Life, 1925-12-31 · page 22 of 37
Life — December 31, 1925 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* satirizes 1920s American society across several pieces: **"How to Tell a Husband at a Dance"** mocks married men's behavior at social events—their infidelity (flirting with other women), sneaking drinks during Prohibition, reluctance to dance, and eagerness to leave early. The humor lies in cataloging transparent signs of a man's marital status and wandering attention. **"Arithmetic for Florida Children"** satirizes the Florida real-estate boom of the 1920s. The absurd math problems mock speculative land schemes, rapidly inflating property values, aggressive subdivision marketing, and the frenzy of construction. The joke is that these ridiculous scenarios actually reflected real market conditions. **"Selfish Child"** uses ironic role-reversal: parents who steal their son's money and possessions accuse *him* of selfishness, satirizing parental hypocrisy. The cartoons collectively critique Jazz Age infidelity, Prohibition-era drinking culture, and get-rich-quick real estate speculation—all prevalent 1920s concerns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
iy o > ae | | | Ee wc Inconsiderate Guard: HaPry NEW YEAR! Arithmetic for Florida Children A CIVIL WAR veteran living in North Dakota was * given a forty-acre tract of land in Florida for collect- ing the names of six hundred chilblain victims living in his county, During the real-estate boom he sold the land for $225,000. What was he paid for each name? 2. If eight hundred pounds of stucco, net, is used to build the average residence in Florida, how many houses can be built from nine billion pounds, assuming that one-half of one per cent. will adhere to the workmen's overalls? 3. An experienced sign painter can letter the words “MOST CLUSIVE RESIDEN- TIAL SUBDIVISION” in eighteen minutes. How long would this man have to work to paint these words on the signboards of 48,276 subdivision projects if each subdivision required an average of fourteen signs? 4. If the average rate of construc- tion in Florida is one house in three minutes and twenty seconds, how long will it be before 20,000,000 homes are constructed, if work goes on day and night, Sundays and holidays excluded? 5. An investor bought a Florida lot for $270, If its value increases three per cent. each week, how long will it be before the lot is worth $1,000,000? $2,000,000? $5,000,000? $100,000,000? RH. F, “ESTELLE has recovered from her broken heart.” “How much?” * LIFE. - How to Tell a Husband at a Dance BY the bulges in his dinner coat resulting from pocketing on command his wife’s powder box, lipstick, handker- chief, and slave bracelet. carrier look. By the possession of a cigarette case built for two. By his constant cutting in on one woman who may or may not be the wife. Or by his favoring with dances the wives of other men who, he hopes, will return the compli- ment. By his skittish behavior with a girl who he thinks doesn't know he is married. By his freedom with others’ flasks. By that tired look. By his pathetic willingness to lay off the light fantastic and play bridge. By his even more pathetic willingness to quit the dance floor and revive Mah Jong. By his proneness to stagnate in the stag line and talk business. By his frequent consultations of the watch and mention of a hard day at the office to-morrow. By his sudden access of pep when departure is per- mitted. By his inefficiency in hailing a taxi for the trip home. And, subsequently, by his reluctance to sign any reflections like these by more than initials. F, D. Selfish Child M® JUGGS: Willie is getting too selfish. To-day he wanted his fountain pen back when I was using it myself. Mrs. Juccs: Yes, and he objects when I take a few dimes from his bank for the milkman. In other words, by that common HE: Did you break your New Year resolutions? Otuer He: No, the stuff was broken when it got here. WHEN PROHIBITION GETS TO SWITZERLAND comicbooks.com