There is a right way to court a woman and there are several other ways. This publication concerns itself exclusively with the first. It has been our observation, over seventy-one years of continuous publication, that the young men of today approach the matter of courtship with an enthusiasm that one can only describe as unnecessary.
A man of plain character does not require enthusiasm. He requires a pressed collar, a reliable automobile, and something reasonable to say. These three things, combined in the correct proportion, have produced more successful marriages than any quantity of what our younger readers refer to as "personality."
— R.W. Franks, Vol. XLIV No. 2
We advise arriving at precisely the agreed upon time. Not early, which suggests anxiety, and not late, which suggests character flaws we need not enumerate here. Punctuality is the foundation upon which adequate relationships are built. Carol has confirmed this.
The matter of conversation presents the greatest difficulty for the modern man. He has been told, by sources we find unreliable, that he must be interesting. This is incorrect. He must be consistent. There is a significant difference. Interesting men are exhausting to be married to.
Topics suitable for courtship include: the weather (in brief), one's occupation (in general terms), and the woman's opinion on casseroles, which will tell you everything you need to know. Topics unsuitable for courtship include: opinions, ambitions, and anything that requires a follow-up question.
We have been asked, by several readers, how many times one should telephone before the effort becomes excessive. The answer is two. The first call establishes interest. The second call establishes character. A third call establishes a problem. Robert called Carol twice. They have been married forty-one years. This is not a coincidence.
This series continues in Vol. LXXI No. 4. A seven-part series on courtship began in Vol. XXXVII No. 1. Parts 2–7 are available at select locations.