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Collection Description

The San Diego Zoo, the most visited zoo in the United States, opened in Balboa Park in 1916. Several interviews were conducted in the early 1980s with longtime zoo employees to help preserve an oral history of the zoo.

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Interview with Charles Bieler, 1985
Bieler was in the United States Army and became captain. He met his wife, who was from San Diego, in Europe. They moved to San Diego in 1959. He became a member of the San Diego Zoological Society when it was a "small, family-type organization where everybody knew everybody." It was an exciting time for the Society, what with the development of the Wild Animal Park. He was on the Society's Board of Directors and oversaw the operations of the Park in 1972, and served as president of the Board from 1983-1984. He was also Director of the San Diego Zoo Global from 1973, eventually becoming director emeritus in 1985. In 2014 his more than 40 years with the Zoo were celebrated by giving him the Conservation Advocate Medal. He tells stories about the Zoo and Park, the hummingbird house and koalas, and talks about the financial difficulties at the Zoo and Park. The interview was held at the San Diego Zoo. Charles Schroeder is mentioned during the interview., San Diego State University, http://zoonooz.sandiegozoo.org/2016/09/12/charles-chuck-bieler-director-emeritus-of-san-diego-zoo-global-receives-national-recognition/ and http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2014/07/31/mentor-leader-friend-to-zoo-community-receives-conservation-award/seen 10/24/2017; the interviewer gives his name at the beginning of the tape, but it was too hard to understand, with no spelling
Interview with Charles Faust, 1981
This interview with Charles Faust, artist, sculptor, and designer was conducted for the oral history program for San Diego Museum of Art. Faust was the architectural design director for the Zoological Society of San Diego, responsible for buildings, enclosures and exhibits for both the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. He was also a freelance artist, creating public art such as sand cast panels originally made for a bank but installed in San Diego's Old Town., San Diego State University, http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/ramona-sentinel/sdrs-historic-artwork-finds-home-in-old-town-2016jun15-story.html seen 10/16/2017
Interview with Charles R. Schroeder (video), Part 1, 1983
There is a problem with this video starting at about one minute until about minute 13 of the interview. The viewer is referred to SCHROEDERCHARLES, the sound tape of the interview, and the transcript of this interview at SCHROEDERTRANS for the sound and transcription of these 12 minutes. At about 40 minutes there appears to be another problem. This file ends at the top of page 19 of the transcript. Schroeder was the director of the San Diego Zoo from 1954-1972, after serving as a veterinarian with the Zoo from 1932-1937 and again from 1939-1941. He conceived the idea of Wild Animal Park, and built the Zoo into an internationally respected institution. Schroeder built up revenue sources (including food and merchandise) and continually upgraded the zoo so it could eventually support itself. He also installed the Children's Zoo, the Skyfari aerial tramway, built enclosures with moats to replace barred cages, remodeled the animal hospital, and expanded the research staff. Schroeder retired in 1972, right after the Wild Animal Park opened, and was named Mr. San Diego that same year. When he first arrived, the Zoo's annual budget was $500K and admission was 75 cents. By the time he retired, admission had doubled and the budget was $12 million. In this interview, Doctor Schroeder discusses the following topics: where he was born and grew up in Brooklyn; how he got interested in veterinary medicine; first impressions and early memories of working at the Zoo; descriptions of his duties as a veterinarian and pathologist, research problems; zoo structures built in his earliest years; memorable animals and encounters; the relationship between the Zoo and the city of San Diego in the 1930s; fond recollections of founder Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth; many incidental anecdotes about people who worked at the Zoo; how Schroeder conceived of the Wild Animal Park and how they raised the funds for its construction; Charles "Charlie" Faust and his role as the architect of the Wild Animal Park; the team effort involved with the Wild Animal Park; the earliest animals to arrive at the park; success in breeding; and Schroeder's future hopes and plans for the Zoo's next 25 years. The interviewer is Director of the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. This interview is part of a collaborative project between the Zoological Society of San Diego and the Center. It was conducted at the Wild Animal Park (from 2010 the San Diego Zoo Safari Park). Names mentioned during the interview include: Stephen Colston, Ellen Browning Scripps, Jo Melzina, Kay Francis, Hillary Kaprofsky, Hall G. Holder, George Kilgore, Howard Ball, Si Perkins, Charles "Chuck" Shaw, Sheldon Campbell, Jonas Salk, Ralph Verden, Philip D. Swing, Victor H. "Brute" Krulak, Jean Delacour, Howard Cannon, Andy Borthwick, Neil Morgan, Charles "Chuck" Bieler, Donald Kintner, Claude E. ZoBell, and Bill Conway., San Diego State University
Interview with Charles R. Schroeder (video), Part 2, 1983
Mountain gorillas; Interviews; Oral histories; Campbell Boat Works; It Began with a Roar! (book); Ramona; Hopkins Laboratory; General Atomics; Bishop Museum; Manhattan Project; Minnesota State Zoo; Wegeforth Bowl; National Institutes of Health; Sutherland Dam; Wild Animal Park; San Diego Zoo Safari Park; Balboa Park; Skyfari; Liebardt and Weston Architects; Callahan Brothers; Westinghouse Airbrake Company; Rohr, Inc.; International Union of Zoo Directors; Rome Zoo; Zoo animals; Bull elephants, San Diego State University
Interview with Charles R. Schroeder, 1983
Schroeder was the director of the San Diego Zoo from 1954-1972, after serving as a veterinarian with the Zoo from 1932-1937 and again from 1939-1941. He conceived the idea of Wild Animal Park, and built the Zoo into an internationally respected institution. Schroeder built up revenue sources (including food and merchandise) and continually upgraded the zoo so it could eventually support itself. He also installed the Children's Zoo, the Skyfari aerial tramway, built enclosures with moats to replace barred cages, remodeled the animal hospital, and expanded the research staff. Schroeder retired in 1972, right after the Wild Animal Park opened, and was named Mr. San Diego that same year. When he first arrived, the Zoo's annual budget was $500K and admission was 75 cents. By the time he retired, admission had doubled and the budget was $12 million. In this interview, Doctor Schroeder discusses the following topics: where he was born and grew up in Brooklyn; how he got interested in veterinary medicine; first impressions and early memories of working at the Zoo; descriptions of his duties as a veterinarian and pathologist, research problems; zoo structures built in his earliest years; memorable animals and encounters; the relationship between the Zoo and the city of San Diego in the 1930s; fond recollections of founder Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth; many incidental anecdotes about people who worked at the Zoo; how Schroeder conceived of the Wild Animal Park and how they raised the funds for its construction; Charles "Chuck" Faust and his role as the architect of the Wild Animal Park; the team effort involved with the Wild Animal Park; the earliest animals to arrive at the park; success in breeding; and Schroeder's future hopes and plans for the Zoo's next 25 years. The interviewer is Director of the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. These two interviews are part of a collaborative project between the Zoological Society of San Diego and the Center. They were conducted at the Wild Animal Park (from 2010 the San Diego Zoo Safari Park). The first interview, conducted July 17, 1983, was videotaped and can be seen at SCHROEDER1-1 and SCHROEDER1-2-3, with a transcript at SCHROEDERTRANS. This sound file covers both interviews, starting with the videotaped July interview, which was transcribed; whereas from hour 2 at about 5 minutes, the interview conducted on October 7, 1983 begins, and is not transcribed. Names mentioned during the interview include: Ellen Browning Scripps, Jo Melzina, Kay Francis, Hillary Kaprofsky, Jonas Salk, Hall G. Holder, George Kilgore, Howard Ball, Si Perkins, Charles "Chuck" Shaw, Sheldon Campbell, Ralph Verden, Philip D. Swing, Victor H. "Brute" Krulak, Jean Delacour, Howard Cannon, Andy Borthwick, Neil Morgan, Charles "Chuck" Bieler, Donald Kintner, Claude E. ZoBell, and Bill Conway., San Diego State University, There are no keywords for the interview in October, beginning at about 02:05:00, although of course some of the previous keywords may apply.
Interview with Grace and Philip Klauber on Laurence Klauber, 1983
Laurence Klauber was the first Curator of Reptiles for the San Diego Zoo, a position he held from 1922 to 1931. He also served as President of the Board of Trustees of the Zoo from 1949-51. Klauber's primary vocation was as a power company executive with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), where he was chairman of the board and chief executive officer until his retirement in 1953. Although herpetology was to him primarily an avocation, he described 53 new species or subspecies of reptiles, and his 2-volume study, Rattlesnakes: Their Habits, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind (first published by University of California Press in 1956) is still considered the definitive scholarly work on the subject. In this interview, Laurence Klauber's widow Grace and his son Philip reflect on the life and accomplishments of Laurence Klauber. Topics include: where Laurence was born, his parents and educational background; discussion of his work at SDG&E; how Laurence first got involved with the zoo, and his duties as consulting curator of reptiles; anecdotes about a lost albino snake, force-feeding of the pythons, and the times Laurence got bitten by rattlesnakes; his personal collection of tens of thousands of preserved animal specimens, particularly his large collection of preserved rattlesnakes; his role in supplying rattlesnake venom for antivenins to pharmaceutical labs; Laurence's large library and donations to the Natural History Museum; his greatest contributions to the field of herpetology, particularly the 2-volume rattlesnakes study, the 2nd edition of which was completed after his death; his observations of Hopi snake dances, which Laurence wrote a book about; other hobbies he pursued; and some of the people he corresponded with internationally as a scholar. The Klaubers are interviewed in their home in San Diego. The interview is a part of an oral history project of the Zoological Society of San Diego in collaboration with the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University, of which Colston is the director., San Diego State University, description and keywords from https://library.sdsu.edu/scua/raising-our-voices/san-diego-history/zoological-society#Klauber seen 10/24/2017
Interview with Ivor de Kirby, 1985
De Kirby was born in 1915 in Souris, Manitoba, Canada as Haren Ivor De Kirby Lumb. As a child actor, he is known for "Mother Knows Best" (1928). He tells of having a donkey that he took to school one day and how it had to be donated to the San Diego Zoo for rides for children. As a child he and other children (children got in free) "had the run of the zoo." De Kirby became treasurer of the San Diego Zoo. He also became a Board of Directors president of the San Diego Zoo and a San Diego City Councilman as well as deputy mayor later. De Kirby died in 2000. This interview was conducted in De Kirby's home in San Diego for the Oral History Project sponsored by the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Regional History Center at San Diego State University. Edele de Kirby is mentioned during the interview., San Diego State University, interviewer's name spelled phonetically without confirmation, so not added to "subjects"; http://celebritynetworth.wiki/net-worth/ivor-de-kirby-net-worth/ and http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0209103/ seen 10/24/2017
Interview with J. Dallas Clark, 1985
Clark describes himself as an "Army brat," born at an Army post. His father had married Lina Sefton, whom he had met when he was at West Point and she was in school in Philadelphia. He traces his family and personal history from his military birth to his arrival in San Diego, to which he was moved by the insurance company for which he was working. He was called to military service at the start of World War II and describes how people were leaving San Diego in fear that the Japanese would invade. Clark was appointed a member of the board of trustees of the San Diego Zoological Society in 1969, later serving as board president. He was still a director in this year. He was named "Mr. San Diego" in 1993 in recognition of civic achievements and contributions. This interview was conducted for an oral history project of the Zoological Society & the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. Names mentioned during the interview include: Mary Hollis Clark, Lenita Clark, and Dale Clark., San Diego State University, https://sandiegozoo.giftlegacy.com/?pageID=3&storyNum=6 seen 10/24/2017; name of interviewer may be Nicola Kircher (is a woman), but she says it first and indistinctly, with noise on the tape, no spelling given
Interview with Kenhelm W. Stott, Jr., 1983
Stott was born in San Diego in 1920. He began going to the San Diego Zoo when he was about three years old. His father used to drop him off at the zoo since he lived close by. He remembers getting to know a zookeeper there and learning the names of the animals. He recounts a story about Milton Wegeforth and John D. Spreckels and whitewashed elephants. Another voice tells another story about Spreckels, and Stott tells another story about Wegeforth and an alligator. He began working in the elephant enclosure to earn elephant rides, and when he was old enough he worked in concessions and enclosures in the summers. Belle Benchley encouraged him, and he started giving talks in front of the gorilla cage. Eventually Stott became a mammal keeper before he was drafted to serve during World War II, and a mammal curator after, working as well as editor of the ZOONOOZ magazine. He had written articles for the publication while in the Service, describing zoos he visited while on leave. The interviewer was director of the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. The interview is a part of a collaborative oral history project of the San Diego Zoological Society, and takes place at Stott's home in San Diego. The file has a loud hum and apparently is not registering its length properly. Names mentioned during the interview include: Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth and Martin Johnson. Names mentioned during the interview include: Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth and Martin Johnson., San Diego State University, http://timeline.sandiegozoo100.org/30/ seen 10/25/2017; the length of the sound file does not appear to be accurate, reading as it does 09:22:47.
Interview with Kenton Lint, 1984
Kenton Lint began his career at the San Diego Zoo in 1936 as Assistant Curator of Birds, and was Curator of Birds from 1948-1976, after which he became Curator Emeritus. Under his direction, the zoo's ornithology department established more than 400 bird breeding records of birds in captivity, and assembled the largest collection of parrots and parrot-like birds in history. Lint received the 1965 Bean Award of the American Association of Zoological Parks & Aquariums for the notable first hatching of the Thick-billed Parrot. In 1976, he received the Zoo's Gold Conservation Medal, and later was elected to the Avicultural Hall of Fame. Lint discusses his family background, employment history, and early memories of the Zoo. Topics include: his parents' and siblings' background; past jobs, including raising and dressing 500 squabs a week for restaurants in Tulsa while in college; his studies in poultry husbandry and animal husbandry; how he met his wife Alice Lint and her work accompanying him on expeditions; his first work with the Zoo on mammals (cats and bears); first impressions and early memories of the Zoo; the donations of Ellen Scripps to the Zoo; some of the early zookeepers; how they dealt with financial difficulties in the early days; memories of former Zoo directors Belle Benchley and Charles Schroeder; working conditions and long hours at the Zoo in the days before labor unions; Karl Koch, the Curator of Birds before Lint, and his forming the nucleus of the Zoo's bird collection; collecting trips and the specimens brought back, including hummingbirds, Bali Mynahs, and proboscis monkeys; and descriptions of trips abroad to Asia, South America, and Africa. Names mentioned during the interview include: Alice Marie Lint, Jim Lyon, Ralph Virden, Ellen Browning Scripps, Charlie Smith, Roland Lint, Bob Jarbo, Charles Faust, Edalee Harwell, Ken Scott, Kate Sessions, George Pournelle, Charles "Chuck" Shaw, Clyde Perkins, Karl Koch, Allan Hancock, and Augusto Ruschi., San Diego State University, description and some keywords from https://library.sdsu.edu/scua/raising-our-voices/san-diego-history/zoological-society#Lint seen 10/24/2017; a Malayan tapir walks into a bar ...
Interview with Milton Wegeforth, 1983
Milton Wegeforth was the son of Harry "Doctor Harry" Wegeforth, who was the founder and first President of the San Diego Zoo. Harry Wegeforth served as president of the Board of Directors of the Zoological Society of San Diego from its founding until his death in 1941. After that, his son Milton served for 40 years on the Board of Directors of the Zoo after his father's death, per his father's wishes. In this interview, Wegeforth discusses some of the major issues the Board faced during his 40 years of service, as well as remembrances of his father, Zoo founder Harry Wegeforth. Topics include: Milton's educational background; memories of issues faced by the Board during his tenure, including raising the admission fee after WWII, building the restaurant and administration building, building speed ramps, planning for the Children's Zoo, and the debate over the Wild Animal Park and whether the Zoo would suffer too much from bleeding funds for it; his father (Harry's) background; when Harry got interested in zoos and animals; some of the individuals supporting Harry's efforts in creating the zoo such as Ellen Scripps and Allan Hancock; public python-feeding events in the 1920s to raise funds (including at Charles Lindbergh's welcome back reception at Balboa Stadium in 1927); Harry's fundraising activities; the Aquarium Committee and their purchase of the ship Star of India; Harry's travels to zoological gardens throughout the world as influences on the San Diego Zoo design; the effects of WWII on zoo collecting; Harry's trading with other zoos; Harry's collecting seeds and plants all over the US to bring to the zoo, and his relationship with Kate Sessions; and stories about escaped animals such as monkeys and seals, and a keeper who was killed by an elephant. The interviewer is director of the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University. Wegeforth was interviewed in his San Diego home as part of an oral history project of the Zoological Society of San Diego which is a collaborative effort between the Society and the Center for Regional History. Names mentioned during the interview include: Charles Schroeder, James Haugh, Searles Sullivan, Martin Bowman, Paul Wegeforth, Rachael Granger, Frank Buck, Belle Benchley, Howard Chernoff, Lester "Les" Olmstead, and Conrad Wegeforth., San Diego State University, description from https://library.sdsu.edu/scua/raising-our-voices/san-diego-history/zoological-society#Sullivan seen 10/25/2017
Interview with Victor H. Krulak, 1985
Krulak was born in Colorado in 1915, moved to San Diego at age 10, went to the Naval Academy at age 16. (He eventually became a Lieutenant General in the United States Marines.) He had had animals in his home as a child and had always appreciated them. He became a trustee in the San Diego Zoo in 1968 after returning to San Diego after a military assignment in Washington, District of Columbia, and president in 1972. He also served as chairman of several committees, including Building and Grounds, of which he was chairman at the time of this interview. The Wild Animal Park was the main topic at the time. Krulak presided over a difficult political situation at the Zoo. He relates the circumstances of the arrival of the koalas from Australia and talks about one of his favorite animals, the okapi. This interview was conducted at the General's home in San Diego, as part of a collaborative oral history between the San Diego Zoological Society and the San Diego Regional History Center at San Diego State University. General Krulak died in 2008. Names mentioned during the interview include: Charles Schroeder and Robert "Bob" Sullivan., San Diego State University, unable to catch the interviewer's name

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