5 June 1958

5 June 1958

I have developed a plan – and I hope it works out.

  • Learn all you can – but I mean really study and learn what is in Blanche’s material.
  • Approach Blanche on the proposition of learning more at her office.
  • Bone up on geography, metric measurements – everything connected with exporting. Treat it as an apprenticeship if need be – work for nothing until I learn my way around and complete my education along these lines basically.

Then if it all works out – tell Blanche I want to go elsewhere – would she mind if I stepped out, for Stan’s sake, if nothing else.

Elsewhere can be one of two places: Central National Bank (if more experience is necessary) then or maybe, skipping the bank – see whether I can get a job with the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce – a letter giving my qualifications – willing to work for free to prove my worth if need be. Mike Kuhlman may be a valuable person to know in this connection – Chamber of Commerce.

Odds and ends:

History of Economics

Maybe Spanish and French lessons through Blanche’s friend or somewhere.

Nancy came home all wound up yesterday. She had a science report to do on her trip to the Museum of Natural History. Such tension and handwringing!

Kurt, Bill, and I began giving her the business. Nancy had her reference books all over the living room floor. She didn’t have time to eat. She didn’t want supper. Her science report was going to keep her up until 3 AM.

Bill finally commented: “You are trying to do too much, and you are going around in circles.” This isn’t exact, but close to all three comments from Bill, Kurt, and myself. I said – “So hand it in late!” Nancy said, “They’ll take off from my grade.” So I said, “Get a zero once – the world won’t fall apart. Try it.”

“Maybe you don’t care,” she stormed “but I care!”

Bill said, “You are not approaching the problem correctly.” I said, “So how should she approach it?”

To make a long story short, this was the advice he gave her, with a few comments from me:

She was interested in the different ages of mammals and reptiles. Bill said, “People have written volumes about this subject. Pick out one phase and do a good job on that.”

I suggested she use for reference not all the books she had dragged out, but the very excellently written volume by the woman from University of Chicago. I advised her, since [her biology teacher Mr.] Mancini wanted pictures, probably hadn’t seen the booklet she bought, to use the chart, the pictures, and the simply written material in the booklet – and call it a day.

It was several hours’ work – She went to bed about one o’clock but she simmered down to a peaceful, knowing concentration of effort and probably she’ll get an A+ on her report. I hope so.

I write this because I need to learn much of this technique myself.

Nancy’s supposed to go horseback riding tonight and a storm is predicted. I hope to God it all works out all right.