The British. Prim and proper and quite courteous, right? Particularly in contrast to the general deportment of their one-time colonists who, in so many foreign quarters, have deservedly been labeled “ugly Americans” because of their lack of civility.

Well, it appears a lot of Brits are as concerned as many Americans about expanding negative trends in social activity. In a recent article in the Baltimore Sun, Todd Richissin reported that Britain is striving now to reclaim the good manners for which it once was famous.

Wrote Richissin: “Britons have been doing a lot of soul-searching lately, and they don’t like what they are seeing: the coarsening of British society, which once enjoyed a reputation for refinement. That reputation might have been exaggerated, but there is little escaping that elements of the country have lost their veneer of politesse. Or, as a headline asked recently in the national newspaper, The Observer, which used not quite enough refinement for its question to be repeated verbatim here, ‘Why are you all so * rude?’

“Part of the answer, the government thinks, is that British school children are not being taught enough manners. And as part of an $18 million program, the Department of Education has developed a course that students here once would have been expected to pass with flying colors, a course on how to be civil.”

The Tight Little Island, a common term for Britain, could find it a bit easier than the United States to implement a “manners” program, providing the horse has not already fled the barn, as it seems to have done in many parts of America.

All this is well worth the try whether it is in Britain or the United States (and include France).

Among the Britons who are stewing about what has happened is Dulcie Tingay, 77, and obviously an old-timer.

“We used to be famous for our manners, didn’t we?” Tingay asks. “Now our behavior is quite like the sewer rats of London. We climb on each other and squirm for what we want with no regard for those we may be stepping on or offending. Recently on a shopping trip in London I was always bumping into rude people and barely heard a ‘pardon me.'”

“We have a massive problem with behavior from childhood right up to adulthood,” says Nick Seaton, chairman of the group Campaign for Real Education. “The problem, though, is the adults. What students once got from society, society is no longer providing, at least not enough of it.”

In the proposed classes, students will be taught how to forgive others, how to compliment classmates and how to interact courteously. They will be encouraged to talk about their emotions and will design “emotional barometers” to become aware of what is reasonable, decent and civil. The program has been tested on 3,500 primary school children and has had good results.

Americans who are just as fretful about our coarsening tendencies are hopeful similar steps might be taken over here. Those who oppose such a retrenchment say they are tired of hearing how “things were better in my day” from the likes of 77-year-old Dulcie Tingay.

But they were better, in Britain AND America, and those fortunate enough to have lived through those kindler, gentler times are hopeful ways can be found to bring back some of those “good old days.”