Life — September 12, 1918 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Life magazine page from September 12, 1918, shows a classroom scene where a teacher instructs students using what appears to be illustrated materials or comics rather than traditional geography textbooks. The title "Better Than Geography" suggests satire about educational methods. The photograph, credited to Victor Chiarenza, depicts children engaged with visual learning materials during a lesson. Given the 1918 date—near the end of World War I—this likely comments on how illustrated magazines and comics were becoming recognized as effective educational tools, potentially superior to dry textbook instruction for engaging young learners. The satire appears to celebrate or mock this modern pedagogical shift toward visual media in schools.