The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-28
THE PASSING OF THE
FORMAL DINNER AS
A SOCIAL
of Frivolous Note So Seriously
Affected Time Honored Institution That 1t Is
Rapidly Losing Its Prestige--Feasts Are Now
But Preliminaries to Other Entertainments

greater and greater difficulty in regu-
lating the giving of formal dinners
emphasizes more definitely than any
other one thing the change that has
taken place in the habits Of those
who make entertaining a fine art and
whose activities Influence the social
atmosphere of the communities of
which they are a part.
Under the old regime the dignifed
dinner occupied the position of dis
tinction in the social scheme of things
and furnished the standard by which
all other phases Of hospitality were
measured. II was the one social func-
ton that possessed universally and
VAS unaffected by local idiosyncrasies.
The man or woman accustomed to
dining out in New York would follow
the same formal rules of procedure
anywhere in the civilized world in
which he might be invited to dine
without a modicum of change in his
manner. his etiquette or his dress.
The formal dinner was the epitome Of
conservatism and gave poise and bal
ance to the whole social structure
and furnished a solid foundation upon
which might he piled with impunity
all sorts of frivolous innovations in
other forms of entertainment.
But the tendency In all the large
cities Of the United States. following
the custom in New York. during the
past few years has been to introduce
a frivolous vaudeville note that has
So seriously affected the tone of the
formal dinner that II is fast losing
all Of ito fnrmar nrastfua ~ ~. a,.na
of both hosts and guests. as we'll as
its status in society in general.
These dinners are no longer sepa-
rate functions planned with care and
deliberations as the most pretentious
affairs on the seasons social calendar.
but have become simply accessories
to the big dances. or preliminaries to
theatre parties, or for the entertain
ment of guests before concerts or the
opera.
\ dinner party has become more or
less Of a scramble attended by annoy
ance Of a long wait for some belated
person who fails TO recognize tardi-
ness at a dinner as a social crime and
by the feeling Of unrest that prevails
among the guests because Of the
Knowledge that at a certain hour they
must all bundle into their wraps and
start for the theatre or a ball.
The guests no longer prepare an in
tellectual menu as a reciprocal cour
tesy to their hostess who spreads be-
fore them a feast worthy of the gods.
Men and women Of the old school
whose presence at a dinner was sought
BECAUSE OF their gift of conversation
are now crowded out, and the babbling
or a younger generation. the hurried
eating OF food and a rush for a limou-
sine the ONE the last course is
disposed OF have taken the place OF
the dignified attributes Of the func-
tions over which the elderly matrons
OF society were wont to preside.
Unusual effects are now aimed at,
with curious tricks Of lighting and
mechanical decorative accessories,
that divert the attention OF the din
ner guests with the effectiveness that
a rattle satisfies a baby-and these
have been substituted for the flash Of
wit. the crossfire OF repartee and the
hreathless quiet attending n we'll told
story which were the features that
gave distinction to these affairs less
than a decade ago.
The dancing craze Of the last few
seasons has been largely responsible
for the threatened collapse of the
formal dinner in society. Because
guests have been expected to combine
an a~crohatic. performance with their
gastronomic eXertions and to mix tam
COS and fox trots recklessly and indis-
Criminately with salads, entrees and
desserts every time they We're invited
to dine out In company there has been
a revolt that is forecasting its doom
as a recognized social institution.
Things have reached such a pass In
New York that the man who knows
Of a single private house where he
can sip n cup of houlllon in peace and
quiet with only the accompaniment
Of the low toned conversation of his
partner vis-a-vls. instead of gymnas-
tics and ragtime Is envied of his kind.
and hostesses are being forced. In or
der 10 get n aCceptanCes at all to
have the words "no dancing engraved
in the lower corners of their invita-
tion cards in the hope that some Of
their favorites may he cOaXed back
t. their dinner tables.
Legislating the old time formal din
ner out of existence has not been din
'ult BECAUSE OF the liCt tnat II nai
gained the reputation of being deadly
dull, n thing which Is absolutely in
compatible with the modern idea of
entertainment. But with its passing
comes the regret that nothing ade-
quate has been devised to AXE its
place. and conservative men and
women all over the country are be-
ginning to voice n protest against its
firal elimination.
When ar experienced diner out like
Chauncey VI. Depcw and others Of the
same expert knowledge that he pos
scsses are questioned as To the real
cause Il the downfall of the formal
dinner they place the blame for it's
decline in popularity entirely upon the
guests, declaring that hostesses are
striving to entertain with all the old
time fervor, but that the things that
were once considered the sacred duty
Of the guest. such as appearing
promptly at the hour set. contributing
cntertainingly to the conversation.
punctili"usly following up the dinner
with a cal, are not only no longer
considered obligatory, but are being
absolutely ignored.
This is very likely true in n sense,
but much can be said in defence of the
long suffering guests hat would seem
to justify their careless attitude. The
o mplaint is being voiced hat those
whose business IL is to keen the So