National Cartoonist Day

One of the most popular parts of the newspaper is the comic strip. There is a lot of work and effort that goes into creating that 3 or 4 picture strip. May 5th is National Cartoonist’s Day, a time to recognize the value of humor in our lives, and the people who create the cartoons that help to put that humor there. Grab your paper and your pencils as we have many books to help you start drawing. Learn about the lives and work of cartoonists like Charles Schulz and Hanna-Barbera. Cartoons are good family friendly fun and we all could use a good laugh each day as we read today’s comics. Our local history collection includes copies of Clare Briggs cartoon books. One of the greatest comedy artists American journalism has ever produced was born here in Reedsburg. Clare Briggs was the creator of “ When a Feller Needs a Friend”, “ Ain't it a Grand and Glorious Feeling?” and “ The Days of Real Sport”.   His most popular cartoons depicted his boyhood in Reedsburg and made the town's "Old Swimming Hole" and his childhood friend "Skinny" famous. He died January 3, 1930, and according to his request his ashes were scattered over New York Harbor. The keen observation and gentle humor of Briggs are evident in his cartoons and make his work just as enjoyable today as when it first appeared.