Collegiate Etiquette Advice for 1940

“Out in the sun once more! Try to walk gracefully, balancing your head on your shoulders, one foot in front of the other, and your back straight. Relax, and enjoy your surroundings…” — Okay, this might be a little too relaxed! Lounging on the grass might be better left for when classes are completely over!

There you go! Head down, books straggling out from beneath your arm, and your shoe laces untied, as you hurry across the campus at an ungainly gallop. You arrive in the classroom and plunk yourself down in the nearest chair, heave a sigh of relief and look around you.

You admire the grace and poise of the few of your classmates who manage to walk across the lawn without looking like the leaning tower of Pisa. You envy their powers of equilibrium, but you sigh and shake your head. Such gracefulness is not for you, besides, you never have time. Some day you are going to take a day off, learn how to walk and become a second Heddy Lamarr, but until you can afford that day off you will continue to blunder along somehow.

Why The Hurry?

Why not do something about it? You don't have to imitate the posture of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, just because you have a few (?) books to carry. Classes never begin on the hour, and even so, it is better to arrive just on time, than to rush in ahead of time with that expression of terror, mingled hope and fear, we note upon your visage.

In the first place, why not, when the bells have rung, and the instructor reluctantly bids you adieu, quietly collect your books, and leave the room slowly. Hold yourself back, if necessary, and be sure to keep your head up. Remember, you are not Hawkshaw on a case, which necessitates you running along with your nose on the ground.

Now, that you're safely out of the room, walk slowly down the hall (not too slowly) and notice how many people you miss, with whom you usually collide. 

You're On The Campus Now!

Out in the sun once more! Try to walk gracefully, balancing your head on your shoulders, one foot in front of the other, and your back straight. Relax, and enjoy your surroundings as you walk along. 

Notice your fellow students, which is a pleasure you miss when you are hurrying along watching the grass. When you enter your next class, pause first at the door, size up the room and the chairs, then go in and sit down. When you rush blindly in, it is several seconds before your eyes. adjust themselves, and you lose every semblance of poise.

Remember! You're a College student, and not the Man with the Hoe. You may feel like him (just before finals) but what you need is Poise! — Sally’s Social Slants for the Oak Leaf, 1940

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Hat Etiquette of 1940

Custom has changed the etiquette of tipping your hat to every lady you chance to meet. This is impractical, as you would soon wear your hat out. Nevertheless, the hat should be tipped when you meet a lady of your acquaintance, and should be taken off when in the theater, lobby of a hotel, church or an elevator.

Why must the men take off their hats?

And wave them shoulder-high, while the women smugly keep theirs on, when the flag is passing by? Why, in these days of “equal rights,” should this fact be always true? Men's hats come off when they meet the girls, why don't girls doff theirs, too?!?

The reason is that hats may be hats, but etiquette still differentiates between the customs of men and women. In other words, it is never necessary for women to tip their hats, while it is often the rule for a gentleman. 

The controversy arises as to whether the hat should be raised when a patriotic song, ether than the national anthem, is played. No, it is not necessary. The hat should be lifted only when the flag is passing or when “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played.

Custom has changed the etiquette of tipping your hat to every lady you chance to meet. This is impractical, as you would soon wear your hat out. Nevertheless, the hat should be tipped when you meet a lady of your acquaintance, and should be taken off when in the theater, lobby of a hotel, church or an elevator.

When you tip your hat to a lady, it need not be taken completely off, merely raised slightly. When the flag goes by the hat should be taken off and held over the heart. Of course, in public buildings, as the theater, it is a matter of convenience to take it off and hold it in your hand.

This bit of etiquette may seem very elementary to collegiates, but due to the fact hats are seldom worn on the campus, it is a good idea to check up on what to do when you do wear a hat.

Ladies need never remove their hats in public places, but it is a good idea to let the people in the show behind you see some of the picture instead of your New York creation.

So if you wear a reproduction of the leaning tower of Pisa or a similar style, remember we are all behind you! – Sally’s Social Slants in the Oak Leaf, 1940

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

A Collegiate Agony Aunt

At this instant an acquaintance of yours rushes up and begins to tell you her unbelievably low mark, which she just acquired in her examination, She talks volubly, and your friend fidgets from one foot to the other. 

Sally's Social Slants

The purpose of this column (every column has to have a purpose) is for the help of those who would really like to know a little bit more about etiquette. Of course this may be an old story to the disciples of Emily Post, but many a problem arises on the campus which leaves you at a loss.

For instance, you are standing on the lawn between classes, talking to a friend. At this instant an acquaintance of yours rushes up and begins to tell you her unbelievably low mark, which she just acquired in her examination, She talks volubly, and your friend fidgets from one foot to the other. Before you can introduce them (you surmise they have never met) your acquaintance turns her attention to “that screamingly funny thing she just heard in the Co-op.” Your friend, baffled by the names of “Bill,” “Jane” and “Mary,” whom he doesn't know, and who, from her description, sound rather flighty, mutters something to you about “a class” and hurries away.

What To Do?

You are left with the acquaintance who gabbles cheerily on, not realizing that you heard only half of what she was saying. What to do? Should you have broken into her conversation and introduced them, should you have said quietly “We are discussing the football game” thus winning her undying hatred, or should you have raised your voice and drowned her out, introduced them and then quickly sprinted away.

The thing to do! Let us rehearse the scene. You were talking to your friend, you saw your acquaintance coming (unless she sneaked up on you anyhow the result would be the same), with her approaching footsteps your face should leave that of your friend, and fold into a welcoming smile. Meet her rising tide of small talk with a quick “Well, hello (add her name to show you know it) oh, that's too bad about your low grade. Do you know my friend, Ben Gassing? Ben, this is Lotta Smalltalk.” 

Why Not Explain?

Now your duty is done, Let Lotta rave on, or Ben fidget. They know each other. But is your duty done? In a strictly etiquettal (is there euch a word) sense it is. But it seems rather unkind to listen to Lotta's chatter about Mary, Jane, or Bill, when Ben knows nothing about them. If Lotta insists on telling this screamingly funny incident (and why not?) you should say to Ben “Do you know Mary, Jane or Bill?” If he does, so much the better; if he doesn't, and the story involves more than just their names you should explain briefly as “Bill is a football player,” or “Mary runs the feature column.” This puts everyone at his ease, which is the basic purpose of etiquette after all. – From The Oak Leaf, 1940

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Etiquette and People Who Borrow

Don’t loan ‘Lillian the Leech’ your new face powder! – “Take for example the case of ‘Lillian the Leech.’ She is always borrowing your comb, lipstick, pencil, or bobby pins. She doesn't just ask you for them once in a while, but so often that you wonder if she even has any cosmetics.”

   

Sally’s Social Slants

No large problem launches itself before the etiquette editor this week, so a series of small ones will be taken up. It was suggested by an ironical co-ed to write a theme on “People Who Borrow Money!” I suggest we make it more general and pen a treatise on “people who borrow anything.”

It is, of course all right occasionally, but moderation in this, the same as in other things is always greatly appreciated by the prospective lender. Take for example the case of ‘Lillian the Leech.’ She is always borrowing your comb, lipstick, pencil, or bobby pins. She doesn't just ask you for them once in a while, but so often that you wonder if she even has any cosmetics. Sometimes she even forgets to return them, and you spend your spare time running her down and recovering your belongings.

Then there is ‘Paul the Parasite,’ who, too, is a habitual borrower. You find him in the classrooms, always without a book. He remedies this little difficulty by looking off of yours. He is never prepared for a test, and so of course he must borrow your binder paper, pen, and eraser. Of course this discourse should end by asking quizzically “are you a Lillian or Paul?” and enjoy your confusion. For we all borrow. the important thing to remember is not to borrow too often, and always return the borrowed article in perfect condition. As for money. Ahem! If you borrow this necessary medium of exchange, you should pay it back. 

It is embarrassing to follow someone for days, trail him finally to the Co-Op, and see him lounging in a booth, consuming your rightful money through a straw. Not that you would feel any better if you ran into him purchasing a copy of Homer, but it's the principle of the thing. If he returns it, then it is all right to borrow, but if the lender has to run him down, and finally extract half the original loan from his reluctant person, then it is all wrong!– From the Oak Leaf, 1940

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia