Judge, 1905-11-25 · page 16 of 16
Judge — November 25, 1905 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This six-panel comic satirizes how college education corrupts practical farm values. Farmer Milkskimmer sends his son Sam to college, expecting useful knowledge. Instead, Sam returns speaking in sports jargon—calling pig-chasing "chasing the pigskin" (football terminology), treating farm tasks like football plays ("touch-down," "offside"), and referring to himself as "half-back Milkskimmer." The joke mocks early 1900s anxiety that college made rural youth impractical and pretentious. Sam uses elaborate sports language for simple farm work, suggesting he's learned useless sophistication rather than real skills. The father's grudging admission—"I ain't got another gol dummed word ter say ag'in collidge eddication"—delivers the ironic punchline: despite the absurdity, the boy *did* accomplish the task, so perhaps college education has some value after all, however indirect.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
L Farmer Mitxstimmer—' Sam, show me what good my sendin’ ye ter collidge did yer—ketch thet pesky pig! He ‘s fer Thanksgivin'."” Sam—"'Sure thing, pop! ‘Chasing the pigskin ' is where I live."* 4. Sau—"’ Say, you don't observe the rules—this is positively offside playing |" ou automopig! I've got you headed for the old Sau—"‘A touch-down, dad! _I've delivered the goods.”” homestead, anyway. Never could it be said that half-back Milkskimmer Farwer Mitxsximmer— Thet ye have, Sammy. | ain't got another ever furnbled the ball. gol dummed word ter say ag'in collidge eddication.”” tn I” Off THE ADVANTAGE OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION. (COPYRIGNT 1906 BY JUOEE COMPANY PUBLISMERS, 226 FOURTH AVE. MEW YORK comicbooks.com