A recent, delightful “Flashback” on the magic of Sunday comics by Tribune reporter Ron Grossman whisked this nonagenarian back to the third decade of the 20th century. That’s when the Tribune’s comics helped me master reading skills first thing early every morning. I’d open our front door of our Rockford home, go out onto the porch, pick up the paper, bring it inside and flop down with it onto the living-room floor. On Sundays I’d pull off the color comics and read them first thing. Daily, however, I’d start by turning the paper over to the back page filled with photos, look through them and try to read their captions.
Today I haven’t a doubt that I must have been among a myriad of kids who pre-schooled their literary skills in that way.
— Brad Bradford, Highland Park
