A chilly homework excuse for July cartoon caption winner

U.S. Stamp Notes by John M. Hotchner

The cartoon caption contest stamp for July was the 8¢ Polar Bear stamp from the 1971 Wildlife Conservation set of four.

The dominating theme from Linn’s readers placed the polar bears in a zoo contemplating what was on the other side of the glass.

Two approaches were proposed. The first, from David Vikan of Dickinson, N.D., was “Mama, can we go out and play with the nice children?”

John Berrera of Concord, N.C., came up with a more strident approach with the mother bear saying, “The visitors should be in the cages, not us!”

Otherwise, the entries were varied. Let’s go directly to the winners.

On the philatelic side of our contest, a gentleman who signs himself “Mr. Mike” from Poplarville, Miss., wins with this line that assigns to the bears something that our modern youth might say: “Now be still so the man can take our picture. He’s said it’s for a stamp, whatever that is?”

On the nonphilatelic side, the winner is Michael Gnecco, of Danville, Calif., whose entry shown above casts the young bears in the role of schoolkids.

Both winners will receive a 13-week subscription to Linn’s (a new subscription or an extension).

Here are the best of the other runners-up:

“Mama bear: ‘Don’t do anything silly, kids, or we’ll end up on You Tube.’ ” by Mildred and Doug Barylski of Warrenton, Va.

“Another postage hike planned? Grin and bear it!” sent by Frederick Zinkann of Montgomery, Ill.

“I told you to wash behind your ears!!” from Thomas Ream of Spring Grove, Pa.

“Just remember, when life gets rough, to go with the floe.” sent by Steve Kotler of San Francisco, Calif.

 Thanks and a tip of the hat to all who entered. The next contest will be announced in the Sept. 11 issue of Linn’s.

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