By Thomas F. Schwartz We all have guilty pleasures in life. At the top of the list for Lou and Herbert Hoover was reading mysteries. As this blog series has shown, the Hoovers had no set preference for a specific mystery writer or genre. They read widely, absorbing everything that was available. John T. McIntyre, … Continue reading Mystery Writers Read by the Hoovers Part X
Lou Henry Hoover is seen resting her arm on a cannon during her time in China. This photo is dated from 1900. In a previous blog post, Lou Hoover provided corrections to an article by Ida Koverman about the Hoover marriage. Ida Koverman Lou’s letter to Koverman also corrected statements about her role in the … Continue reading “Mrs. Herbert Hoover”: The Boxer Rebellion (Part II)
Ida Koverman By Thomas F. Schwartz A previous blog post discussed the role of Ida R. Koverman with Herbert Hoover. During the 1928 presidential campaign, Koverman was on the editorial board of the Republican Women's Federation of California newspaper, The California Elephant. She occasionally wrote articles, including one in the February 1928 issue, “Mrs. Herbert … Continue reading “Mrs. Herbert Hoover”: An Article by Ida R. Koverman (Part I)
President elect Herbert Hoover and wife Lou on Florida trip, early 1929. By Thomas F. Schwartz On November 29, 1929, Lou sent a reply to a letter from her former Chinese language instructor, whose letter was delivered to her though one of his sons. Lou wrote: “I have thought of you and your family so … Continue reading Lou Writes to Chinese Language Tutor Ch’uan Yueh-Tung
President and Lou Henry Hoover going to their new home in the White House on Inauguration Day, March 4, 1929, in Washington DC. (31-1929-d25) By Thomas F. Schwartz In watching the film “Trading Places” over the holiday season, two things emerged that had previously escaped my notice. The first was a close-up of the paintings … Continue reading “Greed is Good”: Or is it?
A blue and white baby blanket knitted by Lou Henry Hoover. (75.4.2) A blue and white baby blanket knitted by Lou Henry Hoover. (75.4.2) By Thomas F. Schwartz Dr. Helen B. Pryor, a close friend and early biographer of Lou Henry Hoover, recalled: “Even though fond of the out-of-doors, Mrs. Hoover has many domestic traits, … Continue reading Yarns, Needles, Knitting, and Baby Blankets
By Thomas F. Schwartz Helen P. Downes of Yonkers, New York studied with Ch'uan Yueh-Tung in 1921 while a resident in Peking [Beijing, China]. Clipping an article from the newspaper with a picture of Lou and Mr. Ch'uan, Downer sent it to her former teacher. Ch'uan wrote a lengthy reply of thanks that Downes then forwarded … Continue reading Lou Henry Hoover Learns Mandarin
By Thomas F. Schwartz Lou Henry Hoover’s papers contain a published obituary of Ch’uan Yueh-Tung, revealing the following information: “Mr. Ch’uan’s chief contribution, however, was his teaching of Chinese. He spoke the beautiful Peking dialect [Mandarin] without a flaw and to hear him speak was like listening to delightful music. He was an enthusiastic teacher and … Continue reading Ch’uan Yueh-Tung: Lou Hoover’s Chinese Language Instructor
"The Cask of Death and Other Crimes" is shown on a bookshelf in the research room at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library.Illustrations featured in "The Cask of Death and Other Crimes."Illustrations featured in "The Cask of Death and Other Crimes."Illustrations featured in "The Cask of Death and Other Crimes."Illustrations featured in "The Cask of Death … Continue reading Mystery Writers Read by the Hoovers: Part VIII
By Thomas F. Schwartz Two English mystery writers whose works were on the shelves at Camp Rapidan were Robin Forsythe and Freeman Wills Crofts. Both were born in 1879, Forsythe in Punjab, British India now Pakistan and Crofts in Dublin, Ireland. Both were popular during the “Golden Age” of detective fiction, roughly the two decades of 1920 … Continue reading Mystery Writers Read by the Hoovers: Part VII
