DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick correspondence, June-August 1942

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Nile Kinnick correspondence, June-August 1942

1942-07-19: Page 03

uncertainty and unrest in regard to personnel, the announcements were made about
June 1st. Two weeks of conferences on the new set-up began the middle of June and
the switch-over took place on June 29th. The  personnel changes were rather volcanic
and about eight men were left out; most of them in the collection department. You
remember Bragg, who took the trouble to get your car license on short notice? He
was released, but right away got a good post at the bomber plant. He is a graduate
engineer of Iowa State, which no doubt helped him there. Rex Moore, new loans,
also got a ticket for home. One bright spot in the deal is that the bank pays
their salaries until Oct. 1st. The girls and other clerical help were largely
retained, and there is a terrific turn-over now with war jobs of various kinds
taking many of the low salaried folks.
I did not get the spot that I supposed I would,'specialist for conservation and AAA',
but was offered the job of assistant Regional Manager for northern Iowa. Konicek,
who has been the Iowa Loan Committee member for the past nine years, is the Manager
of the north Iowa region, whioh includes Monona to Greene Counties (not Boone),
Story to Tama, then jump one tier and include Grundy to Dubuque. It is the most
desirable territory in the whole district and I am well pleased. Konicek deserved
the top job and I shall be pleased to work as his assistant. It was not until
this change came that I realized that the other work I was doing was toospecialized
to permit real advancement and development. Now I shall be doing all types of
bank work and I find it much more enjoyable.  It will take some time to develop
smooth functioning, but it looks like the new system will work alright. We are
having an hour of class each day after closing, to review the manuals which
govern the procedure and policy. That has been going on for three weeks and will
continue for one more week. Walt Willy heads the Regional Managers, of which there
are eight; Iowa two, Nebraska three. So. Dak two and Wyoming one. Michaels, Knoll
and Clarence Rodgers (collection dept.) and I are assistants, and there are 12
fieldmen. Paul Stewart is an Ass't Vice President and specialist on collections
and farm servicing. Elliott has my old job as specialist on AAA etc. Office is
on the 7th floor, north side and very good.
Ben has written us quite a few letters and I am sending several to you for perusal.
You may return them when convient. Ben has been wishing for a camera, and when
near the Eastman Store last week I went to inquire about prices and to see what
could be had. I found that nothing is being manufactured now and that only Kodak
was available in the price range I felt would limit any purchase. While intending
only to inquire, it seemed best to buy this one Kodak, and I am sending it on to
Ben in the morning. It is a Bantam, like Mabel Clarke uses for her color slides,
but has a slower lens. Still it is faster than the one in the Graflex. Cost was
$14.00, and I bought a suede leather (imitation, perhaps) tobacco pouch at the
dime store for 29¢, for a case. That suggestion came from the salesman, and it
was a very good one. It is a real good Kodak and should serve Ben's needs. The
film is small, therfore inexpensive to operate, but enlarges well to most any
reasonable size. The lens is a 5.6 Antistigmat. That Kodak you have cost $25 and
has about the same lens, I believe.  It is slightly larger, however.
Last week was a scorcher. Temperatures were around 100, but as our weather had
been very temperate, the days seemed terribly hot. Rained last night and to-day
has been ideal. Certainly nothing to complain about this year. Crops all around
tho district, even Nebraska and So. Dakota, are the best in years. The wheat on
the Turin farm was making about 35 bushels when I was up there last Saturday (11th)
and the other crops looked fine. Grandma's wheat was harvested early and looked
very good, but I do not have the yield figures.
Your further comments on the farm as a way of life is of course a bulls eye to
my way of thinking. I hope that you can some day realize on it. You naturally
may count on me for aid and encouragement. I have spent many happy hours just
fancying myself scouring the state for the ideal location and lay-out, planning
it operation and development. Nothing could be sweeter. What better foundation
could one want in the things this world has to offer.   Love   Pop

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uncertainty and unrest in regard to personnel, the announcements were made about June 1st. Two weeks of conferences on the new set-up began the middle of June and the switch-over took place on June 29th. The personnel changes were rather volcanic and about eight men were left out; most of them in the collection department. You remember Bragg, who took the trouble to get your car license on short notice? He was released, but right away got a good post at the bomber plant. He is a graduate engineer of Iowa State, which no doubt helped him there. Rex Moore, new loans, also got a ticket for home. One bright spot in the deal is that the bank pays their salaries until Oct. 1st. The girls and other clerical help were largely retained, and there is a terrific turn-over now with war jobs of various kinds taking many of the low salaried folks. I did not get the spot that I supposed I would,'specialist for conservation and AAA', but was offered the job of assistant Regional Manager for northern Iowa. Konicek, who has been the Iowa Loan Committee member for the past nine years, is the Manager of the north Iowa region, whioh includes Monona to Greene Counties (not Boone), Story to Tama, then jump one tier and include Grundy to Dubuque. It is the most desirable territory in the whole district and I am well pleased. Konicek deserved the top job and I shall be pleased to work as his assistant. It was not until this change came that I realized that the other work I was doing was toospecialized to permit real advancement and development. Now I shall be doing all types of bank work and I find it much more enjoyable. It will take some time to develop smooth functioning, but it looks like the new system will work alright. We are having an hour of class each day after closing, to review the manuals which govern the procedure and policy. That has been going on for three weeks and will continue for one more week. Walt Willy heads the Regional Managers, of which there are eight; Iowa two, Nebraska three. So. Dak two and Wyoming one. Michaels, Knoll and Clarence Rodgers (collection dept.) and I are assistants, and there are 12 fieldmen. Paul Stewart is an Ass't Vice President and specialist on collections and farm servicing. Elliott has my old job as specialist on AAA etc. Office is on the 7th floor, north side and very good. Ben has written us quite a few letters and I am sending several to you for perusal. You may return them when convient. Ben has been wishing for a camera, and when near the Eastman Store last week I went to inquire about prices and to see what could be had. I found that nothing is being manufactured now and that only Kodak was available in the price range I felt would limit any purchase. While intending only to inquire, it seemed best to buy this one Kodak, and I am sending it on to Ben in the morning. It is a Bantam, like Mabel Clarke uses for her color slides, but has a slower lens. Still it is faster than the one in the Graflex. Cost was $14.00, and I bought a suede leather (imitation, perhaps) tobacco pouch at the dime store for 29¢, for a case. That suggestion came from the salesman, and it was a very good one. It is a real good Kodak and should serve Ben's needs. The film is small, therfore inexpensive to operate, but enlarges well to most any reasonable size. The lens is a 5.6 Antistigmat. That Kodak you have cost $25 and has about the same lens, I believe. It is slightly larger, however. Last week was a scorcher. Temperatures were around 100, but as our weather had been very temperate, the days seemed terribly hot. Rained last night and to-day has been ideal. Certainly nothing to complain about this year. Crops all around tho district, even Nebraska and So. Dakota, are the best in years. The wheat on the Turin farm was making about 35 bushels when I was up there last Saturday (11th) and the other crops looked fine. Grandma's wheat was harvested early and looked very good, but I do not have the yield figures. Your further comments on the farm as a way of life is of course a bulls eye to my way of thinking. I hope that you can some day realize on it. You naturally may count on me for aid and encouragement. I have spent many happy hours just fancying myself scouring the state for the ideal location and lay-out, planning it operation and development. Nothing could be sweeter. What better foundation could one want in the things this world has to offer. Love Pop