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Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-December 1941

1941-01-20: Front

THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

                 IOWA CITY
    OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

DEPARTMENT  OF  ATHLETICS     DIVISION   OF   PHYSICAL   EDUCATION
Sunday  Jan 20 '41?   Dear Family:
Without  lies a deep blanket of snow freshly fallen last nite.  In days  gone
by it would  beckon successfully for me to  come  out and build a snow man or  go
sledding or skiing etc. but today my mistress the law jealously has held me inside. I  have  been studying  somewhat  leisurely for my torts  exam on Mon. morning.
I feel rather confident that I know as much as we have had rather well.  In fact
generally speaking I feel much better about the whole thing than I did when I 
was hom over vacation.  Right now I feel as  if I had scratched the surface enough
to see what  it is all about.    Last Sat. we had a test in a one hour course known
as Judicial Systems.   I was  quite  satisfied with the way I  handled the  test;   I
knew everything pretty well and tho I didn't cover the details well enough to
warrant a top grade nonetheless I feel I mastered the material sufficiently well.
However, the  tests  coming up won't  be  so  easy--particularly next Sat.  I  refer
to a  course in Remedies which is  difficut in the very nature  of it--it  is very
technical dealing with the  history and growth of pleading--and on top of that
the   instructor mispeaks  himself about half of the time and his  lecture are
marvelous examplesof discontinutity/
The  other day I  pulled out the  short  comments and  observations I had made  in
the  years  previous about my  outlook etc. It was  quite  interesting to see how
my views have changed and to see also how things that I am saying or writing
now had their origin in vaguely expressed ideas  of several years ago. Most of
that which I wrote was mere verbiage  but  here and there was  an idea. The motive
force of the world are ideas well expressed--and the  latter is about
as difficult as the former but either can be developed markedly if effort is
given.  Next  Thurs. nite  I  have as tough a  speaking assignment as I have yet had.
Somehow or another I  let the  Congregational minister here  in town talk me  into
speaking at  a banquet  he is  giving for the  members  of the Youth Movement  or something like that.  I can't sermonize of course nor do I want to and yet on the other
hand  I  can't  just tell  football  jokes.  At  present  I  have  in mind making a  few
remarks along the line  of the necessity of a "combative  spirit".     I heard Rev.
Fosdick deliver a  sermon in New York last year with that phrase as  his theme.
I  don't remember what he  said but I think I  have a couple of  good  ideas  along
that line myself.  Then on Mon. Feb. 3rd I am going up to Waterloo to talk to
a convention of mill dealser or something like that and on the 10th down to
Muscatine  to  inspire the  Boy Sprouts. About that time my freshman argument  will
be coming up and also sping football will be  getting under way. My, my  life
is strenuous.  I hope I increasingly learn to face it as Teddy Roosevelt did.
Went over to the field house the other day for a  little workout--it was the thrid
time since football season --but it will be much oftener from now on--I didn't
realize how much sharper a little exercise makes me feel. Just shot a few baskets
and played a  little squash--all very leisurely and much to my liking and much
different than in the years gone by. Well, I was shooting baskets but was  getting rather tired because of the regularity with which the sphereoid dropped
thru the  net--they should make the  ball bigger or the hoop smaller or  fix the
hoop so it moved around--much too easy the way it is  now--be SURE AND SHOW THIS
TO GEORGE.  Well anyhow I glanced over and saw some  boys fooling with the
weights  and says I to myself son go over and see if you still have the stulff.
With a great deal of nonchalance i moseyed over and said lads how much do you
have on there--more palaver, etc, etc.-- ask Geo. he'll know what I said.    Well,
in brief, Gus, I pressed 175 lbs and cleaned and jerked 205 for a new record
for me.  The  only other time I tried was over a year ago down at Merritts beach.
Remember?

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THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IOWA CITY OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS DIVISION OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION Sunday Jan 20 '41? Dear Family: Without lies a deep blanket of snow freshly fallen last nite. In days gone by it would beckon successfully for me to come out and build a snow man or go sledding or skiing etc. but today my mistress the law jealously has held me inside. I have been studying somewhat leisurely for my torts exam on Mon. morning. I feel rather confident that I know as much as we have had rather well. In fact generally speaking I feel much better about the whole thing than I did when I was hom over vacation. Right now I feel as if I had scratched the surface enough to see what it is all about. Last Sat. we had a test in a one hour course known as Judicial Systems. I was quite satisfied with the way I handled the test; I knew everything pretty well and tho I didn't cover the details well enough to warrant a top grade nonetheless I feel I mastered the material sufficiently well. However, the tests coming up won't be so easy--particularly next Sat. I refer to a course in Remedies which is difficut in the very nature of it--it is very technical dealing with the history and growth of pleading--and on top of that the instructor mispeaks himself about half of the time and his lecture are marvelous examplesof discontinutity/ The other day I pulled out the short comments and observations I had made in the years previous about my outlook etc. It was quite interesting to see how my views have changed and to see also how things that I am saying or writing now had their origin in vaguely expressed ideas of several years ago. Most of that which I wrote was mere verbiage but here and there was an idea. The motive force of the world are ideas well expressed--and the latter is about as difficult as the former but either can be developed markedly if effort is given. Next Thurs. nite I have as tough a speaking assignment as I have yet had. Somehow or another I let the Congregational minister here in town talk me into speaking at a banquet he is giving for the members of the Youth Movement or something like that. I can't sermonize of course nor do I want to and yet on the other hand I can't just tell football jokes. At present I have in mind making a few remarks along the line of the necessity of a "combative spirit". I heard Rev. Fosdick deliver a sermon in New York last year with that phrase as his theme. I don't remember what he said but I think I have a couple of good ideas along that line myself. Then on Mon. Feb. 3rd I am going up to Waterloo to talk to a convention of mill dealser or something like that and on the 10th down to Muscatine to inspire the Boy Sprouts. About that time my freshman argument will be coming up and also sping football will be getting under way. My, my life is strenuous. I hope I increasingly learn to face it as Teddy Roosevelt did. Went over to the field house the other day for a little workout--it was the thrid time since football season --but it will be much oftener from now on--I didn't realize how much sharper a little exercise makes me feel. Just shot a few baskets and played a little squash--all very leisurely and much to my liking and much different than in the years gone by. Well, I was shooting baskets but was getting rather tired because of the regularity with which the sphereoid dropped thru the net--they should make the ball bigger or the hoop smaller or fix the hoop so it moved around--much too easy the way it is now--be SURE AND SHOW THIS TO GEORGE. Well anyhow I glanced over and saw some boys fooling with the weights and says I to myself son go over and see if you still have the stulff. With a great deal of nonchalance i moseyed over and said lads how much do you have on there--more palaver, etc, etc.-- ask Geo. he'll know what I said. Well, in brief, Gus, I pressed 175 lbs and cleaned and jerked 205 for a new record for me. The only other time I tried was over a year ago down at Merritts beach. Remember?