December 1962
Transcribed by Scott Hinckley March 2020
December 1, 1962-Saturday
Took Debs to Primary and worked on boys’ club material while she was in class. The boys worked on moving a few wheelbarrows of dirt to the area where we hope to build a patio next summer. All four of us drove downtown. We stopped at MacDonald’s for hamburgers and French fries. Downtown at Hauff’s sporting goods we bought Ron a pair of high top sneakers for basketball and 3 pair of athlete’s socks. We drove back to the house and watched some of the Army-Navy game on TV. Scott was happy at Ron and my expense to see Navy win. Scott joined some friends at the corner drugstore and Debs and I dropped Ron off at basketball practice at Westside High School. Debs and I drove over to Ak-Sar-Ben where Debs ice skated for an hour and a half. She loved it. Starting off with some apprehension and sticking close to the sides she progressed to a real skater with the crowd. At age 7 she is very aggressive. Back to the gym at Westside to watch Ron finish his basketball work out. He was looking very good to me. Especially on defense. His hands and passing were good. Had four or five steals which were converted into points. Home for dinner and then we four drove to the Admiral theatre to see the movie–“Warriors Five”. Lousy Italian sex-pot of a movie. Good thing the shorts and cartoons were good. We enjoyed those.
( well this is the movie poster in the newspaper and the theatre window)
December 2, 1962
Was up at 7 AM to make my 8 AM ward teachers supervising meeting in the bishop’s office. Hurried back at 8:55 to pick up Debs and the boys for Priesthood meeting. Had one of the most impressive Sunday School lessons I have ever sat in on. Maurice Smith devoted the time to teaching and did an excellent job. Felt left up in the air-can’t quite explain it, not Maurice’s fault-hard to explain. Fast and testimony meeting was of good spirit and full of wise counsel. Brought the boys and Debs home and put the rib roast on only to have Helen call and say she and Teri were home and ready to be picked up. They were tired and trail sore and glad to throw their bed rolls in and ride a bit. Good time was had but Teri was very cross upon arrival home. Put the potatoes in to bake and soon we were all enjoying roast rib of beef, salad, baked potatoes and ice cream for dessert. The evening was spent doing church work. Bringing ward teaching records up to date. Helen worked on family finances.
December 3, 1962
Arrived at the office early-all decked out in my new suit-ready for the Indian Hills Jr. High School auditorium assembly of 8th graders. An Omaha Rotary Club Honor RBoy Program. Then the telephone rang and my partners wife called to say he was ill. I Searched all morning and finally at 9:35 AM found Dr. Simon would go with me. So in the spirit of Rotary- “service above self” we finished the honor boy assignment. John Johnette rode with me to guide me to the school. I would never have found the place without him. Ran into Ed McCormick of Locust Valley. He is flying United Jets from Idlewild to Omaha. I took him to lunch and then drove him out to the site of the boys’ club building. He was greatly impressed with his tour and detailed inspection of the Gene Eppley Boys’ Club. Ed has two boys who are members of the Grenville Baker Boys’ Club in Locust Valley. I knew him and his family in Long Island. Both he and his wife are former Nebraskans. Back to the office for a few hours. Frustrated as can be. Printers are driving me to drink. Poor service. Very poor quality of work in terms of color control and sharpness of detail. Played some recreational basketball at the Westside High School Gym.
December 4, 1962
Wore my new brown suit for the 1st time. May not be sharp but it sure made me feel great. First new winter suits I have had in six or seven years. After a few hours at my desk I left to drive to Kiewit Plaza to meet Al Sorensen. We had only a few minutes together before going up to the Plaza club and meeting Mrs. Ronna Agee. Mrs. Sorensen joined us for lunch. The luncheon was aimed at getting Mrs. Agee to head up the boys’ club Ladies Auxiliary. She isn’t the rush in type, but I believe she will do. She has the family name, social prestige and know how to do the job if she wants to. I came away feeling she will accept. Long talk afterwards with Al Sorensen. The Creighton University drive has enough pressure on Al that the boys’ club is going to take a back seat to their $24,000,000 drive and hold off until June ’63 to hold its first public fund drive. We are probably the only agency that will step aside. I question the public relations value of it. I baby sat for our girls while Helen and the boys went to mutual. Dead tired at bedtime.
December 5, 1962
Weather has really taken a turn for the colder. Lows are near 10 at nights and barely reach high 30’s during the day. Helen nearly freezes in this weather. I took my boys’ club projector and screen and drove to the Blackstone Hotel. Set up to show the boys’ club movie to the new class of “Junior League Gals”. My first experience at such a “school”. Was preceded by Mrs. Galligher of Parks and Recreation. I was next and the questions were many and fast. YMCA was next (Don Swanson did the honors) and there were no questions. It was nearly a silence of embarrassment. Next stop was the Old Village Inn at Countryside Village where I again set up and presented the boys’ club story to the West Side Kiwanis club. Vaughn Phelps is President. He is an inactive LDS Omaha II ward member. A telephone call caught me and I was on my way to meet people at the building site. Go over problems with the architect. Pick out tile for swimming pool, (color) and fight the details of hardware placement, etc. wall problems, light switch problems, shower ceiling problems, and the first thing I know it was 5:30 PM. Over to the office by 6 PM and stayed with the desk and paperwork until 10 PM. Late dinner but happy that work was done.
December 6, 1962
A very rough day for me. Nothing seemed to work out right. Drove the kids to seminary. Had problems with printers. They don’t seem to give the service or quality that I think they should. Staff worked all day getting boys’ club executive newsletter out. We wound up mimeographing -and real lousy job at that! Gestetner mimeo machine broke down! Inking problem. Had lunch with family doctor Lee Retelsdorf. Bright spot in the day. We talked about the Hinckleys and he offered to help me with the boys’ club medical program. Big program is getting medical examination for 1500 boys. Had some staff interviews for a while. One very good prospect. A young man with a vocational arts background and some practical experience in a social work setting on the south side. The other young man is just a few hours away from a degree but is restless and rather insecure in what he wants. Could become good-but lacks the attitude I am looking for. Stayed late and pushed some more paperwork across the desk.
December 7, 1962
Picked up the youngsters from seminary and dropped them off at Westside. Ron had a varsity club meeting at 7:30 AM. Had a nice letter from Bill Cozart. He sent a clipping along telling how the Elizabeth City Boys’ Club had defeated the Atlanta, Georgia Boys’ Club 41-0 in the Elizabeth City Turkey Bowl. Elizabeth City, North Carolina defeated Grenville Baker Boys’ Club a year ago 45-0. Scott was the quarterback for that club. Met Mr. Sorensen at the Gene Eppley BC building site and went over the final details for tomorrows cornerstone laying ceremony. Peter Kiewit will lay the stone. He recently paid $43,000,000 for the World Herald interests. Rotary luncheon at the Hilltop House in West Omaha. Back to the boys’ club building to get the pictures and signs up. Out to Leo Daly’s office for a short conference and then home by 5 PM. Dinner and off to pick up a babysitter. Helen and I went over to Westside High to watch the basketball game. Jr. varsity won easily. Varsity game was a milling racehorse, mental mistake game. Rough and shoddy. Ron had two very good opportunities to produce but had a miserable night. Haven’t seen him make simple blunders like that for years. He dropped a lot of prestige tonight.
December 8, 1962
Big day for the Boys’ Club of Omaha! Ron, Scott and I were off to pick up Shirley and her boys and were at the Gene Eppley Boys’ Club building site by 9 AM. Corner stone laying day!! About 75 people showed up for the occasion. Our little copper box (placed behind the cornerstone) contained front pages from Omaha’s newspapers, pitchers of Board of Governors and boys at ground breaking ceremonies, historical data of Omaha pioneers, story of P. Kiewit, Gene Eppley history and souvenirs of boy members, yoyo, marble, good luck charm, etc…With Eldon Loucks, President, Gene Eppley Boys’ Club assisting he and Peter Kiewit laid the cornerstone! Lots of pictures, hand shaking, applause, TV cameras, still photographers etc. Back at the house and a windy cold day. Winds up to 50 miles an hour and the temperature stayed below 30 degrees all day-dropping at night to 12 degrees. No snow yet- late winter. Teri, Debs, Helen and I took a ride and wound up buying a scotch pine Christmas tree. We have always had Balsam Spruce or fir fresh from the Canadian camp. This short bushy pine is different. I attended the Westside-Grand Island basketball game. Westside, down once by 18 points came back to tie the contest and then win in an overtime 57-55. Ron played about a quarter and looked better than last night. Helen and I met the R.P. Callahans at the Diplomat hotel. Colored sorority gave the BC a check for $250. We later went to the village Inn pancake house-home by 2 AM.
December 9, 1962
The boys and I were at Priesthood meeting by 9 AM. Still a very cold 15-20 degrees. I taught the priest’s quorum. Ron, Bishop Eskelson, Lloyd Redd and Jack MacDonald were my class. Sunday school was routine. Bro. Smith’s class-gospel doctrine was good as usual. Scott and I did our ward teaching. We caught 4 of our 5 families home. First visit was to an Indian family-living over a shabby hardware store. Entrance was gained by entering an alley and climbing a fire escape. Word of wisdom problem! Filthy living conditions. Second visit was to a Mexican family. Their living conditions aren’t much better. There brother was home- but family was gone. Third visit to an elderly couple. She is shut in- palsy victim. He is a night watchman. Scott presented the ward teaching lesson- his first. He did a very fine job. Fourth family is one of split membership. He has been very very ill. She brings in all the money in the family. Very sad, weak family structure. Fifth family is Senior Aaronic inactive. Just can’t get the father to lead the way. Back home after treating Scott to a hamburger, shake and French fry lunch. Brought some French fries home for the kids to eat. Evening sacrament service was one of troop charter presentation for ward’s boy scout troop. Still very cold. Christmas is upon us and we have ever so much shopping to do. I am slow getting into the spirit of Christmas this year.
December 10, 1962–Weather has turned very cold. Low was about 5 degrees last night. Soon after I arrived at the office it started snowing. First snow of the year. We received about an inch before it quit. With the cold weather it made the roads very slippery. I picked the boys up from seminary. Desk work and a short telephone conference with Al Sorensen set the stage for our annual Board of Directors meeting at the Sheraton Fontenelle Hotel. Re-elected the same officers for another year. Postponed our 1st campaign drive until June 1st to step aside for Creighton University’s $4,000,000 drive. (yes, earlier it said $24,000,000 and I do not know which number is correct) Mr. Sorensen signed for a $90 lunch check- added a $12 tip and said, “this is my way of buying you guys (board) a Christmas gift!” It seemed that my remarks- in leaving the meeting- that they felt we were doing a good job. Mr. Borchers made me happy when he said he enjoyed “The Executive Newsletter”. As I was walking to the parking lot to get my car I saw a run-away truck (cab and trailer) that had hit six cars and took out a light pole and hauled down the marquee of the Sheraton-Fontenelle Hotel. Played basketball at Westside High . Good night.
December 11, 1962
Temperature was 2 below zero when I went to work this morning. In walking to my office from the parking lot my ears were really nipped. Cashed Helen’s estate check for her. Her father left her interests in land holdings that give her a monthly income of $100 per month. Interviews- telephone calls- paper work- staff discussions filled the morning full. Left the office at 1:30 PM. Bitter cold. Drove out to the house, fixed lunch and changed clothes. Picked up the projector and drove to a private residence on South 114th street. Showed the boys’ club movie and talked to a woman’s club. folded my equipment and slipped away. Back home by 4 pm. Drove back to Leo A. Daly’s and spent an hour in conference with Jim Ingram reviewing estimate figures for additions to the Gene Eppley Boys’ Club. Drove over to Westside High to pick up Ron. Saw the last half of his basketball practice. He is doing very well defensively but is very despondent over his offensive work. Mental attitude has really pulled him down-he is down on himself. Helen and the boys attended MIA. Helen and Ron have ward assignments. I stayed with the girls. Debbie washed the dishes- I dried. Then with Teri we played a game of Parcheesi. Had loads of fun. Prayers and off to bed. Still beastly cold.
December 12, 1962
On this date in 1923 in a farm house in Burton, Idaho (West of Rexburg) I- William Russell Hinckley was born. I understand my father was so excited (his first child and a boy) that he jumped into his model T Ford and headed out into the face of a bad snow storm to tell his mother (and anyone else who would listen) about his “blessed event”. 39 years later his “blessed event” has learned one thing- “We get too soon old and too late smart!”. Helen came downtown and we did some Christmas shopping. The staff bought a cake and left it on my desk. One of the Rotarians sent a rose- Al Sorensen a birthday card as did my family- the Langers and Voriseks from New York. Special dinner at home and a nice combination of gifts. Nice white shirt and a beautiful pair of leather gloves. Still very cold. High temperatures don’t exceed 30 degrees. It was 9 below this morning.
December 13, 1962
I am finding it very difficult to come to grips with the problem of finding a top-notch Negro boys’ club worker for our staff. The man I journeyed to interview in Richmond Virginia has a false ring- but is very strong on paper and in an interview. I have been warned by the Associate Personnel Director of Boys’ Club of America and by my good friend Dick Shite of Providence, Rhode Island that all is not well. Falsehoods and marital problems and cash shortages seem to be the suggested problems. I can’t put my fingers on the exact spot of trouble. People fail to answer my written inquiries!! My Chicago candidate has withdrawn his name as a possible member. He just returned from several weeks in the hospital-hernia operation. I still have a possible candidate in a Cincinnati man and a good prospect line up in Carl Andrews of Newark. But to get Carl I will have to go to at least $8,000 or more! Other staff positions look like they can be filled from among Omaha people. There are some very good candidates on the local scene. Some of the teachers have excellent backgrounds that will make it easy for them to make the transition to boys’ club work. One man is a very outstanding candidate having a vocational arts degree and three years experience in a group work Social Agency setting. Pretty certain that he will be one of our gang. Other areas are moving along pretty well. PC Hyson had given us $8,000 to establish the PC and Ann Hyson memorial library. The Northern Natural Gas co. has given us $7,000 to equip and stock the kitchen. I have mailed a memo to the Board of Governors outlining the opportunity that exists for individuals or company to make a memorial gift to equip one of the offices or areas such as gym, pool, games room etc.
December 14, 1962
Left the office early and picked the family up at 4 PM. By 5PM we were having dinner at a café in Fremont, Nebraska. We were in Columbus, Nebraska by 7 PM and in time to see the Westside JV defeat Columbus JV in a very close and thrilling game. The Varsity game was very good but Westside lost by 20 points. Columbus shot an amazing 79% of their field goals in the first half to run up a 54-27 first half score. Not bad for a high school team playing 8 minute quarters. Ron had his best game of the season. Playing about ¾ of the game he broke the double figure scoring column with 10 points. It was a very wonderful family outing for us. One of the few we have had since coming to Omaha.
December 15, 1962
Still the cold wave prevails and the wind is blowing gusts of 30-50 miles per hour to really chill the marrow of the bone. We were out shopping but it was too uncomfortable. Returned home after purchasing a scotch pine Christmas tree. A short bushy thing that would have brought cries of delight to my New York customers. But it brought whelps of dismay to my family- a five-foot tree after we have been using 8 foot balsam trees. Very dried out but looks like it will make it through the holidays. I put it in a bucket of water to try and freshen it up. One of the casualties of the ice is the Sheraton-Fontenelle Marque- torn down by a runaway truck on the icy roads.
(this was his last entry and seems to duplicate the tree buying of a week earlier. At this point he started making copies of letters he wrote and kept those as a “sorta” diary. I have made a book of those)
December 1962