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Life, 1920-09-16 · page 40 of 44

Life — September 16, 1920 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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Life — September 16, 1920 — page 40: Life, 1920-09-16

What you’re looking at

This humorous story mocks the early 20th-century "efficiency expert" movement, when consultants claimed scientific management could optimize every aspect of life. "Wormsford," the visiting expert, embodies this absurdity: he systematizes the homeowner's book collection with numbered cards, reorganizes the kitchen to reduce "wasted steps," and calculates that furniture placement wastes "thirteen percent" of evening energy. The satire's point is clear: the expert reduces human life to quantifiable metrics and "energy units," treating homes as factories. The homeowner's response—literally throwing Wormsford into the garbage—represents popular frustration with this intrusive, dehumanizing rationalization of domestic life. Even in the garbage, Wormsford pedantically notes modern waste disposal trends, highlighting how the efficiency mindset distorts all perception. The piece satirizes misapplied scientism and expert overreach in everyday life.

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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LIFE. SL tT LS SI “Jafleur” Talc F exquisite purity, ground to impalpable fineness and per- fumed with “Jafleur’’—the latest exolic fragrance of the Vantine Perfumers. Price 35c Vantine’s Per- fumes and Toilet Requisites are for sale only by the best shops every where, If your favorite store can- not supply you, send your order direct, mentioning dealer's name,and we shall see that you are supplied. A. A. VANTINE & CO, Inc. NEW YORK [LAPT | A Visitor ORMSFORD came out to our house the other day. Wormsford is an efficiency expert. One of the best, we believe. We have no reason to doubt it. “Nice line of books you have,” he ob- “served. “I hope you have them cata- logued properly.” We said we had them catalogued prop- erly. “Let me see your catalogue,” he said. We let him see the catalogue. “What you need,” he said, “is a little box with cards. You must number every shelf. Enter the title on the card, with the number of the shelf, and duplicate in the book, thus. Go over them every week —you can do it if you make up your mind to take an hour or so off regularly. Will power! That's what counts. And see that they are in place. Then you can find any book you want at a moment's notice.” We promised to get a little box with cards. “This is a fine kitchen you have,” he said. “But the gas stove is in the wrong place, Let's see.” He counted off his steps from the sink to the stove, and then from the stove to the refrigerator. He made a rapid calcu- lation in a notebook labelled “ Things Worth Remembering.” “You are wasting two thousand and fourteen steps a year—just burning them up,” he said. “ Now, if you have the gas stove placed here—" We promised to have the gas stove placed there. We took him to the upper hall, which he surveyed rapidly. “Comfortable lounging place, this,” he remarked. “You must read a great deal here. What you want is a better table. The desk over there should be on this side. And the newspaper rack should be on the other side of the couch. Why, in one evening at home you will waste about thirteen per cent. of your energy units.” We promised not to waste any more energy units—on the hall. Then we usherel Wormsford out on the back porch and threw him over the rail into the garbage pail. As he rose to the surface he said: “They don’t use surface garbage pails any more. The consensus of opinion among our leaders is in favor of the un- derground type.” “There are other things that ought to be underground,” we chuckled merrily, as we put on our thirteen-year-old dressing gown and descended to our shiftless meal. LLM. Soliloquy of a Puzzled Voter E ; Cox E Ch "THE more 1 think of { Handing the less I think of { Harding Cox is the science of sight saving Q tometry relieves eye troubles by medium of scientific sight adjus through the aid of glasses, Have you had YOUR eyes ex ined lately? IF you do not know an opto in your locality write to this of and we will tell you the na several near you. Also reques! us the little “Conservation of Si booklet. It’s gratis. Associated Optometrists America, Ine. Home Office, 209% E. Bra Richmond, Virgiaia ‘ook for it where you ‘obtain your glasses “How soft your Gloves are, Mar There are reasons for the delicé “feel” of “BRAD” Sport Glov Quality materials ONLY, dr by hand methods that soften 4 leather to the velvet of bal cheek. “BRAD” Sport Gloves mold to! hand, look distinctive, wear R. E. BRADFORD, 12 Burr Gloves for. Men and Women Gloversville, t comicbooks ait |