Life, 1924-11-20 · page 28 of 40
Life — November 20, 1924 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of social satire typical of early 20th-century Life magazine humor: **"Stadium Etiquette"** mocks nouveau riche and socially awkward football spectators—people who arrive late, beat newspaper-reading neighbors, bray loudly, inform strangers about their sons on the team, and yell for the wrong team. The humor targets social climbers unfamiliar with proper conduct at collegiate sporting events. **"Thanksgiving in the Scientific Age"** cartoon jokes about modernity reducing a traditional holiday to efficiency: concentrated turkey tablets and predigested pumpkin pie. It satirizes the era's faith in scientific/industrial solutions to everyday life. **"Ballade of an Old Grad"** is a nostalgic poem where an alumnus laments that modern football—with its organized plays, flying wedges replaced by passes, and flask-drinking sophomores—lacks the grit and simplicity of his playing days. It's gentle satire of aging nostalgia. The "Something More" joke puns on musical talent versus saxophone noise-making. Overall, the page reflects 1920s anxieties about modernization, social propriety, and generational decline.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“NICE CHICKY, SEER WHAT WILLIF'S COT FOR YOU—LOVELY corn.” Stadium Etiquette fashionably late,” football games. hindmost” when THE expression, does not apply It's “Devil take the seats are in question, Do not beat the man in the row ahead of you with your folded newspaper be- fore the game begins, especially if he is robust. After the opening whistle blows, it will be all right. The same rule applies to braying in your neighbor's ear. Indiscriminate raging at the referee for penalizing your team is frowned upon. Watch the cheer leader and get the benefit of concerted cursing. If your son is on the team, do not inform every other spectator individu- ally of that fact. Tell them in groups of ten or twenty at a time. Better still, wait until after the game, when there is no chance that he'll fumble at a crucial moment and let a touchdown slip through. Nothing so surely betrays the socially negligible as his yelling, “Kill those Tigers!” before ascertaining whether he is seated in the Tiger rooters’ section. After throwing your hat over the crossbar, signal for a fair catch. John C. Emery. THANKSGIVING IN THE SCIENTIFIC AGE CONCENTRATED TURKEY TABLETS AND PREDIGESTED PUMPKIN PIE Ballade of an Old Grad HE blazing crowds to the sky’ blue rim Flow, tier on tier, like the rushing tide. I watch their coming with eyes a-brin My heart full-flushed with an ancie: pride. The years’ denied, Since once I knew the November haz: With scant few comrades along t! side. ‘Twas not like this in my playing day long passage can't lx The fields I scarred with my cleats were grim, No bowls then sweeping in curves flung wide; No turf fresh-sodded when I was slim But seared and brown as the autur died. A few bare boards could the tean provide, For those who looked on our seli taught plays; For those who cheered us and thos: who guyed. ‘Twas not like this in my playing day The players rush with a fighting vim To shifts and passes we would deride The flying wedge is a memory dim, The flying tackle is now untried. The downy sophomore, slightly frie: Sips from a flask, the while he prays And passes same to his future brick ‘Twas not like this in my playing day L’Envoi Prince, I'm here watching them, Argus eyed, Sadly appraising their modern ways Lord! now it’s over, with score still tied ‘Twas not like this in my playing days. James K. McGuinness. Something More HE: Has your roommate an car for music? He: Yes! And two hands, on mouth and a saxophone! WHISTLING to keep up your cour age is easy enough; the difficulty is to get up the courage to whistle. Note—The Silent Drama department has been omitted this week, but short notices of current pictures, under the heading, "Recent Developments,” will be found on page 35, comicbooks.com