Letter to the Editor: R. L. Stine Turns 80: Celebrating the beloved author’s birthday

Wally Green
Fri, 06 Oct 2023 02:34:44 +0000
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OSU alumnus and Bexley native R.L. Stine spoke at OSU’s Autumn Commencement Dec. 15 at the Schottenstein Center. Sunday marks Stine’s 80th birthday.
Credit: Shelby Lum | Lantern File Photo

Sunday, Oct. 8, marks the 80th birthday of one of Ohio State’s best-loved graduates. Robert Lawrence Stine was born in 1943 right here in Columbus and grew up in the inner suburb of Bexley. He graduated from Ohio State in June 1965 with a degree in English. Today, he’s known around the world as the wildly popular author of nearly 500 scary novels for children and young adults, most notably the “Goosebumps” and “Fear Street” series. We spoke with Stine to learn more about his life growing up in Columbus and his time at Ohio State.

“My friends and I all agreed that Columbus was really boring when we were kids,” Stine laughed. “People always ask me, ‘Did you have a horrifying childhood? Is that why you write this stuff?’ But I had a very normal childhood.”

Stine said he first realized his passion for writing at a young age.

“Starting when I was 9, I made my own humor magazines,” Stine said. “I would be up in my room typing, doing these little joke books. I was a weird kid! My mother would stand outside my door and say, ‘What’s wrong with you? Stop typing, go outside and play!’ and I’d reply, ‘It’s boring out there!’ You know, I always wanted my own humor magazine. This was my real ambition!”

It was this ambition that led Stine to pursue his education at Ohio State. Specifically, he wanted to write for the campus humor magazine The Sundial, which Stine described as the “main reason” he applied to the university.

“My very first week at Ohio State, they had an open house at the Union. I went right into The Sundial office and tried to get on the staff immediately. And that’s pretty much all I did in college! I didn’t care much for my classes, they were all pretty bad.”?

Stine quickly made a name for himself as one of The Sundial’s most prolific writers. In his four years at Ohio State, Stine – or “Jovial Bob,” as he came to be known – produced dozens of humorous stories, editorials and even plays. He enjoyed satirizing The Lantern and The Columbus Dispatch, which became The Latrine and The Despot, respectively.?

Howard Maier, former Sundial business manager and cartoonist, recalls how indispensable Stine became to The Sundial.?

“Bob brought his sense of whimsy, satire, and language skills to the magazine,” Maier said. “He fearlessly expanded the boundaries of humor to our generation. He enjoyed a good laugh and always looked for something new and funny.”

Stine soon became editor-in-chief of the magazine and held the position for three years until graduation. Under his leadership, The Sundial soared to new heights, and in 1965 was voted the nation’s best college humor magazine.

“My proudest accomplishment [as editor-in-chief] was that we took a magazine that basically was failing, wasn’t selling many copies, wasn’t really doing well, and we turned it into something that would sell out every month. We had people out on The Oval in booths selling it, we’d sell it in dorms and in some of the stores on High Street… We turned it into something that people on campus really wanted to read every month,” Stine said.

Maier said editor-in-chiefs bring a personal aspect to the job.?

“The good ones not only bring their own skills and ideas but also respect the tradition of the magazine. Bob made changes, but he respected the history and legacy of the magazine,” Maier said.

Life after Ohio State

Stine graduated from Ohio State in June 1965, and he soon decided to leave Columbus. The money he’d earned as editor-in-chief of The Sundial paid his way to New York City.?

“I wanted to go to New York and become a writer, and I hoped to have my own humor magazine,” Stine said. “And I did – I had my own humor magazine for ten years at Scholastic. It was called ‘Bananas.’ That was my life’s dream! My own funny magazine. And when it ended, I thought I’d just coast for the rest of my life. I had no idea what was in store for me!”

“I had no intention of ever being scary,” Stine revealed. “That was never my plan – I was always funny! But eventually, I ended up writing for Junior Scholastic. That’s where I really learned how to write for kids. I’d never planned to write for kids… everything that ever happened to me was an accident, or someone else’s idea! Nothing was ever my idea. Being scary was somebody else’s idea.”

Despite unexpected twists in his career, Stine continues to leave an indelible mark in the hearts of millions of readers around the world. Happy birthday, Mr. Stine! On behalf of The Sundial staff and the entire Ohio State campus, we thank you for a lifetime of literary laughs and thrills.

Mark your calendars! Stine will make an appearance at Bexley’s Gramercy Books for a book signing event Oct. 22.

Acknowledgments: The author would like to thank Kevlin Haire, Bethany Gray, Arianna Smith, Howard Maier, and of course, Jovial Bob Stine.