Life, 1923-06-21 · page 7 of 36
Life — June 21, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon and accompanying text mock stereotypical "college boys" of the era. The image shows a group of young men wearing glasses, depicted with exaggerated, somewhat buffoonish facial features gathered together. The text humorously catalogs contradictory college boy stereotypes: those "always on vacation" yet never vacationing, who read Schopenhauer but also *La Vie Parisienne*, who drive racing cars and get arrested, who smoke pipes with college initials. The satire suggests college boys are simultaneously pretentious intellectuals and reckless troublemakers—vacuous poseurs trying to appear sophisticated while behaving foolishly. The "lowbrow" title indicates the piece criticizes superficial, affected student culture, portraying college boys as ridiculous social climbers beneath the dignity of true intellectuals.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE LOWBROW College Boys who are always on a vacation...col- while standing on their heads...college boys who sleep lege boys who are never on a vacation...college boys — through lectures...college boys who return from town on who vote “Crossing the Bar” their favorite poem...col- the milk train...college boys who drive racing automobiles lege boys who invariably sing, “For It’s Always Fair ...college boys who are always getting arrested. ..college Weather—”...college boys who fox-trot at the Plaza ys who smoke pipes with their college initials on them Grill...college boys who wear hats that are too large .. .college boys who sport carnation boutonniéres. . . .col- for them...college boys who never wear hats...college lege boys who read Schopenhauer...college boys who read hoys who alw; carry enormous bank-rolls. siege boys La Vie Parisienne...college boys who leave college after who are always broke...college boys who lead cheers one month...college boys who never leave college. comicbooks.com