I am, no doubt about it, “Old School.” The reason I am Old School, I think, is because I am old. That being said, I would like to repeat my question: “Whatever happened to good manners?” Let me give you a few examples of things that I see being practiced on a very limited basis these days.

Men who:

• Hold the door for a lady
• Open the car door for a lady
• Pull out the chair for a lady
• Stand when a lady enters the room, leaves and/or rejoins a table

Now – – I know you are probably thinking, “Floyd, it isn’t the men’s fault! It’s them dad-blame women libbers! A man can’t do anything like what you are talking about, or those women will mean mouth them something terrible!” And, to some extent, I suppose that’s so. However, what I am noticing is, a vast majority of the men I see in public aren’t even doing this for their wives! When that’s the case, we can hardly blame the women libbers! So, whatever happened to good manners?

Here’s another area where I have a problem: What about men who:

• Do not take off their hats when they enter an establishment or a home
• Do not take of their hats at the table, even in a restaurant
• Do not take off their hats in church

Where, and when!, was it written that men can continue to keep their hats on when inside? Not in the military, that’s for sure! When my son was in the Navy he had to remove his “cover” every time there was a roof over his head! And, as soon as there was a roof over his head! Again, whatever happened to good manners?

Finally, when did it become acceptable to use foul language on an ongoing basis? And, I am sad to say, this isn’t something that the finger can only be pointed at men for. I can’t believe how many people no longer seem to have a filter when it comes to their speech. Men and women, of all ages and, I guess, all socio –economic backgrounds, indulge in what I have often heard referred to as “potty mouth.” So, whatever happened to good manners?

Well, do not despair … I DO have Good News, and it is found in Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” All we need to do is make a concentrated effort to “Train Up” our kids – – teaching them by example, and make sure that we impress upon them that they need to “Train Up” their children, too! It also wouldn’t hurt if we shared with our friends that they need to “Train Up” their children as well!!!