Judge — June 16, 1923 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This allegorical cartoon depicts Death (skeleton figure) climbing a ladder toward clouds, carrying what appears to be a graduate or young person. The ladder's rungs are labeled with subjects: "Alma Mater," "History," "Poetry," "Greek," "Latin," and "Science." The satire critiques the educational system and its perceived failures or dangers facing the Class of 1923. The "Barbarian" label at the base suggests the cartoon warns that classical education (Greek, Latin, History, Poetry) is inadequate preparation for modern times, leaving graduates vulnerable or unprepared for the future—hence Death awaits them. The cartoon likely reflects post-WWI anxieties about whether traditional education equipped young people to survive in a transformed world.