|
‘Perpetuate goals and ideals’ Speakers: Through unity, Hoover’s accomplishments changed world
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · August 15, 2024
Prior to a ceremonial groundbreaking for a museum renovation, speakers on Saturday talked about many ways Herbert Hoover inspired not only Iowa but the world.
At the annual Life Ceremony for the West Branch native and 31st president, speakers talked about his humble beginnings and international impact as strong reasons to support the Timeless Values | Modern Experience campaign.
The Hoover Presidential Foundation is just a few million dollars away from its $20 million goal with plans to close the museum early next year for the first renovation and addition in 32 years.
Margaret Hoover, a political commentator and host of PBS’s “The Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,” talked about four ways her great-grandfather impacted the world.
A co-chair of the fundraising campaign, she said she remembers visiting West Branch as young as 8 years old, but likely visited even before then. She remembers helping to raise the flag at age 11 when President Ronald Reagan helped rededicate the museum after its first renovation.
“My dad would tell me when I grew up that Herbert Hoover essentially did four things in his life, any one of which was a career of its own. It would have established him as a leading legend of his generation,” she said.
Margaret said that as a “mining engineer of international repute,” Hoover pioneered new technologies; a humanitarian who “kept one-third of Europe’s population alive between the years of 1914 and 1923”; a public servant — “a noble profession” — who considered being a politician “a poor profession”; and a statesman who served presidents on both sides of the political aisle.
In his post-presidential life, he helped feed people after World War II, reorganized the U.S. government for Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, received more than 90 honorary degrees, and wrote 10 books.”
Margaret said she hopes the Hoover Museum will one day, at Hoover’s 250th anniversary, open yet another renovated facility.
She closed her remarks by quoting the 31st president when he spoke at the museum’s 1962 dedication.
“May I say, to the boys and girls of America that the doors of opportunity are still open to you. Today, the durability of freedom is more secure in America than anyplace else in the world. May God bring you even more great blessings,” she read.
Bipartisan support
Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg said he was honored to speak and represent Gov. Kim Reynolds and joked about getting to meet Herbert and Lou Hoover, represented by two interpreters.
“You’re looking really good, my man!” he said to laughter from the crowd.
He encouraged visitors to tour the museum and come back after the renovation.
“If you think this place looks good now, just wait until this renovation is complete. We can’t wait to have you here,” he said.
Gregg said Hoover’s Hometown Days reflects the pride Iowans have in Hoover.
“Though he left Iowa as a child and had many important experiences all across the country and all around the world, he had such fond memories of West Branch and the state of Iowa that he chose to have his presidential library right here,” he said. “It’s actually quite rare … most are found in big cities. … But here on the Iowa prairie, we have one that tells the story of a remarkable man whose humble and difficult beginnings did not stop him from accomplishing so much.”
He called Hoover’s story “amazing” and important and called the museum and national park a “major tourist attraction.”
“Hoover’s story deserves to be remembered and told well to a new generation,” Gregg said. “The State of Iowa, Gov. Reynolds, and the Reynolds-Gregg administration have been proud partners in this project.”
He encouraged more people to donate to the renovation campaign.
“The Hoover Library has benefitted from bipartisan support,” he said.
Gregg then illustrated that point by gesturing to both Republicans and Democrats who visited West Branch that day or were in attendance at the Life Celebration: Republican state Rep. Robert “Bobby” Kaufmann, Democrat and former state Sen. Robert “Bob” Dvorsky, current Republican state Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen, and Democrat state Rep. David “Dave” Jacoby.
The crowd also included Republican and former state Sen. Merlin Hulse and Democratic state representative candidate Phil Weise.
“I think that gives you just a glimpse of how important the (museum) is to the state of Iowa and to those who are in leadership,” Gregg said.
Continual
opportunities
Hoover National Historic Site Superintendent Pete Swisher joked about how he is “trending in the right direction” by getting more Facebook “likes” on each birthday. He compared that to how an 80-year-old Hoover drew nearly 10,000 guests during a visit to West Branch.
“In terms of ‘likes,’ I guess he would have been very pleased,” Swisher said. “Life took him many places and his ‘likes’ throughout the journey were not marked by hitting an electronic button on a screen, but rather measured by real attendance and personal interaction.”
Like everyone else, Hoover had hard times, too, he said.
“Hoover had his downturns in his ‘likes’ traditions and trend lines, but, overall, his birthday ‘likes’ appreciated in value over time,” Swisher said.
He said the orphan’s life of adventure truly took off when he left town, traveled hundreds of miles, graduated from Stanford University, married Lou Henry, and became a millionaire mining engineer, Secretary of Commerce, president, and the Great Humanitarian.
“Opportunities for achieving never really ended for Hoover, which is most likely a testament to his character,” the site superintendent said. “This man never stopped giving.”
Swisher said surveys show that 99 percent of site visitors appreciate the Hoover grounds and over 80 percent “understand the value and national significance measured by this treasure.”
He referred to a 1999 time capsule buried in the basement of Hoover’s birthplace cottage and opened over the weekend after 25 years. Inside were things like a couple of newspapers, a drawing of Hoover’s birthplace cottage, a scrapbook of Hoover-related events, a grocery store flyer that mentions a gallon of chocolate milk for $1.99, a three-day “Hooverfest” schedule, a “Herb+Lou Hoover” horseshoe, a staff-signed tin replica of the cottage, and some government papers and statistics.
Swisher then quoted Oregon Senator Mark O. Hatfield speaking in 1999: “So we dedicate this year to these two humanitarians, death holds no dominion over two people who did so much for so many. When any one of us helps another, we perpetuate the goals and ideals of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover. These two uncommon people call to us. We cannot and must not turn away.”
Uncommon life
Hoover Presidential Foundation Board of Trustees Betsy Corridan began by noting that she was in attendance 62 years ago at the dedication of the museum and that 32 years ago she got to see the opening of the newly expanded facility.
“Today, we embark on its next renovation, which is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication” by the museum, historic site, and Foundation. “Five years of tremendous effort and tireless dedication by the Hoover family, Foundation staff, and Foundation trustees. To all of them, I say ‘Thank you.’”
She gave a quick overview of the life of the boy who was orphaned at 9 years old, left West Branch at 11 years old, and went on to great accomplishments, including saving millions from starvation.
“This uncommon life is why we’re here,” Corridan said, referencing Hoover’s “Uncommon Man” speech. “His story and how it has inspired us is why we do the work we do. His incredible model of humanitarianism (has) inspired generations and, with the help of this fantastic renovation, will do so for generations to come.”
She took time to mention some of the key people and organizations involved in the renovation project: architectural and engineering firm Shive-Hattery of Iowa City, designers BRC Imagination Arts, Timeless Values | Modern Experience Co-chairs Terry Branstad and Margaret Hoover, the fundraising campaign committee members, many donors “small and large”, the State of Iowa for its $5 million Destination Iowa grant and passage of the Hoover Tax Credit.
Above the
ugliness
Museum Director Tom Schwartz noted that President Harry S. Truman joined Hoover in the 1962 dedication on Hoover’s 88th birthday.
The two were friends and admired each other’s accomplishments, he said, and Truman appreciated Hoover making his papers public by donating them to the museum.
“I’m happy as I can be to be part of the organization that’s here celebrating the birthday of one of America’s greatest men,” Schwartz read from Truman’s comments of the day.
The director noted that Hoover’s papers included some of the “unfavorable remarks” made during the West Branch native’s 90-year life, but also positive comments. Hoover at the time joked about how politics made him hope more people would remember the friendly remarks.
“On a more serious note, Hoover concluded, ‘The mightiest assurances of our future are the intangible, spiritual and intellectual forces in our people, which we express not by the words “the United States,” but by the word, “America,” Schwartz read. “‘The word, “America,” carries meanings which lie deep in the soul of our people. It reaches beyond the size of cities and factories. It springs from our religious faith, and our ideas of individual freedom and equal opportunity, which have come in the centuries since we landed on these shores. It rises from our pride and the great accomplishments of our nation and from the sacrifices and devotion of those who have passed on. It lifts us above the ugliness of the day. It has guided us through even greater crises and our past. And from these forces, solutions will come again.”
Schwartz said the Hoovers believed in the importance of children to preserving America’s future, and he hoped that the museum renovation would help provide a safe, nurturing environment for them.
Historic mark
Foundation President and CEO Mundy McCarty thanked the crowd for “coming together for this really special milestone.”
“(Hoover) has served this country and, arguably, the highest public office of service,” she said. “Herbert Hoover had considerable achievements beyond his presidency. ... As a noble humanitarian, the tasks that he unselfishly undertook really outshined his time even in the Oval Office.”
From saving people from starvation to engaging in charitable work for children, “his uncommon life of benevolent leadership is really why we’re gathered here today.”
McCarty said that U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley both sent remarks in place of their attendance.
Ernst’s message stated that Hoover “left a historic mark” on America.
“(Through this eventual) renovation, we can continue to share President Hoover’s extraordinary legacy and Iowa’s proud connection to American history,” McCarty read.
Grassley’s comments said Iowans can take pride in their native son, the first born west of the Mississippi. The congressman visited the site in March and was glad to see West Branch gathered to mark Hoover’s birthday.
“Members of the community and guests from near and far have benefitted and will continue to benefit from their experience for decades to come,” McCarty read.
As part of the ceremony, Brig. Gen. William McClintock, deputy adjutant general for the Iowa National Guard, presented a red, white, and blue wreath to mark the 31st president’s birthday.
Swisher noted that the tradition began during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration in 1967.
The site superintendent noted that Ohio Eagle Scout Brock Huebner also placed a similarly colored wreath at the Hoover gravesite at 10 a.m.
“I thought that was a nice touch,” Swisher said.
Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover impersonators Brian “Fox” Ellis and Jane Fellows led the group in singing, “Happy Birthday” to the couple.
Swisher noted that the birthday cake served followed the same recipe used when Hoover visited for his 80th birthday in 1954.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
