Etiquette

HAGERSTOWN - As the 25 young graduates of the Blossom School of Etiquette marched into the Memorial Recreation Center auditorium Saturday afternoon, they smiled and seemed confident with their new skills. Ladetra Robinson, program director, said it was a far cry from the girls' first day at the school. "A lot of the girls came in with their heads low and they couldn't talk, but by the end of that first night they would take turns coming in with their heads held high," she said.

HAGERSTOWN -- As the 25 young graduates of the Blossom School of Etiquette marched into the Memorial Recreation Center auditorium Saturday afternoon, they smiled and seemed confident with their new skills. Ladetra Robinson, program director, said it was a far cry from the girls' first day at the school. "A lot of the girls came in with their heads low and they couldn't talk, but by the end of that first night they would take turns coming in with their heads held high," she said.

Don't forget to vote The kids are off today, so don't forget to go vote! And they have another day off on Monday, Feb. 18, to celebrate Presidents Day. Church to celebrate 'Easter Month' Blair's Valley First Church of God is doing something new this year. Instead of the adult choir presenting a cantata on Easter Sunday as before, they are planning to enjoy "Easter Month" in monologues, dialogs and music each Sunday in March. The theme is "Great is the Lord - And Once You've Met Him You Will Never Be the Same.

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things. " - From "Through the Looking Glass," by Lewis Carroll It's time the world had a serious think about etiquette. When it comes to which fork to use or what to do with our napkins, our parents know everything. As kids, we hear the inevitable from our parents: "Get your elbows off the table!" and "Chew with your mouth closed. You're not a cow. " We dismiss these words as nonsense - and sometimes forfeit dinner.

WORTH WATCHING Players of note and their tee times Saturday: Chuck Ingram and David Bradshaw at 7:50; Chad Bricker at 8:20; Greg Henry, Ken Lampard and Ken Winfield at 8:40; Randy Barnes, Brian Crabtree, Ken Kasai and Mike Printz at 11:20. MORE YOUNG GUNS Part of the youth brigade on hand makes up a foursome that tees off at 11:40. It includes Brandon Sheaffer, Steve Caron, Steve Young and Brandon Hendrickson. FAMILY AFFAIRS At 10:50, the Yatsko family golfers - Steve, Mike, Jack and John - have a day together on the course.

katec@herald-mail.com Tipping - the gratuity kind - can be confusing. Who do you tip? When and, of course, how much? But it is part of our culture, and it's here to stay. So says Peggy Post, great-granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post, author of the 1922 best-selling book, "Etiquette," the 17th edition of which will be released in October. Peggy Post is a spokeswoman and author for the Burlington, Vt.-based Emily Post Institute. "Tipping is an awkward thing," Post said.

katec@herald-mail.com Please and thank you. Those two words are the foundation of every child's etiquette education. "What do you say?" a mother will ask her toddler before letting go of the cookie she is holding out to him. If the child is old enough and hungry enough, he will say "Thank you. " That's the correct answer - a simple yet important part of learning manners, becoming civilized. Etiquette is the only thing that separates us from the animals, says Patricia Weber Wolford, who wrote "Etiquette: Self-confidence in the Making.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Franklin County employees will get a lesson in etiquette next week as part of a weeklong initiative to improve customer service. In conjunction with National Customer Service Week Oct. 7 to 11, Franklin County plans to remind its employees what good customer service is. Employees can attend one of nine sessions on face-to-face, phone and writing etiquette. To jump-start the effort, the Franklin County commissioners approved a proclamation Tuesday dedicating next week to customer service.

Post Emily, some parents still put premium on table manners By KEVIN CLAPP kevinc@herald-mail.com Dinner in the Hampton household is a time for fun and fellowship, but patriarch Ed Hampton also makes sure it is a time for respect. continued The television remains dark, and as the family takes seats no one makes a move for food until matriarch Coleen sits down. Food is passed to the right. Again, no one lifts a forkful to their mouths, no matter how hungry they are, until Coleen Hampton places her fork on her plate.

Thanksgiving Day dinner etiquette By JOE ARCH Thanksgiving may be the first time you have dinner with your significant other's family. With this big step, questions begin to surface. What should you wear? How should you act? What should you eat? What if you don't like the food? What if they don't like you? continued To ease your fears and give you some guidance, we talked to Denna Smith of Inwood Performing Arts Center; Karen Yeager Rupprecht, the author of "Miss Prudence Pennypack's Perfectly Proper" and "A Month of Manners"; and Mac Dawson, a guidance counselor at Hancock Middle/Senior High School.