Huntingdon Valley resident Gail Madison is bringing back the importance of proper etiquette.

Have you ever dreaded going to a fancy restaurant for fear of not knowing which fork to use? Do you avoid attending business-card exchanges because you never know what to say?

These situations can cause even the toughest person to worry. Proper etiquette can be a scary and vague thing. For a generation growing up without the staunch rules of the 1950s, simple social gatherings can turn into an intimidating prospect.

In the past, schools that dealt with manners helped women who wanted to become ladies. Now, manners are taught to men and women and address not only proper dinner table manners, but also how to handle yourself at job interviews and at company functions.

iT STARTED AT home

Gail Madison is director of The Madison School of Etiquette and Protocol. She started teaching manners to children and adults a couple of years ago, but manners have been a part of her life since she was a child. She grew up in a home where etiquette played an important role.

“We would ‘dress’ for dinner,” she explained.

The Huntingdon Valley resident has had 28 years of experience as an educator and last taught in New York. Her interest in etiquette and leadership skills never waned during her teaching days. She attended The Protocol School of Washington – the number one etiquette school in the country – where she was trained and certified.

It seemed natural for Madison to incorporate her mannerly ways into her teaching, so she decided that she could help others by spreading the word.

A school for manners may sound kind of old-fashioned to some people, but it is anything but old-fashioned. Madison teaches what she calls “leadership skills” that everyone should learn. She speaks at corporations and teaches them the proper way to deal with international businessmen and the differences in cultures.

“Corporations are finding a real need for this,” she said.

She also teaches adults how to “Dine Like a Diplomat,” where they learn the proper way to eat a seven-course meal, international table manners and how to entertain. Another course offered is called Outclass Your Competition, where she teaches students how to ace a job interview.

“Savvy people who are smart and have social skills have an edge,” she said.

Madison said that she isn’t trying to get everyone into manners; she is trying to get them to feel more comfortable in situations.

Catherine the Mannerly Cat

Children enjoy Madison’s classes the most. She teaches modern manners to children as young as age 4. To keep children interested, she uses her Catherine the Mannerly Cat – a pearl necklace-wearing hand puppet. She offers kids a three-part program where they learn The ABC’s of Meeting, Greeting and Saying Goodbye, Little Things We Say and Do and 1,2,3, Let’s Eat! The program is age appropriate and helps a child’s self-esteem.

Classes are also offered for children ages 8 to 12, teens and young adults.

Role-playing is a big part in almost all of Madison’s courses, and she believes that with practice, good manners should be automatic.

“People are very grateful,” she said. “They really want to know these things.”

Madison said that to have good manners, you should be kind, considerate and generous and know the rules.

“I know it opened a door for me,” she said of such knowledge.

Classes for the Madison School are offered at area restaurants and corporations and private homes. Prices vary. For more information, call 215-938-1178. ••