Introduction

Good Manners

I judge that the time is about ripe for me to give you another talk upon the subject of “etiquette.” The good thing about etiquette is that it does not change quite as rapidly as fashion. I presume your memories are not able to hold all I presented last year or if held, that some have evaporated by this time. The bills in Congress need three readings before they are passed; I think these talks of mine will be repeated more than three times before I get through with them, so those who stay here 6 or 7 years perhaps will be able to master them.

Don’t imagine that good manners make one stiff or uncomfortable, like a badly fitting coat. Good manners may be just as natural as bad manners, just as easy and a matter of course as speaking or laughing. This is the kind of good manners we ought to have, so that it becomes just as easy to do right as wrong.

One told me once those St. Olaf students had good manners. Young men and women, you are making history. Opinion of your fellow classmates and teachers is of more importance than you think now.

[signed] H.T. Ytterboe