Subject: Bed length

> propped up on pillows to avoid various lung ailments, vapors, whatever.
If
> "they" didn't sleep propped up?, the WHY ARE the beds so short???

Some reasons:
No standardization of sizes - if the beds are going to be used for sleeping
children, or if you are less than 6' yourself, why have a supersize bed?
Those who were taller might have longer beds made. So why not save space and
materials?
Another suggestion - the beds aren't all short. Get measurements. See. How
did average bed lengths change over time? What was the range of sizes? How
was it affected by standardization under industrial conditions?
Also - "they" weren't all rich enough to afford all those nice feather
pillows... so again, I say, where's the evidence? Prove this theory.

There are many many many historic house myths that diligent museum
historians have been fighting against for years. Just because you've heard
it all over the country does not prove it to be true. How did people sleep?
What evidence do we have of folk practices or prescriptive practices for
slumber? When? Where? Change over time?

SHOW ME THE EVIDENCE if you want to assert that "they slept sitting up".

Carol Ely
Museum Consultant, Louisville

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