10                                        Guy Henle

known remains Studs Lonigan, the trilogy that starts with Young
Lonigan: it retains its power to move readers, especially young men.

Even though Henle was owner, editor, and publisher for the first
two decades of Vanguard's existence, the books on its lists did not
always represent his personal selection. Evelyn Shrifte, who was
later to assume control of the company, along with other associates,
was often responsible for the choices. If Henle had occasional
doubts about a title or two, he nonetheless went ahead with publi¬
cation; he had confidence in their judgments.

The juvenile department, for example, which was established in
1935, was not basic to his interests. Nevertheless, once it was
begun, he took an active role in the review and selection of manu¬
scripts. Among the first Vanguard juveniles was a landmark: And to
Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss (Ted Geisel).
The beloved "doctor's" first book had been turned down by dozens
of publishers—the story is well known—before it arrived at
Vanguard through Marshall McClintock, then sales manager of the
firm, to whose son Marco the book is dedicated. A second Seuss
book. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, followed the next year.
Though Vanguard continued to publish picture books for young
children, the juvenile list soon developed a tilt toward informational
and instructional books for older children—historical biographies,
how-to books, folklore collections, and books explaining the won¬
ders of the natural world. Henle was probably more comfortable
with such material.

For a firm with such serious books, it may come as a surprise that
one of its earliest commercial successes was a humorous little book
called Bed Manners, a light-hearted spoof of married life written,
under pseudonyms, by a staid advertising man and an even more
staid banker. Among other books on the lighter side were several by
Willie Snow Ethridge, recounting her misadventures as the wife of
Mark Ethridge, the widely traveled publisher-diplomat. Books of
cartoons appeared on the lists as well, such as Through History with
J. Wesley Smith by Burr Shafer and A Guide to Europe by Rube
Goldberg.