Reading comic strips is a simple pleasure

I discovered a few pages from an old Knoxville Journal newspaper recently as I was looking through some of the old newspapers I’ve collected through the years. The discovery jarred my memory of when as a kid I looked forward to going across the creek and down the dusty dirt road that ran near our house to my grandmother Swift’s house to read the funnies.

The Journal was received by mail and I remember that in that day some of the news was a bit old by the time it was received at my grandmother’s mailbox. I was just beginning to be aware of how important the news was and I even read some of the news stories that I found interesting.
But my main reason for going to grandmother’s house was to talk to her about daily happenings. My secondary reason was to read the comics. Also, my grandmother usually offered me a treat of some kind. Sometimes it was a piece of chocolate candy she had saved. Sometimes it was an apple butter or jelly biscuit. Whatever it was, it always tasted good to me and it is definitely a good memory for me.
The section of the Journal that I found was dated Tuesday, September 9, 1958. That’s over half a century ago. The Knoxville Journal comic page was part of the section I have. That page always had a variety of strips from Dick Tracy to the Phantom to Buck Rogers and more.
The Journal, if I remember correct, was an afternoon newspaper that had a pretty good circulation. Publication of that newspaper was discontinued several years ago. I don’t remember what brought about it’s closing.
Some of the other comic strips that was carried in the Journal then were “Blondie,” “Snuffy Smith,” “Mickey Finn,” “Little Orphan Annie,” “Steve Canyon,” “Rip Kirby,” etc.

Of course Charles Schultz’s “Peanuts” was included on the page as well. Even then Charlie Brown and Lucy were having their “differences.” That strip is still making people laugh even today as reruns are found in a number of newspapers.
Other than “Peanuts” two of my favorites then were “Dick Tracy” and “the Phantom.” Even today, “Peanuts” is still one of my favorites. I’m still enjoying “Blondie,” “the Griswells,” “Snuffy Smith,” and a host of others.
I suppose “Buck Rogers” in some sense was a precursor to the plethora of Science Fiction books, movies, and television shows that are popular with today’s youngsters.

The “Dick Tracy” strip could be depended upon to provide excitement and adventure as various characters were interwoven into its fabric. There were Gravel Girtie, B. O. Plenty, Pat Brady, Sparkle Plenty, Junior Tracy, Bonnie Braids, Pat Patton, Sam Catchem, Diet Smith and more. Over the years several “bad guys” were brought to justice by that indomitable detective known as Dick Tracy.
It was just a section of an old faded newspaper, but it brought back to me many memories of my childhood. It brought memories of visiting my grandmother Swift as she sat in her armchair next to the window at the old homestead. It brought memories of wondering how the latest adventure of Dick Tracy would end and many other memories as well.