Life, 1927-09-29 · page 11 of 38
Life — September 29, 1927 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the social phenomenon of "necking" (romantic kissing/physical affection), tracing its cultural history from ancient Rome through modern times. The top illustration shows various figures representing different eras and social classes engaged in or discussing this behavior. The text humorously presents five "epochs" of necking's development, culminating in the "Fifth Epoch" where college students have adopted necking as a major sport, with modern youth embracing physical affection as normal team activity. The right column presents unrelated brief news items about aviation records, using the formula common to Life's satirical style—mixing genuine innovations with absurdist observations. The overall satire mocks both changing sexual mores among youth and the breathless media coverage of modern social trends, presenting necking's evolution as though it were serious historical scholarship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Pathetic Figure THE BOY WHO WON FIRST PLACE IN THE SCREEN TESTS LAST SPRING RETURNS TO COLLEGE FROM HOLLY Woop A History of Necking First Epoch N ECKING is discovered by Mare Antony and Cleo- patra. While Rome is learning about necking from Marc, Cleo is winning the title of “The Serpent of the Nile.” Her rough necking is throwing the historians of the time into spasms of hieroglyphies. Scientists discover that a snake is 9945 per cent. neck Second Epoch Necking has now reached France. Louis XVI designates days to be given over to the sport. The fact is that Louis is going tu lose his head over it! We have only to look back to the time of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth to see that great strides have been made, for during their time necking was still in the ruff Third Epoch Some one tells it to the Marines, and they become the champions of necking, and themselves the name of leathernecks Fourth Epoch Progress is not to be denied. The rubberneck wagon has lifted necking above the level of the streets, and prolonged the human neck by sev- eral vertcbre. Things are getting too hot for the celluloid collar; some low necker has invented the sport Fifth Epoch Higher education reaches out with a helping hand College students get their heads together and adopt necking as a major sport. Modern youth is fast learn- ing the value of team work, and a new generation is carrying on, neck and neck James Mulholland. New Tricks for Non-Stop Flyers THE first non-stop flight from New York City to New York City via Chicago, The first rescuer to rescue a res- cuer of a rescuer of a non-stop plane bound from Detroit to New Guinea The first flyer to fly from this country to Dover, England, and to swim from there to Calais, towing his seaplane behind him The first Congressman to fly twelve thousand miles from Wash ington, D. C., in any direction. The first flight from one of Tex Rickard’s ringside seats to the ring. (Not necessarily non-stop.) “CH. Tommie, how did you ever get such a black eye?” shirt, and cotton stockings are on THE TENNIS CHAMPION BECOMES A “Because I did not choose to run, their last legs. CONCERT VIOLINIST. Mother.’ comicbooks.com