Everyday Courtesy (2nd Ed, 1967)

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] and i have to remember is it maybe what's this someone being discourteous in the middle of a talk on courtesy and all you have to remember is courtesy is just being considered of other people oh isn't that right it's right but look around you is it considerate to bore your classmates i guess not wouldn't it be more considerate if you made an extra effort to make your talk interesting to them to pep it up a little i guess so but it sure is hard to be exciting with an audience like that well now it's their turn to be courteous to you a courteous listener yes you marty tries to make it easier not more difficult for a speaker right it's hard enough to be up here i need all the help i can get from you people that's much better i suppose what i'm trying to say is courtesy is not just a bunch of rules that have to be followed but a way of doing things to make it easier and more pleasant for everybody to get along let's see if jeff's right let's see if that's what courtesy is really all about jeff i'd like you to meet peggy and her brother ted they've just moved here from new york pleased to meet you peggy ted what's it like in new york well introducing the new students does make it a little easier for them to begin making friends did you want me for anything special jeff well i uh just wondered if you could come to my house sure after school no not today may 24th two weeks from saturday uh sure i guess i can come early about 12 o'clock oh well should i have lunch at my house uh before i come no uh we'll have lunch at my house then my dad's taking us to the ball game great taking all of us well uh sure uh everybody at the party party you didn't say anything about a party what party birthday party mine didn't i tell you that no you didn't jeff and you could have made it easier for mike if your invitation had been a little clearer yeah i thought i told you say maybe you'd like to come too well uh jeff and perhaps it would make it a little easier for a newcomer to reply to an invitation if he felt he was really wanted why don't you try again jeff sound a little more like you mean it be a great chance for you to meet some of my friends ted gee peggy i'm sorry you can't come but this party's only for boys i'd like to come jeff i really would that's better a courteous invitation makes it easy for everyone to decide if he can or wants to accept if the invitation can't be delivered in person the telephone can be used and all the same courtesies apply for example it's nice if the person you're calling answers promptly but this isn't always possible so courtesy must go both ways give the person you're calling plenty of time to get to the telephone if you don't phone a written invitation is always courteous but wait a minute jeff do you think paul can read that we can't even begin to get along with one another if we can't understand what each of us means speaking and writing clearly make it easier for others to understand us so writing legibly is one of the simplest of courtesies and don't forget to check to make sure you've included all the information necessary to make it easy for paul to decide if he can or if he wants to accept what it is when it is where it is does it include a meal anything else special exactly the same courtesies apply to the answer dear jeff i'll be there excuse me paul but you'll beware at your party yes that's better but what day and at what time now jeff knows you are talking about the same party and he also knows you have the date and time right but he doesn't know yet is how you feel about being invited letting him know you're pleased is courteous too now george has a different problem he got an invitation to jeff's party too but you can't go can you george have something else to do and you don't know what to say to jeff well just tell him you're sorry you can't make it call him courtesy doesn't insist you explain why you can't come unless you really want to gee george i'm really sorry you can't make it see he understands thanks for calling see at school tomorrow jeff is that the last of your guests i haven't heard from ted yet when i looked yeah unless your father knows how many are coming to the party jeff he doesn't know how many tickets to get for the ball game oh hi ted prompt replies to invitations make it easier for others to go ahead with their plans all right jeff here's your party can courtesy make it more pleasant happy birthday jack gee thanks paul it's really great you could come come on let's meet the other guy this is ted this is pete this is mike now those were wasted introductions let's try again jeff wait a minute paul are you really paying attention or were you just trying to look interested wait on the face and name person you're being introduced to paul this is mike now repeat mike's name to make certain you heard it correctly mike it's nice to meet you ted i'd like to meet my cousin paul ted just moved here from new york and he's a model shipbuilder too have you ever that was another courteous thing jeff by letting your friends know they share a common interest you've made it easier for them to get to know one another paul i would like you to meet pete he's in my class at school he's making a rigma jig for a science fair what's this supposed to do pete cook hot dogs did anybody when it's time to introduce your friends to your dad you show respect by mentioning his name first great hi dad i'd like to meet some of my friends from school that's mike hi mike glad to know you this is pete he's in my room too hello pete i seem to recognize you from the football team yes and this is adds just a few extra words to help everyone feel comfortable quickly jeff shows respect for his mother too by mentioning her name first mom i'd like you to meet the boy i told you about from new york ted meet my mother i hope you brought a big appetite it's time to eat so far we've seen a number of different ways that courtesy can make life easier and more pleasant let's see if there are still other ways thank you thank you simple courtesies here are some more everyone likes to know when something he's done has been appreciated we can make life more pleasant for others by telling them of our appreciation great party jeff it was my dad's idea about the ball game or sometimes just by showing it there's no doubt that paul appreciates the cake jeff's mother baked being appreciative might even get you a second piece boy this is great cake boys it's time to go to the ball game now watch a few more ways of being courteous jeff's mom didn't ask for help but it only takes a moment for jeff's friends to pick up and it makes it a lot easier for her i guess jeff was right ordinary everyday courtesy is a way of doing things and saying things that make it easier and more pleasant for all of us to get along it's a way of making each day a lot more fun for everybody