COURTESY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

COURTESY.

The words "courtesy" and "courteous" first sprang up in connection with the Court, where good manners and politeness played a very great part, though since then they have widened in their meaning. What I want you to do is to look upon them in the very broadest meaning they posses: the consideration of other people's feelings before your own, for, when one is courteous, one thinks morn of others than of oneself. The following is rather interesting to read, us it bears out what I have just said: — Though I treat a customer like a ricTi uncle, so that I get his business: That is not courtesy, that is shrewdness. Though I offer a. eeat to a man who enters my office: That is not courtesy, that is duty. Though T listen to grumblings and groanings of a customer: That ie, not courtesy, that ii> forbearance. Though f help a,pretty girl across the street, holding her umbrella and fondling, her poodle: That is not courtesy. The first ie pleasant, the second politeness and the third hypocrisy. Courtesy is doing that which nothing under the sun but human kindness makes you do. Courtesy springs from the heart. Courtesy is good will and good will is prompted by a heart full of love to be kind. Only a generous ninn ie truly courteous —he gives freely without a thought* of anything in return. Now, children, I know none of you except as boys and girls, who write me Homo of the happiest letters I ever receive, and for whom I have a great affection. But, because of that affection J should like to believe that you are all as courteous as I should lite you to be. Hence lam going to ask you a few questions. Most of them apply to boys, for it is a boy's privilege to consider a girl's feelings before his own. But girls should take note of them also, and practise them in connection with people older than themselves. I am going to use the word "mother" in my questions. But remember, that [ mean also any woman or girl, no matter who she be:— Do you stand when your mother enters the room, and remain standing until she says you can sit or is herself seated? Do you rise and open the door when your mother wishes to leave a room? Do you take off your hat when you kiss your mother out-of-doors? Do you (if you are a ; man) always ask permission to smoke in your mother's presence? Do you, when asking a friend to deliver a note for you, leave the envelope unclosed so us to show your trust in your friend? Do you, at afternoon tea time, help to hand round the food rather than let your mother or sister do so? Do you take the outside of the footpath when you walk with your mother? Do you stand hack and let your mother go through a doorway before you ? Do you remove your right glove (if you are a boy) before you shake hands with a lady? Do you, after you have received a present or stayed with a person, write a little letter of thanks? Do you, if you say you will meet a lady at a certain time, endeavour to bo punctual to the moment? Do you alight from a car first and help your mother out, rather than step out behind her? Do you (if you are a man) refuse to smoke if you are talking to or walking with your mother in a public place?