And then they said, “Well, that was pretty nice. “We did this big job.” And so I think a million 1.2 went into building the coral reef tank, and then the rest of the money was used to start rehabilitating the mechanical system, taking the lead pipe out, putting in… Read More
So these were things that you wanted to start, were there other procedures or organizational things when you became director, you wanted to try and get into place?… Read More
Oh, sure. I mean, I had a lot of ideas what we should do. Education department, volunteer department, research department, just improve the laboratory to just to do routine water analysis, we never had that. I wanted a library, development membership department. None of those things were in place. So… Read More
I did not live in it, but I inherited the apartment and my wife and I used it occasionally when there was some event going on downtown, didn’t wanna drive home at night. We stayed there, and I used it for my lunchroom also. Read More
When you became director, what was the condition of the Shedd Aquarium when you inherited it?… Read More
Well, it was a heck of a lot better than when I first started out in 1950. ‘Cause we had made a lot of these changes to the physical plant of the aquarium. Got it dressed up, but there was not much that was done to let’s say the educational… Read More
So we took a trip around the country, that was myself, Donal Olsen, who was our architect on the board, Larry Carlton, who went along, and one other person, I can’t remember who it was. But we flew around the country mostly to the West Coast to see what those… Read More
And then down a corridor, the bedroom was off to one side, and then a dining room, and then a big kitchen with a breakfast next to it. So design-wise, it left a lot to be desired, but it was his free of charge, all his heat, light. The only… Read More
And he finally then decided he would have to get out in the country. So he bought a piece of property out, in what became Elk Grove Village just immediately next door here. And he moved out there, but he still kept the apartment and he kept his dogs out… Read More
Did you ever live in the apartment as director?… Read More
When he retired, they kept him on as sort of a, I guess consultant would be. And he sort of looked at me pathetically, and he says, “Well, I don’t know where I’m gonna sit, “where I’m gonna have an office.” And I said, feeling very guilty about this. I… Read More
And to digress a bit when Chute was there, when you took over, there was an apartment in the aquarium?… Read More
Oh, yes, yes, absolutely. It was designed originally with an apartment in it. And Chute said we did this because nobody else in Chicago knew the complete workings of the aquarium. And he said, I felt that I had to be on the spot almost 24 hours a day in… Read More
Or do you (crosstalk) No, that was when they first hired me. Read More
Did he give you any ending advice when you were taking over the helm?… Read More
Was it Mr. Chute?… Read More
I guess it was just sort of an understanding. I guess the board had met some time, something I didn’t know about. Whether it was a fellow by the name of W. Paul McBride, who took over from Stanley Field. And he then and probably maybe an executive committee met… Read More
Was that his final advice to you?… Read More
Was there a national search?… Read More
What, wait a minute. No, there wasn’t. There was some talk I understood from one of the trustees, that they talked about a national search, but I was there. I was assistant director, I guess it only was logical that that would be the next step up into the director’s… Read More