Life, 1891-07-09 · page 5 of 14
Life — July 9, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 5 This satirical page mocks early 1900s college culture and leadership. "Commencement Time" depicts colleges releasing graduates to solve world problems, with captions suggesting optimism about their impact. The central text ridicules a "Little President" (likely Theodore Roosevelt) for scheming "with all his little might," suggesting his ambitions exceed his capacity. A reference to Lincoln's advice about pictures implies criticism of his public image management. "A Worthy Tribute" (left) appears to mock admiration for political figures. "The Seals Bear Friends" (right) uses animal caricatures—possibly representing political rivals or allies—in a humorous scene. The overall tone is skeptical of both youthful idealism and political leadership, typical of Life's satirical approach to American institutions and personalities of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
iis “C RHI Ze TEN ez MAKS To THYSELE FRIRNOS OF jon F he Unleiercr ROUSNRSS. YYORTHY TRIGUTA E_ rest easier. The colleges have turned loose their annual flocks of world-savers. Problems which have re- mained unsolved since the world began will now receive the needed attention from these well-equipped minds and everything will run better. UR little President is scheming with all his little might, His Presby- terian mind may revolt {rom some of the necessary intimacies, but His Littleness is also enough of a Jesuit to think more of the end than the means. AFTER looking on His Litveness, a perusal of Mr. Schure’s magazine article on Lincoln, irresistibly suggests Hamlet's advice to his mother in the mat- ter of pictures. [§ consideriog Wales's case wo ought to take some account of the influence of heredity. It would require a considera- ble dilution of the blood of the Georges to bring one of their descendants up to the normal of respectability. WHEN John and Jonathan join forces they make a great team, With them for defenders, the inoffensive seal stands a chance of carrying on his domes- tie affairs in peace. HE Harvard crew had an excellent opportunity to study the working of the Yale men's dorsal muscles. SS THR SEALS OFAR FRIENDS. comicbooks.com