My dad and I were wondering what is the significance of the half-moon in out house doors?

Question

Most out-house doors of old had a half-moon cut out of the door. This was before in-door plumbing.

Answer 1

I found this question on another website...

Dear Cecil:

Why do outhouses have half-moons on their doors? Perhaps it's related to the great high school custom of "mooning"? --Joyce K., Seattle

Cecil replies:

This is no time for buffoonery, Joyce.

Level with me: you've never actually seen an outhouse with a half-moon cut into the door, have you? Neither have I, despite several decades of camping trips. I'll bet the same goes for just about everybody else. The idea that outhouses always have moons on them has been perpetuated largely by several generations of cartoonists (e.g., Al Capp), probably none of whom ever saw one either.

The only reference I can find to the practice is in Eric Sloane's The Little Red Schoolhouse: A Sketchbook of Early American Education. Discussing 18th- and 19th-century schoolhouses, Eric writes: "The woodshed was often a lean-to attached to the schoolhouse, but the most accepted arrangement was to place it between the schoolhouse and the privy, with a fence separating the boys' entrance from the girls'. The ancient designation of privy doors was to saw into them a sun (for boys' toilet) and a moon (for girls' toilet)." Eric has supplied a sketch of both versions, showing the familiar crescent moon for the girls and a radiant sun for the boys.

By way of corroboration, I note here in my manual of semiotics that the moon "is usually represented as the feminine power, the Mother Goddess, Queen of Heaven, with the sun as the masculine." Isn't that just great? All this time you thought you were in there just doing your business and now it turns out you were participating in a pagan ritual.

Why cartoonists picked up on the moon rather than the sun as the universal symbol for outhouse is hard to say. But knowing cartoonists I'd guess it has something to do with the fact that the radiant sun is hell to draw. The reason there's a hole in the first place is a lot simpler: it provides ventilation.

Answer 2

from www.straightdope.com

Level with me: you've never actually seen an outhouse with a half-moon cut into the door, have you? Neither have I, despite several decades of camping trips. I'll bet the same goes for just about everybody else. The idea that outhouses always have moons on them has been perpetuated largely by several generations of cartoonists (e.g., Al Capp), probably none of whom ever saw one either.

The only reference I can find to the practice is in Eric Sloane's The Little Red Schoolhouse: A Sketchbook of Early American Education. Discussing 18th- and 19th-century schoolhouses, Eric writes: "The woodshed was often a lean-to attached to the schoolhouse, but the most accepted arrangement was to place it between the schoolhouse and the privy, with a fence separating the boys' entrance from the girls'. The ancient designation of privy doors was to saw into them a sun (for boys' toilet) and a moon (for girls' toilet)." Eric has supplied a sketch of both versions, showing the familiar crescent moon for the girls and a radiant sun for the boys.

By way of corroboration, I note here in my manual of semiotics that the moon "is usually represented as the feminine power, the Mother Goddess, Queen of Heaven, with the sun as the masculine." Isn't that just great? All this time you thought you were in there just doing your business and now it turns out you were participating in a pagan ritual.

Why cartoonists picked up on the moon rather than the sun as the universal symbol for outhouse is hard to say. But knowing cartoonists I'd guess it has something to do with the fact that the radiant sun is hell to draw. The reason there's a hole in the first place is a lot simpler: it provides ventilation.

Answer 3

Nothing more than a decorative design that allows the stinch to escape from a sewer pickle that's been freshly laid.
Perhaps the light from the stars and moon would shine in as well so ya can see if another wipe is required.

Answer 4

I figure they were cut that way for privacy. If it was a circle you could stick you eye right up to it and get a good look all around. Being the crescent, it is not possible to do that because the wood gets in the way, and yet the crescent hole can be fairly large...for ventilation.

Answer 5

i've used them for years and i think it was a small enough hole to let in a little light and air but not a peeper or a wind like a screen for hillbillys a lot of them the roof doesnt come down all the way theres a space for airflow but the edges keep out the rains and snow

Answer 6

Where have you ever seen an outhouse?
If there are such structures left have you ever seen one with a half moon crescent on the door?
I don't think so!

Answer 7

Moon and stars were used to designate the outhouses men from women.. The moon was for women, the star was for men..

Answer 8

It let enough light in to let you see yet gave you privacy from anyone looking in.

Answer 9

For light my man. Othewise it is literally a **** in the dark.

Answer 10

To let light in.