Judge — April 20, 1929 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge cartoon depicts a classroom scene where a stern male teacher (appearing to be an older authority figure) points at mathematical equations on a blackboard while instructing students. The title "Speaking of Figures" is a pun—it plays on the double meaning of "figures" as both mathematical numbers and human bodies/forms. The satire likely mocks either: the disconnect between abstract classroom instruction and student attention, or comments on how teachers (particularly male instructors) might be distracted by attractive female students rather than focusing on their pedagogical duties. The composition deliberately positions the female students prominently in the foreground, reinforcing the visual joke about where attention is actually directed versus where it should be.