The sounds of cello music and the shuffling of feet echoed in the halls of the Governor's Mansion at the conclusion of the 2014 Manners at the Mansion program on Monday.
"The Bouree" by George Frideric Handel played as children and parents made their way to the properly set tables to begin the formal luncheon that ended the course. The music later overshadowed the sounds of forks and knives on glass plates and quiet conversations of families, but the sounds that went unheard were also notable.
The noise absent from the meal included the alarms of cell phones with new text messages, the arguing of children and scolding from adults who wish for nothing more than proper etiquette at the dinner table.
"I think it (Manners at the Mansion) is an excellent opportunity for children to experience something that they might not experience otherwise," said Martha Jobe, docent and host for the program. "It just teaches them how to handle themselves properly, which generally builds self-confidence and makes them more comfortable in a lot of different situations."
A docent is a volunteer who host tours and educates the public about the mansion, Jobe said.
The program is for 8-to-12-year-old children from across the state and usually has about 30 attendees, she continued. The course started in the early '90s during the first term of Gov. Mel Carnahan. It stems for the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and is managed by the Friends of the Missouri Governor's Mansion.
"Overall the children here are showing delightful manners. They seem very receptive to everything we have had to say," said Patty Morrow, retired Jefferson City public school teacher and instructor for verbal communications and mobile manners segment. "One of the things we stress to the children is that kindness and manners never go out of style. Just as with writing and reading and any other skills, learning manners is learning a skill. We can learn it, we can practice it and we can become better at it."
Morrow and her co-instructor provide examples of good and bad manners to their class while discussing proper communication habits. They also encourage the students to be involved and ask questions about the lessons.
"They have asked some very insightful questions," Morrow said. "And we have done a lot of role-playing. That keeps the kids having a little more fun when they see two older ladies being silly. I think the kids like that."
The students at the course learn to properly introduce themselves, set a table, behave at the table, compose a "thank you" card, and cell phone etiquette. The mobile communication course, or cell phone etiquette, is the newest addition to the program and is much needed because not every child has a cell phone, but most children want one, Morrow said.
"It was fun, I liked it," said Monica Corey, a young girl in a stripped blue dress that had never been to the mansion before that day. "I liked that we got a chance to try out table manners and we got the set the table. I am probably going to go again next year."
Before the luncheon Monica greeted her mother, Mary Corey, on the steps of the mansion with a proper introduction.
"I think it is fabulous and wonderful," Mary said about the program. "She (Monica) seems well behaved, and that is not a whole lot of change, but it is a little bit ... This is my first experience with this event and it was actually my father who was really interested in it, but I had heard about it before and I have heard good things."
The noise before the luncheon was abruptly ended by the sound of a bell, which preceded a short speech from Cindy Von Camp, docent and instructor. In her speech she addressed the importance of kindness, hospitality, consideration and the honor of being a host. After she concluded her speech the cello began and men in black tuxedos and white gloves served the first course of many for the formal luncheon.
Manners at the Mansion will continue with new classes on June 11 and 12, but registration for this year's program is already closed.