Judge — June 21, 1913 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# "The Sum of Human Happiness" This Judge magazine cover from June 21, 1913, presents satirical commentary on mathematics and human contentment. The illustration shows an adult man observing a cherubic child (depicted with wings, suggesting innocence or purity) writing equations on a blackboard. The child appears to be solving mathematical problems while the adult watches approvingly. The title "The Sum of Human Happiness" suggests ironic commentary—likely mocking the era's faith in scientific rationalism and mathematical solutions to social problems. The juxtaposition of childlike simplicity with complex formulas implies skepticism about whether human happiness can be reduced to mathematical calculation. This reflects early 20th-century tensions between scientific progress and humanistic values. The artwork is credited to Paul Stahr.