Be polite
The latest newsletter from MercatorNet carries this refreshing little news item from the UKÂ Telegraph.
Old-fashioned courtesy has been put on the curriculum at a leading private school to ensure children grow up with respect for adults.
As it should be. They’ll be adults someday, and the cycle repeats itself. Such a society would be more courteous and respectful than the one we’re all living in at present.
It starts with the small things.
Pupils at Wellington College, Berks, are being told to touch the brim of their hats to passing teachers and take their hands out of pockets when singing hymns or the National Anthem.
These are the basics we used to practice not that long ago.
The rules were devised amid fears that children were growing up without a grounding in good manners.
Last week, David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said sloppy dress and poor manners were at the root of declining standards of discipline in schools.
Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington, said: “It is essential that we treat each other with respect, whether that’s the person who cleans the boarders’ rooms or the head.”
It’s a start. It’s not politically correct, but politics don’t determine what’s correct. And they certainly don’t teach respect!