Classic Jack Hamm Cartoon: Easter Headdress

“Easter Headdress” by Jack Hamm, circulated to newspapers April 1952. This clipping is from The Houston Post, April 05, 1952

This Jack Hamm panel was circulated to newspapers around early April 1952. No text accompanied the image of a well dressed woman who is standing in front of a row of hats in a clothing store window, but whose gaze is fixed upon the illuminated of the Criss and the Crown of Thorns at Calvary. 

Perhaps the intent was the simple message of not forgetting the Christ while dressing in your Easter Best, or it is better to be clothes in his righteousness.

The image like all of Hamms drawings made an impact on readers. There is one account in the Houston Post newspaper of a reader who asked for this image to be reprinted for Good Friday, 1954.

Building a V. Gilbert Beers Book Collection

Growing Up With Jesus: The Muffin Family Growing Up WithGod Series by V. Gilbert Beers with illustrations by Helen Enders, 1987. This was the first Beers book that I acquired around 2016.

For many years while hunting for vintage Bible instructional media, the name V. Gilbert Beers would appear frequently on colorful children’s book covers.

Victor Gilbert Beers (1928 - 2024) was a prolific and highly influential American author and editor who is best known for his extensive development of Christian educational materials and literature.

Beers was educated at Wheaton College (graduating in 1950) and pursued advanced theological and academic study at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and Northwestern University. Beers served as a pastor and later became an editorial leader at David C. Cook, where he helped shape influential children’s curriculum and Bible resources. 

Jesus Is My Guide: Learning to Read From My Bible, Reader 4 by V. Gilbert Beers, with illustrations by Robert Boehmer, 1973

Coco’s Candy Shop by Beers, with art by Marlene Short. 1973.

Across five decades, Beers authored or developed over 150–160 books (some sources say over 200), with more than 125 written specifically for children, or 55 - 75% of his publishings. His works collectively sold over 13 million copies worldwide, reaching audiences in more than 100 countries. His writing emphasized early childhood religious formation, presenting biblical narratives in accessible language for toddlers, preschoolers, and families. 

Many of his works are still being published and older titles are still widely accessible and easy to find today. For my Beers collection, copies were purchased from library book sales, Christian and secular thrift stores, and used book stores. I began collecting the works of Beers, Mary Alice Jones, Tessa Colina and other children’s authors for inspiration into how to reach and preach to young children in print. 

As of this writing, the Beers Collection includes 12 of his books. The goal is not to have a complete set (there would be 110+ more to go), but to create a way to highlight his work along with other legacy creators of historic Christian children’s media.