Steve Stein| Journal Star
A razor-sharp Journal Star reader from Washington solved the mystery behind the cartoon of a long-nosed man looking over a wall that was on an old blackboard at Morton Junior High School. The blackboard was uncovered this summer after being behind a wall for 22 years.
The cartoon was actually the famous “Kilroy Was Here” graffiti that U.S. servicemen popularized during World War II. While the origin of the graffiti hasn’t been determined, American soldiers often drew it on walls where they were stationed, encamped or visited. Perhaps the most logical source of the graffiti is James Kilroy, an inspector in a shipyard in Quincy, Mass., who supposedly wrote “Kilroy Was Here” and drew a caricuature on rivets he inspected before the ships went into action.
The blackboard story, which appeared in the Aug. 31 paper, sparked quite a response on pjstar.com. Last time I checked, there were more than 20 comments posted. Kilroy would be happy to hear that.
Please send comments and news tips to Steve Stein at stevestein21@yahoo.com.
