Life, 1908-11-19 · page 19 of 28
Life — November 19, 1908 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces reflecting early 20th-century gender anxieties: **"Love's Dividends"** is a romantic poem personifying romantic affection as financial investment, with monthly "payments" in hair, voice, and smiles—typical sentimental verse of the era. **"The Wrong Leg"** cartoon shows a man injured in a fall, captioned as "not covered by the accident policy"—a dark joke about insurance limitations. **"The Household Problem"** article satirizes college education for women. It mocks the tension between female intellectual development and domestic duties: while acknowledging women shouldn't be denied knowledge, it sarcastically suggests educated wives will annoy husbands with physics talk rather than focus on housework. The piece ironically argues household management actually requires more ability than academic study—a backhanded defense of women's education that ultimately reinforces traditional gender roles by implying educated women might become tiresome spouses. The tone reflects period anxiety about "New Women" gaining access to higher education.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Love's Dividends N January I behold My first receipts in yellow gold: I am Love's happy millionaire Because I speculate in Hair. In April comes a silver note Whose value only Love can quote: I am the broker of his choice,— In every deal I have a Voice. July,—my wealth still grows, The checks all have a tint of rose: I cash them in; Time never slips When [ am near enough to Lips. greater October brings me one more draft By Cupid duly autographed : A sight draft,—well I know his wiles! Iam a financier in Smiles. So, every year my fortune seems To bring fulfilment to my dreams: My dividends—all regular— Show what good stock, sweetheart, you are. —Julian Durand. T school children of Chicago have been under investigation, with the important discovery that girls can stand hunger better than boys. In the face of things this is encouraging. When it has (tha Fema THE WRONG LEG NOT COVERED BY THE ACCIDENT POLICY been duly proved that all the poorer children who go to school are underfed, then it stands to reason that the best way out of the dilemma is for the poor people of Chicago hereafter to girls instead of boys; on the theoryethat, scientifically speaking, they should move along the lines of least resistance. raise Sea ME TRIES IN VAIN TO LOCATE HIS COLLAR BUTTON The Household Problem The college girl who has spent three hours a day in solving a physics problem é has learned more than that physics problem! Nor is she likely when marri hushand with the trying de running household. —An Epi spa clergyman quoted in Good Housekeeping. AY be not, but she is more than likely to harass him with the try- ing details of physics. The main point in giving a girl a college education is not that she is necessarily any the worse for it, but that her husband may be. This would be a purely selfish point of view, if it were simply a question of a man’s comfort. To cut off a woman from the op- portunity of acquiring knowledge which later on may serve to amuse and occupy her, in order that her attention may not be distracted from the running of a household, would doubtless be consid- ered by some as a species of injustice. But are there any more chances for hav- ing fun than in runnjng.a household? If there.are. children, there ‘is immense diversion. There are lots of difficulties to triumph over, which make for self control and concentration, which women are said tolack. . To run a household well requires more ability than to read Greek or dabble in physics. It is a practical sort of physics in itself. “7 'M haying my auto painted.’’ “ What for?” “Tt makes every farmer proud to be seen towing it up a hill.’’ comicbooks.com