That, at least, is the consensus of my e-mailers, the vast majority of whom are well represented by the following eloquent anecdote:

Not only did my daughter, at a very young age and beyond, laugh at the prissiness of Gallant, we often read it together and both of us had a good laugh at his expense. We still occasionally use it as a joking touchstone for over the top goody two shoeing. And I say all this as a socially conservative Evangelical Christian, so rest assured the moralizing was often pretty darn lame.

The unkindest went so far as to compare Gallant to John Edwards:

I’m 26 and was a big Highlights for Children fan as a kid. As I remember it, both Goofus and Gallant were annoying. Goofus may have existed only for Gallant to correct, but at least he was funny sometimes. Gallant was, as you put it, insufferable. Think John Edwards minus the philandering and failed presidential bids.

It is, of course, difficult to portray decency in a way that doesn’t risk mockery. (My favorite in the mockery line is this parody that implies that Gallant is a closeted gay. Risqué and hilarious.) But the Highlights crew tried, at what proved an especially tough time for the culture, and deserve our respect for that.