San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-27
MANNERS, like
MODESTy Of
OLD, GONE
FOREVER
Knees, Once Used for
Prayer Only, Now Com
mon Delight Of Others.
By BESS CARROLL.

By BESS CAKROLL.
How are your manners today? Do
ing nicely, you may think, but
According to standards Of 40 years
ago, manners are extinct! Like the
dinosaur and the five-cent shine, they
are lost species and will probably
never be recovered.
Bellies Of today who have been duly
" finished" in expensive schools for the
making of manners, harken to this:
Young ladies' should above every
thing be dignified, as modesty and a
retiring manner are their greatest
charm. Modulats the voice, and in
no way allow the slightest familiarity.
Never cross the knees and keep the
ankles discreetly covered"
ANTE.KNEE PERIOD.
This is taken from an etiquette book
that was published 40 years ago. A
glance at the tenets Of the paragraph
reveal the astounding fact that WON
anly dignity was once an asset, rather
than a complex. Also that knees were
once used solely to pray on, and not
to expose to the cruel winter winds.
Ankles were not believed existant in
the fair sex until about 1910, when
some daring woman revealed the fact
that women really did possess them.
There's no doubt about it now.
Old standards of manners necessitat-
ed a certain code of dress, naturally.
Since ankles must be kept "discreetly
covered" even the bathing suits ac-
complished this feat. In fact, the
bathing suits of those days-even as
late as 1900-were a marvel in them
selves. They possessed skirts contain
ing yard up yard-nay, bolt upon bolt
of extra thick material. This skirt
was gathered at the waistline in plaits
and descended well below the knees.
Sleeves were longer than elbow length.
Nothing would have been nicer for
swim on the Desert of Sahara, but in
water-well, those bathing beauties
must have stayed ashore.
TAKE BASKET BALL.
Compared with our present-day
beach styles, the bathing girl of 1900
looks like q stout lady's entire winter
wardrobe.
Basket ball suits Of those days rival
ed the bathing costume in volume. In
1900 the game was beginning to pass
the censors, but even then the match
games between girls schools were
guarded, so that no prying male could
see the climbs" of the players. A fine
chance any wicked male would have
had to do such a thing, even if he
could have witnessed the game in a
box seat. For the suits consisted
partly of some dozen yards OF divided
skirts, with the divide a rumoE and
not a visible fact.
With the passing of bountiful bath
ing suits and so-called divided skirts,
drastic changes also happened in de-
pertinent. Conspicuous among these
being the legal manner of proposing
matrimony-proposals not being con-
sidered polite or serious unless the
sutton fell on his knees before his be-
loved. In the position of someone
about to be beheaded, he was then
supposed to quote verses appropriate
to the occasion from his celluloid cuff
if necessary and to say BE mine -
with accompanying signs or tears.
PAINTING IN VOGUE.
What would happen TO a modern
swain if he did such a thing! His
bootlegger would probably be arrested.
He wouldn't try it unless he wanted
himself and his romance to be called
completely off.
Painting was once a favorite indoor
sport with women. 1t was a sure way
to get kissed, if it was managed prop
erly. Now they don't have to use this
indirect method. There is nothing 50
faint-hearted as this about the nod
ern girl.
They say that girls are just The
same-now or then; but obviously
there is worlds Of difference. After au-
other look at bathing beauty pictures,
we might say yards o. difference.