Hoover, Lou Henry (1874-1944), was the wife of Herbert Hoover, who served as president of the United States from 1929 to 1933. She ranks among the best-educated first ladies. She learned several languages and was among the first American women to earn a college degree in geology. She enjoyed outdoor activities, including horseback riding.
Mrs. Hoover, whose maiden name was Lou Henry, was born in Waterloo, Iowa, on March 29, 1874. Her father was a banker, and her mother had worked in a dry goods store. In 1884, the family moved to California. After finishing high school, Lou Hoover planned to be a teacher, and she enrolled at Los Angeles Normal School to study education. But after she heard a lecture on geology, she decided to major in that subject. She enrolled at Stanford University in 1894. In 1898, she became the first woman to earn a geology degree from the school.
Lou Henry met Herbert Hoover in 1894, when both of them were Stanford geology students. The couple married on Feb. 10, 1899. They had two sons, Herbert , Jr., and Allan.
Herbert Hoover became a mining engineer in 1896. His job required him to travel widely, and Lou Hoover often accompanied him. In 1898, he was assigned to China. Lou and Herbert Hoover spent their honeymoon sailing from California to China. Lou Hoover learned Chinese while in that Asian country. The couple left China in 1900. From then until the United States entered World War I in 1917, the Hoovers lived in many different countries. In 1912, they completed a translation from Latin to English of De Re Metallica, an important book on mining from the 1500’s. In 1917, Lou Hoover began an association with the Girl Scouts of America. She remained active with the organization at the national level for several years.
During the 1920’s, the Hoovers lived in Washington, D.C., where Herbert served as a member of the Cabinets of President Warren G. Harding and President Calvin Coolidge. Hoover succeeded Coolidge as president in 1929.
As first lady, Lou Hoover was a gracious entertainer and an efficient administrator. She hired three secretaries to help her with her work. She decorated parts of the White House with souvenirs and art objects she had collected during her world travels. Mrs. Hoover arranged to have famous singers and musicians perform in the White House.
The Great Depression struck less than a year after Herbert Hoover took office. Mrs. Hoover promoted volunteerism among women as a way to provide relief for the needy. She sometimes used radio to broadcast her message. Mrs. Hoover died on Jan. 7, 1944.
See also Hoover, Herbert Clark .
