Life, 1901-05-09 · page 1 of 20
Life — May 9, 1901 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, May 9, 1901 This page features a single illustrated scene with the caption: "Said: TEACHER, THAT BOY SAYS I AM A LIAR! 'WELL, WHAT ARE YOU?'" The cartoon depicts a schoolroom confrontation. A teacher (represented as a classical female figure on the left) presides over a dispute between two boys and gathered schoolchildren. The humor is a logical trap: when a student accuses another of lying, the teacher's response—"Well, what are you?"—implies the accuser is also a liar. It's a classic children's joke about the absurdity of tattling and playground conflicts, suggesting that those who complain about dishonesty may themselves be dishonest. The ornate border contains various classical and mythological imagery typical of Life's decorative style. This appears to be gentle satirical humor about childhood behavior rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXXVII. NEW YORK, MAY 8, 1901. 2) NUMBER 966, Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1900, by Lirg PUBLISHING CoMPaNY. Sam: TEACHER, THAT BOY SAYS 1 AM A LIAR! “WELL, WHAT are you?”