Life, 1918-03-14 · page 7 of 40
Life — March 14, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page addresses child misbehavior in early 20th-century America. The article's epigraph blames "sensational moving pictures, dime novels or cigarette smoking" for corrupting youth—reflecting contemporary moral panic about new mass media. The poem by Kenneth L. Roberts contrasts historical waywardness (Babylon, medieval London, Renaissance France) with modern American children, suggesting misbehavior is timeless, not uniquely caused by modern influences. The illustration by Will Harman depicts children playing war—one child says he's a "wounded soldier" who needs grape juice and medical care. This satirizes how children absorb and dramatize current events (likely WWI) through play, supporting the article's argument that childhood mischief predates modern corrupting influences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Concerning the Waywardness of Children “A great percentage of waywardness and evil in children ed cither to sensational moving pictures, dime novels or cigarette smoking.”"—A Minister, LTHOUGH in Babylon of old Ere London-town had struck its stride, When Frangois Villon sang in France Dime novels were unknown, ‘ine hundred years ago, His deathless chansonettes The youth of Babylon, I'm told, No Londoner had been inside Of love and laughter, sword and lance, Made countless parents moan. \ moving-picture show ; France knew not cigarettes And yet the little London child And yet the youths of gay Parce They'd swear—and run away... At naughtiness could shine! \s naughty were, and had, Those brats were just as had, in fact, — He was as wayward and as wild As even T was wont to be As yours, or even mine! When I was but a lad! Alte, Wounded Soldier: you SM W¥'p DIG ME OUT AND 1’b GET THE GRAPE JUICE AND THINGS comicbooks.com