Evening star., 1933-11-26
Child at Table
BY EMILY POST,
Famous Authority on Etiquette.

LTHOUGH table manners must
n be classified in the kindergarten
II division Of etiquette, this subject
4 has a way of bringing itself
forward in the public mind as
though etiuuette-actually the most un-
limited subject that eXists-began and
ended with knives forks and spoons.
Table manners are important Ger
tainly. in that bad ones are unpleasant
and queer ones classify us as llhterateS.
But there is often encountered a curious,
upside-down point of view, which focuses
on details Of least Importance, and
apparently overlooks the first principles
of ethics and good taste.
The fundamental object of behavior
at table is to eat neatly, quietly, adroltly,
and to avoid offending the sensibilitles
of others. 1t is also important IN every
branch of good manners as well as in
speech to avoid the tell-ta'e affectat.ons
of the conscious.
The three elementary rules Of decency
that a child should be taught as soon
as he is old enough to feed himself are:
Cd To eat neatly, without smearlng
anything over his mouth or making
grease moons on the rim of his glass,
OF taking huge mouthfuls, or getting his
place at table into mess" or spllllng
food on the table, the floor or on him.
self.
90 To eat silently, not to schloop
his soup, gulp drinkables or chew
audibly. To mufle as best he can
behind his napkin, pressed tight against
his mouth, coughing, sneezing or any
other unpreventable sound.
go To keep hidden whatever has
been put into his mouth. 1t Is better
to break every other rule of table man
ners rather than this one. Once he has
taken a mouthful his lips must be
kept tightly closed IF he IS asked a
question while he has food in his mouth
every one will understand very well that
he can't answer with his mouth full,
and will wait until he has swallowed at
least enough to reply with almost
closed lips.
THE next class of rules, but far be-
l. low those of decency in Importance,
are those for holding implements. II
is not clever or original on his part 10
invent new holds on knife or fork or
spoon handles any more than it is ad-
nrable to sculpture figures in bread or
potato Nor should he be permitted to
play that he is a hoisting engineer and
use his elbow as though it were tul-
crum attached to the table and his arm
lever-thus lifting spoon and let
ting the liquid spill over the bowl.
A child is naturally inclined to make
a plaything of whatever comes TO hano
and a game of his own out OF every
thing he does For this reason I recon-
mend a practice that I have known to
work wonders by making the acquiring
of perfect manners a game. Count SO
many points for each detail OF perfect
behavior-three points for neatness, two
points for quietness three points for
keeping food out of sight between lips
or teeth and five points extra for per-
feet behavior at any one meal. The
prize at the end of the week to be any
good behavior privilege that you ap-
prove.
This same method can be applied in
dozen different ways and should, of
course be devised to fit the shortcom-
ings of each individual child-or group
OF children. The belief that child of
is too little to have good table man.
nerS is the error of those who are un-
Willing-or unable-to give the patient
attention that is necessary to his train
ing. 1t is true, of course, that one child
has natural deyterity and aptitude for
neatneSS, while another has not, but
the behavior of every child reflects pre-
ciSely the quality Of his training at
home.
X
CPEAKING of natural dexterity re.
- minds me that ! am often asked
about table manners for a left-handeo
child-a question which is much toc
serious in its effect on certain children
for any one but physician to answer
But solely from the point of view o1
etiquette, one detail that even the mos
extremely left-handed child must learr
IS to help himself from dish presented
at his left side 1t cannot be expected
that the service at other peoples table!
shall be changed for the benefit of one
nor-for this reason-should it be a
home. Nor should implements be re-
versed at left-handed persons place
at table.
Tn other wCrri- h StcIilI :