A Diller, a Dollar

Order in the Court - Foreshadowing Punishment

At first glance, the people in this illustration appear to be a magistrate and a juvenile offender, rather than a teacher and a student. The teacher resembles a judge with his powdered wig and his seat at a high bench. The student, whose head is bowed but whose face we do not see, appears contrite, perhaps ready to throw himself on the mercy of the court. The dunce cap and the switch, two traditional punishments, may appear threatening to the student. These same two threatening elements appear in ‘D is for dunce cap.’