Some say the art of a good conversation has diminished in today’s society that is so filled with technology.

An event Wednesday night aimed to provide the environment where 33 engaging, interactive, and insightful conversations could take place.

Discussion at the Helena Education Foundation’s annual Great Conversations ranged from “The Sacred Role of Trees” to the “Quran and the Culture of Women.”

A discussion leader sat at the table with a group of guests offering knowledge on the topic.

Jay Dufrechou is a local attorney who also has a doctorate in transpersonal psychology and led a discussion about dreams.

Analyzing dreams is one way to get in touch with what’s going on internally, he said.

Those at that table talked about their dreams and potential meanings behind them. At the end of the evening, guests at the “Dream On” table exchanged e-mails and are planning to form a dream group.

Eloise Christiansen, 76, of Helena sat the “What Makes the Great Books…Well Great” table.

“I’m delighted to be here tonight,” she said enjoying a piece of the cheese appetizer.

Christiansen reads about a book a week, which is less than her previous high of five books per week.

“I don’t read as much anymore because I’m old and lazy,” she said with a laugh.

Marianne Rencher and her husband, Kevin, sat at the “Who Gets to Kill the Salmon” table, led by Jay Weiner, assistant attorney general and expert in water litigation.

Weiner guided guests through the details of the Columbia River salmon litigation and the issue seeking to balance tribal rights, the worth of a species and other environmental issues.

“I learned a lot about water rights of Montana and the problem of endangered species on the rivers,” Marianne Rencher said.

Rencher said the table size was nice because it allowed everyone to participate. As a woman who has put her professional life on hold to be a stay-at-home mom, she welcomed the adult conversation.

“I would have never had this conversation – I would have never discussed this (without this event),” she said. “It made me think about something I don’t normally think about.”

Twenty-one-year-old Rachael Green agreed with Rencher.

Green is a senior at Lewis and Clark College in east Asian studies who sat at the “By Oar and by Sail” table, which held a conversation about ingenuity, endurance, cooperation and travel.

“I was excited about how stimulated I was because it was with a topic I wasn’t very familiar with, but the two hours flew by,” Green said.

Elton Anderson, otherwise known as Mr. Manners, led a table discussion on “Please, Thank You and other Foundations of Civilization.”

Before the event got started, Ray Flaherty was worried he’d get scolded for putting his elbows on the table or using the wrong fork, but that never happened. Part of having good manners is being kind and being polite without judgment. The key to being polite, Anderson said, is not to have any embarrassments arise.

The rule of thumb is “treat everyone the way you want to be treated,” Anderson added.

The four key components of good manners are composure, consistency, observation and discretion, but he also gave attendees tips like how to eat a salad without getting greens in your teeth.

Cell phones were a topic of discussion at the manners table, and Anderson said the best approach is to not have a cell phone in a restaurant, but if a call must be made or answered one should do so outside or in the restroom.

Sunni Phillips of Helena said when she’s annoyed at people who have bad phone etiquette, she voices her unhappiness, while Beverly Tatz tends to just keep quiet.

Anderson said the best approach is to tell a manager your concern and let that person handle the situation.

HEF Executive Director Lisa Cordingley was pleased with the table topics this year and credits the committee.

“We had interesting array of subjects,” Cordingley said. “It fell together nicely.”

Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com