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Editorial: Hoover to kids: Enjoy your youth
Op-Ed · October 29, 2015
Hoover Elementary staff brought second-through-fourth graders to the Herbert Hoover grave site service last week, and we found that a good fit for the guy who called them “our most valuable natural resource.”
In particular, Patrick Van Nevel, Honorary Consul of Belgium, told our editor after the ceremony that he set aside his prepared comments because he wanted that one-hour event to give them something to remember.
That’s because he remembered. When Van Nevel was young and still living in Belgium, he heard about Hoover in school. When Van Nevel moved to the United States, he visited the Hoover Library-Museum as a teenager.
The thing is, at the time, he did not think much of it, he said. But as the years went on and he grew into adulthood and followed the news and of world politics and conflicts and sickness and disease, the memories of Hoover grew greater in importance. He understood.
Hoover’s characteristics that stood out to him most were those of strong morals, work ethic, honesty and determination. These are not unique to Hoover, but Hoover took them to the world stage.
What a contrast that is to leaders who rely on soundbites, power grabs, corrupting promises and knee-jerk decisions.
Van Nevel wanted to give the children in attendance something that lasts: Good character.
Hoover Library-Museum Director Thomas Schwartz did the same, telling the pupils in attendance that Hoover did not want them to grow up to soon.
Schwartz referenced a letter written to a boy, Martin Kainec, who had asked about what it took to become president. In his response, Hoover gave three rules:
• The first rule is just to be a boy getting all the constructive joy out of life;
• The second rule is that no one should win the Presidency without honesty and sportsmanship and consideration for others in his character — together with religious faith;
• The third rule is that he should be a man of education.
Hoover concluded with “If you follow these rules, you will be a man of standing in your community even if you do not make The White House. And who can tell? Maybe that also.”
Those are powerful words for children. It’s not a list of don’ts. These are characteristics that require action and repetition and community engagement.
These are good lessons — and good memories — for young children.
Maybe the children will, when they grow up, remember and remain grateful to the teachers and principal who brought them to the grave site service. Maybe not.
Either way, we will. We all need to do our part to instill strong character in children, and this is another way Hoover Elementary has done so.
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