Judge, 1925-06-06 · page 3 of 36
Judge — June 6, 1925 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "The Old Swimmin' Hole (Up to Date)" This satirical poem by Judge magazine laments how modernization has ruined a cherished childhood swimming spot. The old swimming hole—once a free, informal gathering place for boys—has been converted into a formal "purity pool" with admission fees (half a buck), chlorine treatment, and regulations prohibiting nude swimming. The accompanying illustration titled "The Slate Ship" depicts families in a boat, contrasting the carefree past with commercialized present leisure. The satire critiques early 20th-century "progress": sanitization, corporate control of public recreation, and the disappearance of spontaneous, accessible fun. The poem nostalgically mourns lost freedom and simplicity, suggesting modernization comes at the cost of authentic childhood experiences and social equality.
📄 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 18659792 JUDGE The Old Swimmin’ Hole (Up to Date) T" old swimmin’ hole, where the gang used to stroll On hot summer days to keep cool, No more is beguiling, but lined with white tiling Ts now known as purity pool. The frogs and the lizards don’t flirt with your gizzards, The tadpoles no more run amuck; The old place: is wormless, disgust- ingly germless— To swim in it costs half a buck! No more do the crickets and bugs from the thickets Nip in our splashing d Our old pool is Grecian ¢ Venetian: esne, 1 slightly TI ling is aquamarine. The water is heated and properly treated, The turtles and snails are tabooed— But bring back those gay days— Utopian play days When Skinny and I swam there nude! AD. L. “The Slave Ship!" HAPPINESS** comicbooks.com