Judge — March 13, 1920

# Analysis This page is primarily an **advertisement for Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper**, not a political cartoon. The ad promotes the publication's circulation and target readership. The text describes Leslie's as reaching "the first 500,000"—affluent, politically engaged readers. It claims 20% are rated highly by business directories, 58% belong to the employing class, and 100% are "sound, substantial, thinking American citizens." The small boxed note mentions **Bruce Baumgartner** (or similar—handwriting is unclear), an actor permitted to appear in Leslie's only, referencing his roles in French films and Bill-related productions. The advertisement's tone is promotional rather than satirical—it's selling the magazine's respectability and the quality of its readership to potential advertisers, emphasizing that readers are financially solvent, politically aware consumers worth reaching.

# "Howdy, Judge!" - Judge Magazine, March 13, 1920 This cartoon depicts a courtroom scene where a judge sits elevated on the bench, greeting visitors below with "Howdy, Judge!" The informal salutation appears to be satirizing the casualness and lack of decorum in American courtrooms of the era. Various figures—appearing to include lawyers, defendants, and court attendees in period dress—stand before the bench in a somewhat chaotic arrangement. The satire likely critiques the informality creeping into formal legal proceedings, or possibly mocks judicial corruption or political favoritism in courts. The title's folksy greeting contrasts sharply with the formal, dignified setting traditionally expected in courtrooms, suggesting the cartoon comments on declining standards of legal propriety during the post-World War I period.

# "The Mathematical Shark Works Out a Problem" This comic strip, drawn by Charles E. Hallan for Syracuse University, depicts a shark methodically working through a mathematical problem using the sequential panels typical of early comics. The shark appears to represent either a person or institution engaged in complex calculation or problem-solving—the "mathematical" element suggests intellectual work or strategy. The final panels show the shark triumphantly declaring "hurray!!" and "i've got the answer," suggesting the strip humorously chronicles the process of struggling with a difficult problem before reaching resolution. Without clearer historical context about Syracuse University's situation in the Judge publication period, the specific satirical target remains unclear, though it likely comments on academic or institutional challenge-solving.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains several humorous pieces satirizing college life circa 1920. The main article, "The Meek and Lowly College Man" by Arthur D. Schwarz, mocks the pretentious affectations of college students who adopt exaggerated fashion and mannerisms—wearing "golf-stockings, knickers, sheep-skin coats"—while remaining intellectually disconnected from actual learning. The satire suggests college men are more concerned with social status, fraternities, and appearing sophisticated than genuine scholarship. The accompanying cartoons ridicule courtship rituals and student behavior. The top illustration depicts rural/pastoral confusion, while "Two Out, Bases Full" appears to reference baseball as metaphor for romantic or social fumbling. The overall message: 1920s college culture was superficial theater, with students performing identity rather than pursuing education.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains humorous literary and social commentary rather than political cartoons. The top section, "An Old Theme with New Interpretations," presents romantic scenarios from classic literature reinterpreted by various college writers—treating familiar literary moments with modern cynicism and wit. "The Stronger Call" is a poem about spring's pull on the heart. "Hard Lines" offers sardonic observations about class distinctions and gender, noting the boxer and female of the species as "most deadly." The bottom cartoon, "We Look Like Held, Don't We?" (with apologies to Jack Held Jr.) depicts three working-class men in period dress, appearing to be a humorous commentary on appearance or social status, though the specific reference remains unclear without additional context. The page targets educated, literary readers familiar with classical works.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This *Judge* page satirizes the decline of lying as a cultural art form. The main article argues that modern society—particularly the temperance movement and shift toward practical rather than poetic thinking—has weakened humanity's capacity for creative prevarication. The author contrasts ancient master liars (Ulysses, Jonah, Baron Munchausen) with contemporary "amateurish" deceivers, lamenting that modern prevaricators lack imagination and sophistication. The piece is humorous social commentary on how urbanization and reform movements have supposedly diminished traditional skills. The page also contains several unrelated college humor comics and advertisements typical of *Judge*'s format, including jokes about military life, freshman hazing, parking violations, and social embarrassments. These represent standard collegiate humor of the era. The overall tone suggests nostalgic mockery of both past and present, written primarily for educated, college-age readers.

# "The Modern Don Quixote" Page Analysis **The Left Illustration:** A figure in medieval armor rides a skeletal horse while holding a lance and banner reading "YE COLLEGE WITS / AD HADES CUM SAPIENTIA" (College Wit to Hell with Wisdom). This is a modern reimagining of Don Quixote, Cervantes's delusional knight, suggesting college-educated people are tilting at windmills—pursuing impractical ideals disconnected from reality. **The Right Content:** "A Quiz" by Harold G. Schumann contains rhetorical questions about recent American history and politics: changing presidential candidates, changing fashion standards, a mysterious public figure (possibly referencing a political or military personality), bearded visitors (likely German officials or dignitaries), and a German individual everyone wanted to "hock" (mock/criticize). **The Satire:** Both pieces mock educated elites and topical political figures through humorous questions, suggesting contemporary college intellectuals are out-of-touch idealists, while satirizing specific recent political/diplomatic events the audience would recognize.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page from Judge magazine (circa 1923, based on attribution dates) contains several brief humorous pieces satirizing college life: **"Why They Came to College"** mocks various student motivations—some seeking education (rare), others avoiding work, pursuing athletics, or learning social skills like card games. The satire suggests frivolous reasons dominate college attendance. **"Stude Census of Columbia College"** uses numerical data humorously, listing contradictory student behaviors (e.g., "1709" both drink AND oppose prohibition; many "owe money" yet "expect to pay it"). **Other vignettes** mock dormitory etiquette, student romance ("swell Jane"), and prohibition-era drinking culture (the "whiskey bottle" joke). The **cartoon drawings** illustrate typical college "types"—the earnest student, the casual dorm-dweller. Overall, the satire targets college students as hypocritical, idle, and motivated by social status rather than genuine learning—a common 1920s critique of higher education's accessibility to the wealthy and socially ambitious.

# "Tell It to the Judge!" - Judge Magazine Cartoon Analysis This page features a large cartoon depicting a man operating an oversized vehicle styled like a baby carriage or delivery cart, labeled "College Wit/Number." The vehicle is overflowing with characters representing college students engaged in various antics and pranks. The man driving appears to be transporting "college wit" — jokes and humorous anecdotes — suggesting colleges as sources of humor. The surrounding text consists of brief jokes submitted by college students, each credited to different universities. These short quips touch on romantic mishaps, misunderstandings with professors, and financial troubles. The cartoon's title, "Tell It to the Judge," frames this collection of college humor as frivolous matters unworthy of serious consideration. The satire targets college students' self-perceived cleverness and their tendency to recycle tired jokes and pranks as original wit. The overflowing cart suggests an endless supply of derivative, trivial humor being produced by American colleges.

# "Sans Reproche" Analysis This is a short story illustration, not political satire. The narrative follows Kenneth J. Randelle, a gentleman recently reduced in circumstances—he's lost the "junior" suffix from his name and his income has been "cut in half," forcing him to live a solitary life in a modest apartment rather than his suburban home. The story's irony centers on Kenneth's character: he's a sentimental dreamer (fantasizing about being a Robin Hood-like medieval outlaw) who nonetheless prides himself on emotional restraint and propriety. When a distressed young woman appears at his door seeking help, he maintains formal politeness despite his obvious attraction to her—a "polite bromide" response masking deeper feeling. The title "Sans Reproche" (without reproach/blame) suggests the story examines whether Kenneth can maintain his honor and chivalrous ideals despite his reduced circumstances and emotional vulnerability. The humor lies in the gap between his self-image as a dispassionate gentleman and his actual emotional nature.

# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This page contains multiple short stories and humorous anecdotes typical of Judge magazine's satirical content. The main illustrated narrative (top) depicts a domestic drama: a woman visits a man's apartment late at night, claiming her husband drinks excessively and she couldn't bear being near him. The man comforts her with kisses, but she leaves when the clock strikes two. The joke's ironic twist: he discovers his wallet is still there—implying her visit was genuinely about distress, not theft, subverting expectations of seduction or robbery. The other content includes college curriculum satire ("When Bolshevism Hits College"), academic overheard conversations, and brief anecdotes mocking student life and family dynamics. The cartoons by credited university artists suggest Judge frequently published student-contributed humor. The overall tone reflects 1920s attitudes toward marriage, propriety, and urban domestic life, using romantic misunderstanding and small moral reversals for comedic effect.