Life, 1922-07-13 · page 10 of 36
Life — July 13, 1922 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Cartoon:** The illustration depicts a woman in a large hat telling a group of seated women she must leave to work on her Ph.D. thesis. The satire mocks educated women attempting serious academic work while maintaining social obligations—a tension of early 20th-century feminism. **The Articles:** "On the Deplorable Lack of Scholarship in American Humorists" criticizes humor writers for lacking intellectual depth and formal education. The author complains that contemporary humorists rely on entertainment ("Fun") rather than learning from classical sources or academic traditions like Oxford or Heidelberg degrees. "Thoughts in the Street Cars" presents mundane observations from urban transit—an absurdist commentary on modern life's trivialities and social anxieties. Both pieces satirize contemporary American culture's anti-intellectual tendencies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Well,—’bye, old dears. I’ve got to get busy on my thesis for my Ph. D. now.” On the Deplorable Lack of Scholarship in American Humorists (The Editor of “The Freeman” thinks that the chief qualification of contributors to Lire should be scholarship.) EHOLD in me a Heavy Intellectual. I strive to give those sorry human dregs, My elders, now so feebly ineffectual, Instruction in the art of sucking eggs. Our Writing Class is just a sordid dollarship With scarce a glint of Truth’s eternal flame, Devoid of Background, destitute of Scholarship— Or anyhow it was before I came. I need not read the work of those I criticize, For every schoolboy knows they'll have to start To Russianize or Germanize or Briticize Before we get a gleam of Native Art. While some, I hear, have gained at minor colleges B.A.’s, M.A.’s, or even Ph.D.’s, Such homemade tags are ludicrous apologies For Oxford, Bonn, or Heidelberg degrees. I quite approve of Humor when it's serious; I'll even tolerate a learnéd pun; But Mirth, as such, is highly deleterious, And what I most abominate, is Fun. I wonder how the public stands their caperings. I wonder why their books adorn the shelf. I wonder who will print my solemn vaporings. I wonder when I'll tumble to myself. A. G. Thoughts in the Street Cars ILL that woman standing in front of me think | haven't seen her if I keep on reading my paper? Why haven't I strength of mind to keep my seat? Is that strange-looking person across the aisle marrie:! to that shrimp, or are they just uncongenial relations? Does that woman know she is standing on my foot? If so, does she know that I know it? Why doesn’t someone teach conductors English? Have I ridden past my street? I have, comicbooks.com