Throughout the nineteen sixties, seventies and eighties, most issues of Archie Comics featured a two-page spread titled Archie Club News. The banner at the top of the page announced, "ARCHIE CLUB MEMBERS send in your news reports and be eligible to win cash prizes in the Archie Series Magazines." The results of this venture were generally irrelevant notes sent in like "Dear Archie, Let me tell you about my recent trip to the zoo..." Often what was sent in appeared to be part of a class project in which elementary school children were learning how to write a letter and encouraged to send something Riverdale way. However, other times the letters were profound, bizarre or insane. That's the type of letter I wish to showcase in this series. So here then, is the first installment of Beware of the Blog's Archie Club News.
This letter originally appeared in Archie's T.V. Laugh-Out #10, November 1971:
Dear Archie,
I am writing this letter to tell you my ideas on the world today. First, let's start with the schools. Everyone knows there are riots going on in the schools. I am lucky to go to one where there are no riots but I don't know why there are none. For example our school is in very bad shape. In the senior high, when it rains, the roof leaks in many different places. All they do is throw buckets under the leaks. In the junior high the dressing rooms for gym are run down, with the ceilings caving in. In a couple different places the stairs are falling in. Do they do anything? No. One of these days, someone is going to get hurt or worse. Another thing is the teachers. Without mentioning names I'll give you an example. I have a teacher that told me I was a liar, I was irresponsible and she even told me that there was something wrong with my brain. That is almost like telling me that I am retarted.
Another thing is this war. I read somewhere that we spend over 3 times more on the war than on education. If people would quit worrying about the overseas affairs and look at our country, they would see what a mess we are in. I, myself, am strictly against the war and I believe something should be done about the mess we are in. Another question: Why are we giving so much money and food to foreign countries ... there are millions here in the U.S. dying of starvation. Why not feed them ... We are in fact creating a monster.
Steve Thunberg
332 Wayne Street
Beaver, PA. 15009
Steve's letter was the winner of the five dollar grand prize this issue.
You should have posted the lil' picture of the laughing/dancing Archie & Reggie right underneath the letter.
Posted by: Dr. Benway | July 19, 2007 at 05:49 PM
Sad to say, one could ask the same questions in 2007 as in 1971.
I'm glad he didn't name names. He sounds like a well meaning chap.
Posted by: Betty Cooper | July 19, 2007 at 06:25 PM
Young Mr. Thunberg appears to have been eerily prescient.
Posted by: josh | September 16, 2007 at 06:03 PM