Those were my frustrating times. And the budget, preparing the budget every year, was the most difficult task. Fortunately, I had a good staff. I had a staff that could do that for me, at least outline it, and then I would have to do final approval or whatever. Those… Read More
So that’s a flaw in me as a zoo director, I’m sure. Read More
When did you start the master plan and how did it develop?… Read More
Just out of your head or did you have other people helping?… Read More
Oh my gosh, as zoo director, what were my frustrating times?… Read More
I think it’s because of me as an individual personality, my frustrating times were not getting things done expediently. I don’t mean around the zoo on a daily basis. I mean projects, I mean the next phase of the master plan, I mean storm drainage system that should have been… Read More
Why can’t we get this through the council?… Read More
Why can’t engineering department get what we need for this?… Read More
You’ve met presidents, haven’t you?… Read More
Well, yes, I have met some presidents. I hadn’t thought about that. (chuckles) In fact, when I met Jimmy Carter, when they formed the National Museum Services Board, and decided fortunately to include zoos and aquariums as part of that, and they had a 15-member national board, well, the zoo,… Read More
I guess that’s really the only one. We did present a orangutan painting to the White House when Nixon was in the White House, but he wasn’t there that day. Read More
As director, what were some of your frustrating times as being director of the zoo?… Read More
I think that’s been a great thing. You had mentioned earlier a couple of names and situations. Read More
What famous people have you met and how has it affected you as a zoo director, if at all?… Read More
Well, I met some famous zoo people. (chuckles) Marlin Perkins, one. Charlie Schroeder, who I always considered a famous new person, he’s a great guy and he came to Topeka, and he always kinda shrugged his shoulders and held his hand down and, “Well, I tell you, Gary, I’ve never… Read More
So that’s been very beneficial. Read More
And Mike Le Roux was in Vietnam at the time. He eventually came back and worked his way up to zoologist, assistant director, and after I left, he was director for a while. He read it in Stars and Stripes, Pacific Stars and Stripes. So we started getting all these,… Read More
And when we borrowed the koala from San Diego back in 1986, they would call making arrangements and say, this is the other world famous zoo calling. I’ll accept that. (Gary laughs) So it’s been a great thing. Read More
Now having said that, during your career at the zoo, what would you consider to be major events that you saw happen that affected zoos in general, and of course the world famous Topeka Zoo?… Read More
A major event during my career that affected zoos in general, and of course, the world famous Topeka Zoo, oh gosh. A major event, hmm. Well, I don’t know if it’s a major event, but I think economic impact had played a big role, what was it, proposition 13 or… Read More