National Archives and Records Administration

Intro Boyhood Lou Henry Hoover Belgian Relief Secretary of Commerce President After the White House

Elementary School Field Trips
to the
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum
  Pre & Post Visit Activities

Lou Henry Hoover

Lou Henry was born in Waterloo, Iowa to Charles and Florence Henry on March 29, 1874. She spent her first eleven years growing up and enjoying the pastimes available to an adventurous girl in Iowa in the 1880s. Her father developed her love of the outdoors and encouraged her to try a wide variety of activities. When Lou was thirteen years old the Henry family moved to California. Lou Henry went to school and received her teaching degree but was strongly influenced by a lecture she heard given by Professor J.C. Branner regarding the geology department at Stanford. With the encouragement of her parents, Lou Henry enrolled as the first female geology student at Stanford University. The sense of adventure she developed as a young girl in Iowa stayed with her all her life.

To learn more about Lou Henry Hoover go to:
http://www.ecommcode.com/hoover/hooveronline/index.html

Pre-visit activities:

• Lou Henry did not seem to worry about what others thought of her. She didn’t mind being called a tomboy at a time when girls were expected to always behave in a very prim and proper way. Write a paragraph defending her position on being a “tomboy”.
   
• With the help of an atlas, on the 1903 world map label the following places that Lou Henry Hoover traveled with Herbert: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Burma, Egypt, and Russia.
  Click here for a printable version of the 1903 world map worksheet.
   

Post-visit activities:

• While the Hoovers were in China the Boxer Rebellion took place. Lou Henry Hoover took her turn standing guard and defending Tientsin at night. After viewing the scene at the museum, pretend you are Lou and write a letter home telling your family what your life is like.
   
• Lou Henry Hoover was very active in the Girl Scouts. While she was president of the Girl Scouts participation rose significantly. Create an advertisement to place in a newspaper telling about the benefits of scouting, or design a pamphlet telling the reasons girls should join.
   
• Design a Scout camp for boys or girls. Make sure you include a map with a legend or key. Also write an explanation of why you included the things you did in the camp.
  Click here for a printable version of the map grid worksheet.