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Nile Kinnick's correspondence with his family, January-June 1939
1939-02-12: Front
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[Feb. 12, 1939] Sunday Dear Family: I know that you are anxious to hear about my interview with the man from International Business Machine Corp. and I am just as anxious that you should. The net result of our meeting was highly pleasing to me and if I may say so somewhat of a surprise. From the very first he gave me the impression that he was ready to take me on if I was interested. I felt the necessity of being absolutely frank with him and so told him that I did not at the present know exactly what I wanted to do---whether I wanted to go into law school or whether I wanted to go into business. I . told him that I hoped that he did not think me presumptious in telling him that I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do inasmuch there were so many fellows eager to jumpt at such an opportunity. He expressed an appreciation of my stand and at the same time urged me to keep them in mind and even to drop in and see him whenever I had the opportunity. He gave me his address in Des Moines and also the address of the district manager in Omaha whose name is Thomas and a former All-American from Dartmouth. He went on record as being very much prejudiced in favor of prominent football players with a scholastic record in addition. They have a good many on their payroll at the present time and they all are doing well. He feels that they have something that the average run of students lack--whatever that may be. He asked me what I did in the summer. I was forced to tell him that my business experience was almost nil and that I had been spending my time in summer camps during vacation mainly to stay in good shape for the coming football season. I also added that I didn't want to spend all my time and thought on football to the exclusion of my school work but that the nevertheless that I thought that there was something to be gained from my football competition therefore I wanted to be in the best possible shaped during the fall. He said that he was quite in harmony with my evaluation and even went so far as to say that it was because of my football record that I was then before him. He even went so far as to say that if I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for the coming summer to drop in on him sometime and maybe something could be worked out. I assured him that I would keep in touch with him and that I felt highly flattered and very enthusiastic as a result of the interview. He further extolled the wonderful possibilities of his company and I am pretty much inclined to concur with him. He mentioned the names of two Iowa men that went with them in 1935--they are now situated in Kansas City and St. Louis and they both made $6000 apiece this last year. Certainly this is an opportunity to keep very close in mind. However, that this is the right direction for me to follow I can't be sure. I am pretty sure that I would like such work and that I could make some money but whether that is where I can best make use of my capabilities is more difficult to decide. And certainly such a consideration should enter in don't you think. I would appreciate some expression of the sentiment at home as to what you folks think I should dothis summer. Please take into sonsideration that I would like to getsome reading done this summer and at the same time be in the best possible shape for the coming football season. I don't know when I have felt better. My work as steward is going well as are all my other outside jobs; my school work is interesting and seems to be going along pretty well; I like the new coach and the prospects for the coming spring and fall. The weather today is warm and beautiful--I wish I didn't feel the necessity of studying this afternoon. All in all I have so many things to rejoice over and to be thankful for. I trust that all is going well with Ben and you folks at thome. Give my best to George and tell him that I hope he is developing along the fine upstanding righteous lines that he knows are provacative of the best.---Yours, Nile
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[Feb. 12, 1939] Sunday Dear Family: I know that you are anxious to hear about my interview with the man from International Business Machine Corp. and I am just as anxious that you should. The net result of our meeting was highly pleasing to me and if I may say so somewhat of a surprise. From the very first he gave me the impression that he was ready to take me on if I was interested. I felt the necessity of being absolutely frank with him and so told him that I did not at the present know exactly what I wanted to do---whether I wanted to go into law school or whether I wanted to go into business. I . told him that I hoped that he did not think me presumptious in telling him that I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do inasmuch there were so many fellows eager to jumpt at such an opportunity. He expressed an appreciation of my stand and at the same time urged me to keep them in mind and even to drop in and see him whenever I had the opportunity. He gave me his address in Des Moines and also the address of the district manager in Omaha whose name is Thomas and a former All-American from Dartmouth. He went on record as being very much prejudiced in favor of prominent football players with a scholastic record in addition. They have a good many on their payroll at the present time and they all are doing well. He feels that they have something that the average run of students lack--whatever that may be. He asked me what I did in the summer. I was forced to tell him that my business experience was almost nil and that I had been spending my time in summer camps during vacation mainly to stay in good shape for the coming football season. I also added that I didn't want to spend all my time and thought on football to the exclusion of my school work but that the nevertheless that I thought that there was something to be gained from my football competition therefore I wanted to be in the best possible shaped during the fall. He said that he was quite in harmony with my evaluation and even went so far as to say that it was because of my football record that I was then before him. He even went so far as to say that if I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for the coming summer to drop in on him sometime and maybe something could be worked out. I assured him that I would keep in touch with him and that I felt highly flattered and very enthusiastic as a result of the interview. He further extolled the wonderful possibilities of his company and I am pretty much inclined to concur with him. He mentioned the names of two Iowa men that went with them in 1935--they are now situated in Kansas City and St. Louis and they both made $6000 apiece this last year. Certainly this is an opportunity to keep very close in mind. However, that this is the right direction for me to follow I can't be sure. I am pretty sure that I would like such work and that I could make some money but whether that is where I can best make use of my capabilities is more difficult to decide. And certainly such a consideration should enter in don't you think. I would appreciate some expression of the sentiment at home as to what you folks think I should dothis summer. Please take into sonsideration that I would like to getsome reading done this summer and at the same time be in the best possible shape for the coming football season. I don't know when I have felt better. My work as steward is going well as are all my other outside jobs; my school work is interesting and seems to be going along pretty well; I like the new coach and the prospects for the coming spring and fall. The weather today is warm and beautiful--I wish I didn't feel the necessity of studying this afternoon. All in all I have so many things to rejoice over and to be thankful for. I trust that all is going well with Ben and you folks at thome. Give my best to George and tell him that I hope he is developing along the fine upstanding righteous lines that he knows are provacative of the best.---Yours, Nile
Nile Kinnick Collection
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