Life, 1924-06-05 · page 18 of 48
Life — June 5, 1924 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **job market disappointment for college graduates** during the 1920s. The "Positions Wanted" section mockingly rewrites help-wanted ads to reveal their actual (unappealing) terms: a publishing house offers low pay and "opportunities to read advance proofs"; bond salesmen get "no salary, but plenty of inside tips"; reporters meet "marriageable chorus girls" at their own expense; advertisers hire only through personal connections. The humor targets both **employers' dishonesty** and the **emptiness of post-college job prospects**—graduates discover advertised opportunities are either exploitative or meaningless. The cartoon at bottom left shows a figure in academic robes appearing confused or distressed, labeled "A Graduating Class," paired with "A Snappy Retort" (a bird in military helmet), suggesting graduates face a bewildering, even hostile world. The broader context: post-WWI economic instability made entry-level work precarious and poorly compensated despite educational credentials.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To Taste STICKS are flavored; after this li hear remarks like these “Well, since you've asked me for a kiss, All right. What flavor, please ? Positions Wanted HIS being the open season for the college graduate look- ing for work, the cry is once more heard from the cam- puses that so few men know what they really want to do. The trouble is, of course, that no one will tell them what they want to know about jobs offered for occupancy. The “Help Wanted” notices should be more explicit in enumer- ating their actual appeals. For instance COLLEGE MAN WANTED—Publishing house can use the services of a young college man, Salary small at first and later, but splendid opportunities to read advance proofs of books that may be suppressed after- wards. Write Box 674, N. Y. BOND SALESMEN—Recent college graduates meet all their old friends and hice people as well, by be bond salesmen with us. Ability to om sell not essential, but must belong to at least two clut y; No salary, but plenty of inside. tip . Lit si presents. Spats and canes furnished free by = agi ‘ Hours 10-3 dai Sundays, holidays “UME WORKIED, BILL—I CAN'T REMEMBER IF 1 LOCKED UP ays. § , MARGIN, SE BEFORE 1 LEFT To-N1GHT.” F REPORTERS—New York newspaper wants office boy Future Class Memorials for drama dept. Free tickets to shows, plenty of chances HE Class of 1924 will be expected to do its duty in the to meet marriageable chorus girls. Taxi charges go on expense account. (If Mr. Muneey buys the paper, matter of memorials. As the majority of our universities Siete Seo npopees are on) are already well equipped with memorial gateways, fountains, libraries, flagpoles, ete. the following are suggested by way ADVERTISING—Reputable York advertising of meeting the demands of the future agency doesn't need a you ege graduate, but will Rive one a good job if he has any influence with any good advertiser. Easy hours . lunches on clients, etc. Apply for conference =I,” c/o Ritz nth anniversary—Marble and bronze landing platform Hotel, N.Y. A.C. M. Asoy, Jr Fifth anniversary—Ornamental radio receiving set with anent antennx ing airplanes Twenty-fifth anniversary — Helium kas service station for disabled Zeppe lins. IN THE CHEMICAL LABORATORY Fifticth anniversary—Private dormi, tory for visiting students from Mars. Foster Ware. During a Thunderstorm MOTHER: What on earth are you doing, sitting there before the ice box with the door wide open? Lirtte Boy: I'm watching the milk to sce if it turns HE music house wishing to put out a suitable slogan to help liven t of saxoph might use this tHe Man Wuo Moans One.” A SNAPPY RETORT OLF clothes this year are being worn louder and funnier comicbooks.com