Life, 1920-03-25 · page 11 of 40
Life — March 25, 1920 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces about gender and social expectations: **"Soul Searchings of the Press"** (left column) critiques sensationalist newspaper headlines targeting women with questions like "Can the College Woman Love?" and "Can a Screen Vampire Make a Good Mother?" The author argues these headlines exploit feminine readers with trivial content, but acknowledges improvement in modern American press coverage. **The two cartoon illustrations** depict domestic scenes. The upper sketch shows a young woman with two men; the lower shows a man and woman at a doorway with the caption "AREN'T YOU GOING TO KISS THE LADY GOOD-BY, OSWALD?" / "IF YOU AIN'T GOT NO OBJECTIONS, MA, I'D RATHER KISS TH' DOG." These mock Victorian propriety and social courtesies around romance and leave-taking.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Soul Searchings of the Press HERE was a time, which some of us can remember, when newspapers were arro- gantly masculine, concerning themselves with matters fit only for the robust intelligence of men, and offering to feminine readers nothing but obituary notices and an occasional recipe. Those dark days are happily over, and the American press now appeals to American womanhood in headlines pregnant with emo- tion. Why these headlines should be interrogatory may puzzle readers who fail to under- stand the depths they probe, the great heart-secrets their searchings drag to light. “Can the College Woman Love?” “Can a Screen Vampire Make a Good Mother?” “Is the For- giving Wife the Average or the Ex- ceptional Woman?” When we have faced such subtleties as these, when we have mastered such enigmas, the psychology of sex lies bare before our eyes. We are wise with the wisdom of the initiated. There is a noble and enlightening benignancy in the handling of such delicate themes by the experts of the press. Dark doubts are forever laid aside when we read: “ The intelligence of woman does not blight her love. It makes it grow, increasing its beauty and endurance.” The daring originali- ty of this thought is sweetened by the hope it holds. To be assured that the especial breed of womankind known as the screen vampire is capable of attachment, not only for babies, but for “classical music and the quiet solitude of the country,” lifts a weight from our “ AREN'T YOU GOING TO KISS THE LADY GOOD-BY, OSWALD?” “IP YOU AIN'T COT NO OBJECTIONS, MA, 1’D RATHER KISS TH’ DOG.” “SHE MUST BE VERY Y “WHAT MAKES YOU TH “ SEE WHAT A SOPHISTICATED, BLASE EXPRESSION SHE WEARS.” hearts. Why fret over trivialities, like taxes, when the great purposes of life are clear. It is significant that these educational conundrums are seldom propounded about men. Nobody seems to care whether or not intelligence blights their love, or whether the forgiving husband is common or exceptional. One bold interrogator does indeed ask: “Will Candy-Eating Become a Masculine Vice?” But from the possibilities involved in such a query, imagination shrinks appalled. Agnes Repplier. Taking No Chances RAWFORD: I'd never think of spending any time at a popular re- sort unless I went there first to look it over. CrassHaw: In a case of that kind my wife always makes a preliminary visit to see how many gowns the other women are wearing. At a Recent Book Sale * HAT! Seventy-five thousand dol- lars for Venus and Adonis?” “Yes. But that’s nothing. I've known love stories to cost twice as much.” comicbooks.com