Judge, 1922-09-23 · page 3 of 36
Judge — September 23, 1922 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Seniority in the Home" This 1922 satirical piece depicts the tension between family hierarchy and workplace strikes. The article's narrator—a striking worker—claims he'll forfeit seniority rights at his job to maintain domestic authority at home. He promises to transfer "privileges" like turning off the alarm clock and removing ashes to his eldest son, but only if allowed to retain his position as "head of the family" and "carving" authority at dinner. The satire mocks masculinity anxiety: the working man fears losing domestic power as readily as workplace seniority. The accompanying schoolhouse illustration with the caption "There's no school like an old school" reinforces the conservative point—traditional family structures (paternal authority) are as valuable as traditional education. The piece suggests 1920s debates about changing gender roles and labor organization.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” er eA Seniority in the Home by J. D. McMaster AM on strike, but when I go back to the job, I shall be perfectly. willing to forfeit all of my seniority rig! job is acting as father, head of th \ and in this c y certain prerogatives > mine. These I am now willing to give up. For one thing, I would forego the privilege of turning off the alarm clock in the morning and waking the children; and of removing the ashes in the evening and walking the dog. To my eldest son I transfer these privileges. I also agree to forfeit all priorities on Sunday morning to the classified adver- tisement section of the newspaper, which has heretofore been my sole allotted share. And Thereby renounce my right as head of the family to do the carving. As to my position of watchdog of the treasury and family paymaster, I abdicate. In other words, I quit. The seniority issue is a dead one as far I am concerned. I voluntarily release my. seniority rights, Let the next man take them—only let me out! There’s no school like an old school comicbooks.com