By Thomas F. Schwartz Many young people are in a hurry to grow up and be able to do things that their age prevents. Once they get older, they begin to pine for the previous unencumbered joys of childhood. It remains a great irony of life. Herbert Hoover was one of the many precocious youth … Continue reading A Problem of Youth: Herbert Hoover’s Changeable Age
By Thomas F. Schwartz The Olympic games originated in ancient Greece as a religious and athletic festival, providing a forum of friendly competition among otherwise factious city-states. Revived in the late 1800s, the tradition of holding games every four years was well established by the 1920s. The United States hosted the 1932 winter games in … Continue reading Hoover and the 1932 Olympic Games
By Thomas F. Schwartz A tradition observed by Herbert and Lou Hoover annually invited the Diplomatic Corps and the public to the White House on New Year’s Day. The President and First Lady would head a receiving line and greet the Diplomatic Corps first and then the public. It was an exhausting event where several … Continue reading New Year’s Day, January 1, 1931
Former president Herbert Hoover talks with Bernard Baruch at the final dinner of the Boys' Clubs of America's 45th annual convention at New York's Hotel Commodore. 05/10/1951. By Thomas F. Schwartz The relationship between Herbert Hoover and Bernard Baruch was both mutual admiration and petty jealousy. They saw in one another tremendous strengths and skills … Continue reading Respectful Partisans: Herbert Hoover and Bernard Baruch
By Thomas F. Schwartz At the end of a bruising 1932 campaign, Hoover travelled to Iowa where he gave a series of speeches in early October. While much of the content focused on issues of the day, Hoover also used the opportunity to reminisce about his early youth in Iowa. Hoover reminded his audience that … Continue reading Christmas During the First “Great Depression”
By Thomas F. Schwartz Marion Redman is not a familiar name in the Hoover presidency, although she had a front row seat from December 1930 until the end of May 1931 as the governess for baby Joan, Peggy Ann, and Herbert “Pete” Hoover III. Tuberculosis was widespread during the Hoover presidency, affecting his eldest son, … Continue reading A 1930 White House Christmas Recollection
By Thomas F. Schwartz A classic Broadway musical is Meredith Willson’s Music Man. Willson, a native of Mason City, Iowa, places the musical in River City, Iowa, a veiled reference to Mason City lying along the Winnebago River. Con man Professor Harold Hill convinces the townspeople that a boy’s band is a wholesome alternative to … Continue reading Trouble in River City: Hoover describes Aunt Hannah’s Prophesy
By Thomas F. Schwartz In his memoir, The Making of a Public Relations Man, John W. Hill, founder of the public relations firm Hill and Knowlton, Inc., devoted a chapter, “Hoover and Kennedy—A Study in Contrasts.” Hill was a friend of Herbert Hoover so much of his assessment was not based upon hearsay from others … Continue reading John W. Hill on Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy
A great friend of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum died on September 15. Professor Ellis Hawley mentored generations of undergraduate and graduate students from 1957 to his retirement in 1994. He began his career on faculty of North Texas State University, moving to Ohio State University, and ending his career at the University … Continue reading In remembrance of Professor Ellis Wayne Hawley
The Case of the Missing Middle Name. By Thomas F. Schwartz Look in any encyclopedia entry or biography and it indicates that Herbert Clark Hoover was born on August 10 or August 11, 1874. A previous blog post cleared up the mystery of the birthday confirming it was August 10 but another more interesting story … Continue reading Herbert Clark Hoover or Herbert Hoover?
