Life, 1922-01-26 · page 26 of 34
Life — January 26, 1922 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satire proposes extending the Boy Scout movement to adults through an "Old Scout" organization requiring one good deed daily. The humor lies in the specimen "good deeds" listed, which are actually *avoidances of normal professional behavior*—revealing contemporary frustrations with various professions. Examples include: a politician refusing to make speeches (implying politicians talk too much), a barber not upselling unnecessary treatments, a grocer reducing egg prices despite cutting profits, and a journalist avoiding clichéd language like "parley" in disarmament coverage. The cartoon above depicts horseback riding in Bermuda, illustrating leisure activities. The final joke—a wife angry her husband disclosed their overdrawn bank account—suggests even honesty (normally virtuous) can be inappropriate. The satire critiques professional cynicism: true "good deeds" would be remarkable reversals of expected behavior, implying widespread dishonesty, overselling, and self-interest were endemic to early-20th-century American life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Gee! The O extraordinarily successful has been the Boy Scout movement, that one is inclined to wonder why it has never been extended to grown-ups, If boys are given the chance to learn the principles of per- sonal efficiency and fair play and first aid and woodcraft and discipline, why should their less fortunate fathers be denied the same privileges? It is our intention to inaugurate an Old Scout movement, conducted on ex- actly the same lines as the juvenile organization, and the most important feature of the curriculum. will bé the requirement to do One Good Deed A Day. Every Old Scout will have to submit his report card to his local scout master, and he will receive a gold star for each good deed, or a demerit for each day missed. You're doin’ fine, Dora. In Bermuda You're hittin’ th’ saddle ev'ry time.” Do-a-Good-Deed-a-Day Club Here are some specimens of the sort of good deeds that we intend to en- courage among representative citizens: Tue PoLiticIANn to make a speech to-day, but refused “T had a chance because I w Tue Poticeman: “I arrested a mo- torist who had an se My Dust pennant on the back of his car.” Tue Sonc-writer: “I found a rhyme for the word ‘love’ without men- tioning ‘the stars above.’” Tue LaunpryMaAn: “T laundered a handkerchief to-day and did not use any starch.” Tue Epitor: “I rejected a prohibi- tion joke.” . Tue Janitor: “I got the furnace going full blast by six o’clock this morning.” s too busy.” Tue Newspaper Reporter: “I wrote a headline about the Disarmament Conference without using the word ‘parley.’” Tue Barser: “I shaved a man, and did not suggest that he have a haircut, shampoo, singe, egg treatment, lotion, dandruff remover, and electrical vi- bratory massage.” Tue Wnoresate Grocer: “I re- duced the price of eggs eight cents on the dozen, thereby cutting my profit from two hundred and fifty to two hundred and forty-six per cent.” R.E. S. Traitor! Huspanp: Look here! Your ac- count at the bank is overdrawn. Wire: What did you tell them for? is ov “] man emp comicbooks.com