The Good Citizen's Handbook: A Guide to Proper Behavior

by Jennifer McKnight-Trontz

IT'S YOUR DUTY! By practicing proper dental hygiene, cheerfully paying your taxes, and obeying even minor laws, you can ensure the prosperity of your family, community, and country. This crucial collection of real guidance from government, civics, and scouting handbooks of the 1920's-1960's shows you how.

Including:
✭ Penmanship
✭ Proper respect for authority
✭ Cleanliness
✭ The dangers of delinquency
✭ The importance of a meat diet
✭ The benefits of cheerfulness
✭ Why it's never right to poison
the neighbor's dog

Good Citizenship Starts with You!

Genres: Humor, Pop Culture, Nonfiction

140 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau]

A very different time and place...should be of particular interest to anyone in the social sciences. Sometimes we can learn more about who we (collectively) are by looking into our shared past instead of a hoped for future. Taken from books/pamphlets on how children should behave this is a look into a much different America.

[Chelinda]

A wonderful piece of social history. I plan on sharing it in the classroom while studying this time period to give the kids a sense of how citizenship use to be in our country. Although I must say the term "patriotic" will have an entirely new meaning after reading this book!

[Erika Mulvenna]

Great reading - snippets on the etiquette of good citizenry from a bunch of older articles and books.

[Monk Fish]

great stuff for a light laugh

[Susan]

Interesting read of civic behavior from the 1920's to the 1960's
Everyone likes to read this book at my house and have some laughs.

[Carl]

A little gem of a book.

[Mary Wood]

I love this book- should be in every civics class! Would be a great source for daily dialog, warmups, conversation starts and intro to civics lessons. Seems these are the characters we are missing toady.

Love this book

To Jennifer-

Hello, I purchased this book several years ago- and loved it then, love it still- I have it in my library at school. I teach high school Social Studies and English- I would love to have a set for my classroom- to use for civics/ELA lessons. I wondered if you have a source to purchase them economically in bulk for teachers?

Mary
mawood1961@gmail.com

[Kirk Coco]

This is a great book for your children to read to get the patriotic hood citizenship upbringing the kids of the 70s and 80s grew up with. Focusing on what you can do for your community and country, some may think it is too pro-American, but I think it is a perfect reflection of JFK’s ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

[Rich Walker]

Good book for kids to read.

[Hawthorn Mineart]

Compiled from real guidebooks on good citizenship from the 1920s-1960s, including information on the importance of a meat diet and why it’s never right to poison the neighbors’d dog, this handbook is funny in a completely straight-faced way.

[Bea Elwood]

Without any explination of the historical context I think the point of this book was greatly missed. Another book I've had on my shelf for a long time that I can now get rid of for good.

[Rachael]

Old propaganda about etiquette, cleanliness, etc. Really cool, awesome old values that make our current state of personal affairs look dirty and disastrous.

[Chad Lamb]

Funny, but good, patriotic reminders from the middle of the 20th century. It reminds you of how sad our patriotism has gotten in this country.