From the WFS Archives A History of Cartoons and Caricatures at WFS
By Terence Maguire WFS Archivist
Cartoons and caricatures have been an important part of American journalism for a long time. Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly pilloried political corruption and racism before and after the Civil War. Bill Mauldin followed American troops throughout WWII and brought their experiences home to the American public with humor and pathos. Herblock of the Washington Post attacked McCarthyism, white supremacy, Richard Nixon, and the Vietnam War during his seven decades career. Barry Blitt of The New Yorker has reached great heights of satirical fame skewering former President Trump. Cartoons and caricatures, demonstrating irreverence and satire, have also been a rich and creative part of the Whittier Miscellany over much of its 125-year history--though not in recent years. The Whittier Miscellany was first published in April, 1895, 11 years after the Whittier Literary Society was founded, with permission from John Greenleaf Whittier himself. (Whittier was a Quaker and among the most popular American poets of the 19th C.) It was a literary magazine: poetry, short stories, and opinion essays populated the pages of this annual and soon thereafter thrice-yearly publication. Apart from some impressive covers, there was little artwork included in the first few decades of Whittier. This patriotic (if un-Quakerly) cover, just after World War I, was drawn by Emma Holland ’22. Roger G. Taylor was the first cartoonist/artist whose work was seen over several years. His first effort was this soccer player that introduced the sports section. He also did two fine covers in the 1921-22 school year, including the one depicted top right and then closed the year with caricatures of every senior, including himself. He aspired to be a professional cartoonist. Curiously, he seems not to have graduated; his name is not on the commencement program, and I have been unable to find any mention of him on the web or in alumni files. Taylor may have created a tradition that lasted for decades, however. The June issue of the Whittier was the Senior issue, celebrating graduation and devoting most of its pages to their formal photos, accomplishments, quirks, and ambitions. Frequently each senior had a small cartoon or caricature of her or him, generally funny, sometimes edgy. Some seniors were probably not amused. Caricatures of the athletic prowess and injuries of Faxie Flinn ’50, the enthusiasm of Frannie Walker ’53, and the etiquette lessons of Nancy Wier ’54 were probably a source of honest fun, but perhaps the depiction of class members as overweight, or apathetic (and there were such caricatures) were not appreciated.
Winter 2021 • QuakerMatters 11
