Evening star. [volume], June 28, 1936, Page 10, Image 82

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WHEREVER YOU PICNIC. BE
SURE TO TIDY UP WHEN YOU
ARE THROUGH. AND NEVER
DESPOIL PLANTS OR TREES
Illustration by
A. BUw
Inconsiderate pleasure-seekers become the vandal
spoilsports of other people’s enjoyment of the
beautiful public roads, parks and beaches
by Emily Post
Author of "Etiquotto: Tho Bluo Book of Social Usago"Tho Porsonality of a Houso," Etc.
EAR Mrs.
I A P o s t :
I M Here it is,
the sum
mer half over and
we haven’t really
had one enjoyable
week end. Other
years we rented a
little house in the
country where we
went to find peace
and quiet and rest. This year we — my hus
band and I and two half-grown children —
cheerfully adjusted ourselves to the prospect
of staying in town and at least driving to the
beaches and to the lovely state parks and
taking our lunches or suppers.
“But we have come to believe that the
, worst punishment of having a reduced income
is being at the mercy of those of the people
who are ill-behaved during the only hours we
get to have any pleasure with the children.
I like people but I never before realized that
many of them could be so disagreeable. This
beautiful country is so lovely now, and we.
the people of it, pay taxes in order to de
velop parts of it for our enjoyment — if only
more people would be willing to share these
privileges more graciously.
"While I agree that the worst offenders are
those who know no better, I do believe that
many of the thoughtless are those who would
be ashamed if they actually saw in print some
of what they are inflicting on some one whose
only outdoor pleasure they are spoiling."
This letter brings to mind a thought I ex
pressed awhile ago, that the greatest boon
money brings to any of us is the privilege of
privacy; the privilege of having a little cot
tage, as this family once had; or of belonging
to a beach club and renting a cabana; or of
having a little camp in the woods.
But on the chance that my words come
before the eyes of some of those who are
merely thoughtless rather than unknowing,
it might perhaps be helpful to point out some
of the more flagrant things which spoil the
pleasure of others. , ,
Should you stop in your car by the road
where there is a lovely view, to picnic, do at
least choose a place where there is a wide
space to park at the side, well out of the way
of traffic. And do, moreover, make sure not
only to tidy up, wherever you picnic, so
thoroughly that no trace will be left; but be
careful, while you are eating and opening
papers, that you don't carelessly throw them
aside w here they will blow out on the road.
On the property of a private owner the least
payment you can make is to be sure that
nothing has been despoiled which belongs to
him.
In the woods, for example, picnickers ruth
lessly not only pick flowers, but break off
large branches and sometimes even pull out
whole bushes and drive blithely away leaving
cardboard boxes and tin cans scattered be
hind in their place. Needless to say, if you
picnic in the woods and have cooked some
thing over a fire, the ashes must be safely
covered over with earth to prevent a fire after
you leave. Although most picnickers are aware
of this danger, there are many who seem to be
utterly unaware that leaving an untidy mess
behind them is not the way to repay the
owners for having taken possession of their
property.
One item of advice that should be printed
in capitals to all smokers while motoring is
to pay attention to discarded cigarettes and
cigars. Scores of times, every day throughout
the entire season, thrown-away cigarettes land
in or on passing cars, often with much dam
age, depending upon where they land. Re
member. too, that a hand thrust far over the
side of the car to shake off ashes can easily
be mistaken for a signal.
On boats and trains consideration of other '
passengers is necessarily the first requirement r
of good manners. With the exception of those >
who push and shove to get the best seats, >
nearly knocking every one else down in their ‘
eagerness, most of the annoyances are com
mitted by badly brought up children who are •
allowed to run around the decks or up and ■
down the aisles.
Even though children may run very steadily
and even though they don't lay their hands
on any one, all the passengers are really
nervous for fear they are going to have water
poured over them or that, should the train
or boat stop suddenly, a falling child will
grab hold of them with sticky fingers. The
spoiled child who whines or screams or yells
when he can't have his own way, is a pest.
And worst of all pests is the child who has
no knowledge of the word obey. He not only
spoils the pleasure of every one, but is him-,
self displayed to unfair degree through no*
fault of his own, but because his parents have
been either too indifferent or incompetent to
train him. So many mothers worry to death
about the child’s clothes and forget all about
the real asset that makes it charming.
After arriving at a public beach the in
stinct of most well-bred people is to avoid
crowding as much as is humanly possible.
Those who have children should choose places
as near as they can to where the children are
going to wade in and out of the water and t
• dig sand wharfs. It is dangerous to have little'
children paddling in the water far away. And
it is also natural for a child to fill his pails
and run back and forth from his family to
the water, kicking sand and spilling water all
over those who may be sitting in his path.
It is also necessary to be very careful about
not letting a child thrust its attentions upon
other people. While spontaneous friendliness
is one of the most appealing traits a child can
have and most people are inclined to like
children, it must nevertheless be remembered
that certain individuals do not. Therefore it
is necessary to notice whether it is the
strangers who are showing particular interest!
in Johnny or whether it is Johnny who is!
showing interest in the strangers! j
Behavior at one of the public parks is!
practically the same as that at the beach.!
Again, don’t crowd up against other groups!
if you can possibly help it. Don’t spread your
picnic baskets and personal belongings over
two or three tables when your share is one.
Although picnic-table manners are less exact
ing than those at a set table at home, this
does not grant to the children the privilegt
of eating like little savages.
On the other hand, the public parks and
picnic grounds are excellent training-schools
for teaching children to take their tum and
be satisfied with their own share on the slides
and swings and seesaws and any other plea
sures offered to all children.
On other public playgrounds such as tennis
courts, for example, don’t keep a court for
hours when you can see tliat others have long
been waiting for an empty one. And on the
golf course observe the courtesy of letting a
twosome pass your own foursome at the next
tee. Or if you are in a group, let's say, of not
very skilled players, let an obviously adept
group pla*y through. u
In conclusion, general manners in public
are the same everywhere. Their observance
is naturally even more important the closei
the proximity. Remember then, that idea*2
manners in public are like ideal manners ot;
the perfect traveler in a foreign country: it
other words, those of a chameleon who sd-*
matches the background against which lit
finds himself as to be indiscernible.
Copyright, 1936, by Emily Post
-1(
Fine Points of Manners
May you, if you must, blow your nose
at table? Is the word "escort" used by best
society? Mrs. Post gives the answers to
these and other interesting questions in a !l
leaflet, "Fine Points of Manners." To get it
send a three-cent stamp with your request *'
and (printed) name and address to This **
Week Magazine in care of this newspaper.