A. The president of a young ladies class should be addressed “Madam President.”
Q. Should the mail of a Congressman be addressed Hon. or The Hon.?
A. In addressing a Representative in the United States Congress, the form is The Hon. In addressing a Senator, the envelope should read Senator, etc.
Q. Was it ever correct to say Mrs. Senator and Mrs. Secretary, as for example, Mrs. Senator Borah?
A. Edna Colman in “Seventy-five Years of White House Gossip” quotes from the account of the Lincoln Inaugural Ball, published in the New York Times. The article uses the phrase “Mrs. Secretary Welles,” “Mrs. Postmaster General Dennison,” “Mrs. Senator Harris.”
Q. Should a woman be addressed as Mrs. Dr. Blank?
A. The wife of a physician does not share his title. She is addressed as Mrs. Blank. If she is a physician herself she is known professionally as Dr. Blank, and socially as Mrs. Blank.
Q. Is it correct to say man and wife when husband and wife is meant?
A. The use of man in the sense of husband has the sanction of time, dating back to about 1300.
Q. What is a salaam?
A. The salaam is the common form of salutation among Mohammedans to those of their own faith. The full salutation translated is “peace be unto you” and the reply “and unto you peace.”
Q. When presents are given at a birthday party, should they be opened or kept until the party is over?
A. It is customary to open a gift immediately upon its receipt. The fact that presents are offered at a birthday party does not affect that custom.
Q. My daughter is going on a visit to a distant city in which lives an old friend of mine who is an unmarried man. In what manner should I request this friend to call on my daughter?
A. The most usual way of inviting a friend to call upon a visiting daughter or relative in another city is by a personal letter recalling the friendship and saying that it would give you pleasure to have your old friend make the acquaintance of your young daughter.
Q. When monograms are used should the initial of the last name appear in the center or in natural order?
A. This is a matter of choice. Often the letters lend themselves to one or the other with better effect and balance. When the initial of the surname is in the center, it is usually larger than the other ones.
Q. When writing a social letter on a typewriter, should one sign one’s name with the same?
A. It is not considered good form to write a social letter on the typewriter. If, however, one has done so, it is not permissible to type the signature unless it be placed under the written signature. This is sometimes done when handwriting is a little illegible. A social letter should be signed, “Yours sincerely, Louise Carter Smith.” If there is need of identifying the writer as the wife of her husband, the woman writes in parentheses to the left of her signature (Mrs. W. H.).
Q. What should a person do who is invited to a bridge party and would like to go but does not play the game?
A. If you are invited to an auction bridge party and are not sufficiently well versed in the game so that you will not be an embarrassment to yourself or to other players you should decline the invitation. It is not in good form to plead ignorance of any game of that
