Last year at about this time Thomas Schwartz wrote a blog here about Hoover’s ‘Invisible Guest’ dinners, innovative efforts to raise private funds to pay for the feeding of Europeans after World War I. Congress had originally appropriated $100 million to this humanitarian effort, but was reluctant to expend funds beyond this commitment. Hoover recognized … Continue reading The Invisible Guest-Part II
Shortly before his departure on the Latin American goodwill trip, Herbert Hoover wrote to Elihu Root: ‘As usual, it is very difficult to deal with the press in these matters. The youngsters who are detailed to inform the American public seem to think they have a divine right to invent something sensational each day and … Continue reading Hoover’s Latin American Trip and the Press
Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover were experienced travelers when they embarked on their trip to Latin America in late November 1928. This was not the case for many of their fellow travelers. Lou Hoover felt that it was incumbent on her to bring everyone up to speed by distributing a three-page typed memorandum on the … Continue reading The Second Purpose of Hoover’s 1928 Goodwill Tour
President Lyndon Johnson in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to former President Herbert Hoover, as the remains of the former president lay in state. 10/23/1964 Following are excerpts from a transcript in box 182 of Hoover’s Post-Presidential Subject Files, ‘Hoover funeral,’ written and delivered by Joe Garagiola, NBC Broadcaster. Although the custom is … Continue reading Joe Garagiola, NBC Broadcast on the Death of Herbert Hoover, October 22, 1964
Former president Hoover with Stanford University president, Ray Lyman Wilbur, enjoying the Yale vs. Penn football game at Franklin Field. 10/13/1935 Sometimes history—and this blog post—take shape through coincidence. For instance, I was in Baltimore last week for a family event. I took advantage of the situation to do some literary sight-seeing, visiting the homes … Continue reading H. L. Mencken: Sage of Baltimore
This past September marked the eightieth anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War, an event that shocked many who felt that civilization had moved beyond such barbarous means. Herbert Hoover offered this trenchant commentary to a San Francisco audience, September 1st 1939: This is one of the saddest weeks that has come to … Continue reading Herbert Hoover on the Outbreak of the European War
London, 1914, American Women's Committee. Lou Hoover is sitting at the table, the fourth one from the right. Last month we made a presentation to our local Questers group. They are big fans of Lou Hoover, so they asked us to speak on Lou and relief work during World War I. I felt that we’d … Continue reading Lou Hoover and the Early Days of World War I
Naturalization ceremony at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will host a naturalization ceremony on Friday, September 20 at 2 p.m. Seventy candidates from thirty countries will take the oath of allegiance to the United States of America renouncing and abjuring all allegiance and fidelity to any … Continue reading Naturalization Ceremony
1940 official rule book - American Football for Boys A Safe Game. Official Rules If it is autumn, Americans’ attention turn to football. The cool crisp autumnal air is the perfect vector to carry the satisfying sound of leather meeting leather on the gridiron. The satisfaction of a well-executed tackle was held just as dear … Continue reading Seasons Change, but Football Remains
08/13/1960 Former President Hoover throws out the first ball at the Old Timers game, Yankee Stadium. Red Rutting, Bob Feller and Joe DiMaggio. In exploring the Hoover-Ruth salary story, I indulged myself to compare salaries of other baseball players in light of the annual salary of the President. Given that the POTUS’s salary changed only … Continue reading Comparing Earnings of Presidents and Baseball Players.
