Life, 1920-11-25 · page 26 of 45
Life — November 25, 1920 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents **Life's weekly title-writing contest**—a popular feature where readers submitted witty captions for illustrations. The main image shows a formal social gathering (appears to be an elegant party or reception), and readers had until November 30 to submit titles in ten words or fewer, competing for prize money ($500 first place). The contest rules emphasize combining **humor and sentiment**. The accompanying smaller image depicts an airplane modified into a transport vehicle—an engineering innovation from World War I era. The brief "Bachelor's Club" dialogue at bottom is unrelated satirical commentary: a man named Brooks is depressed, so his friend warns he'll "go off and get married" as an impulsive escape—a common comedic trope suggesting marriage as either salvation or desperate measure for unhappy men. This reflects Life's dual purpose: sophisticated humor for educated readers and interactive entertainment through reader participation contests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
962 -LIFE- LIFE’S Title Contest ' , To Contestants Contest closes next week. OOK at the picture steadily be- 5 fore trying for a title. Then put it aside. Go back to it—still without any effort at a title. While you are engaged at title that fits the picture f may spring to mind. If not, try describing the picture out loud—to yourself or, better, to others. Good titles are sometimes arrived at that way. Don't be oratorical. Be quial. Take your time, and title doesn't come to you the first day, put the picture aside and look at it the next. But don't forget that the contest closes at noon, November 30. Strive for two things —humor and sentiment. If you can get a combination of these fundamental things, and get it in one word, you may have made a masterpiece Copyright Life Pub. Co. WHAT IS THE BEST TITLE FOR THIS PICTURE? For the best title to the picture above, LiFe will award prizes as follows: First Prize, . 2 . . . . » + $500.00 Second Prize. . . . . . . « $300.00 Third Prize, . . . . . . « « $200.00 The contest will be governed by the following RULES By “best” is understood that title which most cleverly de- scribes the situation shown in the picture. No title submitted shall consist of more than ten words. Hyphenated words will be counted as one. The contest is open to everybody. The contest is now open. It will close at noon on November 30, 1920. All titles should be addressed to the Contest Editor of Lire, Box 262, G. P. O., New York, N. Y. Envelopes should contain nothing but the competing title and the name and address of the sender, plainly written, all on the same sheet. Titles will be judged by three members of Lire’s Editorial Staff, and their decision will be final. Titles may be original or may be a quotation from some well- known author. Contestants may send in more than one title. In case of ties the full amount of the prize will be given to each tying contestant. The final award will be announced as early as possible after the close of the contest. Of this due notice will be given, Checks will be sent simultaneously with the announcements of the award. Py AN ATTACHMENT WHICH CONVERTS AN AEROPLANE INTO A In the Bachelor's Club TRANSPORT ROWNE: Brooks is very despondent; says he doesn’t We reproduce above another of Lire’s famous title-contest care what he does. pictures of the past. It was first published in the spring of 1918 Towne: He needs watching; the first thing you know he'll fore than 370,000 replies were received. The snuning plies % . é e given above, was submitted by G. G. McLean of Carpenteria, be going off and getting married. California, comicbooks.conial