Etiquette has not lost its importance in a culture of cell phones and nose rings, stressed Cornell lecturer Brian O. Earle '68, M.P.S. '71, in his talk, "Sensible Civility," July 2 in Alice Statler Auditorium.

About 90 people gathered to hear Earle present the first talk in the summer lecture series sponsored by Cornell's School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions. Earle, who recently retired as a senior lecturer in communication, taught the virtues of proper etiquette for more than 25 years in his business courses.

Speaking on appropriate manners for both social and business situations, Earle enumerated the benefits of civility to the individual and the community. Citing research from Johns Hopkins University, Earle noted that general politeness correlates with such positive cardiological and neurobiological effects as low blood pressure.

"We are truly judged by our competencies," he said, emphasizing the importance of etiquette in the interview and recruiting process and how etiquette translates to success in careers in any field.

Citing a USA Today article, Earle said, "The CEOs say watching an employee treat a waitperson is like a window into their soul." He joked that everyone is courteous to the CEO, but "if they treat [the wait staff] poorly, odds are they will not be a very productive supervisor to their own individual employees."

In providing a brief history of etiquette, Earle said that the word itself is French for ticket and came into use as a concept for appropriate social rules in the courts and palace of Louis XIV. Throughout his talk, Earle integrated popular culture references and humorous anecdotes from his students, pointing out how to behave and how not to behave while reinforcing that social rules are relevant today.

Using a slide presentation for visuals, Earle explained proper table settings, the purpose of certain utensils and some dining tips -- for example, always pass food to the right and salt and pepper together. He also offered polite methods to eat such foods as large cherry tomatoes in a salad or shellfish. He suggested that the audience be aware of what they order, and elicited both laughter and cringes when he revealed the true nature of such foods as tripe (cow's stomach tissue) and sweetbreads (thymus glands of lamb, beef or pork).

Earle suggested that if ever in doubt about how to behave, one should follow the lead of the host and never order the most expensive items on a menu.

In making introductions, Earle said the oldest female should be introduced first in a social context, but in business circles superiors are first. He suggested introducing people with a few simple facts about their personality or background to facilitate conversation. He also recommended being prepared with a 30-second personal anecdote to use at a social event when being introduced, noting the difficulty in thinking on your feet.

Laura Janka '09 is a writer intern at the Cornell Chronicle.