Cartoons from "Summer Daze"

Just last night I put the flannel sheets back on the bed and had two blankets on me (plus a cat), so that means goodbye to summer. Time to bring in the firewood, get the storm windows and find where I set aside the snow shovels. But before that, here's a remembrance of summers past.

Some scans of the cartoons from the Scholastic Paperback SUMMER DAZE, which came out in 1961. It was edited by Ann McGovern and is copyright 1961 by Scholastic Magazines, Inc.

It's a collection of corny riddles and jokes, coupled with a bunch of cartoons. The perfect thing to read on the bus ride to summer camp. Matter of fact, the back cover (reproduced below) advises the young reader that "you'll need jokes in your baggage."

Some of the cartoons are credited to "The Ben Roth Agency." Ben Roth was one of four cartoonist brothers. My cartoonist friend Eli Stein has more about them here. Ben was a busy gag cartoonist who started his own agency, selling cartoons to other markets and abroad. I believe the uncredited page below came from his agency:

The Ben Roth Agency

Joseph Kiernan

Orlando Busino, whose work I love:

Harry Mace, the prolific:

Al Kaufman, who seems to be using a dry brush or a dry-ish pen technique:

Al Kaufman

Maybe my favorite cartoon in the collection, also by Al Kaufman:

Joseph Kiernan

Al Kaufman

Vahan Shirvanian with one that made me smile:

Herb Green

Peter Porges

R.M. Markey with a fun gag, beautifully executed. One of these gag cartoonists that I have not heard of before now! 

My great friend, Don Orehek:

Reg Hider

The Scholastic pitch to form a Book Club!

Al Kaufman provides the back page silent three panel gag: