The 1930s saw a need for inexpensive postcards for summer camps. This was
brought about by the combination of the "great depression", a serious
decline in the postcard industry, and the rapid growth of summer camping.
Reacting to this market, the Lawrence company of New York began publishing
several series of cheap quality camp postcards. The first ("A" series) seems
to have been originally targeted specifically at Boy Scout Camps.
It was produced under the trademark
"Scoutoons," and the cards featured boys wearing stylized uniforms and
referred to Scouting terms. The later series repeated the same themes,
but without uniforms or any Scouting-specific references the cards took
on a generic appearance and, presumably, appealed to a wider audience.
The Lawrence Company also began using a generic designation, "Camptoons."
Cards from each of the series can
be found with each of the backs. The cards were available from the mid 1930s
at least until the early 1940s. They appear to be the direct forerunner
of the generic Boy Scout Camp postcards
of 1947. The same sentiments and themes can be recognized in each.