Etiquette is parodied in popular culture as over-wrought manners and knowing the placement of rarely-used placeware. But handling unpleasant situations with grace is a skill worth mastering, but particularly for young people who are on their own for the first time. As college students test the waters of independent living and as recent grads emerge into the work world, we spend some quality time with etiquette experts from the Emily Post Institute, based in Burlington.
Also in the program, an update on the difficult growing season that farmers have endured this year. In the midst of continuous summer rains, the outlook was bleak for critical hay and corn crops. We check in crop nutritionist Heather Darby to see if the recent drier weather has improved the situation for farmers.
And we step into 1940s Springfield – a time when the military demands of World War Two had the town’s the machine tool shops running strong. Now a group of Springfield High School students have a presented a history exhibit that looks at that era.
More etiquette questions and answers:
Janet from Sutton:
When you are dating an individual you address the parents as Mr. or Mrs. However, once you become engaged, how do you address them? Is it OK to ask how you should address them? How should this question be posed to them?
Lizzie Post’s response:
Until they address the issue you should still call them Mr. and Mrs. If time goes by and they haven’t yet invited you to call them Bob and Carol or Mom and Dad, we would suggest that you talk with your fiancé about it and have him bring it up gently with them. They may simply prefer the formality, or they may simply have forgotten. Either way you show respect by not over stepping that boundary on your own.
Inez from Shelburne:
My boyfriend always fails to introduce me in social settings. Should I by-pass him and introduce myself… or just stand there quietly!
Lizzie Post’s response:
First, we suggest that you speak with your boyfriend about this. "Honey, I just noticed that in social situations you often forget to introduce me and I’d just feel a lot more comfortable if you did." Second, if your boyfriend has forgotten (it happens!) then by all means introduce yourself when you see a good opportunity.
Tim in Grand Isle:
Should I hold the door open for women? Sometimes I get grimaced at when I’m just trying to be polite.
Lizzie Post’s response:
Take it with a grain of salt. Personally, I think it’s wonderful that you do this and if you feel you’re on the right side of polite by doing so, there is no reason to stop for a few grumps in the bunch. It’s polite to a hold a door no matter who is walking through. Man or woman, it’s a nice gesture all around.