AMELIA Opdyke “Oppy” Jones was a cartoonist who drew a slew of subway posters that gently and humorously called attention to the shortcomings of subway riders in the manners department. The posters were given a faux newspaper masthead called The Subway Sun.
The Sun was introduced originally to warn riders about a fare increase, but the signs evolved to tout technological improvements, highlight travel destinations:“You too can reach the beach by subway!” … and most memorably, to promote straphanger etiquette. The most famous campaign, inked by Amelia Opdyke Jones, used Monopoly-like cartoon characters the women often modeled after Oppy herself , to push good manners on a captive audience. Some considered it propaganda, but at least it was entertaining, and it gave the impression that management was paying attention.
What would Oppy make of the current subway scene? Would she tell miscreants to get rid of the gun after shooting it, or not to reach for your wallets when stopped by the police, or to use box cutters, not razor blades, if you must apply scratchiti? Or not to push people onto the tracks? Oppy, where are you when we need you?
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1/23/23