The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-09-17
ETIQUETTE FOR CHILDREN.
Points for Parents to Carefully Consider


Points for Parents to Carefully Consider.
III seems that too many mothers neg
lect tins important element in the
training of their children. In fact, do
young folks at any time have the man
ners that distinguished those of two
generations ago? There has been a
SAD decadence of manners generally
within the last 40 years, and, unfor-
tunately, children have been affected
by 1t more visibly than Others Gone
is the old-time courtesy which children
showed to their elders, especially to
the aged. We remember when boys
We're taught to raise their hats to
teachers, and the girls to courtesy. In
reply to all questions it was the rule
rather than the exception to answer:
es, Sir, or mo, sir" to a gentle
man, and yes, ma am" and mo,
ma'am,' to a lady. The change is to
be regretted.
And yet we cannot blame the chill
dren. The fault lies with their par
ents, principally their mothers. We
cannot expect all little children, in
deed, to be little Lord Fauntleroys or
Eva st. Clairs, but they can be taught
to be thoughtful of others, unseltish,
respectful and courteous. Especially
should they know how to behave po-
litely in the dining-room. If there be
one thing more than another that
shows our bringing up, to us a common
expression, it is our manners at table,
and the way we eat. Yet how often is
ones whole meal made unpleasant by
some unruly or il-behaved child.
Mothers cannot be oblivious to the
misdemeanors of their children in this
respect. Possibly, however, they NAV
not realize that the responsibility of
their behavior or misbehavior rests
upon them; but it is as necessary to
teach them good manners as that they
must not eat too much.
In the first place are not children
| petted too much and allowed too many
privileges in these days? In many
| homes the children are the real mana
gers. They monopolize the converse
ton, and continually interrupt older
ones while talking. This is all wrong.
Such mode, or, rather, lack of train
ing. fosters their selfishness and vanity.
and renders them real nuisances of
fault-fnding and discourtesy.
Only the other day we were greatly
shocked, while visiting at a friends
| house, by the ill-manners of her little
boy, who was not quite ten years old.
Before we were all fairly seated at the
table he leaned forward upon the table,
knife and fork in hand, and exclaimed:
Il want some of the plum pudding, but
| won't have any cake"
You must wait, Charles" said the
father.
Afterward he was helped three times
to the plum pudding, though several of
the older ones had much smaller
amount in consequence. We imagined
that his mother might feel ashamed of
| his want of breeding, but the little
| fellow afterward remarked to me, con-
| fdentially:
Mamma always says that | may
have the lions share of anything"
A faultless toilet, quietness of de-
meanor and a willingness to wait for
others, the use of the fork instead of
the knife, the absence of fault-fnding,
the proper use of the napkin, eating
and drinking without making any Tn
couth noise, these are all to be equally
observed as part of table etiquette,
and the youngest boy or girl can easily
practice them. Nor should they for
get the please" and thank you, - that
have so much to do toward making
children attractive. We hope that
mothers will see to this matter, and
make it a duty to educate their chill
dren in this, as well as other elements
of true politeness, so that the next
generation will rise up and call them
blessed-N. y. Ledger