DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick and Nile Kinnick Sr. letters to William C. Stuart, 1941-1983

Transcribe
Translate

Nile Kinnick and Nile Kinnick Sr. letters to William C. Stuart, 1941-1983

1989: Page 07

played again.  I don't recall ever going swimming with Nile.  I
don't remember if he was much of a swimmer.
Nile didn't date much that year.  He didn't have much time.
I dated less than he did, so we didn't talk much about girls.
I know he was attracted to pretty and intelligent females, but
he talked more to his more sophisticated friends about the young
ladies than he did to me
In those days most of the professors required the freshmen
to make outlines of their courses.  They took a lot of time and
most of us thought of them as busy work rather than a learning
aid.  One of the professors had a reputation for not doing any
more work than necesssary.  Word was out that he would not be
reading the outlines.  Nile and I talked it over and decided
that each of us would write separate outlines for the first two
and the last two sections and divide the remaining sections
between us and exchange our work.  We did and got by with it.
We were able to justify this procedure to ourselves since no one
would ever read them and there couldn't be much differences in
outlines anyway.  I know of no other instance when Nile did
anything that could have been considered improper.
We did very well in school.  When the freshmen grades
came out, Nile was fourth and I was sixth in a class of about
150.
We kept in touch with each other the summer of 1941.  A
friend and I were hired to deliver a fancy Chrysler convertible
to a dealer in Los Angeles.  I wrote him in the hope that I
could visit him in Omaha on the way west.  However, he was going
to be in Manchester, Iowa  at Jim Hoaks wedding.  He suggested
that we spend the night with his parents.  We were anxious to
get to Colorado the first night, so we did not stop.  Twice
during the summer he stopped in Chariton to have a golf game.
He, of course, was a big hit.  My Dad played with us along with
Ron Levis.  They both were great kidders and they tried to
bother Nile (not while he was swinging)  but he would j ust smile
and hit a great shot.  He was only one or two shots over par on
our sporty little nine-hole course.
During the school year we had talked about the war in
Europe.  Nile was convinced that the United States would become
involved  and felt that he wanted to be an early participant.
He believed that it was his duty to be ready.  I had considered
going to the service also.  On September 5, 1941 he mailed me
the following letter.
"Dear Will; You may have noted that I joined the Navy Air
Corp yesterday.  However, I don't have to go till December which
means that I can go back to Iowa & coach during  the football
season.  Incidentally, I don't intend to go to school during

Saving...

played again. I don't recall ever going swimming with Nile. I don't remember if he was much of a swimmer. Nile didn't date much that year. He didn't have much time. I dated less than he did, so we didn't talk much about girls. I know he was attracted to pretty and intelligent females, but he talked more to his more sophisticated friends about the young ladies than he did to me In those days most of the professors required the freshmen to make outlines of their courses. They took a lot of time and most of us thought of them as busy work rather than a learning aid. One of the professors had a reputation for not doing any more work than necesssary. Word was out that he would not be reading the outlines. Nile and I talked it over and decided that each of us would write separate outlines for the first two and the last two sections and divide the remaining sections between us and exchange our work. We did and got by with it. We were able to justify this procedure to ourselves since no one would ever read them and there couldn't be much differences in outlines anyway. I know of no other instance when Nile did anything that could have been considered improper. We did very well in school. When the freshmen grades came out, Nile was fourth and I was sixth in a class of about 150. We kept in touch with each other the summer of 1941. A friend and I were hired to deliver a fancy Chrysler convertible to a dealer in Los Angeles. I wrote him in the hope that I could visit him in Omaha on the way west. However, he was going to be in Manchester, Iowa at Jim Hoaks wedding. He suggested that we spend the night with his parents. We were anxious to get to Colorado the first night, so we did not stop. Twice during the summer he stopped in Chariton to have a golf game. He, of course, was a big hit. My Dad played with us along with Ron Levis. They both were great kidders and they tried to bother Nile (not while he was swinging) but he would j ust smile and hit a great shot. He was only one or two shots over par on our sporty little nine-hole course. During the school year we had talked about the war in Europe. Nile was convinced that the United States would become involved and felt that he wanted to be an early participant. He believed that it was his duty to be ready. I had considered going to the service also. On September 5, 1941 he mailed me the following letter. "Dear Will; You may have noted that I joined the Navy Air Corp yesterday. However, I don't have to go till December which means that I can go back to Iowa & coach during the football season. Incidentally, I don't intend to go to school during