Judge — July 29, 1916 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This beach scene satirizes college hazing practices. The caption reads: "Students must find it mighty difficult to take some of these college p[ractices]" (text cuts off). The cartoon depicts what appears to be initiation rituals or hazing at the shoreline. An older bearded man sits in shallow water while younger people (likely college students) stand around him in various states of dress and undress. The scene suggests physical ordeals or humiliating ceremonies that college pledges endured. The satire targets the prevalence of hazing in American colleges during this era (Judge's heyday was late 1800s-early 1900s). The juxtaposition of dignified figures with awkward beach activities mocks how absurd and degrading these traditions were, while the caption's sympathetic tone toward struggling students implies criticism of the practice itself.