Teaching manners to young students

We received a lot of positive feedback from our story Saturday about a visit to Lawry's steakhouse by a group of Compton students, including the Gentlemen Scholars -- a group of boys trained in etiquette.

"I am so glad to see that there are people making the effort to pass on the etiquette of being a gentleman," a reader said in an e-mail.

"Now THAT is an anti-gang program!" wrote another reader. "Why can't our civic leaders figure out what Principal Sanderlin already knows? I hope she is planning on taking her students to other activities as well. Where can we send donations?"

In fact, the George Washington Carver Elementary School principal, Jacqueline Sanderlin, says other activities are planned for the Gentlemen Scholars, including trips to a college, county courthouse and professional basketball game. She also plans to start a similar group for girls next fall.

Sanderlin said this morning that since the story ran she has gotten lots of e-mails, phone calls and even visits from people who want to help -- even fellow principals, some as far away as Palos Verdes.

"We have received a great response from individuals all around who care about our children of all colors, particularly children from the under-served communities," Sanderlin said.

Many of her students, she said, "don’t have fathers, whose parents are on drugs, foster children in groups homes. They have very sad stories, but they are very much survivors."

Lawry's donated the meal and kitchen tour, and the school district provided two buses for the event, Sanderlin said.

Donations may be sent to George Washington Carver Elementary School, 1425 E. 120th St., Los Angeles, CA 90059.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

-- Photo by Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times