Judge — June 29, 1912 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Betty in a Bathing Suit" This is a poem by Gordon Johnstone satirizing a young woman named Betty and her social conquests. The illustration shows Betty in a bathing suit, referenced in the poem's title and closing line: "There's nothing in the world is sweet / At Betty in a bathing suit." The verses humorously catalog Betty's romantic and social achievements—enchanting men like Aiken and various named acquaintances (Helen, Polly, Mona), participating in fashionable activities (bathing, dancing, church-going), and generally captivating suitors. The poem's tone is lighthearted mockery of 1920s flapper culture and female social mobility during this era, when young women gained unprecedented freedom in fashion, dating, and public life. The judge illustration style confirms this as social commentary on contemporary youth behavior.