I’ve gotten the collection built back up, we’ve got new exhibits opened and it had just, I think I’ve reached the point where I can’t do any more, but if I stay, I’m probably gonna start doing things that I wish I didn’t have to do. And that is, I’m… Read More
And I just said, “It’s time to go.” So in the successes you had, you weren’t able the job of director of Dr. Spelman, with those successes that wasn’t enough to save her job or she resigned?… Read More
And I told her, I said, “You want me to do my job?… Read More
I need to do it, I don’t need any interference from outside.” Even with that, it became difficult, I think I mentioned I had a real issue that came up very, very early. I think I hadn’t been there more than two or three weeks with a promise that had… Read More
And you’re telling me, I can’t, so you’ve got two choice, either it goes to Boston or I go out the gate and that’s where it stands.” And she said, “Well, we’re not gonna send out the giraffe”. And I said, “Okay, well, I’ll see you later.” And I walked… Read More
Did people in the department realize that other people and all the other departments that you were gonna make decisions and it was gonna be your decision?… Read More
When you decided to come back, you negotiated with the director, did you require a carte blanche autonomy to do what you thought needed to be done?… Read More
Yep, I absolutely did. Read More
Before you got there, what did you think was happening?… Read More
I thought that the animal care was really in trouble. And when I got back and I had to listen to the excuses that were being given for the deaths of these animals, it was like, I had to go through path reports and keeper reports for I think it… Read More
What did you see as the relationship then between the animal collections department and the medical department?… Read More
I thought there was a real problem, it wasn’t so much the animal department and the medical department because there was a real click between Spelman, the vet, and the deputy director. I mean, Lucy would come through the zoo with the deputy director, talk to the keepers, give them… Read More
So you negotiated terms to come back?… Read More
Yeah. As general curator. The original title Beck had, was assistant director for animal programs. And I said, “Look I don’t want that, just give me a title of general curator, that’s fine.” So part of the reason you came back was because of these animals, the bald Eagle, the… Read More
Okay, the zebras and the pandas?… Read More
The zebras, and the pandas, and kangaroos, I mean, I can go on and on and on. Read More
And why did I come back?… Read More
Because of what happened, I mean, I read about everything that happened with the red pandas and the fact that they had allowed Beck to resign and Seidensticker was moved out and up to research again. And the Post was raising holy hell with what was going on down there. Read More
And I wanna know if you’ll come back to help me.” And I said, “Can I call you back?… Read More
‘Cause I really have to think on this.” And then I hung up, Fran said, “Well, what are you gonna to do?” And I said, “Right now, I don’t think I would accept her offer to come back. I don’t need the job and it’s gonna be a real mess.”… Read More