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by Marlin Perkins
Director, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago
The former star
of "Zoo Paraded
reveals how
you, too, can plan
your life to work
at the things
you really enjoy.
M y life has taught me that the
surest path to success is to
find out what you most enjoy
doing then set about to do it
I decided young that if a man is
going to spend most of his waking
hours earning a living, he ought to
spend them doing what he likes best
Today, in my 50s, I believe this in
experienced decision was wise and
practical. I am doing precisely what
I chose to do. I have not yet met the
man with whom I would trade places.
Furthermore, I believe that almost
any boy whether in his teens or hiff
50s can succeed in designing his own
life if he starts right now.
The life I set out to achieve, work
ing among wild animals, is certainly
not a conventional one. Occasionally
I go out to exotic places to catch them
and bring them back to Chicagos
Lincoln Park Zoo where millions can
come and look at them. - .
As a little boy in Carthage, MM
loved to explore the countryside or
wildlife, particularly snakes. Id""
into the country on my bicycle, col
lecting water snakes, blue racers, any
thing I could find. 1 was almoR
thrown out of Wentworth Military
Academy (where we werent pern"
ted to own pets) for keeping snaiw
in a cage at the top ot my
By the time my latner
uie university ui iwiaawi -
had to quit acting like HuckWJJ
Finn and decide what I was going
be. This was when I learned how som
people plan their lives.
One of my friends, about to
Fl"nil WWM. October
19. 195S