I've been thinking lately about 'stories' we could tell... things we remember from our past that for whatever reason stayed with us as time went on... little things, not necessarily big things. We've all heard the saying that 'everyone has a story'. And of course we do... some more interesting than others. Mine is passable.
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I didn't go to college planning to be a Veterinarian. But I loved animals and when the head of the Animal Science Department came and spoke to our class, I knew then what I wanted to do.
Didn't happen... although I got close. Life happened.
I was one of 3 girls in Animal Science at the time (1964). Back then, it was considered a man's field. But it was fascinating and I loved it. However, it did have it's moments.
One was when we were being taught to castrate cattle. We were divided into groups and the guys thought it funny to hand me the knife when the instructor gave each group a knife. I remember looking at them and thinking, 'they don't think I can do it'. So I did it easily (and did a better job of it - neater - than some of them).
Then there was Slaughter class where we were taught how to slay farm animals and then cut the meat into the retail cuts. It was the one course that I dreaded. Anyway, the same thing happened in that class. The guys thought it funny to hand me the knife that had already been given to another boy. I refused. There was no way I was going to use that knife on an animal (which by the way was a hog). Didn't matter to me if I failed the course, it wasn't going to happen. And it didn't. I said, "He gave the knife to you... not me" and handed it over.
We were also expected to work with both a steer and a horse (in Large Animal class) - get them ready to show. For a city girl like myself who had never been around cattle or done more than ride at a local stables, this was an experience. The steer I had was a black Angus. He was very temperamental... kicked a lot! By show time, my legs were full of bruises. But the Quarter Horse filly I showed was a sweetheart...
Here are a few pics:
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I did graduate with a BS in Animal Science. LSUBR didn't have a Vet School back then. They do now. DH was in Engineering and we married 2 days before my graduation (did go back for graduation - really short honeymoon). He had one semester left, so we stayed in the married student apartments for that semester. But... 6 weeks after our wedding I found out I was pregnant with our first, 9 months after that, our second. So Vet School became out of the question.
After our 3rd, our local Veterinarian recommended I go for an Animal Medical Tech degree (2 yr Associate degree) that was being offered at a local community college. He said that at least this way I could 'work in the field'. So, I did (youngest was in pre-school by then). After that I worked with Veterinarians for 15 plus years - most of that with a feline specialty practice.
Anyway, in short, that's my story - for what it's worth. What's yours?
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
I found that so interesting! I actually always thought you had been a vet. My story is I attended university right after high school and did a combined Honours English and History degree. At that time it was very competetive to get into teacher's college and in Ontario you were only allowed to apply to three. If you didn't get into those three, you either had to wait another year, or try and apply out of province (which cost extra money to apply). I did NOT want to wait another year, so I applied to some other universities and got into one in Nova Scotia. I'd never even heard of the "small" university before, but I accepted and lived in Nova Scotia for the school year and got my B. Ed. After that, it was difficult to get a teaching job, so I applied in various places (except Toronto, I did not want to live in Toronto, I was a country girl / small town girl). I got a job teaching gr. 8 and instrumental music (wasn't even qualified for that, but they were desperate for people to do that particular job), and that's how I ended up living where I am. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI like your story, Jenn. And going to the university in Nova Scotia sounds wonderful. It's one of the places on my bucket list (if I had a bucket list). And no, I never got to Vet School (although after 6 years of studies I felt like I had). But we were allowed to do minor surgeries and close up on major ones... and weren't allowed to diagnose (although we usually did). It worked out in the long run... not exactly as I planned, but OK.
DeleteWhat a great story! I love learning about your past, and thinking about how much you love animals, I can understand why you didn't want to cut up that hog in (shudder) Slaughter class.
ReplyDeleteThat class was the one big drawback. But some of the boys went on to work in the meat industry, so I guess it was necessary.
DeleteMy story is boring, but I very much enjoyed yours Rian! Really, I loved this and what terrific photos too. I'm sorry that marriage and motherhood changed the course of your career, but you still managed to make it work in the end. Thank you for sharing. 🙂 PS. Sure do love that top photo!
ReplyDeleteDug, my plan was to apply to Vet school once we were married and settled somewhere. Didn't expect to get pregnant in the first 6 months (naive?). But my kids are my life and guess in the long run, I wouldn't change a thing.
DeleteCool pathway through your life. Enjoyed reading about you. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThanks, DM. We all have our stories...
DeleteI love your story. I think you would have been a terrific veterinarian. I married right out of high school and was the brownie leader for my oldest daughter (born nine months after the wedding, don't worry, everyone counted their fingers). One of the brownies told me she was going to be a vet. And my gosh, she is. She owns a large veterinary practice with several locations and employs other vets and techs. And everyone admires "Doctor Wendy". I think it is so wonderful that my daughters and granddaughters have these expectations and opportunities.
ReplyDeleteHa! I know about those 'counting on their fingers'.... first son was born 9 months and one week after our wedding. When I wasn't feeling well the first month or so after our marriage, I went in for a check up. When the doctor told me that he thought I was pregnant but it was a bit early to tell, I remember saying, "but we've only been married a few weeks..." He laughed and said, "It doesn't take that long."
Deletemy story, i have a lot but i will share the story from that part of my life, high school. there was a nursing program in my high school that i got involved in. i loved it and i decided i wanted to be a nurse. i applied, much to my surprise i got into 2 schools, princeton and a hospital based program which is the one i choose. i did well, graduated, passed my boards and became an LPN. worded for 6 years until i had my children, then gave it up to be a stay at home mom. once the boys were in school, i decided to work with my husband in the business we owned. it gave me a ton of flexibility with the boys which was great. i did not realize until now how much i regret that decision. i missed my calling.....
ReplyDeleteSounds like you did work in your 'calling' for 6 years... and then went on to a 'greater' calling (kids)... at least that's my opinion, Debbie.
DeleteGosh, that's amazing. You have gumption, to use an old fashioned word. I'm squeamish, would not castrate or kill any animal. I have had my hand up a gelding's sheath, though, cleaning it. That was a long time ago when I was taking a horse care and management program at an agricultural college.
ReplyDeleteCastration of cattle is a minor surgery - done in the field. It can be done quite easily, but needs to be done with care. I've done other minor surgeries and closed on major ones. Even did a nephrectomy on a rabbit (but that's another story for later).
DeleteSo many things in our lives happen by chance or circumstance. Like you, I wouldn't change my life (at least not by much).
ReplyDeleteI left home at 18, not prepared to go to university as my mother had hoped, and took a position in northern Saskatchewan as a bookeeper for a air charter service. I bounced around some when the business was sold, then repossessed and sold again, and during that time I had my first child.
When she was about 18 months old, I returned to my home town, took a position with a local bank, and then was transferred to my current city when she was about 4. I spent less than a year with the bank here before moving to another financial institution. I had my second child during my time there and had progressed as far as I could up the management stream (there truly was a glass ceiling), before I decided to quit and go to university when the youngest was in kindergarten.
When I finished with my degree, I was fortunate enough to find work with a government department where I stayed for 21 years. I was able to complete my professional accounting designation, and worked my way up to middle management by the time I retired. An interesting (and amusing, at least to me) fact is I became an accountant and did training in my job - exactly what my mother had wanted me to do when I left high school. Sometimes, mothers do know best.
Yes, sometimes mothers do, Mae. I had actually been accepted after high school to be a Stewardess with American Airlines (the travel part was alluring), but my mom convinced me to try College for a year and see if I liked it. I loved it. (And honestly, going back to college (as apparently we both did) at an older age really wasn't that difficult.
DeleteP.S. no way would I have cut up any animal - I can't even cut up a chicken I purchase at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteThe cutting into retail cuts was difficult for me, but the killing part was impossible. There's a story around the first time I did the 'cutting' too... but I'll save that for another time.
DeleteThank you so much for sharing some of your story. I loved you handing the second knife back. I hope I would have done the same.
ReplyDeleteThere was no way I could/would use that knife to kill a hog... luckily it wasn't mandatory.
DeleteWhat a great story! Sounds like you were a tough cookie!
ReplyDeleteI don't have anything that good but my first year in college, I took a Business Administration class. I was the only girl out of 30 students. Early in the semester, the professor said we were going to play the Stock Market game. For $1, you could choose a stock from the NYSE and at the end if the semester, the person whose stock showed the most gain would win the pot. I only chose one stock but the guys all "bought" multiple stocks so the pot was over $50. I hated the class and skipped quite a few. When I showed up to take the final, the professor made a smart remark about my absences. I was sure I was in trouble until he said he was glad I came back so he could give my winnings. Yes, my lowly stock pick, which the guys laughed at, beat all the "sure" picks they made. In case you are wondering, I chose US Steel.
You chose well... hope you continued to do so.
DeleteWonderful story. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, I don't know about 'wonderful'... but it's mine.
DeleteIt was always assumed that I would go to college, and I did, right out of high school. Four years later I had a degree in English, and four years and two months later I was a wife. My husband got a teaching job in a small town on the desert and off we went to our new lives. I was lonely and depressed. After a year he was drafted (1971) and we spent three years as military people, in Georgia and Texas. Eventually we adopted two babies. During all those times I worked in clerical jobs. In 1984 husband found greener grass and I went back to school, to a community college, where I got an Associate degree in Computer Programming Technology. That was the right place for me. I moved with my two elementary school boys to Seattle for my first programming job, bounced around for a couple of years, then found the one that I stayed at for 20 years. Right after I retired I took mediation training on the recommendation of a friend, and that became the turning point of my life. These days, I used the English major stuff, the Computer major stuff, and the Mediation stuff just about every day - almost entirely in volunteer work which I love. So I guess all that education was a good idea.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely was a good idea, Linda. Sometimes finding the right fit doesn't come easy. Thanks for sharing your story.
DeleteOh wow! I am so impressed by your courage and ability. I had a friend, in fact who did become a vet. She said it was harder to become a vet than a human doctor because for one thing, there weren't enough veterinary schools.
ReplyDeleteMe? Hmmm... I wanted to be a secretary because I was good at typing. LOL. I liked the idea of sitting in a cool office instead of a hot pineapple factory in Hawaii. As it turned out, my friends were going to the university so I thought I'd apply anyway. My mother wanted me to go so I did and then found I liked children. I ended up getting my M.Ed. in education and taught for 20 years after staying home with our daughter and son for about 10 years. It all worked out nicely and I am happy with my choices. :-)
Kay, I probably should have taken the 2 year Animal Science curriculum and then applied to Vet School. It was an option, but I opted for the 4 year curriculum. Perhaps things would have turned out different. But as it is, and as you said, I'm happy with my choices and how things turned out. Sounds like teaching was the right place for you.
DeleteIt is a rich story and sadly the gender bias and economics moved you in a slightly slanted direction. I hope that you felt you life was rich and full and having children is the best thing in the world in my book.
ReplyDeleteYes, Tabor, it all turned out alright... I don't regret my decisions. Sometimes life just takes a different turn.
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