Life, 1917-05-10 · page 15 of 46
Life — May 10, 1917 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains humor about social pretension and parenting advice from the early 20th century. **"Little Speeches for Great Moments"** mocks a self-important man boasting about his accomplishments (millions of dollars, founding a college, world travel, scientific work) before finally revealing his one genuine achievement: raising a potato. The satire targets wealthy people who inflate their importance. **"The Bear That Walks Like a Man"** cartoon depicts a well-dressed character in a suit and hat—an anthropomorphic bear presented as absurdly human. **"Notes to Mothers"** offers period-typical parenting advice emphasizing strict discipline: don't praise children excessively, occasionally slap them for misbehavior, quote sayings to friends to shame them into obedience, and expect emotional self-control. The tone reflects early 1900s attitudes toward child-rearing that would seem harsh by modern standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIF E* Little Speeches for Great Moments (On Raising a Potato) F LLOW Gardeners, Proud Relatives and World at I 1 stand before you to-day in all humility, but with a strong sense of my own value to humanity. I ha’ as s of you know, attained some previous success in life. 1 made millions of dollars; have founded a college; have maintained a ave incurred and supported a family; have ex- have several wife in nervous luxury; plored the Nile; have translated various New Y« lects into English; have visited both Poles and the Ne... have made several expeditions into the fourth inner cirel dimension, and have written books on Darwinism, the ystem, the Cosmic semble and Vers Libre. But not until this hour, not until this moment have I lunar reached the true pinnacle of immortality. To-day, my friends, I am a rich man; a successful man; ayreat man, I have raised my first potato. 1 thank you Language \T: The doctors say O'Brien is afflicted with “ rheuma torial arthri whatever that may be Mike: Oh, that’s Latin for “ Mrs. O’Brien,” I imagine! THE BEAR THAT WALKS LIKE A MAN wore “THOU ART LAUGHING, 0 METHUSELAH. WHAT CAUSETH THY MERRIMENT?” “HA! HWA! WHEN I BETHINK ME OF ALL THE ATTENTIONS 1 HAVE RECEIVED DURING NINE HUNDRED YEARS FROM RELA- TIVES WHO WOULD PAIN INHERIT MY SHEKELS, 1 NEEDS MUST SMILE.” Notes to Mothers TIOUS mother says “Don't” at every The fact that the child pa goes to show that he values his mother at her co? opportunit: tion merely true worth, Never fail to slap a child on the slightest provocation. A slap in time” frequently places a child in the reform school, from which he may graduate to the “ pen.” By all means quote the s: your friends, praising his “cuteness” and teaching him current slang. Thus you can hardly fail to raise a “smart” youngster who will prove the terror of your asso- ys no atten- yings of your child openly to ciates. When your child is restless and unhappy, do not be so foolish as to show him how to do useful things,-but speak to him sharply and give him money to spend. Don't let anyone talk you into wasting time with your children. There are plenty of friends without seeking them under your own roof. . Expect of your child the self-control which you have never attained, and you will wonder why children are nat- urally so ill-tempered. Grace G. Bostwick. comichooks .com