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Maribeth Evans is sweeping out poor manners and replacing them with style and good taste. She plans to offer etiquette classes at a variety of locations to help people learn appropriate behavior in a variety of settings.
Etiquette is a practical skill for anyone but especially for children. Many parents enroll their children in classes and lessons such as gymnastics and dance, but those skills will not be lifelong, Evans said.
“How many employers are hiring adults to somersault down the hall or waltz around the water fountain?” asked Evans.
Evans, who graduated from The Protocol School of Washington in Maine, teaches practical social skills. She is beginning her classes with a special holiday etiquette program Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Georgetown CHEER Center. Two sessions are available: noon to 2 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
The class for children ages 7 and older will focus on manners crucial for holiday parties, designed around the season of open houses, appetizer parties and family get togethers. Each child will learn how to be a great guest.
“They will always be asked back,” said Evans. Curriculum includes the proper way to approach someone’s home, such as not running or abusing the furniture. It also concentrates on saying “please” and “thank you,” introducing themselves and eating finger foods politely. There is an art to juggling a small plate and glass gracefully, she said.
Future classes will be for adults and children. Holiday etiquette classes are available in November, and regular classes will begin in February. She will teach anyone from age 7 to 107, she said.
“Good manners and dining skills are a hard asset you take through life, it will be the best gift you can give anyone,” said Evans.
Proper behavior carries to many facets of life, not just at the dinner table, she said. She plans to offer international etiquette for travelers who do not wish to offend hosts outside the United States.
Evans’ long-term plans include offering a variety of classes. One class, ideal for a certain demographic, is for her so-called latent gentlemen, who can go through a commando-manner class that includes essentials for men who do not want to be girly but desire polite skills.
Other classes are slated for teens that will concentrate on date behavior, interview practices and how to go further after high school.
“It is clear to me there is a lack of manners, and it is time for that to change,” said Evans. The key to manners is practicing them until they are second nature, said Evans. She encourages her students to put them to use as often as possible. Parents need to reinforce what children learn in their classes by encouraging them in everyday life to exhibit etiquette.
Her inspiration for starting this business came when she noticed a decline in gentility.
“Civility is the most important asset: It’s how you treat others,” she said. Evans is not a prim or stiff person but appreciates the finer things in life.
She has personally experienced some embarrassing situations that could have been avoided with etiquette classes earlier on. She tells how she gasped in disgust at a dinner party in France when, as guest of honor, a chicken was placed before her with its head intact. By preparing students for various situations, Evans said, she wants to prevent them from having to learn the hard way.
The best thing people will gain from etiquette classes is confidence and composure. “It is not going to make or break your world, but everyone around you will appreciate it,” she said. She hopes her students will be more successful and better liked in the future because of her little hints on manners.
For inquiries, call 302-684-0440.
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