When I first got to Fort Worth, I really started, I had a chance there to do something. At Dallas, it was just, I’d designed all kinds of things and they, “Yeah, that’s nice. When we get a bond issue, we’ll think about that,” and all. Fort Worth, I could… Read More
Which there were three pangolins in it. And I found out nobody else had any pangolins. I wrote a letter to the, at the Basel Zoo, Lang, whom I get a got correspondence going with. He said, “I don’t know of any of them anywhere.” I said, “Man, I’ve got… Read More
What started to shape your views on zoos and opinions about zoo development?… Read More
Was it starting then?… Read More
And I got to know my colleagues who were all older than I was, much older. Read More
What started when you took this directorship, and you were now involved with AZA?… Read More
Hittson had been putting out this surplus list for the AAZPA. I had written a few articles for the, which Roger had published in the magazine. Well, he says, “You’re gonna put the surplus list, so you put it out.” Well, that made me, that was a committee assignment. And… Read More
He’s what, 21, 22?… Read More
He’s just been to college. He’s got book learning.” So you have to overcome those things. But see, this was in the 1950s. And zoos were still… It was just a different world for zoos. But I did get accepted. And the superintendent and I were able to work out… Read More
What the hell does he know?… Read More
Well, in different ways. My introduction at the Fort Worth Zoo, with the same thing that I’d done at Dallas. I went on all the routes. And the younger keepers I got along with fine. Read More
How did they receive you?… Read More
The older keepers, “Well, who’s this young, you know, snotty-nosed kid?… Read More
You were how old when you took this general curator job?… Read More
I was 21. You were now in charge of a lot of people at a young age. Read More
I really was not, I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know what to do. And I would talk to people and get advice. Finally, the natural history museum director called me up. He said, “Lawrence, take that job in Fort Worth.” I said, “Well, why? Why should I do that?” He… Read More
Hamilton Hittson moved up into the park director’s job. After that happened, he calls me up. He says, “You know Jim Brown, he’s our superintendent, we need a director. But I can’t call you a director at this time, but we’re gonna call you the general curator. Would you come… Read More
I went over there, and it was great. Read More
And how did that next zoo job come about?… Read More
Well, my next zoo after Dallas was pretty simple. At the Dallas Zoo, I would go to other zoos in Texas, and I would go to the Fort Worth Zoo to get animals. They were really (clicks tongue) active there. We used to put out a surplus list, AAZPA did. Read More