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Mrs. Gooding: "Visiting in my girlhood among neighbors was frequent and more cordial and enjoyable than now. We would go in the morning about ten o'clock, have dinner, and remain until after tea before leaving

"How do I account for the decline of neighborly visiting? I think, in a great measure, the decline has been due to the multiplication of church circles, social clubs, and automobile rides. Each church denomination has four or five circles that meet once a week. Literary and music clubs and card parties have their meetings, and automobile rides are taken to surrounding towns, which may be reached by good roads. Then, too, the fixed changes of a household have to be taken into consideration, such as electricity, automobile upkeep, and gas. All this precludes the thought of frequent lavish entertainment.

"One of the regrettable changes, I observe, is the seeming lack of respect and consideration shown by young people toward their parents and old people. Boys and men do not exercise the same courtly manner toward girls and women as they formerly did. Just one incident to explain myself: Young men drive up to a young lady's home in an automobile, honk the horn, and sit until the young lady comes down to the automobile door. Men do not even observe the courtesy to get out of the car and help the girl inside. In my youth, such an engagement would be made first by a written note. If accepted, the man would go to the home, get out, walk to the door, ring the bell, and accompany the young lady down the walk to the automobile, open the door, and assist her inside and see that she was comfortably seated."
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