Life, 1905-04-20 · page 10 of 28
Life — April 20, 1905 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts a Sunday school lesson where a young teacher attempts to instruct a group of caricatured adult men (identified as Teddy Roosevelt, Willie Bryan, Tommy Platt, Jacob Riis, and Booker T. Washington) as if they were unruly children. The joke mocks these public figures by portraying them as childish and argumentative—bickering over classroom rules, insulting each other, and refusing to behave. The teacher struggles to maintain order while the "students" prioritize personal attacks over learning. This appears to satirize American political and social leaders of the early 1900s, suggesting their public behavior was petty and immature rather than dignified or statesmanlike. The cartoon uses the metaphor of a chaotic classroom to critique their conduct.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
456 Vy eg | Hi} i| PRESENT IFE: Now, this br ildren, the text al, glorious morning is, ruler over ) any litle boy present who knows w the word ruler means ? Tomay Pratt: 1 de boss am guy know. It’s t is no doubt the But ed to here in its broader ing sense, can you tell the class ? Teppy: peror. Any man who sits upon a throne, orders the sun and moon Sure. It means em- to stop and the Senate to kowtow to him. Life’ Wittte Bryan ", teacher, he always was stuck on himself. He's the freshest boy in the whole class, anyway Shut up! I can lick y in the week Teppy you any You're nobody, a y! Order Littte Jacos Rus: Lit Order ! Teacher, it ain't fair to allow anybody to say anything Teddy Witute Bryan you do ? Jacos: I'll write another piece how much I love him against my chum Pooh ! What'll If you talk any more, telling Witte Bryan: Please don’t. s Sunday-School Class. ie Bryan, Tommy Platt, Jacob Riis, Booker T. Washington. I'll be good. Go What's a ruler ? Teppy: A rultr is an emperor, on, Teddy. who rides on horseback, lives in a la white house, and sallies out every morning to have a sham battle with the trusts He puts on the gloves with anybody, and ights bears Lire: who's this ? Tommy Piatt: He can’t come in here. He's black. Witte Bryan: What are you doing here ? Booker T. ( has just come in): Can't I sit here with you fellows ? Now — hello, anew scholar? Good. comicbooks.com