BANGOR – In German, there are two verbs to describe the act of eating. “Essen” means to eat in a proper fashion, like a civilized human being. “Fressen” means to eat in an uncivilized manner – that is, to eat like a pig.

At Husson College last week, a group of students learned the finer arts of “essen”. At the school’s annual etiquette dinner, the goal was to educate students on how to conduct themselves at a business or formal dinner.

Mike San Antonio, director of Husson Dining Services, says knowing proper dinner table manners is a valuable skill anywhere in the world.

“We want to give students a sense of confidence in a fine dining situation,” San Antonio said. “Many students will be faced with business dinners once they enter the work force, and it’s important for them to be prepared for that.”

The four-course meal, prepared and served by Husson Dining Services, featured rolls, a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, chicken cordon bleu with julienne carrots and roasted potatoes, and peanut butter pie for dessert. In place of wine, sparkling cider was served.

Most students did not know anything beyond dining etiquette basics – or whatever your mother told you growing up – napkin goes on lap, try not to put your elbows on the table, and don’t shovel food into your mouth like you were competing in an eating contest.

Learning that placing your fork, tines down, at the nine o’clock and three o’clock positions on your plate signals to your server that you are finished with your meal, was a revelation for nearly everyone eating that night.

“We’ve got pretty poor table manners,” said Derek Carter, a business administration student from Hancock. “This is definitely stuff I’m going to remember.”

Before the meal, students watched a 25-minute video on table manners, learning, among other things, when it is and is not appropriate to order alcohol with a meal (for the record: don’t, unless everyone else is, and then only one drink).

“There was a lot of stuff on the tape,” said Misty Lavigne, an elementary education student from Greenville. “I don’t know if I caught all of it, but I got a bunch.”

San Antonio spent part of the time talking about the basics of wine to the students, including explaining the real reason why a wine steward presents the cork to the diner. It’s not to smell the cork, but rather to examine the year printed on it so you know whether or not it’s a good vintage.

“I think this is making us more well-rounded,” said Stephanie Noyes, a second-year nursing major from Albion. “It helps us become professional.”

Kristen Berard, a junior physical education major from Waterville, said she’d take home a lot of what she’d learned.

“I’ll definitely be a nit-pick now,” Berard said. “My mom and dad will say ‘Wow, she’s turned it around. She’s proper!'”

Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.