Milford chronicle., 1938-02-18
COURTESY IN SPEECH
Bertha Younkin

Bertha Younkin
Young Mrs. Smithe was pouring
tea very graciously that afternoon
Of the committee meeting In her ar
tistically furnished living room. The
low well-mOdulated voices OF the
small group Of women, the dignity
OF the home itself, and the poise Of
the hostess indicated a cultured
| group of women in a refined home.
Suddenly an outer door was bang
ed, Gathering footsteps were heard
and a loud boyish voice Jared upon
the ears of the guests. "MOtheri"
came the shout, then impatiently, Il
say, Mother,-where are you?"
The living-room door burst open
and there stood the young Smithe
lad looking bright-eyed and eager.
"Oh, there you are. Say. go get my
coat, quick! I'm in an awfully big
hurry to go with Dadl"
There was an expression of pa
thetfc helplessness on the mothers
face as she colored and rose. Mem
tally she pictured the impression
the child had made upon the guests;
rude. loud. discourteous boy, en-
tirely inconsiderate of his mother
and her friends,-a child who made
tyrannieal demands on the whole
household.
Mrs. Smithe. like many mothers,
had made constant attempts to train
the boy to be mannerly. She regular
ly took time to sit down with him
and explain gently and firmly all
the generally accepted manners and |
the cOurtesies he should show to-
ward others. They often practiced |
these things together and, being a I
generous and thoroughly normal |
boy. he always meant to be manner |
ly but somehow generally forgot.
In order to understand this situ-
alton and the hundreds Of similar
ones, let us consider a few general
facts that may throw some light on
the trouble. Let us recall how a
child first learns words and sem
tences. Here we discover that a
child is impressed chiefly with the
language addressed TO HIM.
Now, keeping this in mind, one
realizes at once that no matter how
politely the elders address one an
ether, it is of little avail as far as
the manners of the child are con-
eerned unless he, too, is addressed
with courtesy. The child will re-
feet the tone of voice and the type
of command or conversation in
which he is the object of concern.
Let us now think carefully-in
just what manner do we usually ad-
dress our children. Here most par
ents will be forced to admit that
never once would they dream of ad-
dressing a friend or an Acquaintance
in the manner which they often use
with their little sons and daughters.
Such a manner of speech would he
to any adult.
Since the child is likely to use
the form of language to which he
has been subjected at home, does it
not seem that parents who wish
heir children to speak with we'll
chosen sentences and in tones of re-
spect should talk to them in a like
Instead of: Donald, how
many times must I tell you to hang
N your ccat?" (imagine saying that
o a visitor). why not speak as to an
,qual: Donald, did you forget your :
:oat?" and Mother is in a dreadful =
hurry, Donald, do you suppose you :,
,ould get your own wraps?' 1t is :
how even a three-year- /
I'D will respond to responsibility r
When talked to as an equal. r
So It seems that mothers who do /
lot like to be rudely commanded ny \
heir young children should take v
ime to choose carefully a type of e
peech in which to address those n
oys and girls. such as when turned Ii
non themselves. will not be obiec- il
iOnable. hut instead. will bring a a
low of pleasure. 7