The New York herald., 1921-03-13
To Teach Politeness.

10 leach Politeness.
Bad manners are wholly unneces-
sary and wholly unjustifiable. Some
times they are the product Of mere
heediessness, sometimes they are an
unconscious expression Of coarse self
lshness, sometimes they are a mis-
taken assertion of personal indepen-
dence and disregard for frllls. No
matter what the origin, they are ut
terry condemnable.
Thus the manor woman--who
omits the ordinary courtesies Of
speech and the niceties Of manner
may only be making every day life
more squalld than 1t need be, but the
person who wipes his feet on the
clothing Of his neighbors In public
conveyances is guilty of a minor de-
gree of assault and malicious mis-
chief. Above all, the crowding and
jamming incident to getting on and
Off public conveyances in large towns
is Objectionable because Ii is SO OBJ
structive. The people who endeavor
to push their way on care while pas
sengers are trying to set Off, the peo-
pie who wedge themselves in the door
ways in the mad effort to get ahead
of each other, are just as foolish as
they are boorish.
Undoubtedly there is need for bet
ter cultivation OF the amenities of
life in these parts. People should be
taught to see how little they lose by
the gentle word, the agreeable smile
and small concessions as to prece-
dence and the like. IL everybody
would realize that for each boon of
courtesy he offers TO his nelghbors he
may receive scores In return-would
receive them IL urbanity were a gen.
eral habit-he would soon appreciate
that 1t pays to be polite.
They are talking In Detroit OF es-
tablishlng special courses In polite
ness in the public schools. 1t is on
the whole cheering to find that New
York, which Is so much blamed for
Its unsparing rush, is not the only
place where. such need is felt. The
experiment IS an interesting one. 1t
viii be observed with curiosity and
Interest, especially in Its results.
People will watch eagerly TO see
whether the rising generation of De
troit will be in the Beau Brummel
class But, in fact, it may be doubted
whether special courses In demeanor
are the way to get at the reform.
The matter has attracted much at
tention in the New York schools and
in some Of them politeness drives
have been made In many, indeed, the
crusade is constantly carried on. The
method consists in the exactlon OF po-
liteness IN the ordinary, every day
routine of school intercourse. Consid-
Grafton for each other among the
pupils, n respectful attitude toward
greater age and authority as repre-
sented by the teachers, polite forms Of
speech, correct attitude in class, es-
pecially sitting upright instead OF loll-
ing, and keeping the feet on the door
instead OF nursing them on the knees,
are so insisted upon that they tend
to become second nature just like the
naturalization table.
This is a highly practical method.
1t has wide influence. The pupils
take home the standards set In the
class rooms, and In cases where the
home practices are cruder these are
inevitably improved. The secondary
result is more general control Of tenn
per, less violent reactions to tridlng
wrongs and incoaveniences, a general
improvement In the peace and order
of the community.