Life — February 8, 1906 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Tried Him Out" - A Professor's Critique This short story excerpt depicts a humorous exchange between a university professor and a young man applying for admission. The professor subjects the boy to a "test walk," remaining silent for extended periods while critiquing his conversation skills, physical appearance, and intellectual capability. The satire targets early 20th-century academic pretension—the professor's pompous evaluation methods and harsh judgments about the boy's commonplace observations. When the boy finally speaks freely, the professor dismisses his remarks as stupid, then contradicts himself by praising the same observations when repeated back by someone else. The joke exposes academic arrogance and the arbitrary nature of professorial judgment, likely resonating with readers frustrated by institutional gatekeeping.