Life, 1909-03-18 · page 9 of 32
Life — March 18, 1909 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The large cartoon depicts a fairground or carnival scene labeled "SAINT PASTIME," showing crowds watching entertainers. Below are several short pieces, including a St. Patrick's Day poem and articles on currency and mathematics. The "Our Money" section satirizes President Roosevelt's reported favor for debasing U.S. coinage by reducing precious metal content. It mocks this proposal by suggesting replacing various coins with Indian heads and other figures—a jab at what the author considers foolish monetary policy. The "Mathematics" piece critiques how modern education emphasizes abstract theory over practical skills, rendering students "unfit for the courses of modern schools, where broad orders are aimed at." These pieces reflect early 20th-century anxieties about government spending, educational reform, and changing American values.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
St. Pathrick’s Day! O" We'll do things up in proper style, St. Each Irish Each Irish St A glory for the Imrald Isle, Pathrick’s Day! an will wear a ti id will wear a smile, Pathrick’s Day! We'll form into a fine parade, St Pathrick’s Day! ‘Sull, nonetheless, I am afraid At each saloon we'll be delayed, We'll drink all things but lemonade, Oh, birth, St. praise St. Pathrick’s Day! the land that gave us Pathrick’s Day! But don't forget, amid the mirth, A people we of weight and worth, We'll earth, show St. the world who rules the Pathrick’s Day! THE SNAKE CHARMER Our Money It is reported that President Roosevelt is in favor of putting Lincoln's head upon the half-dollars.— fpaper Item. The President has just signed an order to put Lincoln's head ‘on the new issue of cents.—Later Newspaper Item, S we are all tired of the effigy of that French-Canadian trained nurse, cap and all, which appears on our coins, any change would be welcome; but why rout first the poor Indian from his last stronghold among us? Let us make a thoughtful and farsighted change. We would suggest for the gold pieces, Washington, the Maker of the Union; for the silver issues, Lincoln, the Keeper of the Union; but the wild Indian upon the copper cents should certainly be reserved for replacement, about fifty years hence, by the head of the great ex-Copper Roosevelt, the Up- holder of the Unions and Tommyhawker of the Trusts—a slouch hat would look as fierce as the feathers and the Liberty on the band might appropriately be changed to (executive) License. DA: What's your idea of a properly furnished house? Atice: A dozen packs of cards and a nest of bridge tables. Mathematics N a cruder generation the study of mathematics doubtless brought about a certain enlargement of the mind, but their unyielding precision renders them unfit for the courses of modern schools, where broad effects are aimed at For instance, tend to possess a child with the notion that two and two make four, regardless of the social, political or financial standing of the parties concerned; this only burdens him with more troublesome illusions, to be shaken off by hard experience. Better those humanities which (though it should be in virtue of their complete irrelevancy to the life of to-day) create no awkward prejudices. Ramsey Benson Drilling for “* The Seventeenth ” RILL INSTRUCTOR CASE Now, min, yez will take one stip to the rare, thin one to the front, thin one to the rare agin, an’ yez'll be as yez were before yez were as yez are now! mathematics ISTRESS: Here, Bridget, are a pair of trousers for you. Scevnwoman: Thank ye, kindly, mum Do ye happen to have a pair of corsets for me husband? comicbooks.com