Verhovayak Lapja, 1946 (29. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1946 / Verhovay Journal

August 14, 1946

Verhovay Journal

Page 7

TRAGIC E13 OF A LITTLE BOV

The tragedy we are to relate occurred in Phoenixville, Pa., in February, 1946, and was reported by Louis Papp, manager of Branch 159. Newspaper clippings were enclosed to the report telling of the tragic end of little 7 year old, Gerald Victor Souch, son of Michael Souch, 159 Pennsylvania Ave.

According to the^ newspapers, the little boy was playing with two of his classmates along the edge of the field in a bed of honeysuckle. Suddenly a brushfire broke out. The other two children ran away but Gerald Was caught by the flames. His screams were heard by Randall Bredford, a bus driver, who ran to the child’s side, beat out the flames with his clothing and took the boy to the hospital, on February 17th. The little boy, suffering from third degree burns, was given four bloodplasma infusions and treatments, however, to no avail. He succumbed on February 20.

The shocking tragedy aroused great sympathy for the bereaved family. There is, however, another side to this sad story that ought to be brought home to our readers.

Gerald V. Souch was a member of Branch 159. Manager Louis Papp wrote him up for a $1,000 Juvenile Class B. certificate in January, 1946. The little boy was a member of the Verhovay for only one month and 18 days . . . According to the graded benefit provisions set forth in Juvenile certificates, his beneficiaries received $700, enough to pay the hospital and funeral expenses.

Little Gerald was a happy boy When he returned from school on the afternoon of February 17th. Who would have thought that he wouldn’t be among the living three days later?' Yet, it did happen, to the undescribable sorrow of his family . . . But worry Would have been added to their sorrow, had Manager Louis Papp not visited the family two months before the tragic accident occurred. A great financial burden would have been added to their heartbreak had they not consented to sign the application for the little boy ... Of that burden, at least, the Verhovay could relieve the bereaved .. .

It is a sad fact that such tragedies occur everywhere, every day. Rarely does a newspaper appear without carrying news of children unexpectedly having lost their lives due to accident or sudden illness. The story of little Gerald appeals to this writer, for he, too, lost his son under similar circumstances. In fact, the two tragedies are similar even in that he, too, had his little son join the Association only a few months before his untimely ieath . . .

Neither we, nor our children are wer safe! Truly, the Verhovay -enders great service in making t possible for us to be relieved )f financial burdens when trag;dy strikes . . . The loss of our jeloved ones is a tragedy to vhich no human being can reign himself. It is almost undatable heartbreak . . . But we an save ourselves, at least, from he added burden of unprovided or financial loss . . . We hever now what the next day brings . . Let’s not delay but accept Dday the safeguards offered by ur Asociation . . . The bereaved eed full posession of all their

This Is your colunm, members •>f the Verhovay and readers of the Verhovay Journal. You are as free to speak your mind in this column as are the orators in London’s famous Hyde Park. Your “letters to the editor” will be published faithfully, provided you give your name and the branch of which you are a member. If desired, we shall not publish your name but anonym letters are not published, partly as a matter of principle, partly because this is a forum for the members of the Association and wc have to have proof that the writer is a fellow-member in good standing.

Youi letter may contain approval or criticism, suggestions or questions, anything, as long as it has any connection with the activities and functions of the Verhovay. The letter to the editor does not have to be an article. Just put your thoughts down, we shall be glad to do the editing for you.

The editor reserves the right to answer the letters, but other readers, too, may reply to them. This column is intended to promote the exchange of ideas among the membership. All members of the Association are invited to contribute to this column.

THE EDITOR.

* * *

Up to date methods are needed if we are to equip our branchmanagers for promotional work in face of heavy competition, stated the Ferret in her last column in the July 31st issue of the Journal. “For some time now —she wrote—I’ve toyed around with the idea of probing our district managers and local organizers to give us articles, pep talks, lectures, short cuts in salesmanship, etc. Who, in our organization today, is better fitted to give us this help?”

In response to the Ferret’s article we received a “letter to the editor” from fellow-member, Ernest , Kunstadt, manager of Branch 164, Chicago, 111., chairman of the Auditing Committee, editor of the “American Home,” etc., etc., whose widely acclaimed proficiency in promotional work makes him «ne of the foremost authorities in this field. Letter No. 10 is his reply to the questions raised by the “Ferret.”

“With keen interest, yet not without a sense of disappointment have I read the Ferret’s last article about the problem of how to secure new members for our organization. As one of the old-timers of the Verhovay and, also, as one who for five years has tried to sell insurance for an old-line insurance company, let me, brother Editor express my views briefly in the following.

As a constant reader of the “Ferret sez . . .” column I know that she has been a branch-manager for the last ten years and so I must take it for granted that she knows a great deal about writing insurance. Many

faculties if they are to survive the shock of the death of the one who ois dearest to them . . . Worry is an additional strain, an added burden which, if combined with mourning, makes life unbearable . . . This isn’t a quesof financial gai nor loss ... It is the question of how to iprotect your own spiritual, mental and nervous resources . . . Take it from one who—knows!

of our universities offer special courses in life insurance work, however, at present this does not concern us. The Verhovay sells its certificates on their MERITS. We do net have to learn that we have EXCELLENT INSURANCE CERTIFICATES, nor do we have to learn that FINANCIALLY the Verhovay rates among the strongest insurance organizations in the country. Yet, these are the ONLY TWO FACTS that will soil insurance. _Success in Verhovay organizing work is not so much a matter of method as that of having ambition and keeping one’s mind on the job. Nearly every branchmanager can offer excuses for the lack of results in his work, as most of them are hard-working men and women, tied down by their jobs in the mills and at their homes. Such excuses may be vaiid, yet they cannot be accepted any more. -„An insurance organization cannot afford to be too sympathetic toward represeniatves .who „consistently fail to produce any increase, regardless of what good reasons he may give for his lack of success. Not having enough time is an old story. And that we have to face stiff competition with National Service Life Insurance and the Insurance companies, is an old story, too. The fact is that other institutions have more ambitious workers than we. Whatever free time they have at their disposal, they spend in strictly attending to the business of selling. They know from experience that practice is the best school and so they go out and get the business and learn how to write insurance by doing it.

Lots of printing and talking about insurance will not sell the certificates if we forget to CALL ON THE TRADE!

Most cf our prospects will talk about the policies of life-insurance companies and other organizations. When trying to secure their signature on the dotted line, let’s forget about those other companies and talk about the Verhovay. Our certificates are not hard to understand and their advantages arc obvious. Of course, first of all, we must ourselves read our certificates and get acquainted with their provisions. We must know everything about the various types of Verhovay certificates and their rates in order to be able to suggest the class of insurance which is best suited to the needs ef the prospect. Then we may prsceed to talk about Verhovay's educational fund, about our sport grants, the assistance rendered to aged members and to those in distress, and the charitable, social and humanitarian activities of the association and its branches. These are all important factors that will sell our certificates. Fruitless arguments about competing organizations and their policies should be avoided, for they only antagonize the prospects and strengthen their sales-resistance. Go out after prospects every day, explain to them the rates and provisions of the proper certificates, enumerate the benefits afforded to members of the Verhovay in addition to the insurance protection features, concentrate in your sales talks on these matters and success will not stay away from your door.

ERNEST KUNSTADT, Branch 164.

The Verhovay k\hm of Bratsch Managers

JOHN J. PHEM — BRANCH 215 MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MICH,

The story of John J. Pehm’s life begins at Iiarkow, Russia.

There his father, a soldier in the Hungarian army, was taken as a prisoner of war durng World War I, and there he met Helena Stessenka whom he married alter deciding to settle in that country. Thus John was born at Harkow, on October 15, 1918.

However, when the repatriation of the prisoners of war began following the conclusion of that great conflict, the father of John yielded to íome-sickness and returned in 1921 to Felsőcsatár, in Vas county, with his little family. In due time John entered grade-school at Felsőcsatár, and later in Bécsújhely, where his parents moved to, until 1928 when they emigrated to America.

John J. Pehm, an inspector at the plant of the Sealed Power Corporation, joined the Verhovay 'in February, 1931, at Branch 215. He was not quite 22 years old when elected branch-auditor and after serving in this capacity for six full years, he was appointed branch-manager as of January 1st, 1946.

Muskegeon Heights, northwest of Grand Rapids, at the shores of Lake Michigan is the site of his branch which, 200 members strong, offers some possibilities to an ambitious man interested in the promotion of fraternal protection and fellowship. Fellow-member John J. Pehm already has proven himself the man for the job by the securing of several new members. He is single and both he, and his mother—who also is a member of Branch 192—take active part in the social life of the Hungarian colony in Muskegon Heights and, of course, in the activities of the Verhovay. We have great hopes for the future career of John J. Pehm nd for the development of Branch 215 under his inspired leadership.- ■

Thank you, Mr. Kunstadt, for your response. While there may be many a “scientifically” trained insuranceman who would not entirely agree with your views, your record in promotional work shows that “you got something there.” There is universal agreement, however, among all salesexperts on the basic principle of your method which is PERSISTENT CALLING ON THE TRADE. Sales instructors continually remind the agents to take care lest they ever run out of prospects. The • profesional agent spends his late evening and early morning hours by checking and double checking the list of his acquaintances and preparing the list of those cm whom he plans to call on the next day. A socially active businessman Will for ever secure new acquaintances and will never hesitate to call upon them. His doctor, his grocer, his tailor, his barber, his relatives and friends, they all are prospects as far as his work is concerned. And each one of them represents a “centre of influence,” because the . ambitious salesman will secure more names, addresses and, whenever possible, introductions from each and every one of his prospects regardless of whether or not he succeeded in closing a deal with him.

Failure stares into the face of the insurance salesman as soon as he runs out of prospects, which happens if he does not go out after new ones. We cannot expect the prospects to beat a path to our doors. We have to keep our eyes and ears open and go after them. Without prospects no method of selling can succeed.

However, let others among our experienced field-men speak. An

TOO MUCH OF WHAT?

Whenever someone dies, the survivors often find that he has left entirely too much of some of the following things:

Too many unpaid bills.

Too much unimproved real estate.

Too many heirs for the size «f his estate.

Too much due to banks and brokers.

Too many unpleasant memories.

Too much insecurity and worry for the survivors.

Too many tasks not completed, etc.

There is one thing, however, which they have never found too much of and that is life insurance. Yet, perhaps that is the only thing a man can leave to his widow and orphans that they could inherit without cause for complaint, because that’s the one possession that cannot be taken from them, is judgment proof, bankruptcy proof, exempt from all kinds of taxes and not subject to financial reverses.

No matter what your circumstances are, don’t forget that you will leave too many handicaps to those who will have to carry on without you. Make up for those handicaps by leaving too. much rather than too little life-insurance to those who depend on you whether you live or die.-vv“How do you get domestic harmony in your home?” a meek little man was asked.

“By playing second fiddle,” he sadly replied.

exchange of ideas and suggestions is highly desirable and, therefore, we invite our successful field-men to add their bit to this discussion.

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