Judge, 1923-02-03 · page 8 of 36
Judge — February 3, 1923 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Skiing America First" by John Held, Jr. This humorous piece satirizes 1920s skiing culture in America. The top sketch depicts someone being dragged behind a runaway horse while on skis—absurdist comedy suggesting amateur skiers have no control. The caption "ski-daddle" (likely "skedaddle") and the warning about "swift and sudden stops" mock the dangers inexperienced skiers face. The lower section, "A Seasonable Thought," presents ironic observations: in summer we walk on our feet, in winter we "sit throughout the day"—likely referencing both the sedentary nature of winter and skiers repeatedly falling or remaining prone. The bottom illustrations show various people in winter clothing, some apparently falling or struggling with skis, reinforcing the visual gag about winter inactivity and skiing mishaps. Held's characteristic style emphasizes the comedic collision between ambitious "America First" industriousness and the practical reality of clumsy outdoor recreation during winter months.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Skiing America First A Few Cold Sketches by John Held, Jr. Up Sg Hitch up the old plush mare, Keep moving. That's the get into a pair of skiis and slogan. It’s the swift and skii-daddle. sudden stop that is to be avoided. \ A Seasonable Thought In summer, when the weather’s hot, We walk upon our feet a lot; In winter, quite the other way, We often sit throughout the day.