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Nile Kinnick correspondence, 1935-1938

1938-10-05: Front

October 5th, 1938
Dear SB.
My other letter written to-day was typed at the office during
noon hour, before I had seen your long letter which came to-day and
before I had seen the Register.
Mother's eyes were shining when I came home this aft and when
I had read your letter we both rejoiced, and I couldn't help remarking,
as I have done before, that things don't just happen but come about
because of preparation. If you hadn't laid the foundation by a good
many years of studious and conscientious work, you wouldn't have come
to the minds of those men who asked you to come and see them this week.
Most emergencies find some man or woman available to meet the need, but
it isn't just because they happen to be near at hand. They rise to the
top at such times because they have been prepared and are equipped to
do the job that the emergency requires. A person can't suddenly become
honest, tactful, patient, calm or technical, just because a sudden need
arises. Those are skills that must be cultivated by practice just like
the ability to pass and kick a football, and I suspect that you feel
grateful that your 20 years have included a few serious thoughts and a
certain amount of studied preparation. When there are more details
available, please let us have them.
The Register to-day indicates a bit more optomism in the Iowa
camp.  I know that you will do all you can to keep the spark alive, and
certainly it must be an intangible quality that is lacking; a belief in
a victory. Nothing succeeds like success is a saying that has a lot of
active force in it and the opposite can have a deadly effect.  I can't
see why you can't supply that necessary leadership. I really believe
that you ought to practice that "skill" with greater earnestness. There
is a real need, and someone will have to fill it. What an opportunity
for every chap on that Iowa squad. It would appear that everything
is about ripe for your outfit to catch fire, and a victory next Saturday
could be the spark.  I hope you don't use the pressure so much in the
first half that there will be none left for the second, which has seemed
to be the case in somany Iowa games. That can be changed, and it must
be your turn to put the fireworks under the other outfit during the
second half.
While we are on the subject of skills, comfort and poise
and graciousness in a sorority house parlor doesn't come in a single
afteroon. Maybe after football season is past it might pay to lay
a few bricks in the foundation of the future along that line.
Enclosed is a receipt for another dividend from the Adel
State Bank. If you will sign it where indicated, I assume that the Receiver
will send you a check for like amount. The other boys and mother have     
returned theirs.
Fondest love and expectations
Pop
No 4 in row or golf since you left; too busy.

Saving...

October 5th, 1938 Dear SB. My other letter written to-day was typed at the office during noon hour, before I had seen your long letter which came to-day and before I had seen the Register. Mother's eyes were shining when I came home this aft and when I had read your letter we both rejoiced, and I couldn't help remarking, as I have done before, that things don't just happen but come about because of preparation. If you hadn't laid the foundation by a good many years of studious and conscientious work, you wouldn't have come to the minds of those men who asked you to come and see them this week. Most emergencies find some man or woman available to meet the need, but it isn't just because they happen to be near at hand. They rise to the top at such times because they have been prepared and are equipped to do the job that the emergency requires. A person can't suddenly become honest, tactful, patient, calm or technical, just because a sudden need arises. Those are skills that must be cultivated by practice just like the ability to pass and kick a football, and I suspect that you feel grateful that your 20 years have included a few serious thoughts and a certain amount of studied preparation. When there are more details available, please let us have them. The Register to-day indicates a bit more optomism in the Iowa camp. I know that you will do all you can to keep the spark alive, and certainly it must be an intangible quality that is lacking; a belief in a victory. Nothing succeeds like success is a saying that has a lot of active force in it and the opposite can have a deadly effect. I can't see why you can't supply that necessary leadership. I really believe that you ought to practice that "skill" with greater earnestness. There is a real need, and someone will have to fill it. What an opportunity for every chap on that Iowa squad. It would appear that everything is about ripe for your outfit to catch fire, and a victory next Saturday could be the spark. I hope you don't use the pressure so much in the first half that there will be none left for the second, which has seemed to be the case in somany Iowa games. That can be changed, and it must be your turn to put the fireworks under the other outfit during the second half. While we are on the subject of skills, comfort and poise and graciousness in a sorority house parlor doesn't come in a single afteroon. Maybe after football season is past it might pay to lay a few bricks in the foundation of the future along that line. Enclosed is a receipt for another dividend from the Adel State Bank. If you will sign it where indicated, I assume that the Receiver will send you a check for like amount. The other boys and mother have returned theirs. Fondest love and expectations Pop No 4 in row or golf since you left; too busy.