The age of child care building on a wide scale really began in the 1970s. Before that, there had been a history of day nurseries going back to the turn of the century and Lanham Act centers during World War II to provide care for "Rosie the Riveter" mothers in the work force. The "purpose built" child care center was an economical box with almost every square foot space licensed for child use. There was a tiny or nonexistent lobby, tiny one-person director's office, minimum storage and almost no other support space. The idea that child care could be done well around 50-60 square feet per child for the facility came about because of the absence of offices, staff workrooms and lounges, a reception area, circulation space for conferences and meetings and places for storage and display. The author feels that every square foot beyond licensed child space is still hard won. It is not uncommon to still fight assumptions that 60 total square feet per child is adequate for an average size center.