The Wasp — 1880 — page 334: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page combines editorial content with illustrated definitions of vocabulary words. The left column discusses contemporary issues: vaccination debates in San Francisco, Civil Service Reform, and colonization problems in California where settlers object to cheap Tennessee land. The right side features "Wasp's Improved Webster"—humorous dictionary definitions paired with small satirical illustrations. Examples include mockery of gold prospectors ("PETITION"), critiques of religious hypocrisy ("PETTICOAT"), and social commentary on orphan treatment ("PHILANTHROPY"). The cartoons use exaggerated visual caricature to ridicule Victorian-era social pretense and institutional failures. The format allows The Wasp to embed sharp political commentary within seemingly innocent educational content.