<P> Hoover entered Stanford University in 1891, its inaugural year, after failing all the entrance exams (except mathematics) and then being tutored for the summer in Palo Alto . Hoover claimed to be the very first student at Stanford, by virtue of having been the first person in the first class to sleep in the dormitory . Hoover worked a variety of odd jobs to support himself, and struggled in many of his classes, especially English . But he found a happiness at Stanford that previously eluded him . </P> <P> Hoover had been unsure of his major before arriving at Stanford, but position working for geologist John Casper Branner convinced him to switch his major to geology, and Hoover interned for Branner and the United States Geological Survey during the summer . Though he was shy among fellow students at first, Hoover won election as student treasurer and became known for his distaste for fraternities and sororities . In his senior year, he became smitten with a classmate named Lou Henry, but his financial situation precluded marriage . Hoover graduated from Stanford in 1895, in the midst of the Panic of 1893, and initially struggled to find a job . </P> <P> While at the university, he was the student manager of both the baseball and football teams and was a part of the inaugural Big Game versus rival the University of California and friend (Cal Manager) Herbert Lang . Only 10,000 tickets were printed for the inaugural game and 20,000 people showed up . Both Hoover and Lang had to find pots, bowls and any other available receptacles to collect admission fees . Stanford won the game . In 1892 Hoover invited Polish composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski to give a benefit concert . Hoover and his associates were unable to pay Paderewski the entire honorarium . The musician after hearing their story returned them the money so they could pay for rental of the concert hall . In 1919 Paderewski, now prime minister of Poland, traveled to America to thank the head of the American Relief Administration for helping Poland . "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," Hoover replied . "Besides, you don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole ." </P> <P> After graduation, Hoover worked in the gold mining districts of Nevada City and Grass Valley, California, before landing a job with the mining engineering firm of Louis Janin . Hoover went to Western Australia in 1897 as an employee of Bewick, Moreing & Co., a London - based gold mining company . His geological training and work experience were well suited for the firm's objectives . He worked at gold mines in Big Bell, Cue, Gwalia, Menzies, and Coolgardie . </P>

Before the great depression most charity work in the us was done by