Life — November 15, 1923 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon titled "Higher Education" depicts a funeral or solemn ceremony at what appears to be a classical institution (shown by the columns and formal architecture). The caption "On the afternoon before the Big Game" suggests this is set at a university before an important athletic event. The satire mocks collegiate priorities: while dignified officials conduct what seems to be an academic or institutional ceremony, the crowd of students below appears indifferent or distracted. The juxtaposition implies that students care more about the upcoming "Big Game" (likely football) than about serious academic or institutional matters happening simultaneously. This reflects early 20th-century critiques of American higher education's over-emphasis on sports and athletics at the expense of genuine scholarship and intellectual pursuits.