Life, 1923-08-16 · page 25 of 36
Life — August 16, 1923 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical pieces mocking early 1920s American life: **"College of Seventeen-Year Locusts"** parodies college graduations by presenting locusts (insects that swarm and destroy crops) receiving degrees in "Demons of Destruction." The joke references the biblical plague of locusts and satirizes both the destructive nature of insects and, likely, youthful recklessness or post-WWI social disruption. **"His First Radio Concert"** mocks the farmer's frustration with new technology—radio broadcasts—which interrupts his work and forces him to write letters of appreciation he doesn't want to send. **"He May Not Be Ready"** jokes about consumer excess: a parent's son can't attend college because his custom-built automobile won't arrive in time—prioritizing luxury goods over education. **"Speaking of Fish"** satirizes pretentious rationalization. A professor argues his small trout is "bigger" than a whale through relative reasoning, mocking academic sophistry. The overall theme: satirizing rapid technological change, materialism, and absurd modern priorities in 1920s America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Graduation Exercises of the College of Seventeen-Year Locusts Class of 1923 0:00 A. M. Presentation of diplomas, conferring degree l of D. D. (Demons of Destruction). 10:30 4. mM. Presentation of the class play—“The In- sect Comedy.” 11:00 a. Mm. Musical program by the College Glee and Mandolin Club. { (a) “Bringing Down the Sheaves.” | (b) “Work, for the Blight Is Coming.” (c) “When That Midnight Chew-Chew Starts in Alabam (d) “Sweet and Locust.” 12:00 m. Destruction of the Class Ivy and the Ivy HIS FIRST RADIO CONCERT Oration by the class bore, 12:30 p.m. Free-for-All Luncheon. Announcer: This is station O. U. J. All those the 7 2 . . have enjoyed this marvelous opportunity to hea | p, a. Costume parade and leaf-eating contest with classic saxophone solo as just played by Prof, Lgnatz opper University. Blowsky, the uncrowned king of the jasz world, will 5:30 p, M. Conferring of prizes and valedictory—*Mak please torite {hte opie pate setae Kadte Company, ing a Success of Crop Failures, H.W. H. Farmer: | THOUGHT THERE'D BE SOME CATCH IN THE DERN THING, NOW I GOT TO WRITE A LETTER, At the Freshman Hop LARIBEL: Let's move over a few inche: lieve there's a nail in this spot we're dancing on. He May Not Be Ready “MVOUR son is going to enter college this fall, isn’t he?” | ¥ Roosevelt's day a bricklayer wanted his second cup “It's doubtful. He's getting a custom-built motor car of coffee; now he wants his second automobile. and it may not be delivered in time.” SPEAKING OF FISH The Professor: BUT 11'S ALL RELATIVE, CAPTAIN. DON’T YOU SEE THAT MY FOUR-POUND TROUT IS A MUCH BIGGER FISH THAN YOUR FIGHTY-FOOT WHALE? comicbooks.com