Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-01-23
A~MERiCANlZlNG ENGLAND.
influence of American Women ON
British Social Customs.

Influence of American Women ON
British Social Customs.
But It is not only in the realm of b
shopkeeper that Americans AVE be-
come popular, says Earl Mayo in the
January Forum. They have been tax
en- up with equal or e greater en-
thusiasm by the highest ranks of soci-
ETY.. There is no doubt that their popu-
larity has been due in great measure
to the influence of those American wo-
men who hav married into the ranks
of the clever, titled or wealthy, who
form the most important elements of
British high society. The grace, the
brightness and the ~adaptability of
these women have made them i'm
nlensely popular, and the British, hav-
ing found them fair types of their
countrywomen and countrymen, a
extended an equally cordial welcome
to the latter. At every house party
held in England last summer, at every
London dinner and on every yachting
expedition Americans were much in
evidence.
There have been many signs also to
show American influence Oh English
social customs. For ~ thing it may
be seen in b decay Or n may say
more properly perhaps the relaxation
of the stiff necked chaperon system.
Until quite recently it was unusual to
find in England q formal gathering at
which fashionable young women were
allowed to attend unaccompanied by
chaperons. During the last season,
however, there were many such af-
fairs organized by fashionable young
people and under the direction OF a
single young matron, as is very gener-
ally the custom in this country. There
is a very noticeable tendency in Eng
land to allow young people much more
freedom of social intercourse b for
merly. It cannot be said either that
the change is at all unpopular with the
young people themselves or that it
seems likely to nave any other effect
than to develop in the English girl the
self reliance that is SO prominent a
characteristic of her American cousin
and to make young men and women
understand each other better than I'M
der the older and more formal system.
Another Effect Of American example
is to be found in the growing popular
ity of hotel and restaurant life abroad.
Until the American invasion" it was
almost an unheard of thing for a fam
lily to take dinner in a public restau-
rant when their own house was availa-
BILE for the purpose. And as for enter
tanning friends in such a place, that
was looked upon as altogether too
; outre to be attempted. Now, however,
all this is changed, and it is not IN
usual for a London host and hostess to
/ call upon the of a fashiona-
bic hotel or restaurant in giving enter
tainments beyond the limits of ordina-
ry house accommodation. A significant
sign of the trend ill this direction is to
be found in the rapid multiplication of
fine hotels that is going on in London
at the present time. These hotels them
! selves, by the way, are becoming rap
idly Americanized. American methods
Of organization and management,
American dishes and American drinks
are coming more and more into vogue,
and it is easy enough to find half a
dozen hotels in London which are in
all essential respects exactly like those
of New York.