Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-17
Shut the Door.

There are just two classes OF people
the small minority who shut the door
behind them. and the large majority
who don't. The national bill for door
springs makes an impressive sum; and
once on invention bent, the correction
of another human failing was added.
The patent door spring Is a substitute
for human politeness; it closes the door
and does it, quietly. The revolving door
goes one step farther, and shuts off
drafts, and is pretty nearly automatic
and foolproof.
All of which means that you can't
rely on human habits, because most
people are careless, and. though not
unkind, simply can't think easily in
terms of-the other fellow It isn't a
matter of altruism; it's just habit of
thinking beyond yourself and getting
the habit into your muscles.
1t should be Just as easy to shut
the door as to shake hands, or say
Good morning." or take off your hat
when you enter room. Only it's so
much easier to leave the door open.
Let George close it! But George takes
the same view of the situation. Yes,
it's small matter, but it would make
a text for big one. It's nothing less
than the ancient question: Am my
brothers keeper?" and the answer of
psychology is, Eyes, you are; and he's
yours"
For that means nothing else than
that very large share of our habits
and acquired behavior are set in a
social setting. Some of our habits are
personal only or mainly; but when we
keep ourselves neat and clean, we do
so socially with the other fellow in mind
as well as for our private satisfaction.
So we dress for appearance as we'll as
comfort and protection, and all the rest
of the days behavior from the way we
walk on the street, drive on the road
take our turn in being waited on, and
the rest of it. Quite telling is the mat
ter of eating, personal indulgence;
when it is done In public we have
some consideration for the other fellow,
who has to see us eat Table manners
and door manners have the same psy-
chology.
And that leads to the by-path Of
furniture and its psychology. When
our extremely remote ancestor learned
to walk upright, the change of loco
motion had many consequences. among
them the constant reminder that stand
ing and keeping your balance isn't very
easy and becomes very tiresome, as
straphangers readily testify. Standing
room only" isn't restful sign. So we
humans learned to sit down: orientals
still squat gracefully. but our civilized
habit requires chair. Thus the first
overture in politeness is: Won't you
sit down" You rise as mark of con-
sideration when ladies enter.
Chairs are concession to human
habit and become the symbol of sta
fp~v IN In I1Av~
cells to the easychair by the Preside.
The chair became symbol of authority
the throne it's most glorious example
and we try to show dignity and rank
by the kind and positions of chairs we
assign. The chairman" of a meeting
takes charge, and when a ruling is
necessary, the chair" decides So like
wise the judge is the bench: and
lawyers are admitted only to the bar
The table becomes the symbol of hos
ptality, and it quickly becomes known
among their friends that the So-and-
Sos set good table. Table talk Is a
social art. The table is also a symbol
of conference, and decisions are ar
rived at around a table; motions post
poned are laid on the table" The
table is also the work table, for the
fundamental reason that accurate work
TcqulItS Vic lIcc use VI tIle lldIlUS WIFI
no concern for the balancing of the
body. All accurate work is done sitting.
Chairs and tables cover the rounds Of
human habits, including recreation as
we'll as work, card tables as we'll az
writing tables. Similarly the bed rep
resents rest and shelter; bed and board
is the minimum Of living Bed may
| also be associated with illness-"sick
abed," and with sharing traveller S
luck: Politics makes strange bedfel-
lows"
But last: as first the door is prom
inent as symbol of comings and goings
! through human habitations. Doors and
gateways, entrances and exits, mark the
approach to institutions. The LATCH,
with the string to pull 1t outside the
door, was the pioneers welcome; his
latch string was always out, so that
| you could walk in. The "open door,