Be sure it’s clear to the person to whom you are talking that the conversation is finished. Then replace the receiver gently. A receiver banged down may seem like slamming the door in someone’s face.

When my grandparents did some housecleaning a few years ago, they offered me this instructional booklet entitled How to make friends by Telephone and asked if I’d be interested in it. I estimate it to be from the 1940’s — it’s from an era when it was still proper to capitalize Telephone, much like the capitalization of Internet today, which will cease when it’s finally seen as a common utility (there’s already a crusade underway).

It has scribbles on some of the pages, probably from a relative of mine, maybe my mother when she was learning the etiquette of proper phone usage.

Click on the image to advance through the pages.

And remember: speak to the person at the other end of the line — not to the telephone — then you’re more apt to be pleasant and understanding.