--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Approximately one-third of all homes in…" description: "\"“Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_five-years_approximately-one-third-of-all-homes-in_2179358.jpg" --- # Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have… ![“Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating. If you were twenty-five years or older in 1940, you would have stood only a 40 percent chance of having completed the eighth grade, a 25 percent…” quote by Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_five-years_approximately-one-third-of-all-homes-in_2179358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_five-years_approximately-one-third-of-all-homes-in_2179358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_five-years_approximately-one-third-of-all-homes-in_2179358.jpg) > ““Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating. If you were twenty-five years or older in 1940, you would have stood only a 40 percent chance of having completed the eighth grade, a 25 percent chance of having graduated from high school, and only a 5 percent chance of having finished college.”” [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living standards and education levels were low for many Americans in 1940, with limited access to basic utilities and schooling. **In simple terms:** Many lacked water, heating, and schooling in 1940. Key Takeaway Recognize past hardships to appreciate modern progress. Themes poverty education infrastructure social mobility historical context Mood reflective analytical historical Type informative contextual statistical When to use this quote - urban planning - policy analysis - education reform - public health initiatives - social welfare programs Key Concepts public health economic development social inequality Questions to Reflect On - How did these conditions shape post‑war policies? - What lessons can inform current infrastructure investments? A Different Perspective Data reflects only a snapshot; regional variations existed and some families fared better. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) ## Related quotes > [We don't go into a market without a chance of a 40 percent share and sustainable differentiation. We wouldn't get into wiring oil rigs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/we-don-t-go-into-a-market-without-a-chance-of-a-40-percent-share-and/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [40 percent of North Korean children suffer from stunted growth. 20 percent are underweight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lantos/40-percent-of-north-korean-children-suffer-from-stunted-growth-20/) [Tom Lantos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lantos/) > [I probably spent about 40 percent of 2019 on a plane and filming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-goode/i-probably-spent-about-40-percent-of-2019-on-a-plane-and-filming/) [Eric Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-goode/) > [“The summer that marriage equality passed in New York, we saw the number of homeless kids looking for shelter go up 40 percent,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-summer-that-marriage-equality-passed-in-new-york-we-saw-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You beat 50 percent of the people in America by working hard. You beat 40 percent by being a person of honesty and integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-l-williams-jr/you-beat-50-percent-of-the-people-in-america-by-working-hard-you-beat/) [Arthur L. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-l-williams-jr/) > [A poor child who receives high-quality early childhood development is 40 percent less likely to need special education, twice as likely to attend college…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/a-poor-child-who-receives-high-quality-early-childhood-development-is/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [I saw a story in the Los Angeles Times that 40 percent of the viewers are men. It didn't really surprise me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-saw-a-story-in-the-los-angeles-times-that-40-percent-of-the-viewers/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [Sex accounts for about 40 percent of your relationship, but if it's bad, then it's 60.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/sex-accounts-for-about-40-percent-of-your-relationship-but-if-it-s/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [“You must find a comfortable range for yourself—somewhere between 40 percent and 80 percent—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-webb/you-must-find-a-comfortable-range-for-yourself-somewhere-between-40/) [Amy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-webb/) > [I joke that the beard does 40 percent of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/i-joke-that-the-beard-does-40-percent-of-the-job/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [According to a new survey, 40 percent of adults in Mexico say they would move to the United States if they got a chance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/according-to-a-new-survey-40-percent-of-adults-in-mexico-say-they/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Some economists have estimated that the NRA boosted the cost of doing business by an average of 40 percent — not something a depressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-w-reed/some-economists-have-estimated-that-the-nra-boosted-the-cost-of-doing/) [Lawrence W. Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-w-reed/) > [“Some 40 percent of people with serious mental illnesses have been arrested at some point in their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-40-percent-of-people-with-serious-mental-illnesses-have-been/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ The average college graduate's proficient literacy in English \[the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences\] has declined from 40 percent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-average-college-graduate-s-proficient-literacy-in-english-the/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [In 1993, 40 percent of Minnesota restaurateurs reported declines attributed to casinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/in-1993-40-percent-of-minnesota-restaurateurs-reported-declines/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) ## More by Sonja Lyubomirsky > [The practice of gratitude is incompatible with negative emotions and may actually diminish or deter such feelings as anger, bitterness, and greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-practice-of-gratitude-is-incompatible-with-negative-emotions-and/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I use the term happiness to refer to the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/i-use-the-term-happiness-to-refer-to-the-experience-of-joy/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [It is equally important to investigate wellness as it is to study misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/it-is-equally-important-to-investigate-wellness-as-it-is-to-study/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [It turns out that the process of working toward a goal, participating in a valued and challenging activity, is as important to well-being as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/it-turns-out-that-the-process-of-working-toward-a-goal-participating/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Find a happy person, and you will find a project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/find-a-happy-person-and-you-will-find-a-project/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Forgiving people are less likely to be hateful, depressed, hostile, anxious, angry, and neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/forgiving-people-are-less-likely-to-be-hateful-depressed-hostile/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Happiness is not out there for us to find. The reason that it's not out there is that it's inside us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/happiness-is-not-out-there-for-us-to-find-the-reason-that-it-s-not/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [The combination of rumination and negative mood is toxic. Research shows that people who ruminate while sad or distraught are likely to feel besieged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-combination-of-rumination-and-negative-mood-is-toxic-research/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [In a nutshell, the fountain of happiness can be found in how you behave, what you think, and what goals you set every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/in-a-nutshell-the-fountain-of-happiness-can-be-found-in-how-you/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [If we observe genuinely happy people, we shall find that they do not just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/if-we-observe-genuinely-happy-people-we-shall-find-that-they-do-not/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [“D. A., and Kahneman, D. (1998). Does living in California make people happy?: A focusing illusion in judgments of life satisfaction. Psychological Science, 9: 340–46.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/d-a-and-kahneman-d-1998-does-living-in-california-make-people-happy-a/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I prefer to think of the creation or construction of happiness, because research shows that it's in our power to fashion it for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/i-prefer-to-think-of-the-creation-or-construction-of-happiness/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [...The more a person is inclined to gratitude, the less likely he or she is to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-more-a-person-is-inclined-to-gratitude-the-less-likely-he-or-she/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Thus the key to happiness lies not in changing our genetic makeup (which is impossible) and not in changing our circumstances (i.e., seeking wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/thus-the-key-to-happiness-lies-not-in-changing-our-genetic-makeup/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) [Explore all 27 Sonja Lyubomirsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) ## More Five years quotes > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [“A clear look back on the Cold War's battlegrounds, along with a sense of relief that the world survived forty-five years of confrontation, evokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-clear-look-back-on-the-cold-war-s-battlegrounds-along-with-a-sense/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Something had been confirmed: I was worth giving a shit about; I was getting to be a successful sick person. Sick is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/something-had-been-confirmed-i-was-worth-giving-a-shit-about-i-was/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [“His Army Ranger unit had always been ready for an ambush. Five years in special ops had made him suspicious of most. On that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-perini/his-army-ranger-unit-had-always-been-ready-for-an-ambush-five-years/) [Robin Perini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-perini/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [I was sober for five years a long time ago and was just bored out of my tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-was-sober-for-five-years-a-long-time-ago-and-was-just-bored-out-of/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“Whatand why were never questions for me. How was the only question. When I look back now, I realize that I never thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/whatand-why-were-never-questions-for-me-how-was-the-only-question/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“most professionals progress until they reach an “acceptable” level, and then they plateau. Software engineers, for instance, usually stop progressing somewhere around five years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-grenny/most-professionals-progress-until-they-reach-an-acceptable-level-and/) [Joseph Grenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-grenny/) > [In five years of my previous tenure, the treasury was never shut for one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarinder-singh/in-five-years-of-my-previous-tenure-the-treasury-was-never-shut-for/) [Amarinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarinder-singh/) > [We have been playing every summer on clay since I was five years old, so it is an easy surface for us in Belgium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/we-have-been-playing-every-summer-on-clay-since-i-was-five-years-old/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [I'm an immigrant, a legal immigrant to the United States. I only became a citizen five years ago. Every day, for seven months, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/i-m-an-immigrant-a-legal-immigrant-to-the-united-states-i-only-became/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“Why did I write it down? In order to remember, of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to remember? How much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/why-did-i-write-it-down-in-order-to-remember-of-course-but-exactly/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Wrestling introduced me to the idea that my body has a purpose besides trying to look five years younger for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gilpin/wrestling-introduced-me-to-the-idea-that-my-body-has-a-purpose/) [Betty Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gilpin/) > [“I have entered the New Yorker's Cartoon Caption Contest almost weekly virtually since it began and have never even been a finalist. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mankoff/i-have-entered-the-new-yorker-s-cartoon-caption-contest-almost-weekly/) Bob Mankoff Browse all 2,724 Five years quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating. 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