Life — February 9, 1928 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Travel Contest Page Analysis This is a contest page from *Life* magazine featuring a travel-themed competition. Readers were invited to identify factual errors in "Kay's" twelfth and final letter describing a trip across America. Kay's letter describes visiting Philadelphia landmarks including Valley Forge, City Hall, Independence Square, Liberty Hall, and sites associated with the Declaration of Independence signers. The letter mentions taking trains between Baltimore and Philadelphia, visiting the *American Mercury* offices, and touring historical sites. The implicit satire appears to be testing readers' geographical and historical knowledge of American landmarks. The "contest" format—asking readers to find mistakes in Kay's account—was a popular interactive feature in *Life*. The drawing of a traveling figure reinforces the journey theme.