There were a number of people- Fred Z. Hanalar. The person that ran the zoo before Bill Hoff was a gentleman by the name of Jack Huser and Fred Z. Hanalar had a lot to do with Jack Huser. And Jack apparently was driven by- The board was, it was… Read More
And I don’t think there was anybody other than- Oh, I’m going back and getting back on myself. Other than Fred Z. Hanalar. Fred Z. Hanalar said the zoo, when Jack Huser ran it, the zoo is run by 22 idiots telling one idiot what to do. So apparently he… Read More
Well, what qualities did you have that you felt would make you an effective zoo director?… Read More
When I was offered the position, I didn’t think twice, I accepted it. It was something that had been driving me ever since I was a child. Somehow I knew someday this is what I was going to do. It was just destiny as far as I was concerned and… Read More
Did Bill Hoff give you any advice?… Read More
No Bill Hoff wasn’t in favor of me getting the job. He thought they should seek somebody from the outside. They never even had a search committee put together. I was the interim and the choice. Read More
Did you seek any advice from anybody else or did they volunteer any advice for you on this new endeavor?… Read More
Well, we had a- I had a distinct advantage in obtaining the directorship in Cincinnati, because the number of board members knew and had observed my operating of the zoo in the curatorial sense for a long time. We had a couple of board members that used to frequent the… Read More
So Howard and I didn’t get along, and he left and I hired our first horticulturist, a professional horticulturist by the name of Dave Ehrlinger and Dave transformed that zoo. It was amazing what he could do with the landscaping. Often we would spend more for landscaping and exhibit than… Read More
For this job, as director, did you jump at it or did you say, hmm, you know, what am I getting into here?… Read More
Why was it possible for you, one of the youngest people that might aspire to that position to be hired at Cincinnati?… Read More
Was it political?… Read More
Did they see something in you?… Read More
What was the process?… Read More
I was general curator until Bill Hoff, Bill Hoff left for St. Louis. I was general curator, yes, until Bill Hoff left for St. Louis. I was placed in as interim director. Bill had an opportunity for the directorship following Marlin in St. Louis. So they put me in as… Read More
What was the year?… Read More
The year I became the interim director was 1968. Read More
What was the charge of your role?… Read More
When I came in, we had a lot of major problems with the keeper staff. To cite examples, they would go out on breaks and they would go to the tavern and they would get liquored up, come back to work, and I found one gentlemen teetering on the edge… Read More
So we got keepers better pay, and they eventually saw what I needed and wanted, and we got rid of the bad elements in the zoo. It took some time. I think the first year I was responsible for 15 people leaving the keeper force, my first year of employment. Read More