Are Manners Important? (1954)

[Music] cities are built of something that's far more important than steel and brick and stone what holds a city together is a need which all men have the need for living together with their fellow men sharing their work helping each other enjoying their friendships and their companionship and since people must depend upon one another they have built up ways through the ages of getting along together our laws are one way of doing this but just as important as laws are the rules and usages of courtesy and consideration which we call good manners they come naturally where people have a high regard guard for each other we see good manners all every day not only among adults but among children too often they may not even realize that the consideration they're showing for others might be called good [Music] manners wherever you go you'll always find that good manners keep things running smoothly paying attention to a neighbor's yard is good manners because it's considerate so is going to the end of the line instead of trying to break into the middle it's only fair to those who were there before you introductions are good manners because they're friendly and help people be at ease with each other and good manners at the table make for a pleasant and comfortable meal such things as coming to the table with Clean Hands and face passing food properly and pleasant conversation make meal time enjoyable for the whole family yes you see good manners wherever there are people who respect each other and want to get along with others sometimes though you find a person like Mickey Taylor who has lost sight of the importance of good manners or who hasn't realized the values of consideration for others hi Mom anybody home yes dear come in and say hello to Mrs narus letting the screen door slam strewing his clothes about the kitchen certainly isn't being considerate of his mother I'll get him hello who Karen no she's not in the least he could do is offer to take a message and what about the importance of good manners to guests of other members of the family you remember Mrs Norris don't you oh hello Mickey it's nice to see you again hello it's time for one of Mickey's favorite programs and he doesn't stop to think that the set may disturb his mother and her guest it isn't that Mickey wants to be rude he just hasn't stopped to think Micki Mickey I'm afraid you're going to have to turn off that set [Music] Mickey Mickey may I speak with you okay is she gone yes she is and I must say you behave very rudely to Mrs Norris and me well she made me miss my favorite program you shouldn't have turned the set out in the first place honestly Mickey I don't know where your manners have gone to manners is that all you grown-ups ever think about yes we do think about them Mickey because we've learned from experience that matters are important in helping people get along together you'll never be happy with others until you learn to be considerate of them I get along all right do you Mickey I wonder sure kids don't need manners manners are just for growingup I think you're wrong about that someday you'll find it out a [Music] manners Mickey's mother has given him something to think about he hasn't gotten along too well with his friends lately but a kids don't need manners the next morning Mickey has all but forgotten his talk with his mother but something happens on the way to school to remind him of [Music] it maybe I should have gone around but oh well accidents will [Music] happen and later on at the playground Mickey sees the ball coming toward him and he obeys a sudden impulse to get into a game he's not a part of it starts an argument and then the bell rings to break up the game gee I didn't realize this was a class [Music] game just before lunch Mickey gets a chance to learn what it's like when someone else's Bad Manners make him uncomfortable can't you girls talk English and so Mickey has quite a lot to think about during lunch especially when he suddenly realizes that he's sitting alone and he begins to wonder whether the others may not be passing him [Music] by I don't think that'd Pass Me By on purpose kids don't care about manners I wish there wasn't any such thing as [Music] manners boy if I were president I'd put a stop to matters that's what I'd do I'd make a [Music] proclamation it gives me great pleasure to sign this Proclamation with it we are abolishing manners forever in doing so I am following the wish of children all over the Nations who I am sure have found manners no use at all to them or to anyone else Mr President yes there's a big crowd of children outside they demand to see you let them in let them all in gentlemen the press conference is over thank you very much for coming and you ladies just one more Mr President thanks thanks a lot want to thank all you for coming here today show me how much you appreciate my plan for doing away with maners that's not why I'm here what's this well I'm here cuz I disagree I think manners are important and here's why a few weeks ago I was appointed by the class to make a poster for the safety drive it was an important job and I did want it to be good I worked hard on it I was pretty excited when the day of the contest came but then some BO boy ran right through us he bumped into me and knocked the poster right out of my hand it tore down the middle and the whole thing was ruined for me and for the class he could have been more considerate and gone around us and that's why I think manners are important that's what I think too I don't like stuff any more than the ref you kids do but I'm for manners just the same especially after what happened out the playground I'm the captain of the class team who challenged the fifth grader it was a tough match and the score was tied then somebody just had to be a smart out and break into the game then the bell rang and we didn't get a chance to finish boy he sure spoiled everything just cuz he figured nobody else mattered but him that's Bad Manners I'm against this Proclamation what about the rest of you everybody let me tell you what happened to me and R in CL somebody slammed the door in my face and somebody spilled milk all over me my bike was ruined phone slammed right in my ear somebody tripped me I got [Music] pushed say Paul yeah um I'm sorry about that game this morning oh that's all right will you with me sure Mickey isn't very good at apologizing because making apologies like other kinds of manners takes practice maybe he will learn his lesson about the importance of good manners or maybe he won't it's pretty hard to tell what do you think and what do you think about manners in general do you think manners really start with consideration for others aren't really important in this modern day and age do you think boys need manners as much as girls do there's a lot to think and talk about on the subject of manners and many good reasons to ask are manners [Music] important oh