Life, 1889-07-04 · page 6 of 20
Life — July 4, 1889 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page This page contains several distinct items: **"Our Fresh Air Fund"** (left): A charitable initiative sending poor urban children to the countryside. The "before/after" images show a malnourished child transformed by fresh air—a progressive-era social welfare program satirized here as genuinely beneficial. **"A Victim of System"** (center): A brief satirical dialogue mocking rigid business hiring practices. A school-teacher applicant is rejected because their handwriting resembles a child's—absurd bureaucratic inflexibility presented as comedy. **Dragonfly cartoon** (right): Illustrates a humorous domestic scene where one insect tells another "Turn faster, Billy, this is going to be a hot summer"—likely weather-related humor unrelated to politics. The page reflects early 20th-century American concerns: child welfare, employment discrimination, and seasonal anticipation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: OUR FRESH AIR FUND Before After T is evident that there are hundreds of thousands of children in this city who are scarcely ever permitted to breathe the fresh air of the country or to enjoy country fare, or to get any of the enjoyments which the summer brings to the poor in the rural districts. ‘These little ones live crowded in the reeking tenement houses, scarcely able to sleep at night from the heat and smells, and eating quantities of unripe fruit and innutritious food,—.V, Y. 7imes. It is to these children, or as many of them as possible, that we are trying to give a chance for life and a taste of happiness by a visit to Previously acknowledged, Jno. A, Harris, Jr. GHB. 7 3 “Penny Ante—five-cent limit,” From Massachusetts, BiboHy. is: 3s Lele Hy Jonn. . From a well wisher, For Fresh Air Fund, Myra A, Potter, HEN you feel like calling a big man a liar, be sure you're right then use the telephone. R. CHILDS'S recollections of folks he has met the most agreeable, and give ground to the susp’ that persons whom Mr. Childs hasn’t met have a doubtfu' title to be considered “ folks” at all. L July a young man’s fancy heavily turns to thoughts of whether it is really worth while to hypothecate his chro- nometer and go to a summer resort, or whether he would better find some other way of spending his time of recreation. The bicycle, the yacht, the canoe, and even the use of one's legs in pedestrianism have so gained in popularity among young men that expen- sive days of dalliance at fash- ionable resorts have largely lost their attractiveness. Perhaps this accounts for the oft heard wail of there being ay no young men at the watering places, * . . ke HE spontaneity with which all of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Batten- burg’s new children are appointed colonels, is said to cause Colonels Watterson and Blackburn of Kentucky, not a little anxiety lest Mrs, A. E. Wettin shall wrest from the Blue-Grass State its military pre-emin- ence. A VICTIM OF SYSTEM. ANAGER OF INTELLIGENCE OFFICE: I am sorry, but I don’t think I could secure you a position, ma’am. Your handwriting is against you. APPLICANT: Why, I was formerly a school-teacher ! MANAGER: That's just it! Business men don’t want their letters sent out in the handwriting of a twelve-year-old boy. Miss Quito: TORN FASTER, HOT SUM JER, BILLY, THIS Is GOING TO BE A comicboo! ks.com