Life, 1905-03-23 · page 6 of 22
Life — March 23, 1905 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The illustration depicts a man (appears to be a teacher or authority figure) standing apart from a large group of sheep-headed figures, which is a satirical visual metaphor for students or the general population as mindless followers. The dialogue below mocks school discipline and authority, featuring characters like "Johnny Rockefeller" and "Henry Rogers"—likely references to wealthy industrialist families of the era. The satire critiques how schools indoctrinate children into obedience and conformity rather than critical thinking. The "flocks" metaphor suggests that authority figures (educators, clergy, or politicians) treat ordinary people as sheep to be herded and controlled. This reflects broader Progressive-era concerns about individuality being suppressed by institutional power structures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
\ndy, stop writing your name in at book. Don't vou know it to vou? sit belo Axpy (sullenly): | paid for it, tre: With your own money ? Axpy: Sure. I Lire: With money you earned yourself? Axpy: [got it—never y mind, teacher, whether [ earnec it or not. Pir gave it to him! xr: His) Unele Sam know because he gave us boys alla lot of change. Lire: Well, your Uncle Sam is altogether too good to you boys. Vm afraid he’s taught you its: some very bad he mw, Johnny Rockefeller, vou may tell us what vou know about the text, Thou shalt not steal.” Toumy Lawson: — Sneakie! Sneakie! Sneakic! Hexry Rocers: Don't vou call him any names, Bluster Bos- ton, or I'll bat you over the head. Lire: Order in the class. Lit- tle Johnny Rockefeller is the only real good boy among you. VENDING IIS FLOCKS, how nice and quict he sits, meek and gentle and good, I'd advise you all to follow his example. yimy Lawson: Better look out for him, teacher. [He looks like a good boy, but he'll lift your pocketbook if ke gets too close. I know him. He's the worst one of the bunch, He skinned me. Henry Re quiet. or I'll Tommy Lawsox: Pooh! - mrs: You keep ain't afraid of you. Everybody knows what vou are! Hrexey Rocers: Tattletale, tattletale Tommy. Lire: TM dismiss the class unless you are better, ow, Johnny, what do you under- stand from the text, “Thou shalt not steal’ Jouxsxy RockereLLer: Steal- ing is a great sin and very naugh ty. It should not be indulged in by the great majority of people. Lirt tions? Jouxxy: Oh, ves. Once ina There a re then excep- while the good Lord chooses one person who may take from the thers all he can get because he’s consecrated to the service of the Lord, and he’s wise and good and smart enough to know what to do with it. way Lawsox: You make me sick. Didn't [ see you ina back alley the other day robbing alittle girl of her dinner pail ? Jounsy: service of the Lord. Henry Rocer It was done in the That's right. Johnny knows his — business. You'd do the same thing if you knew how. Pierroxr: Johnny's all right. He's been good to me. Axpy: Johnny has the right idea. Jouxsy Gares: He's hot stuff! Tomy Lawson: Don't you believe ‘em, teacher. They're a gane of crooks. Lire: Now, children, The someone, and Lam afraid that it’s Mr. Jerome. So run aw r quietly as you can before ¥. get raided. Tom Masson. comicbooks.com