Circuitous Route Career Has Taken
Have you ever thought about what you do for a living and how you got from the beginning to now? As age is putting me closer to the culmination of my career, I have been thinking about the route my career has taken.
Immediately after I graduated from college in 1959, I accepted my first job to fill an opening as a business teacher at Shongaloo High School in Webster Parish. I really enjoyed getting to relate to the kids, most of whom were only a few years younger than I was.
Deciding I could make better income in sales so I worked for a year as assistant manager of a clothing store in Mansfield. Next came a free lance job of selling insurance. Let me say here that even though I had more income from the sales jobs, I found that I disliked being in sales; it just wasn’t the thing for me.
I started to wonder just where my career would go and if I might find something I liked as teaching school paid so little and I found I really didn’t enjoy trying to sell insurance to friends who would see me coming and walk across the street to prevent me from trying to sell them a policy; I had to sell to make a living but I detested the interaction it was causing between me and friends.
I learned of a job more up my alley being offered by the local employment office where I would be able to relate to people without them thinking me overbearing. I took a civil service test to qualify for that job, but by the time I got my score back, the position had already been filled.
However, the same test qualified me to work for the Department of Public Welfare and I was called in for an interview. The job sounded much more interesting and when it was offered, I took it, going to work in Natchitoches as a Welfare Visitor. This job allowed me to visit with folks who needed assistance and getting to visit and council them on ways to improve their lot, many times signing them up for benefits gave me personal comfort; I was helping people rather than trying to coerce them into buying insurance they may not have been able to afford.
After two years working in Natchitoches, I applied for a graduate school course in social work at LSU in Baton Rouge, was accepted and earned a degree. Next came the opportunity to put my new training into practice so I accepted a position as case supervisor for the Welfare office in Winnfield.
A year later, a opening came for a parish director job in Claiborne Parish, I applied and moved to Homer to run that office. My next move was to commute to Jonesboro to direct the Jackson Parish office and by then, I had my 30 years qualifying me for retirement.
My interest in outdoor writing had been building over the years and I applied for, was offered and accepted a freelance job of writing weekly columns for the Guardian Journal, Homer’s weekly newspaper under the fake name of “Uncle Zeke from Beaver Creek”; I didn’t want my name associated with the column in case folks thought it stunk.
Next came a move to Ruston where I increased my newspaper coverage by writing for the Ruston Daily Leader and from there, several more newspapers accepted my columns.
I decided to give outdoor radio a shot and began recording and broadcasting weekly radio programs on local Ruston radio stations.
Today at age 89, my circle is complete as I still write weekly columns and record radio programs promoting the outdoors and I suppose I’ll keep doing this until I decide to retire unless the Lord calls me home first.
Fishing Report
CANEY LAKE – Bass are fair around the grass early on topwaters. Later if you can stand the heat, they’re around deep drops. Soft plastics and cranks baits are working fair. Crappie are around the deeper tops and are hitting jigs and shiners. Bream are slow. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie are deep and are fair on shiners or jigs. Some bass are being caught early on topwaters and not many anglers are trying it later because of the excessive heat. Fishing overall has slowed because of air and water temps being so warm. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Bass are fair on crank baits and soft plastics. Crappie are fair in the river lakes. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are overall slow but best on topwaters early. Crappie are in deep water in the channel and fair on jigs and shiners. The bream are slow. Catfish are fair on red wigglers and night crawlers fished just off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie are suspended around and above the thermocline where there is more oxygen. Bass are in the shallows early hitting topwaters. Not many are trying them later because of excessive heat. Night fishing is best now that the weather is turning hot. Bream are slow. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
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