Life, 1897-04-15 · page 26 of 34
Life — April 15, 1897 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon presents a racist satire typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. It depicts a schoolmaster conducting a roll call of African students, with the caption joking that he must check attendance to ensure no monkeys have infiltrated the classroom. The humor relies on a dehumanizing comparison between African people and primates—a persistent racist trope of the era used to suggest African inferiority. The cartoon presents education in Africa as inherently absurd, implying both that Africans are animal-like and that educating them is a comical endeavor. The byline credits "Polichinelle," a stock comic character from commedia dell'arte, suggesting this represents supposedly universal humor rather than targeted bigotry. The page is primarily advertisements for American retailers (hosiery, millinery, underwear), with the cartoon serving as editorial content typical of Life's satirical approach during this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
b THE SCHOOLMASTER IN AFRICA. EVERY MORNING HE CALLS THE ROLL, TO ASSURE HIMSELF THAT NO MONKEYS HAVE SLIPPED IN AMONG HIS PUPILS. Sorncf) Constable A2Co, HOSIERY. | Men's Real Balbriggan Half Hose | The very best makes of | English & French Lisle Thread, Cotton and Silk Half Hose. Plain and Embroidered Fronts, Tartan Effects and Novelties, GOLF HOSE. CELEBRATED UNDERWEAR Ladies’ Underwear, Children’s Underwear, Men's Underwear. Broadway DH 19th ot. NEW YORK, Millinery Hats and Bonnets, for Carriage, Visiting or Walking Costumes, Imported and original designs. Untrimmed Gainsboro’s, Turbans, Toques. New Hats for Cycling, — fine Straw “ Alpine.” “Tyrolean” and “English Walking” shapes. Flowers in every tint of this Season's colors,—every variety of blossom and foliage. Children’s and Misses’ Hats. James McCreery & Co, Twenty-third Street, Broadway and Eleventh Street. —Polichinelle, Stern BroS | are now exhibiting in their Trimmed Millinery Dep’ts a choice collection of Ladies’ Hats, 'Toques and ‘Bonnets Exclusive Styles For Spring Wear West 23d St.