The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-07-01
COMMON COURTESY
The Business of Every Man
Who Meets the Public, IN
Any Capacity, Be it Ever
So Humble.

C~corrtesy~ - he title nj a most in
teresting pamphlet issued by the At
Lauta. ~,ningh and Atlantic Rail
COPY of which has been received from
Mr.. Edwin Travis Lamb. the head OF
that mpan formerly president OF
the Norfolk southern Railroad Com
pany. who has many friends in North
The pamphlet, while issued
tains lessons of value for all and it is
here reproduced.
In The Matter of Courtesy.
Common courtesy IS the business
OF every man who meets the public,
In any capacity. be is ever SO humble
Courtesy becomes a part OF his
trade, ~ be applied in the face of re-
s~istance. the same as it Is a part OF
a carpenters trade to apply a jack
plane on CrOss-grained wood, knots
and even an occasional nail hea
The man III the ticket window. the
local agent, the gateman, the eonduc-
tor, the trainman, OF any man whose
business it is to come in individual
contact with the public, if he becomes
Skillful in his work. must earn to re-
strain himself from often doing that
~ IN CVCEy Hfof =
to do in meeting diScourteous. impa-
tient aud unreasonable people.
If ne is unable to do this he is I'M
suited by nature for his Job. just as
some men are united by nature to
learn the handling Of tools.-he must,
in his own interest, find another job
where he does not come in contact
with the public
In handling the public we must all
+ "a k0 tho nflh1iH As il rs anau NOT AZ IL
should be.
, Those OF us h come in contact
with the public can do much towards
educating it by example OF what the
public shouf be.
We can never make the public bet
ter by initiating it.
The average mechanic does the best
, he can with the material delivered &c
him and he Toes not destroy that
which resist him. An experienced car
fpenter. for instance, does not get mac
/ and brow his tools out of the win.
: dow when he strikes cross-grainet
Wood.-he simply reverses the actor
{ of his tool.
1t is only the boy amateur who file.
e into a rage at resistance n pound
e up that which he is attempting.
Any man who comes in contact witt
y the public will meet a lot Of meal
t, people.
Il Nearly all people are mean at som
time.
It But
Few people are mean at all times.
p The people who are mean in tn
morning are frequently kline enoug
l. at night.
Doctors say that the reason peopl
a are more irritable in the morning. c
le after they have been sleeping, is thu
n their blood pressure is ow,-their Gil
culation is not normal.
PeOpie who are unreasonable C
3 who give way to their temper in til
? morning are frequently sorry for it b
&c night
4. Temper and irritability in the cas-
81 of most people are the results OF d.
" fective nerves rather than unkindne:
, of heart.
- The man at the tickle ii
T. local agent, the gateman. the col
- ductOr and the trainrnan who is alb
:. to keep his temper and his voice To-
Y and maintain himself with calmnes
has a powerful weapon in his own d
Tense and with which to adminiSt
real punishment to his
VIZ This man whose business it is
meet the public. who reSists imp
nv tience with patience. and temper wi
Ii calmneSS. Is gaining the respect al
me- ~ HASiA W NhS -
80 uatiOn. and the offender win regr
re his act in his first reasoning momel
I'M In this country. where all are crea
he ed free and equal. it is the first instin
lot to harshly resent any word Of tel
nd per or impatienee. 1t is consider
a denial Of one mans equality Wi
another.
All men are equal as they meet
ore the patrons of the railroads. the the
tire, the hotel or any public OF sen
ire public institution.
our But
ore When il becomes the business
one man to meet these same men
son an official capacity. then hat m
becomes superior over the many
ned reason OF his authority-it becou
his business. his trade. to meet I
public. Individually and collective
the and handle the meficientlv with
least possible friction and the m
of dispateh.-with the least resistance
vtr- his authority.