Books for children about the presidents of the United States must include portraits of each.  Shown to the left is a detail of the frontispiece to Ella Hines Stratton’s Lives of Our Presidents: Containing the Childhood, Early Educcation, Occuptations, Characteristics and Achievements, (Philadelphia: National Publishing Co., 1902). Look closely and you will see that the foreheads of most of the presidents have large pencilled Xes.  None of the other portraits have been marked or annotated. Maybe the Xes indicate which presidential biographies had been read.  Perhaps it’s an sign of approval or disapproval. A few of the chapters are illustrated with more exciting subjects, like this one of the young Ulysses S. Grant, who was a superb rider, beating a circus pony at his game of throwing boys to entertain the crowds.

Paper cutting and patriotism go hand-in-hand in a set of pamphlets illustrated by Louis Jacobson published in 1941 by Platt & Munk Co., which include American Pioneers, Famous Americans, and Famous Presidents. The presidents honored with “Stick’ Em Cut Outs (Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.)” are Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson.  The instructions are pretty clear: tear out the gummed page and cut out the individual pieces for the portrait to be realized.  Lay the pieces in their places on the outline portrait.  Lift up the pieces, gently moisten the gummed sides, and lay them back down on the portrait.  If the sponge is too wet, the pieces will buckle.  This art project will help children develop concentration, coordination, and patience.  Here is Jacobson’s outline portrait of Old Hickory with the page of pieces.

The last example is a recent acquisition.  It is probably the only school  yearbook in the Cotsen collection.  It is a record of the school year 1971-1972 at Punahou, the prestigious private co-educational college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii, founded by missionaries in 1841.  That year, the future 44th president of the United States was enrolled in Mrs.Hefty’s fifth-grade class.  He  turns up in the picture “On Strike” below, along with Malcolm Waugh.  the owner of this copy of the yearbook. You can find Barry Obama’s  signature in the detail from the “Autographs” page at the end.