Etiquette Lessons?

[NinjaPoodle]

And I quote "It's a good thing" --Martha Stewart

Always a good thing.

As a new member, our new member educator (who happened to be a waitress and a "charm school" instructor) gave a program on Etiquette. It was held the week prior to International Reunion Day (where we meet with our alumnae).

Christina has since graduated from school, so as this semester's Personal Development Coordinator I had to look elsewhere to find someone to lead the program. Luckily, Aunt Dee (my sister's BF's mom) is VERY Martha Stewart...and she's agreed to do the program. Feast of Roses is two weeks away, and many of our new members are looking forward to this program.

Etiquette is something that everyone will take with them long after their collegiate days are over.

[kdgirlie]

At my chapter our Etiquette chair gives a tip each weekend at meetings. I personally think it is invaluable. Also our school an etiquette dinner ( southern school) does an etiquette dinner once a semester, that some groups have there new members attend. I have gone for two years with a leadership program. Moosegirl-- you are not supposed to acknoweldge the servers or speak to them- at least that is what we were taught

[twigs344]

Our chapter does weekly etiquette tips also. I think everyone really likes them. Also, right before formals and semi-formals we do a little more in depth lesson. Our VP Social Standards usually does it. They cut out huge forks and plates, and such, from cardboard, and use them as examples. It's cute.

[PhiSigButterfly]

Last year we had an etiquette luncheon. It was really neat to learn some of the things we did. We had a lunch and one of our alumnae came and instructed us on manners and proper etiquette in certain situations. Like a few others have said we learned that you don't thank servers or anything like that. That really suprised me too. I highly recomend having something like this. You might learn a thing or two and its fun.

[mccoyred]

My chapter holds etiquette workshops for our other teen groups as well as our debs. However, we have not held this type of activity for sorors.

Originally posted by AKA2D '91


We had etiquette lessons when we came through...

[Dejajeva]

What a fantastic idea. I'll have to present this to our chapter!

Thanks guys.!

[PhiSigButterfly]

Dejajeva-
We got our information packets from nationals so you might want to have someone call CO to find out about them. It was pretty informative.
LITP

[DeltAlum]

Back in the sixties, this is a large part of what "Mom" (our housemother) taught us.

It's too bad in many ways that many fraternity chapters don't have housemothers any more.

"Mom" really took the hard edge off of some of us and I appreciate it to this day.

And I went to school North of the Mason/Dixon line.

[BrianMUDU]

We had an etiquette dinner with tri-delt last year. It was a good idea for a social function, I'd recommend it.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by mccoyred
My chapter holds etiquette workshops for our other teen groups as well as our debs. However, we have not held this type of activity for sorors.

you are NEVER too old or young to learn...

[Tom Earp]

AKA, you are so right!!!

When I was another Fraternitys pledge, MoM Buck taught a lot, especially to me!

" Before going to a party eat several pads off butter it helps you from get sick and Drunk".

"Do not crumble your crackers in the chili, butter them"

Told her the doctor said I had to because of my stomach

yep once again the Greek Orgs. teach some way for us to go out into the real world and not look totally stupid

I love Greek Orgs and the peple in them!

Sometimes I wish my Local had not broken the House Mom barrier as none of the Fraternitys at the Pitt. have them! It is a hell of a settleing experience to have a lady there to keep an eyes on her boys and teach them to do some of the finer things before they go out and ask what the finger bowl is instead of drinking out of it!

[aephi alum]

I wish my chapter had done this!!

I'm from the Northeast, so I wasn't sent to charm school or anything like that... but my parents were VERY strict. I learned from a young age to sit up straight and not put my elbows on the table, or else! My parents also taught me what fork or spoon to use for what, etc. But most folks from my part of the country don't get that experience - and when you take them out to a nice restaurant for dinner, they embarrass you...

[SilverTurtle]

Ok, I wasn't going to respond, but I keep recalling the comments about not acknowledging your servers. How is this possibly "proper etiquette".

I am from the North, so charm school wasn't an option . I did get invited to be a debutante in high school... but I digress. I'm just saying I don't know all of the definitive "rules" of etiquette, altough I can use the correct fork.

I'm not saying you need to have major conversations with your servers, but I was taught that a simple please or thank you is always in order.

The whole "not acknowledging" your servers is just a throw back to the Southern class system & makes me envision snobby old southern women who think they are too good to speak to people.

[33girl]

Originally posted by SilverTurtle
Ok, I wasn't going to respond, but I keep recalling the comments about not acknowledging your servers. How is this possibly "proper etiquette".

I am from the North, so charm school wasn't an option . I did get invited to be a debutante in high school... but I digress. I'm just saying I don't know all of the definitive "rules" of etiquette, altough I can use the correct fork.

I'm not saying you need to have major conversations with your servers, but I was taught that a simple please or thank you is always in order.

The whole "not acknowledging" your servers is just a throw back to the Southern class system & makes me envision snobby old southern women who think they are too good to speak to people.

Thank you SilverTurtle, I'm glad I'm not the only one who was bothered as heck by that. I mean how can it not be good etiquette to say "thank you" when someone gives you something?? I guess the people who say that think the servers must be idiots who would forget how to do their job if someone spoke to them.