Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-10
POLlTENESS BY THE BOOK.

Wv llUlNbANh bAA Ahab AVhNAhNhhs
j POLITENE,SlS BY THE BOOK.
One Of the most common complaints
against children is that they are lack
ing in good manners. The fact that
many OF the complainers are persons
who would not be selected as models
OF perfection in etiquette has nothing
to do with it. 1t is often the case that
very rude and impolite adults spend
much Of their time in snarling at
children and telling them TO "behave."
The Injunction to "bohave' is some.
times accompanied with a smack and
at other times only with the promise
of one. Perhaps these disagreeable
persons who vex the children into
truitless endeavors at reformation of
conduct are themselves deeply sensible
of their own shortcomings. Having
been neglected in their youth, and, II
trained at all, trained in some other
way than that IN which they should
have gone, they want to see the rising
generation made models of true polite
ness. Solid comfort may now bo min.
istered to the souls of persons who are
weary with the worry Of trying to
make youngsters behave themselves.
1t will cheer these worried souls to
know that organized effort has taken
shape in st. Louis TO reform children
by rule and compass from the ways of
unruly boorishness. The School Board
Of that city has resolved to add course
of lessons in etiquette TO the regular
curriculum Of the public schools
Manuals of politeness are TO be furn-
ished, and some of the best readers
will read aloud from these, the teacher
following in brief oral exposition with
practice in the various branches. The
studies in etiquette are to cover wide
range. General precepts are to be
particularized into such details as
dress, carriage and bearing, oonversa-
tion, table manners, riding and driving,
school department and the rules of be-
havior laid down by George Washing.
ton, There can hardly be more en-.
larged field for study and practice
than this involves nor is there any
field of education in which there ia
greater scope for the ingenuity of the
urbane teacher. Much depends on
the teacher, and far more on her man
ner than on the matter of her instruc.
tion. A teacher who undertakes to
"hear recitation" in politeness, after
the wooden manner in which a large
proportion of the reoitations are
"heard," will make the thing intensely
ridiculous. An acidulous person whose
habit is to enforce lessons by scolding
them into the children will make her
victims hate politeness and despise the
very name Of it. The instructor who
drills the classes in the mere observ-
ance of polite forms and phrases may
succeed in rescuing the scholars from
the extremity of boorishness, but will
fail in imparting TO them any of the
graces of genuine good breeding The
teacher whose custom il is TO bark and
bite at the poor children in order to
drive instruction INTO their unwilling
minds will find himself a laughing stock
as he reads off from his politeness book
some pleasant injunction to courteous
demeanor.
There is great deal of so-called
politeness which is only of the books,
bookish. 1t is stilted, empty, formal
and unsatisfactory. 1t is we'll that
children speak when they are spoken
to, do as they are bidden, salute their
betters in an elegant manner, keep
their persons clean and do unto others
as they would have others do TO
them. But the mechanical ritual of
all these things may be made con.
tinual horror. Some teachers and
parents keep children in constant
state of worry by saying, as they tweak
the ears of the poor creatures or with
the knuckle rap them on the head :
"Sit up, there !" or Behave now, will
you ?" Many otherwise excellent peo.
pie introduce this sort of etiquette drill
at the table, until the rigorous way in
which the lambs are mado to bleat out
"please" and "thank you" is enough to
destroy the appetite Of anybody who
practices and values true politeness.
Success or failure in teaching politeness
depends more on whether the teacher
is or is not polite, than on the particu-
lar manual Of etiquette which School
Board may select. There are fine arts
and true graces in real politeness which
somo Doors can never master There
is a refinement and an elegance in 1t
which is inborn with many people. II
instruction in the art is attempted with
the right spirit and the proper sort of
people there is hope that 1t may bo
measuiably successful. But there are
some crusty and ill.favored imparters
Of instruction who should forever be
excused from all attempts at teaching
the doctrines or practices Of etiquette.
Philadelphia Times. E
H.
HUMBOLDT AND TAYLoR.-Bayard
Taylor, in 1856, had the good fortune
TO interview Humboldt in his residence
M Rarlin uYnu hova frava1od Ynuob