Interview 22877 – Caption Index: 56
So the job didn’t state you had to be a man or?… Read More
So the job didn’t state you had to be a man or?… Read More
No testing, nothing. I mean, at that point, all the zookeepers, and probably the same when you started, were World War II vets. Most of them had, you know, if they had finished high school, they were considered educated, you know, some of them had difficulty reading and writing. Read More
And it was all these young kids who were suddenly interested in wildlife getting jobs at the zoo and they just didn’t, they just went, you know, “What are you doing here?… Read More
You have a college degree. You can get a real job.” So yeah, it was different. Read More
So you learned about the opportunity through friends to get on the list?… Read More
Get on the list, exactly. Read More
Okay, and there was no testing or?… Read More
What was your… Oh, let’s see. I graduated from college in December of ’72. I got married in ’73 and I started at the National Zoo in February of ’74. I had my first interview with Miles Roberts. And I was looking for a job in large mammals, ’cause I… Read More
As an animal keeper?… Read More
As an animal keeper. So your first job at the National Zoo was- Animal keeper. Animal keeper, $3 and 25 cents an hour. Read More
There’s no tests?… Read More
So when did you start then, what year did you start?… Read More
Not for laborers and dishwashers, there wasn’t any tests. You just filled out the form and you got on the list and they sent, when the zoo was looking for zookeepers, they would get a list from the federal government. And your name was on the list. Read More
Not then, you know, I got a job. I went to look for a job. At that point, I, well, and then my parents did help me with that. I was trying to find out how to get a job at the National Zoo and my mother talked to Mrs. Read More
And when you were, did you go on beyond your bachelor’s?… Read More
Well, tell me a little more about how does, you just put a name on the list?… Read More
So you had no one guiding your career or recommending or mentoring you as you were in high school or college?… Read More
I don’t remember ever talking to them about it. I mean, we’re very different people, and I’m the oldest of the four, so I was always the first to do things. Read More
No, not really. Got a job working for a vet. You know, when I was in college during the summers and, you know, a neighbor across the street introduced me to her vet and so I went to work with her. So that was really the only direct animal experience… Read More
I have a sister and two brothers. Read More