Etiquette for the Street

There's etiquette for everything, apparently. Enjoy this little snippet as I research the 'conduct manuals' for women.

 J.W.Pepper's Universal Dancing Master,

Lucien O. Carpenter, 1882

An Excerpt:

ETIQUETTE FOR THE STREET.

AS TAUGHT BY

L.O. CARPENTER.

1. The lady should be first to recognize an acquaintance, whether intimate or not.

2. The gentleman should raise his hat slightly, inclining and turning toward the lady in saluting. The hat should be raised by the hand farthest form the lady.

3. One salutation is all that civiliity requires when passing a person more than once on a public promenade or drive.

4. The gentleman should raise his hat when asking a lady's pardon for an inadvertence, whether she is known to him or not.

5. Never stare at any one, is a rule with no exceptions.

6. The gentleman should not smoke when driving or walking with ladies.

7. If the lady with whom you are walking is saluted by another gentleman, acknowledge the same by removing your hat.

8. Should you desire to converse with a lady you should happen to meet, do not detain her, but turn and walk in her direction.

9. While walking with a lady in a crowded thoroughfare and obliged to proceed singly, the gentleman should precede her to clear the way.

10. While walking with a lady, the gentleman should take the side next the street.

11. Loud conversation should be avoided at all times.

I love #4 and #9. And I will now call any faux pas an 'inadvertence.'

 

Comments

[Holly]

I think #11 is my favorite. I have a hypothesis that people have become so used to having to speak loudly to be heard over poor cell phone connections they have begun yelling in everyday in-person conversations. I am tempted to wear my ear muffs year-round. Perhaps a fashion inadvertence to avoid.

[Chris]

I am really with you on that, Holly. People are so much less concerned with how their behavior (and volume) affects others. If the world had to take a manners test these days, we'd surely fail. American's would have the lowest score, I think!

[Laurel Ann]

Oh I love etiquette. Since most gentlemen these days do not wear hats to tip, the only street etiquette that I have experienced are #9 and #10. Interestingly, when a gentleman was preceeding me on a crowded street I thought he was just being dominant and not polite. It seemed to fit his character! But, when another gentleman purposely moved to the street side of the sidewalk, I knew he was honoring my sex and showing his good breeding. In one instance I knew it was sincere since it was done without mention. With the other, he made a point of telling me why, and it spoiled the complement. He was trying too hard to show he knew etiquette and in my opinion a gentleman never has to explain. He is a gentleman by deed and not advertisement. ;-) Thanks for the great post. I so enjoyed it.