Life, 1924-11-06 · page 27 of 40
Life — November 6, 1924 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satire by John Held Jr. mocks the Girl Scout organization by depicting "Fair Phyllis," a grown woman still performing good deeds, in scenarios that reveal social hypocrisies of the 1920s Prohibition era. The humor targets: 1. **Prohibition violation**: She helps her father with gin production ("the Eighteenth sin"—referencing the 18th Amendment banning alcohol), suggesting respectable families openly flouted the law. 2. **Helping elderly men**: She assists "ancient sheiks" (dated slang for older men attempting to seem young/attractive) crossing streets, mocking both their vanity and the absurdity of Girl Scout helpfulness applied to adults. 3. **Romance manipulation**: She resolves rival suitors' competition by offering her "momentary company," with one secured by finding parking—trivializing both courtship and her role as peacemaker. The cartoon satirizes how Girl Scout ideals about service clashed with actual 1920s social behavior among the wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Graduate Girl Scout Still Performs Her Good Deed a Day By John Held, Jr., and James K, McGuinness ‘AR into the distilly night Fair Phyllis labors with delight, Content to know how well she serves When Father's putting up preserves. Of course, it is the Eighteenth sin, Yet what is home without its gin? Hoe’ bravely ‘midst the traffic’s shrieks Fair Phyllis helps these ancient sheiks Who could not cross the street without The guidance of a kindly scout. Par Phyllis serves the cause of peace By bidding these two rivals cease Their quarrel over who shall be ler momentary company. Sesides, the favored swain has found A lane where parking spots abound. comicbooks.com