In Praise of Front Porch Swings

by Roberta Murphy

Todays tragic massacre at Virginia Tech leaves us all wondering how such a thing could happen and what we might have done to prevent such a horror. And oddly, I find myself longing for a front porch swing.

There is the predictable push for gun control, the demands for metal detectors on campuses, and more efficient lockdowns. I suppose these are all good and reasonable solutions, but I can’t help but wonder about the small role real estate might play in solving or easing some of these pressing issues.

I think about the way we live and how we disconnect from our neighbors.

Once upon a time, people had the luxury of sitting on front porch swings where they could greet strollers and the mailman, hear the neighbors piano practice and watch the neighborhood kids barrel down the street on their bikes and scooters.

Neighbors knew one another and what was going on in their respective neighborhoods. On hot summer nights and before the proliferation of air conditioning and closed windows, people would sit outdoors on their porch swings sipping cold lemonade, Nehi Colas or other regional beverages. And even during cold or inclement weather, windows were eyes to the outside world and front windows were the most valued.

And because neighbors talked, gossiped and had telephone party lines, news travelled faster than a Facebook post.

Sometime after World War II, the backyard patio and barbecue became the focus of outdoor living. People moved  from porch swings to their fenced back yards, and with the proliferation of television, moved indoors where rooms were air conditioned in the heat of summer. The living room recliner eventually replaced the front porch swing and after time, front porches became little more than architectural decor.

Front windows in newer homes are generally relegated to unused formal living areas. It is usually the family room at the rear of the home where families choose to gather and relax in private.It is rare that neighbors stop by for an uninvited casual visit.

Years ago, I remember discussing neighborhoods and crime with Grover OConnor, former police chief of Dayton, Ohio. He was convinced that when America abandoned the front porch for the back patio, neighborhoods went to hell in a hand basket. In the old days, he said, kids couldn’t get away with anything because one neighbor or another would be reporting the mischief to the parents. And burglars were more hesitant to break into homes because of front porches and peering eyes behind windows.

Life was more public and people were more involved in each others lives.

And though a front porch swing might not have prevented todays tragedy, a return to front porch living might make just as much sense as gun control, metal detectors and lockdowns.

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