Yes, I do. In fact, my experience visiting zoo conferences, national conferences where we have couple thousand people there. There really are very, very few people of color. I can only think of one zoo director that’s Black and that’s Morris Amos who originally came outta St. Louis. There are… Read More
One of the things that Marilyn and I have done we hope in St. Louis is that the Harris Teachers College which is predominantly African-American students, about 80% is African American and 96% are first generation ever to attend school. We’ve endowed a internship program with the St. Louis Zoo… Read More
But when I came in the zoo business in 1963, the keeper force was 100% male. There weren’t any ladies in it. And the men said, “A woman can’t do this job. They don’t have the strength.” Well the women are doing this job. They’re doing an outstanding job. And… Read More
When I retired- I spent so much of my time in my career from starting reptile keeper, meeting kids at the door with a snake, going to the fundraiser parties, black tie affairs, greeting people with a snake. That was my trademark. There’s pictures of me in a lotta newspapers… Read More
All the money for the statue was contributed before the statue was ever built. Charlie, in the zoo profession, there are not a lot of minorities whether they be women or African-American or different people. Read More
How can a zoo or the zoo association think about doing this and bringing more people into the profession?… Read More
Do you have any opinion on it?… Read More
So you mentioned to the zoo board you made a decision of when you wanted to retire?… Read More
Well actually I thought I was gonna retire at 65. They came and asked me to stay on three more years twice. And when I left, I left. They knew I was gonna leave ’cause I was 71 years old. That was time for me to leave. That was time… Read More
And there’s a statue at the zoo in your honor, is that correct?… Read More
They were put together. Now it’s a university with 12 degrees. Marilyn and I both benefited from that school. We benefited from the zoo. We wanted to give somethin’ back. So with the zoo’s Endowment Program, we made a contribution. We made a tax transfer from IRA, from my IRA… Read More
It serves underserved people. It serves inner city kids. It serves kids from the outer suburbs that don’t have the money, can’t afford St. Louis U or Washington U. But we wanna make it easy for students of livin’ means to get a work study program at the zoo. So… Read More
So we felt so strongly about our success, what the zoo has done for me and what Harris does. We wanted to give somethin’ back and that’s how we gave it back. Read More
I’m not gonna critique it. I’m gonna support it. If they need me, I’m here. If they don’t need me, I’m gonna stay outta the way.” I had been in all seven continents. My wife has been at six. We had been all over the world, had never been to… Read More
We sometimes visit zoos but not too many. Usually the Arizona Desert Museum, I can’t pass that up. That’s one of my favorites zoos. We go to a zoo once in a while but basically Marilyn is all zooed out. She doesn’t wanna see any more zoos. We do go… Read More
And our Zoo Friends, we belong to that. We’re also zoo donors. I told you before I got an honorary doctorate from Harris-Stowe. I was on their Board of Directors, 2 six-year terms. Marilyn and I both attended the old Harris Teachers College which later combined Stowe Teachers College which… Read More
We went to the sessions and participated. I have no idea if this goes on today. I have no idea. I’m outta touch. It was a real opportunity for me because there were university professors from all over the world. There were few zoo people, most of the European zoo… Read More
You said, “When I retire, I don’t wanna shrivel up and grow old.” How active do you remain in various animal things?… Read More
Well when I retired, I was ready to retire. I was 71 years old and I felt it was time for a younger, more energetic, more imaginative, brighter person to take over. So when they brought in Jeff Bonner, I made a commitment. I told the curators. I said, “Give… Read More
We have two or three zoo directors go there. There’s a lot going on. We need a curator, an animal person. Person that’s hands-on with the animals who knows a different aspect than what we as zoo directors know. Let’s have a curator represent AZA.” And so then I was… Read More