Good Manners: Everyday Etiquette Past & Present

Description

What’s the first thing you imagine when you hear the words “etiquette?” Do you envision members of Victorian high society bowing and curtsying to one another at a fancy ball? Do you think of someone using the incorrect fork to eat his or her appetizer at a formal dinner?

Knowing proper etiquette might seem like an old-fashioned and outdated idea in our more casual and busy society. Yet, there is etiquette to just about everything we do from walking down the street to sending an email. We follow both written and unwritten rules of etiquette everyday that show we have good manners; it’s a sign of respect both for yourself and those around you.

This exhibition takes an entertaining look at the etiquette of everyday life, comparing rules of the past with the present. While good manners never go out of style, the definition of what constitutes good manners changes over time and often depends on the situation, what is fashionable, and the people involved. The exhibit might even change your perception of what the word “etiquette” means today.

This panel exhibition creates an opportunity for you to reveal treasures from your own collection. Developed by the Hayward Area Historical Society.