Life, 1916-11-16 · page 35 of 46
Life — November 16, 1916 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is satirical social commentary, not an advertisement. The left column mocks the 1920 New York City public school day by listing an absurdly exhaustive medical inspection schedule—vaccinations, serum injections for numerous diseases, spinal punctures, organ removals (tonsils, adenoids, appendixes, spleen, glands, teeth)—sandwiched around minimal academic instruction ("Reading, writing and arithmetic"). The satire critiques the era's obsessive medicalization of schooling and the prioritization of health bureaucracy over education. By the day's end, students are "dismissed" after being subjected to invasive procedures. The accompanying salary table compounds the joke: school teachers earn only $700/year while specialists (eye, throat, medical inspectors) earn $10,000-$15,000, suggesting priorities are severely misaligned. The Brunswick billiard table advertisement on the right is unrelated content typical of magazine layouts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Public School Curriculum — 1920—New York City AM 8:00 All-over examinations by medical inspectors, for both teachers and pupils. Binet tests. Vaccinations. Serum injections for diphtheria. Serum injections for typhoid fever. Serum injections for paratyphoid fever. Serum injections for whooping cough, Serum injections for the preven- tion of all accidents. Spines punctured—to find out if the child has any disease. Serum for infantile paralysis. Serum injections for boils. Serum injections for warts. Reading, writing and arithmetic. Clinical lectures. Tonsils cut out. Adenoids cut out. Appendixes cut out. o £ No Theatre Pa rty Tonigh t When Billiards starts on the Brunswick Home Table all other 12:30 Teeth extracted. engagements are off by mutual consent. Who wants to quit when 12:45 Spleen removed. luck is on his side—or if it's not, who doesn’t thirst revenge? serene eee is . Carom and Pocket fame plage among friends 1:15 Luncheon—under medical super- vision—in capsule form. at home are winning both sexes, old and young. Often the ee ee medical seuper- tide of victory is tumed, not by a skillful shot, but @ witty Lecture—" How to Take Care of tongue! Our Diseases.” . Physical exercises, Hair cut off by specialists. Nails cut by specialists. Serums injected for development into trades, professions and busi- wn ee HOME BILLIARD TABLES Lecture on serums, with illustra- tions. . ° . Lecture on how vaccine is made, $5_ Brings One On 30 Days’ Trial with illustrations, a Medical science lecture. \ JHY seek expensive outside amusements when Religious instruction. No Home Too Small a Brunswick will make your home the center a 12:15 Glands removed. Responsive reading, “ W: 1 esponsive reading, “ We are al Regardless of room, there's of social life? poor, miserable, discased creatures, and there is no health in us.” man's sie Brunswick thet wil Billiards costs nothing except for the table, and 10 he : easily ft your home. Superb- All-over examinations to see if no disease has been started during the day. School children dismissed for the day. ly built of beautiful oak orma- our plan lets you play while you pay. Com) csi pees, at coca ply. Playing Outfit of balls, cues, etc., included without Cushionsandscientifeaccuracy. eXtra cost. Bette ie. Decide right now to give your boys and girls this where and taken down quickly faanly training that keeps them home and cultivates whee 8 a in ploy _ social graces, . é perlec Library or Descy Fable , when in for Carom or — nga <o Today—Send This Free Coupon i, oe hommes with a 9 7 Unless you are sure which local store has th: - ff The SeRietaca ox” "ine Brunswicks, send for out free book today and.” gages All shown in our de luxe —_ see these handsome tables in actual colors. ¢ Goteteres billiard book. Sent free if you Read in this book the indorsements of parents, min- 4 irda 50 SCHOOL STAFF School Teachers per school of 500 pupils, Eye Specialists, Throat Specialists. Medical Inspectors. Nurses. Tooth Specialists. 25 Nail and Hair Specialists. write ot mail this coupon atonce. isters and doctors. See our low prices, easy terms and home trial offer. Don't wait—this book is " free. Mail this coupon NOW. The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Dept. 37F. 623-633 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago ” F natn SALARIES, Specialists, $15,000 per year. Medical Examiners, $10,000 per year. Nurses, $5,000 per year. School Teachers, $700 per year. | comicbooks.com