Life, 1926-06-03 · page 27 of 44
Life — June 3, 1926 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine satirizes college commencement ceremonies through two main pieces: **Top Cartoon**: "Final Examinations at Stonehenge University" mocks academic cheating with dark humor. The caption warns that the first student caught cribbing (cheating) will have papers thrown in the river and face expulsion—an absurdly severe punishment meant as joke. **"Tabloid Commencement"**: A humorous mock program for graduation, written in deliberately sensationalized newspaper style ("tabloid" format). It includes satirical elements like farewell speeches, mentions of specific student dramas, and a section called "Business Is Good" celebrating post-graduation job prospects for various professions. **"Regrets" section**: Features an exchange between an editor and a prudent mother who refuses to let her daughter attend college dances—poking fun at both overly protective parenting and the growing sexual anxieties around collegiate social life in the 1920s. The overall satire targets pretentious commencement traditions while reflecting contemporary concerns about academic integrity, parental control, and college social life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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