or the unemployed, as private housing became more accessible to newlyweds and young professionals.

Return to Game

Which of the following best describes the evolution of facilities within boarding houses?

Answer: Historically, facilities like washing and dining were often shared, but recently, private facilities in individual rooms have become more common.

Explanation: The evolution of boarding houses shows a trend from shared communal facilities for washing and dining towards the inclusion of private bathrooms and toilets within individual rooms in more recent times.

Return to Game

During which decades did boarding houses remain particularly prevalent in most US cities?

Answer: Throughout the 19th century until the 1950s

Explanation: Boarding houses maintained significant prevalence in most US cities from the 19th century through the mid-20th century, up until approximately the 1950s.

Return to Game

What proportion of Boston's population resided in boarding houses in the 1830s, including both landlords and boarders?

Answer: Between one-third and one-half

Explanation: In the 1830s, a substantial segment of Boston's population, estimated to be between one-third and one-half, lived in boarding houses, encompassing both those who provided lodging and those who rented rooms.

Return to Game

Historically, besides purpose-built structures, what other common forms did boarding houses take?

Answer: Large converted houses and rooms rented out by individuals like "genteel ladies."

Explanation: Beyond purpose-built establishments, boarding houses commonly existed as large residences converted for lodging purposes, or as individual rooms rented out by homeowners, such as "genteel ladies" supplementing their income.

Return to Game

Who were the typical residents of 19th-century boarding houses, according to the text?

Answer: A wide range of people, including businessmen, laborers, single individuals, and families.

Explanation: The demographic of 19th-century boarding houses was diverse, encompassing individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds, including professionals, laborers, and families, not solely impoverished laborers.

Return to Game

What was the approximate weekly cost range for living in a New York City boarding house in 1869?

Answer: $2.50 to $40.00

Explanation: In 1869, the weekly cost for residing in a New York City boarding house ranged broadly from $2.50 to $40.00.

Return to Game

How did the typical clientele of boarding houses change between the 1930s/40s and the 1950s?

Answer: In the 1930s/40s they housed students and newlyweds; by the 1950s, they increasingly housed students, the working poor, or the unemployed.

Explanation: While boarding houses were considered respectable for students, newlyweds, and single workers in the 1930s and 1940s, by the 1950s, their primary occupants shifted towards students, the working poor, and the unemployed due to increased private housing affordability.

Return to Game

Social Dynamics and Urban Impact

Boarding houses played a role in facilitating urban migration by allowing individuals to live independently away from family structures.

Answer: True

Explanation: Boarding houses provided a crucial means for individuals to relocate to urban centers and establish independent lives separate from their familial support systems.

Return to Game

The social impact of boarding houses was solely negative, leading to increased family cohesion due to shared living experiences.

Answer: False

Explanation: The social impact of boarding houses was complex. While they facilitated independence and social mixing, they also introduced social anxieties related to distance from family. They did not solely lead to increased family cohesion.

Return to Game

According to the text, women residing in co-ed boarding houses faced risks primarily from:

Answer: False

Explanation: The text indicates that women faced risks from objectionable men in co-ed boarding houses, and potential suspicion of being brothels in all-female houses, not primarily from other female residents.

Return to Game

Attempts to reduce the number of boarding houses primarily impacted proprietors based on gender, with the text indicating:

Answer: False

Explanation: Attempts to reduce boarding houses disproportionately affected female operators, as these establishments were typically managed by women ("matrons"), and their closure limited women's economic opportunities.

Return to Game

The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) offered heavily supervised boarding houses specifically for young women.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) provided supervised boarding houses designed to offer safe accommodation for young women.

Return to Game

Boarding houses catering to young unmarried women were sometimes metaphorically called "safe havens" to protect them from urban dangers.

Answer: False

Explanation: Boarding houses for young unmarried women were sometimes referred to as "brick-and-mortar chastity belts," implying restriction rather than a "safe haven" in the sense of freedom.

Return to Game

Urban reformers after the 1880s aimed to achieve which of the following regarding urban housing and social structure?

Answer: False

Explanation: Urban reformers after the 1880s sought uniformity, less social class mixture, more privacy for families, lower density, and a permanent built order, which led to a reduction in housing options for single individuals.

Return to Game

How did boarding houses contribute to social changes related to migration in large cities?

Answer: They facilitated migration by allowing people to live independently away from family.

Explanation: Boarding houses played a significant role in urban migration by providing individuals with the means to live independently and away from their established family structures.

Return to Game

What were the dual social effects mentioned regarding people moving away from relatives to live in boarding houses?

Answer: Social anxieties due to distance from family, but also opportunities for social mixing and idea exchange.

Explanation: Moving away from relatives to boarding houses introduced social anxieties but also fostered opportunities for social interaction, the exchange of ideas, and the formation of new connections within the urban environment.

Return to Game

What specific risks did women face in relation to boarding houses, as mentioned in the text?

Answer: Exposure to objectionable men in co-ed houses or suspicion of brothels in all-female houses.

Explanation: Women encountered specific risks, including potential exposure to objectionable men in mixed-gender boarding houses and the possibility of suspicion or association with brothels in establishments exclusively for women.

Return to Game

How did urban reformers, after the 1880s, aim to change the urban landscape, and what was the impact on housing for single people?

Answer: They sought uniformity, less class mixture, more privacy for families, lower density, and a permanent built order, leading to reduced housing for single people.

Explanation: Urban reformers post-1880s advocated for greater uniformity, reduced class mixing, enhanced family privacy, lower density, and structured urban development, which collectively resulted in diminished housing options for single individuals, including boarding houses.

Return to Game

Comparative Lodging Types and Regulations

How does a common lodging-house or flophouse typically differ from a boarding house in terms of services and meals?

Answer: False

Explanation: Common lodging-houses or flophouses typically offer minimal services, often just a sleeping space, whereas boarding houses generally provide accommodation along with meals and other services.

Return to Game

What is a key distinction between a lodging house (or rooming house in the US) and a boarding house regarding meal provision?

Answer: False

Explanation: A lodging house (or rooming house) may or may not offer meals, whereas a boarding house typically includes "room and board," signifying both accommodation and some meals.

Return to Game

Which of the following accurately describes the typical characteristics of Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings?

Answer: False

Explanation: Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings are characterized by renting individual rooms, often with shared bathrooms and sometimes shared kitchens, not entire apartments with private facilities.

Return to Game

How do microapartments differ from boarding houses, according to the text?

Answer: False

Explanation: Microapartments are considered similar to boarding houses in their setup, involving rented rooms with access to shared common spaces, rather than being dissimilar due to a focus on private amenities.

Return to Game

What distinguishes a Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation from a typical boarding house?

Answer: False

Explanation: Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodations are typically for short-term stays on a bed-and-breakfast basis, whereas boarding houses are often associated with longer-term residence.

Return to Game

What is the typical meal arrangement for the Japanese equivalent of a boarding house, *minshuku*?

Answer: False

Explanation: The Japanese *minshuku*, equivalent to a boarding house, typically offers half-board, which includes breakfast and dinner, not just breakfast.

Return to Game

In the Indian subcontinent, "paying guests" are charged monthly rates that typically include food, lodging, and table service.

Answer: True

Explanation: In the Indian subcontinent, individuals known as "paying guests" typically pay monthly rates that encompass accommodation, meals, and table service.

Return to Game

How have zoning laws in the United States historically been utilized in relation to boarding houses?

Answer: False

Explanation: Zoning laws in the US have historically been used by neighborhoods to limit or completely ban boarding houses in residential areas, rather than encourage their establishment.

Return to Game

According to the text, what is the primary characteristic that distinguishes a boarding house from other types of lodging like a flophouse?

Answer: Boarding houses typically provide accommodation along with meals and other services, whereas flophouses offer minimal services, often just a sleeping space.

Explanation: The fundamental difference lies in the services offered. Boarding houses typically include meals and other amenities as part of the "room and board" package, while flophouses are characterized by minimal services, primarily providing a place to sleep.

Return to Game

The 1936 FHA Property Standards defined a dwelling as any structure providing accommodation, including commercial rooming houses.

Answer: Commercial rooming houses

Explanation: The 1936 FHA Property Standards excluded commercial rooming houses, tourist homes, sanitariums, clubs, and fraternities from the definition of a "dwelling," as they lacked the private kitchen and bath deemed essential for a proper home.

Return to Game

What is a key distinction between a boarding house and a lodging house (or rooming house in the US)?

Answer: Boarding houses typically offer "room and board" (meals included), whereas lodging houses may or may not offer meals.

Explanation: The primary distinction is that boarding houses generally provide both accommodation and meals ("room and board"), whereas lodging houses (or rooming houses) may offer accommodation only, with meals being optional or not provided.

Return to Game

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings?

Answer: Renting individual rooms, often with shared bathrooms and sometimes shared kitchens.

Explanation: Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings are characterized by the rental of individual rooms, typically featuring shared bathroom facilities and, in some cases, shared kitchen spaces for residents.

Return to Game

How are microapartments similar to boarding houses, according to the text?

Answer: Both involve renting one or two rooms with access to shared common spaces in the building.

Explanation: Microapartments share similarities with boarding houses in their operational model, primarily involving the rental of compact living spaces (one or two rooms) that grant access to shared communal facilities within the building.

Return to Game

What distinguishes a Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation from a typical boarding house?

Answer: B&Bs typically involve only short-term stays (bed and breakfast basis), and long-term residence is rare.

Explanation: A key difference is the duration of stay; B&Bs are generally intended for short-term lodging on a bed-and-breakfast basis, whereas boarding houses are more commonly associated with longer-term residence.

Return to Game

In the Indian subcontinent, what are boarders commonly called, and what do the rates typically include?

Answer: Paying guests; rates include food, bed, table service, and a cupboard.

Explanation: In the Indian subcontinent, boarders are referred to as "paying guests," and their typical monthly charges encompass lodging, meals, table service, and often a personal cupboard.

Return to Game

How have zoning laws been utilized in the United States concerning boarding houses?

Answer: To limit or completely ban boarding houses in residential areas.

Explanation: Zoning regulations in the United States have frequently been employed as a mechanism to restrict or prohibit the operation of boarding houses within residential zones.

Return to Game

Cultural Depictions in Literature and Media

Sherlock Holmes resided at 221B Baker Street, with his landlady Mrs. Hudson providing domestic services.

Answer: True

Explanation: The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes famously lived at 221B Baker Street, where his landlady, Mrs. Hudson, provided domestic services.

Return to Game

Thomas Wolfe's novel *Look Homeward, Angel* is noted for its depiction of:

Answer: False

Explanation: Thomas Wolfe's novel *Look Homeward, Angel* is based on his experiences growing up in his mother's boarding house, not his father's.

Return to Game

The American Girl character Kit Kittredge's family converted their home into a boarding house during challenging times.

Answer: True

Explanation: In the American Girl series, Kit Kittredge's family transformed their home into a boarding house during difficult economic periods.

Return to Game

Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1913 novel, *The Case of Jennie Brice*, is categorized as a:

Answer: True

Explanation: Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1913 novel, *The Case of Jennie Brice*, is identified as a boarding-house mystery.

Return to Game

Which H.G. Wells novel is mentioned as satirizing Edwardian-era boarding houses?

Answer: False

Explanation: H.G. Wells satirized Edwardian-era boarding houses in his novel *The Dream*, not *The Time Machine*.

Return to Game

E. Phillips Oppenheim's espionage novel *The Strange Boarders of Palace Crescent* is set in a London boarding house.

Answer: True

Explanation: E. Phillips Oppenheim's espionage novel, *The Strange Boarders of Palace Crescent*, is indeed set within the context of a London boarding house.

Return to Game

In Patrick Hamilton's novel *Hangover Square*, where does the climax take place?

Answer: False

Explanation: The climax of Patrick Hamilton's *Hangover Square* occurs in a dingy Maidenhead boarding house, not a luxurious hotel.

Return to Game

What is the setting for Lynne Reid Banks' 1960 novel *The L-Shaped Room*?

Answer: False

Explanation: Lynne Reid Banks' 1960 novel *The L-Shaped Room* is set in a run-down boarding house, not a high-end hotel.

Return to Game

In Stephen King's *Salem's Lot*, the main character stays at a boarding house run by a character named Eva Miller.

Answer: True

Explanation: The novel *Salem's Lot* by Stephen King features the protagonist Ben Mears residing at Eva Miller's boarding house.

Return to Game

In *True Grit*, the Monarch Boarding House is depicted as a place where the protagonist Mattie Ross enjoys private meals and her own room.

Answer: False

Explanation: In *True Grit*, the Monarch Boarding House is depicted as a place where Mattie Ross experiences communal meals and shared accommodations, not private dining or her own room.

Return to Game

Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches tales often feature young heroes experiencing life in boarding houses as a stepping stone.

Answer: True

Explanation: Boarding houses serve as a common setting and narrative device in Horatio Alger's tales, where young protagonists navigate their journeys toward success.

Return to Game

The 1927 film *The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog* is set in a boarding house.

Answer: True

Explanation: The 1927 film *The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog* utilizes a boarding house as its primary setting.

Return to Game

In *Citizen Kane*, Charles Foster Kane's parents owned a boarding house before gaining wealth.

Answer: True

Explanation: The film *Citizen Kane* depicts Charles Foster Kane's parents as owners of a boarding house prior to their son's acquisition of wealth.

Return to Game

The 1951 film *The Day the Earth Stood Still* features significant plot points occurring in a Washington, D.C. boarding house.

Answer: True

Explanation: A significant portion of the narrative in the 1951 science fiction film *The Day the Earth Stood Still* unfolds within a boarding house located in Washington, D.C.

Return to Game

In the animated film *From Up On Poppy Hill*, the main character Umi lives with and helps her grandmother run a boarding house.

Answer: True

Explanation: In the animated film *From Up On Poppy Hill*, the protagonist Umi resides with and assists her grandmother in managing their boarding house.

Return to Game

The cartoon *Bloom County* occasionally featured scenes set at the Bloom Boarding House.

Answer: True

Explanation: The comic strip *Bloom County* included settings at the Bloom Boarding House, which was owned by the family of the character Milo Bloom.

Return to Game

*Our Boarding House* was a long-running American single-panel cartoon set in a boarding house run by the character Mrs. Hoople.

Answer: True

Explanation: *Our Boarding House* was a notable American single-panel cartoon and comic strip, running for many years, depicting life in a boarding house managed by Mrs. Hoople.

Return to Game

Which literary character famously resided at 221B Baker Street, with domestic service provided by his landlady, Mrs. Hudson?

Answer: Sherlock Holmes

Explanation: The renowned fictional detective Sherlock Holmes maintained his residence at 221B Baker Street, where Mrs. Hudson served as his landlady and provided domestic assistance.

Return to Game

Thomas Wolfe's novel *Look Homeward, Angel* is noted for its depiction of:

Answer: His life growing up in his mother's boarding house.

Explanation: Thomas Wolfe's novel *Look Homeward, Angel* draws heavily from his personal experiences, particularly his upbringing in his mother's boarding house in Asheville, North Carolina.

Return to Game

Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1913 novel, *The Case of Jennie Brice*, is categorized as a:

Answer: Boarding-house mystery

Explanation: Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1913 publication, *The Case of Jennie Brice*, is classified as a boarding-house mystery, indicating its setting and thematic elements.

Return to Game

Which H.G. Wells novel is mentioned as satirizing Edwardian-era boarding houses?

Answer: The Dream

Explanation: H.G. Wells' novel *The Dream*, published in 1924, is cited for its satirical commentary on Edwardian-era boarding houses.

Return to Game

In the film *Citizen Kane*, what was the occupation of Charles Foster Kane's parents?

Answer: They owned a boarding house.

Explanation: In the narrative of *Citizen Kane*, Charles Foster Kane's parents are depicted as proprietors of a boarding house prior to their son's rise to prominence and wealth.

Return to Game

In the animated film *From Up On Poppy Hill*, who helps the main character, Umi, run the boarding house?

Answer: Her grandmother

Explanation: In the animated film *From Up On Poppy Hill*, the protagonist Umi receives assistance from her grandmother in managing the family's boarding house.

Return to Game

What is the name of the boarding house where the titular character of *Hey Arnold!* lives?

Answer: The Sunset Arms

Explanation: The boarding house where the main character Arnold resides in the animated series *Hey Arnold!* is named "Sunset Arms."

Return to Game

In the South Korean television series *Reply 1994*, what type of establishment serves as the primary setting?

Answer: A nineties boarding house

Explanation: The South Korean television series *Reply 1994* is primarily set within a boarding house characteristic of the 1990s era.

Return to Game

What was *Our Boarding House* in the context of American popular culture?

Answer: A long-running single-panel cartoon and comic strip.

Explanation: *Our Boarding House* was a prominent American single-panel cartoon and comic strip that enjoyed a long run, depicting life within a boarding house setting.

Return to Game

In the board game *Arkham Horror*, what role does Ma's Boarding house play?

Answer: It is a location where numerous encounters occur.

Explanation: Within the board game *Arkham Horror*, Ma's Boarding house functions as a location where a variety of game encounters take place.

Return to Game

Factors Contributing to Decline

The decline of boarding houses was solely due to changing urban reform ideals and zoning laws.

Answer: False

Explanation: While urban reform ideals and zoning laws contributed to the decline of boarding houses, improved mass transit enabling suburban living was also a significant factor.

Return to Game

Besides urban reforms, what other major factor contributed to the decline in the need for boarding houses?

Answer: Improved mass transit enabling suburbs

Explanation: The expansion of mass transit systems facilitated suburban development, allowing more individuals to reside outside city centers and commute, thereby reducing the demand for urban boarding houses.

Return to Game