Judge, 1923-11-24 · page 9 of 36
Judge — November 24, 1923 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers **"The Student at the Thanksgiving Game"** satirizes the academic underachiever who excels athletically. The poem mocks a college student who fails mathematics, logic, science, psychology, and languages but is a football star ("demon with the pigskin"). The humor lies in the contrast: his intellectual incompetence is irrelevant because his athletic prowess makes him a campus hero. This reflects early 20th-century American values prioritizing sports success over academics. **"Co-operation"** depicts marital negotiation around Thanksgiving dinner planning. Mrs. Johns wants an impressive meal for important guests (the Biggers), but Mr. Johns keeps suggesting ordinary options (vegetable soup, old-fashioned waffles, roast pork). The satire shows how husbands resist their wives' social ambitions while pretending to cooperate. Mrs. Johns ultimately gets her way through manipulation, and Mr. Johns ironically suggests ordering vegetable soup anyway—the very thing he initially opposed.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Student at the Thanks- giving Game by Edgar Daniel Kramer Ilustration by Charles Baskerville HOUGH he’s v Though he t in mathematics, ils in the parade, Though it’s really far from certain That he'll make the proper grade, Though trig is a maze of riddles Through which he is made to hunt, He’s a demon with the pigskin— You should see the bimbo punt! Though his logic has him baffled, Though his science has his goat, Though psychology is something That he thinks a madman wrote, Though you'll always find this fellow At the tail-end of each class, He's a wizard on the gridiron— You should see him forward-pass! Though he murders the king’s English Every time he uses it, Though his French enunciation Makes his poor prof throw « St; ‘Though to him there’s no distinction Between complex, graph or sine, He’s a lulu with a football— You should see him buck the line! Co-operation by James A. Sanaker se E WANT an exceptional meal when the Bigger family comes to dinner to-morrow,” said Mrs. Johns to her hus- band, “and I t your co-operation now in planning it. “Yeh,” replied Mr. Johns with a slight yawn. Did you hear what I said?” “Sure, you—you re dinner and you want some Now, I like vegetable soup—" Drawn by A. J. TREMBATH. It was on Thanksgiving Day when little Bobby decided to take up interior decorating in a serious way. “Nothing of the kind,” with some spirit.“ operation in planning a really different and important dinner for very epicurean people, the Biggers. not have vegetabl “How about old-fashioned waffles?” “Old-fashioned fiddle-sticks! You don’t ast thing about such matters, 1 if you wouldn't help the hit by suggestion. ed for your co- Of course, we can ad,” announced Mr. Johns, “has always been served at certain ions down where I come from.” Worse and worse,” moaned the poor wife. “If we dared to have an item like fruit salad on the menu, Mrs. Bigger would tell every member of our club and make me the laughing-stock of the com- munit No, we must make an effort to be individual.” “I like roast pork with apple sauce,” declared Mr. Johns with determination, “and I don’t care who knows it Everyone in town knows it,” retorted his mate impatiently. “That's why all the restaurants have roast pork and apple sauce seven days a week.” “And they all do good business, don’t forget that!” “You are impossible,” cried Mrs. Johns, “simply impossible. Here T ask the important people, like the J. Watson Bigger family to dinner and you don’t seem to take any interest in what we Id serve.” , listen dear,” replied Mr. Johns ‘Tl co-operate. We'll go down ardens and each gue: as they please. How’s that? “Oh, you're such a duck of a man,” sighed Mrs. Johns, “I knew you'd help me out if you o1 arted thinking. Your idea is splendic Il get a chance to order vegetable soup.” mumbled Johns. “What's that?” “T said there would be no dispute.” “Of course not! We always agree, once we've talked it over together.” may order comicbooks.com