Well, I guess it got to be more so later but it was probably the largest waterfowl collection in the publicly owned institution, perhaps in the world. Obviously waterfowl has been a real interest of mine but it had a birdhouse which was antiquated but nevertheless, it was there. It… Read More
I think my responsibilities, at least the direction that he had given me was a fairly simple one because prior to my arrival there, there had been, as I understand, I never knew the gentleman. There had been an individual who hadn’t done a very good job of maintaining the… Read More
Was it a good representational collection or not?… Read More
Was it go build us a bird collection or maintain it or do what you want to do?… Read More
Yes, very much so I was a new face and yeah, in fact, the camaraderie within the institutions that I was, was always very good there. I can’t recall… Oh, there were conflicts once in a while but you have people working together, there’s going to be conflicts but basically… Read More
What was your charge from the director who hired you?… Read More
They welcomed you with open arms?… Read More
Well, by that time, there were probably two or three more bird curators. The zoos had decided to add into their staffing. Frank Todd was probably more of a player at that time. I’m trying to remember, boy. But at the St Louis Zoo, when you walked in, there were… Read More
That was basically, it, that’s the size of the collection at the time. There were a couple assistant curators. I’m not sure they had those titles at that time. They did later, one for the cats or the carnivores, one for the primates. It was a large collection. So, it… Read More
At that time. Yes. In fact, it was one of those, we’re at dinner having a couple of drinks. You know how often that happens in the business and it was and then he called and we talked over the phone. I can’t remember, I don’t know that I ever… Read More
So, you come in as curator of birds, who were the other curators and what was your relationship with them?… Read More
But it was all based on just an informal interview that you had?… Read More
Was it an informal interview?… Read More
Yes. Well yeah, because he had come to visit. His name was Robert Briggs, he was a PR guy and had followed, I don’t even recall who he had followed. And so, I started under him and he was director there for maybe two or three years then he left… Read More
Who was the director at the time that interviewed you?… Read More
After being at Philadelphia for three or four years, my wife and I and of course, by that time we had two children. We had gotten into the eastern way of life but we would’ve liked to get back to the Midwest. She was a farm girl outta Carroll in… Read More
So, it wasn’t mainly concern with him but I could see that after he retired, I might not be promoted to the curator level. So, I started giving some consideration to maybe going to another institution, maybe more back into the Midwest. And as it happened, the St Louis zoo,… Read More
Haven’t been on one since for good reason. (chuckles) Now, at Philadelphia, how’d you see your career moving at Philadelphia?… Read More
What were you thinking of and your goals?… Read More
And after, I don’t know, four hours on this horse and this horse would not obey, it wouldn’t get in the water. A lot of things it wouldn’t do. And I said to the lady who owned the estancia, I said, “Will he find his way back?” And she says,… Read More