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Home Front Letters: John W. Kautz

From John W. Kautz of Blue Grass, Iowa, we learn the following:

My father made two statements that I remember to this day. (1) when my two older sisters began dating, he would remind them as they departed on a Saturday evening, “If you can force yourself to stay out past midnight, then you can force yourself to get up for church in the morning,“ and (2) when I entered school, he said, “Remember that the teacher takes my place.“ Mom’s favorite was, “In budgeting your father’s paycheck, I never take from one envelope to balance out another at the end of the month.“ I recall sitting alongside her as she divided the dollar bills among the various designated envelopes.

Money had always been an obstacle in my early life, as my parents were 8th grade graduates, and left my educational choice up to me. I paid my own 1942 entry at Michigan (tuition was $75 for the semester with in-state only $50.) My dollars came from summer employment although they did give me $100 before my senior year commenced.

Late 1942 through 1945 found me in military service and WWII as a Navy officer. In this status I eventually was earning $5,000 annually, which was great as I had a wife and son come onto the scene. In January 1946 I was ready for discharge and began my 31 years in the educational field. Back at my parents’ home in Chicago, I applied for employment at the Board of Education and was told I’d have to wait until an exam was given as I wasn’t a grad from Chicago Teachers College. Yes, I could be a substitute teacher at $5 a day!

This I did for a couple of years, eventually taking the exam. This qualified me for elementary school only, and my assignment eventually climbed to $3,000 per school year! By now, I was a daddy for the second time and needed extra outside jobs. Need I say that when an opportunity came for me to go to Europe as an Army Education Advisor, at a whopping $5,000, I took off! This situation prevailed until 1951.

Of Yvette Myles, the PJC history student assisting with these letters, he says, “I can’t help but place you and my oldest great-granddaughter in the same category. Amber, who lives here with Kathy and I, is a college-bound student with an interest in graphic design (whatever that is). She is currently enrolled in a community college earning prerequisites for a September enrollment at the University of Iowa. She will be 21 in April and a pretty sharp gal along with Yvette in Texas!“

Best wishes to John, Kathy, Amber, and our own Yvette, and thanks to John for sharing these interesting memories.

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