Judge, 1920-07-17 · page 9 of 36
Judge — July 17, 1920 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Versatile Vergie" Explained This illustrated verse by William Wallace Whitelock satirizes the "New Woman" of the early 20th century—specifically, a young woman named Vergie who possesses multiple talents and accomplishments (athletics, languages, mathematics, music, art, flirtation). The satire's point: Vergie's very versatility becomes her fatal flaw. While she excels at everything—bridging, skiing, golfing, Greek, French, Spanish, mathematics, singing, and hairdressing—her inability to commit to a single role (particularly marriage) makes her unmarriageable. Multiple suitors seek her hand, but she rejects them all, declaring she's "too ver-sa-tile." The joke mocks both the ambitious "modern woman" and male expectations: her accomplishments are impressive yet frivolous, and her independence is presented as romantic dysfunction rather than virtue. This reflects period anxieties about educated, talented women who didn't fit traditional domestic roles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Versatile Vergie By Wiuias Wattact Wuitetock Illustrations by : eae} Lauren Stout V ISS VERGIE VIM «as Ste “bridged” and “s rs eat and slim, she “golfed” and ‘‘tea'd,” With waist and ankles slender; None half so well or zealous; Her eyes were brozen, to match her She played with skill, she sang gown, until Her smile was deep and tender The nightingales were jealous. HE took up Greek and soon could speak Instyle and manner Attic; Her French was pure, her Spanish sure, With genders not erratic HE could extract—this is a fact— JO art was there from dressing hair The thirty-second root To flirting—none deny it— Of zero, though it stood below Which she could not learn on the spot A minus sign, to boot If she'd a mind to try it Pe men, of course, turned out in force RB": Vergie said, and shook her head: To worship and to court her; 4 “Although I like your style, They'd all be proud to be allowed, I never can wed one lone man— hey told her, to support her. I am too ver-sa-tile!”