Life, 1927-05-19 · page 12 of 42
Life — May 19, 1927 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a "Primer for Stenographers"—instructional humor for office workers learning shorthand. The content is mundane workplace satire: sections on filing cabinets, typewriters, telephones, pencil sharpeners, and clocks describe office objects in exaggerated, anthropomorphic language. The two illustrations frame the text: "The Boys Embark on the First Crusade" (A.D. 1099) shows medieval crusaders on horseback, while "The Boys Return from the First Crusade" (A.D. 1101) depicts them returning. These parallel the mundane "office crusade" described in the primer—suggesting that secretarial work is as epic and exhausting as historical crusades. The humor relies on treating ordinary office tasks with grandiose language, poking gentle fun at clerical workers' daily routines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Boys Embark on the First Crusade Primer for Stenographers The Filing Cabinet HIS is a filing cabinet. It is a green filing cabinet. It is a very nice filing cabinet. It has four drawers. I can put my hat in the cabinet. I ean put ny library books in the cabinet, too, ‘To-morrow, I will buy am ne and put it in the cabinet. » I have put my gum on the inside of a drawer. It will stay there until to-morrow, Then I will chew my gum again, It will still retain its flavor. The Telephone ERE is a telephone, The tele- phone has a receiver. I can talk into the telephone. I can talk to my friends. I can talk to Mary. Mary works across the stre: Do you hear the telephone ringing? I will answer the telephone. It is my friend calling. I will talk to my friend: “Hello. No, I am not busy. Are you busy? I am fine, thank you. How are you? I am very glad that you are feeling well. Yes, I have a new hat. Did you like my new hat? «++ (half an hour)...1 think some one is trying to get this line. I will call you later. I wish to tell you It is a great secret. The telephone is a great The Typewriter THis is the typewriter. It is a new typewriter. Its keys are clean and shiny. They will not be clean and shiny very long. The type- writer has a black and red ribbon on it. Can you write on a type- writer? I can write on a type- writer (?). I will write letters on the typewriter. I will write letters to my friends. I will write you a letter. The Pencil Sharpener Tus is the pencil sharpener. I sharpen my pencils in the pencil sharpener. I sharpen my _ pencils six times every day. I have twelve pencils. They are yellow pencils. I like yellow pencils. I like to sharpen my pretty yellow pencils. The Boss HAT is the Boss. He is wearing a hat. He has a cigar. It isa black cigar. He is smoking the black cigar. He has a newspaper, too. He is reading the newspaper. His feet are on his desk. They are very big feet. Soon he will take his coat and go out. He will say to me: “I will be back in an hour if any one calls.” The Clock HIS is the clock. It is a big clock. The hands move very slowly. Sometimes they stop. I am looking at the clock. I like to look at the clock. I can tell the time. I always know what time it is. Can you tell the time? It is now five o'clock. I am going home. Good- by. Madlyn Jewell. Ticklish Job TED: How is it you're so puzzled about picking out a book? Nep: This one is for my Boston girl. comicbooks.com