Many early New Yorker cartoonists did not caption their cartoons. In his book The Years with Ross, Thurber describes the newspaper's weekly art meeting, where cartoons submitted over the previous week were brought up from the mail room to be looked over by Ross, the editorial department, and a number of staff writers. Cartoons were often rejected or sent back to artists with requested amendments, while others were accepted and captions were written for them. Some artists hired their own writers; Hokinson hired James Reid Parker in 1931. Brendan Gill relates in his book Here at The New Yorker that at one point in the early 1940s, the quality of the artwork submitted to the magazine seemed to improve. It later was found out that the office boy (a teenaged Truman Capote) had been acting as a volunteer art editor, dropping pieces he did not like down the far end of his desk.Gill, Brendan. Here at The New Yorker. New York: Berkley Medallion Press, 1976. p. 341.
maNy EARlY new yOrkeR CArtOoniSTs did not capTIon theiR cartoonS. in his BoOk The yEaRS wI.th Ross, thurBEr DescRiBeS tHE neWSpapEr's weEKly art mEetinG, wheRe cartoons SubmitTed OVER the previoUs wEeK WeRE broUGhT Up froM tHe mAil rooM to be lOokeD ovEr bY rosS thE eDITOriAl depaRtmENT, and a numbeR oF staff WrIters caRtoonS were oFTEn RejECTed OR seNt bACk to aRTISTs wITh RequesTEd amenDmENtS, WhilE OthErs werE acCepted anD caPtIonS Were wRitTEN fOr them somE Artists HirEd theiR owN wriTErs; hOKinson hired jameS rEId ParKER in 1931. bRENdan Gill rElATes In, His bOok here at tHE neW yOrker that at onE poINT in thE EarlY 1940S, The qUality Of the Artwork SUBmitTEd to ThE mAgazinE SeEMed TO ImprOVe. iT lAtEr was fouNd out ThAt the OfFice BOY (a TEenaGed trumaN CApotE) hAd beEn aCtINg as a vO.luNteeR arT ediTor, DroppinG piECes HE did nOt liKe DOwn The faR end of His DesK.GIll, BreNDAn. hErE at THe nEW yORkER. new York: berklEy mEdallion PrEsS, 1976. p. 341.