As a kid I spent two weeks each summer at my aunt’s farm in Waupaca, Wisconsin.  The farm, like many old properties, was rich with the leftovers of life from the people who lived there in years past.  Though I never had the chance to go up into the attic of the old farm house before it was demolished, I heard that it contained election posters, a dried bouquet of flowers, and other items left behind by the first owners. The barn had relics inside that included a cream separator,  whetstone, J.C. Higgins bicycle (which I took apart a couple years ago and haven’t put back together—sorry Aunt Connie!), and a yellow refrigerator.

I was excited to find the book “Manners for Millions” by Sophie Hadida, published in the early 1930s, during one of my searches.  A couple years ago when I was up for a visit I typed up the manners quiz from the front of the book, unsure of what to do with it.  Below is the quiz with an answer key.  Quiz your friends! Quiz your enemies!  Good luck.  And if you want to learn more about manners, such as why you shouldn’t ask a woman where she buys her hats, then you’ll just have to buy the book.

From, “Manners for Millions: A Correct Code of Pleasing Personal Habits for Everyday Men and Women”
by Sophie C. Haida, 1936

pgs. 2-3 Intelligence Test

Pronounce aloud:
column
coupon
adult
address (on envelope)
address (sermon)
secretive
culinary
larynx
bronchial
hydrangea
cyclamen
sacrilegious
strength
height
municipal
acclimate

Of the following sentences which are correct?
1. Was you there?
2. What kind of piano have you?
3. One of the boys were there.
4. The man who I saw was ready to pay refused at the last moment.
5. She did not like him telling her what to do.
6. The aunt and guardian were on the porch.
7. Mr. Roger’s s home burned.
8. The dress sets well over the hips.
9. Hens set.
10. I laid down for one hour this morning.

Here are two forms of introduction:
“Mr. Ogden, this is Miss Mannerly.”
“Miss Mannerly, meet Mr. Ogden.”
Which is correct?

With which hand is it correct to convey food with the fork to the mouth?

***Answer key***
column
right: kol-um
wrong: kol-yum

coupon
right: koo-pon
wrong: q-pon

adult
right: a-dult
wrong: ad-ult

address
right: ad-DRESS
wrong: AD-dress

address
right: ad-DRESS
wrong: AD-dress

secretive
right: se-CRE-tive
wrong: SE-cre-tive

culinary
right: q-li-na-ry
wrong: kull-in-a-ry

larynx
right: lar-inks
wrong: lar-nyx

bronchial
right: bron-ki-al
wrong: bron-i-kal

hydrangea
right: hy-DRAN-ge-a
wrong: hy-DRAIN-ge-a

cyclamen
right: sick-la-men
wrong: sigh-kla-men

sacrilegious
right: sac-ri-LE-geious
wrong: sac-RE-LIG-ious

strength
right: strenGth
wrong: strenth

height
right: hite
wrong: highth

municipal
right: mu-NIC-i-pal
wrong: MU-na-cip-l

acclimate
right: ac-CLI-mate
wrong: AC-cli-mate

Sentences:
numbers 4 and 7 are correct

Introduction:
Neither is correct.  Both forms are considered atrocious.

Fork:
Either hand is correct at times; but you have to know the times.