Life, 1929-06-14 · page 11 of 44
Life — June 14, 1929 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on American social customs and institutions, circa early 20th century. **Top cartoon** ("It Sims to Me"): Shows two men on a park bench discussing summer culture. The humor targets college boys returning home and social pretension—fashion designers removing backs from evening gowns, foolish spending habits, and the irony that a cordial man without money is preferable to a wealthy fool. **Lower cartoon** ("Flute Fan"): Depicts a street musician playing to an enthusiastic crowd of children, with an adult conductor-like figure energetically directing them. The caption "lean on it!" suggests satire about either musical passion or perhaps class commentary on public performances. The overall tone mocks American social aspirations and economic contradictions of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
It Sims to Me It's nice that the college boys can come home for the summer to mingle with their folks and acquire a little touch of culture and refinement. The fashion designers have slipped up by making evening gowns without backs this season. A woman can take the ones she wore several seasons ago, and turn them around. There was a time when a fool and his moncy were soon parted. Now it seems that a fool and his money are soon aboard ship together, bound for a long vacation abroad. That youthful figure you hear so much about, according to a college graduate who is looking for work, is about twenty dollars per week. Now and then you meet a man with such a cordial handclasp and such a friendly personality you know he hasn't any money. When Dumb Dora wanted a tooth pulled she went to a dentist named Callahan because, as she said, her teeth are of Irish extraction. —Tom Sims. Great American Institutions Liberries. Moompitcher Shows. Vawdavill Theayters. Collitches. A family really needs at least two cars. Ask the man who owns one. Fiute Fan: That's right, kid— lean on it! comicbooks.com