Amy rbilt’s Etiquette Many secretaries write me concerning office etiquette. “Dear Miss Vanderbilt: As secretary to the superintendent of this company I have many occasions to introduce sales representatives and other people to my superior. In announcing them to the superior or Amy Vanderbilt rather introducing them to him, exactly what procedure should I follow? As the representatives are there for the purpose of selling their services to the company you introduce them to the superintendent rather than vice-versa. You say, “Mr. Nye, this is Mr. Jones of the Clark Company; Mr. Jones, Mr. Nye.” “Dear Miss Vanderbilt: I am so confused about introductions that I get into positive panis. Here are my new questions: “(1) A new, young girl starts in the office. I must introduce her to my boss. Also to the other men and women, all older. What do I say? “(2) My young brother comes to see me at the office. How do I introduce him to the boss and to the other girl I work with? She is 15 years older than my brother. “(3) If a date comes to my house, what do I say when he meets my mother? “(4) One day my mother met me after work at the elevator and we saw one of the men from my department. I wanted to introduce them but instead I said nothing. To this day I am very ashamed. I didn’t know how to introduce them. Please help. - S.M. Chicago.” (1) In the first instance you say, “Mr. Jones, this is Miss Burke who is starting with us today in the secretarial pool (identify her properly).” (2) Always introduce the younger man to an older man, an inferior to a superior. You say, “Mr. Jones, this is my brother, Tom.” (He knows your last name and if your brother is old enough he probably will reply, “How do you do, Mr. Smith”). Your boss may well say, “How do you do, Tom,” especially if your brother is quite young. (3) When a date calls and is to be introduced to your mother, you say, “Mother, this is my friend, Albert Anderson; Albert, my mother.” If your mother’s name should be different than yours you say, “My mother, Mrs. Holmes.” (4) There was no necessity to introduce the man from your department to your mother if you just met in passing and he seemed to be anxious to be on his way. If, however, he lingered and seemed to expect an introduction you should have said, “Mother, this is Mr. Moore from my department. Mr. Moore, my mother.” (Of course, he knows your last name or, if you think he may have forgotten it, say, “My mother, Mrs. Roberts”). People get into a panic over introductions mainly because they think they will forget everything they know about them when the time comes and because, too, they think they’ll forget the names involved. Everyone at some time forgets a name in introduction. When it does happen you have two alternative, either to say, “Do forgive me. I have forgotten your name - although I know it quite well,” or you mention the name that you do remember and slide over the fact that you haven’t mentioned the other. (Miss Vanderbilt, author of