by Spencer Howard Continuing Coningsby Dawson's tour of post-World War I Vienna, his writings sought to convey the absolute desperation of the people – primarily children – who were dependent on the American Relief Administration. In this dispatch, he describes his visit to one of the child-feeding stations: Today I visited one of the strategic points … Continue reading Christmas in Vienna, 1920 – Part 3: Caring for the children
Author: Spencer Howard
Christmas in Vienna, 1920 – Part 2: The Dorotheum
by Spencer Howard In December 1920, as Coningsby Dawson toured Central Europe writing articles to promote the American Relief Administration fund drive, he sought to inform his readers about not only the immediate work of the ARA, but also to offer a wider view of the newly independent nations that were struggling to recover from the … Continue reading Christmas in Vienna, 1920 – Part 2: The Dorotheum
Christmas in Vienna, 1920 — Part 1: A visit from Santa
by Spencer Howard The year 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I. As far as most Americans were concerned, that was the end of the war – the fighting stopped, the doughboys soon came home, and the Versailles Peace Conference concluded an acceptable peace. In much of Europe, the … Continue reading Christmas in Vienna, 1920 — Part 1: A visit from Santa
Movie Review – Snow White
by Spencer Howard Just over 80 years ago, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature length cel animated film, which quickly became both a critical and commercial success. While still popular today, Snow White may seem somewhat quaint compared with more recent animated films, but at the time it was … Continue reading Movie Review – Snow White
When is a yacht not a yacht?
by Spencer Howard At his news conference on March 22, 1929, President Hoover announced that he had ordered the Presidential yacht, USS Mayflower, decommissioned. He explained, "The Secretary of the Navy reports that it costs over $300,000 a year to maintain the yacht and that it requires a complement of 9 officers and 148 enlisted … Continue reading When is a yacht not a yacht?
Lou Henry Hoover’s Narrow Escape?
by Spencer Howard In 1928, the press reported a narrow escape from injury by Lou Hoover, then the wife of Secretary of Commerce and Presidential hopeful, Herbert Hoover: MRS HOOVER ESCAPES INJURIES IN CAR CRASH Secretary's wife and two friends leap from auto hanging at bridge edge Washington Star, March 18, 1928 Winchester, March 17 … Continue reading Lou Henry Hoover’s Narrow Escape?
What ever Happened to Herbert Hoover’s Kids?
by Spencer Howard Visitors to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum often ask, what ever happened to the Hoovers' kids? Both of their sons lived productive lives, though neither achieved as much fame as their father. Herbert Charles Hoover was born in London on August 4, 1903. He was named for his father, Herbert Clark Hoover, … Continue reading What ever Happened to Herbert Hoover’s Kids?
The President’s Mountain School
by Spencer Howard When Hoover became President in 1929, he decided to build a weekend retreat – a fishing camp – some place where he could escape from Washington and unwind. He chose a site on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia about 100 miles from Washington, where two small streams … Continue reading The President’s Mountain School
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Not Quite American
by Spencer Howard Lou Henry Hoover's papers include numerous files documenting some of the secretaries, servants and aides that worked for her over the years. Among them is a folder of letters that tell the story of a Filipino, Matias Estella. Matias Estella was born in the Philippines around 1896. Two years later, the United … Continue reading Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Not Quite American
The Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930
by Spencer Howard In any discussion of President Hoover’s economic policies, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff often takes center stage. What's typically omitted, however, is the context in which the bill emerged. From the earliest days of the republic, a protective tariff was one of the bedrock principles of U.S. economic policy. In the late 19th and … Continue reading The Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930