Life, 1921-09-08 · page 26 of 36
Life — September 8, 1921 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical parody of *St. Nicholas* magazine, a prestigious children's publication. Life's joke is presenting deliberately terrible contributions supposedly from "child" writers—whose listed ages (2, 3, 80) expose the fraud. The humor targets post-Prohibition excess: in "Happy Days," a father's vacation is ruined because he forgot gin for cocktails—absurd for a family outing, but reflects 1920s adult drinking culture. The drawing "A Heading for July" is intentionally childish scribbling. Life mocks both the pretentiousness of children's literary competitions and contemporary adult obsessions bleeding into family life. The word puzzle and vacation stories maintain the fake-earnest tone. Photos of real people labeled as prize-winners complete the satire of contests awarding recognition for mediocrity. It's gentle mockery of literary competitions and changing social norms around family activities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Q HEADING FOR JULY.” With apologies to ST. NICHOLAS BY PAUL MARSHALL KNIBBS, AGE 2 (IF HE’s A DAY) (GARNEGIE MEDAL) PRIZE COMPETITION NO. 290 (In making awards contributors’ ages are considered) PROSE. Gold Badge, Janet Thurber Drum (age 47), New Hampshire. VERSE. Gold Badge, Harrison McNurl Relish (age 9), North Dakota. DRAWINGS. Gold Badge (or choice of Opium Set), Betty Morbelhauer (age unknown; light hair, wearing shoes which do not match). PHOTOGRAPHS. Fairly Gold Badge, Eunice Emming Meedle (age 12), New York, HANDWRITING FORGERIES. Sil- ver Badger, George H. Ibsen, Jr. (age 8), Mass. A VACATION INCIDEN’ BY PHOEBE MARIE BISCUIT (AGE 3. (Silver Filling) Para had long promised to take us children ona pic-nic. Finally, the fateful day dawned bright and clear. After packing a delic luncheon-supper, Dot, Betty, Georgia, Ja Annie, Peggy, Arthur, Aunt Hel Louise, Uncle Roger, Mr. Beascley, Grandpa, Grandma, Mother and I climbed into our Ford, and with Papa at the wheel, off we went. We travelled for a long time. We were very merry and sang patriotic songs. Then, just as the sun was setting like a huge red ball, we came to a lovely grassy sward by a purling brooklet. “Stop!” cried Dot, Betty, Georgie, Jackie, Annie, Peggy, Arthur, Aunt Helen, Aunt 1416) Louise, Uncle Roger, Mr. Beaseley, Grandpa. Grandma, Mother and I. “What did you say?” asked Papa stopping the car. We next got out of the Ford packing the luncheon-supper. clapped his hands to his head and uttered a low moan, “HAPPY DAYS.” ALICE FLANNEL, AGE IT (ROLL OF HONOR) “What is the matter?” we all cried. “I’ve forgotten the gin for the cocktails,” said father. “You poor fish!” one and all exclaimed and we vowed that we had had a perfectly rotten LIFE GREETINGS TO YOU ALL Tuts number, coming as it does in the midst of the black fly season, is quite really the place for the little essays and poems which are found below. They include all sorts of vacation “in, cidents,” some gay, some sober, but all very, very exciting. . Nor must we neglect the work of our little artists who, with pen and_ shutter, have caught Nature “off guard.” They, too, have combined to make this one of the merriest of merry Christmas numbers. : Next month, being the time of year that is made famous by “Ground Hog Day,” we shall devote the efforts of our leaguers to writing and drawing descriptions of that pri phetic little mammal who peeps his head out ever so sleepily each February and_foretel!s—by some strange fifth sense that we mortals know nothing of—the coming of Autumn. WHAT I LIKE TO DO BEST OF ALL BY LEONARD COLLINGWOOD CROUCH (acen 12 LAST TUESDAY) 7 O, some may love the prairies, And others the rolling plain, O, some may love to sail the sea And others to ride on the train, O, some may love the mountains With their views on which to look And some may love the valley: But give me an interesting book. 0, some may love the seashore, (This fact to be seen is plain), O, some may love the desert, And others the rolling plain, O. some may love the canons; _ But somehow, by hook or crook, Though some may love our country’s forests What I love is an exciting book, , WORD SQUARE (No dward) DY P oT H URO REM fe) I AL M LE I The alternate letters reading baekwards diagonally from left to right will spell the name of a well-known collector of postage stamps. J. CONRAD MIPP, AGE 17 (Mo.) (CROIX DE GUERRE) “VACATION MEMORIES” SASCHA MURPHY, AGE 80 (ELK’s TOOTH) comicbooks.com