Poor American Manners Post WWI

In spite of beauty, cleverness and good taste, some women lack the exquisite charm of repose. Many young women in fashionable social life, as well as some actresses, are incapable of seating themselves gracefully. They will crouch, they will flop, they will stand in front of a chair and fidget before dropping into it. The average American woman can’t keep still. This is the chief blemish of American manners, and just as soon as we women are convinced of this fact, we will conquer our nerves and acquire poise.

On Good Manners — World Not Yet 

Recovered from Great War?

“I think there is so much hypocrisy in good manners,” said a woman whom I know very well, the other day. “You mean,” I quickly retorted, “hypocrisy may be found in fine manners?” She tossed her head defiantly, declaring: “That is a distinction, not a difference.” I persisted in my defense. “You know quite well,” said I, “that good manners mean sincere regard for others, self-discipline and service. Fine manners may mean being merely polite and well-bred in behavior.” 

The lack of good manners in all classes is to be deplored. It has been thought of sufficient importance for an agitation to be started in one city, to teach manners in the public schools. This slump in conventional dignity, this letting down of social bars, is the recognized aftermath of war. Those who can recall the effect of the Civil War upon manners must shudder at the memory. Today the frenzy of the World War is past, but the world has not yet recovered its poise. Let us, however, take notice of the stupendous development of real unselfishness in our own people—the practical unselfishness which has made America the hope of famishing European babies and mothers.

What has this to do with the question of manners? Everything! Selfishness is the supreme foe of good manners. And in this real solicitude for suffering humanity, there may he found hope for the redemption of American manners which, at their best, are agreeable and likely to win favor in any official or private gathering. There is no need to worry over the lost manners of some of our men, for the loss is only temporary. Many of us women, however, will acquire better manners when we learn how to conquer our nerves and conserve our nervous energies. 

For, in spite of beauty, cleverness and good taste, some women lack the exquisite charm of repose. Many young women in fashionable social life, as well as some actresses, are incapable of seating themselves gracefully. They will crouch, they will flop, they will stand in front of a chair and fidget before dropping into it. The average American woman can’t keep still. This is the chief blemish of American manners, and just as soon as we women are convinced of this fact, we will conquer our nerves and acquire poise. Let us teach our children manners for home use as a beginning, and, before we know it, there will be no reason left to complain of American manners. “Manners are the happy ways of doing things,” wrote Emerson.— By Clara Morris, 1921

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