Wartime Manners Quiz

Should you learn to recognize the insignia of the different branches of service?

Mind Your Manners

Test your knowledge of correct social usage by answering the following questions, then checking against the authoritative answers below:

1. Is it manners to criticize he slacks or overalls worn by women in defense corps?

2. Should you learn to recognize the insignia of the different branches of service?

3. Should you use the phrase “just a private”?

4. Should you criticize the busy mother of small children for not doing war work outside the home?

5. Should you wonder out loud why such and such a young man isn't in the army?

What would you do if:

You are in a theater where the Star-Spangled Banner is played as a finale-

(a) Get up and leave?

(b) Stand the whole time it is being played?

 

🪖 🎖️🪖 🎖️ 🪖 🎖️ 🪖 🎖️ 🪖 🎖️ 🪖 🎖️ 

 

ANSWERS

1. No. They are doing important work and their clothes are suitable for that work.

2. Yes. If you don't already know.

3. No. Don’t belittle a private by saying “just a private.”

4. No.

5. No.

Better "What Would You Do" solution-(b).

 

– The Imperial Valley Press, 1943 

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

Is Public Knitting Bad Manners?

 

The large demand for knitting in 1917 was for the young men who away from home in WWI… “Even with the present urgent demand for knitted garments, it really is not a good idea to knit in classroom or in chapel.”– Image titled “The Women Ply Their Knitting Work” from an early 1900’s etiquette book

What Readers Ask– “We are three girls in college, and we devote all our spare time to knitting for the Red Cross. We have been taking our knitting to class and to chapel, and one of the young women instructors told ua that we showed very bad manners to do this. What do you think about it?” 

Even with the present urgent demand for knitted garments, it really is not a good idea to knit in classroom or in chapel. You cannot possibly do your classroom work well or attend to chapel service when you are keeping part of your mind on your stitches. I have heard from several lecturers and speakers that they are greatly distracted by the constant clicking of the needles in their audiences, I agree with your instructor. – Mary Marshall Duffee, 1917

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