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>> This is a living history interview with Lamar Reese Jr class of 1955 conducted by Marilyn summers on May the 20th the year 2005 we're at the Georgia Tech library in Atlanta Georgia in the subject of the interview today his life in general his experiences at Georgia Tech Mr Reese It's a pleasure to be here with you to have you come visit us and you're from alchemy but you came up to say yes so we're very delighted that you made the trip and that you'll tell us your story so tell me where this began Where were you born and when Mt I was born in Rome Georgia and Valentine baby to 1433 some 72 years ago right on Valentine's right over on time today and what were your dad and mom doing in Rome Georgia My dad was in the life insurance business with national life in action sure and.

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My mother was a housewife and we only live there about 6 or 7 much that. Long awaited home and I'm there and I was born in fraud Can a hospital her own joy to from there we made it to my Dad's as she was transferred to grammar Alabama we stayed there short period of time and and after we we left but got Maria moved to Columbus Georgia which was my when I was 5 years of age left Columbus and moved to La Grange geology and now the Grange is really where I grew up so that's the part you back of a tragedy and during the period you're in my elementary how school days and tell me where your mother was from my mother from Dolphin Georgia so do you know how your mom and dad met my dad was raising Calhoun which is only 20 miles from Dolphin so they they met from No Doubt kids so my back if somebody are not right like that so and so wrong just that was a happenstance place and I find that my dad worked that I and my and they had made amazing.

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And you don't even probably recall living in Rome you couldn't buy a car do not recall you know the slightly any of the other place but I do know. Remember when I was 5 years of age I do remember where we lived in the grain to not go back to that house and my dad laid a bale to house and and I've got a son they are in La Grange NY absolve things that move from Newnan and so so that was Home Place your I kind of hope you're right I was there yesterday as a matter of now tell me your your a junior your father was being upfront and his business does he stay in life to terms with that his business that's right he did he he has physical problems see retired at a very young age physically had to retire 45 years of age so yes OK now let's go to your earliest memories your 5 years old and your in the Grange and tell me please did you have brothers or sisters I had a sister 9 now that that is 5 years younger than I They only 2 of us so you were an only child for 5 years I was known as our background as a Yugo.

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Do you remember starting school to have any memory I do remember kindergarden because right up the street that akin to God was in it was in the basement of NY Our friend of mine's house that because they most of my kids that I grew up with God got just one or 2 to that of their integration I am but most like myself have gone to other places I try so did you take to school yeah I do know it's good.

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You know just like any kid assured parts I didn't enjoy it but yeah I would screw around thigh and in La Grange went all through elementary school and then to remember the name of the elementary school he went to haul I ever knew was a name this no longer they had scuba earn but then I went to hell St Bernard and I you were there no more no American burn many many years later later so you were there for how many grades I was absent for at that point in time which is changed now but it was so I was there 1st through the 6th grade then I went 789101112 how schools are going to ask you same school I graduated from I think I was a 1st class I graduated high school in 51 in the Grange high school at that time I believe I was the 1st graduating class from the great task of the same schools they had the still yeah we're going to school now when I think about the times in Georgia a lot of Georgia only had 11 grades if you find a 12th grade did they manage it when they did a I was probably in the 1st or 2nd key way out of the grade at Frye So you had to call that one after I did which was a very good thing why did I agree with that because if if you didn't go that 12 year you didn't get a lot of the sciences right I wired for your right so thanks it helped me at your timing was really good I just got along right we're all just in time to get that 12 grade did you play any sports when you were in I did play me like a light football right football Yes tough stuff not.

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Very good but I played well look look great was a small town it was in the 1950 S. and there was a big deal to be a good wash attack to the Legrange Granger's is what we're going to is known by to still has a wonderful hospital football and baseball and best Mo protests well supported by the home it is a commuter sport so your paranoia everybody that you knew call it that's right I went out because you moved so much in your folks were really from North Georgia did you have any aunts and uncles and grandparents around when you were growing up no I did not I had we went back to Calhoun and I had my dad had a couple sisters and they ended up in Augusta and so we went back from behind them I went back and I want my mother I had 3 brothers and 2 sisters so I went back to to Dalton to visit them Christmas time and thanks like that what can happen because my my father had as I say assisted by and another source of the move to gusto we went to gusta growing up a disease that we traveled to go I think Garrison thanks I thought you would take a family of a holiday time that they could go to the addy from the article and good memories of both this is I'd certainly So there's always I got we got Bob My dad died an early age and.

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And my mom my dad was 60 when he passed away there in Albany and he had come to to be near me and now for the last 56 years of his life and my mother. Lived to be. In the mid eighty's and then she leashed my mother and dad could move there as I say probably.

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In 19 my dad I'm 66 they move they are probably 2 years before that now did your parents raise you to believe you'd be going to college or had used the idea of Mivacron bother know my. Father Neither went to college so yeah I was the 1st one to graduate they all courage that they were encouraged all the way yes they did so yeah I did think about all the other day I when I came along ever see expected of me and the name of it so I was in it and ha screw with always HOW TO GO TO GO TO COLLEGE Yes we didn't all go to college but there was always something we were raised to believe that's absolutely right I mean I was raised to believe that certain education even though they May the received a college education behind pornography that was that's right and why Georgia Tech How did that happen.

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During the take mainly because. Georgia Tech is a big test Le Grange a big text of town and full of Callaway who's done so much for the Grange and his son went by and was a couple 3 years older than I follow but Joe is a tick meant so much to the Callaway family and it was kind of a history for most Callaway the kids that were interested in take time I was a freshman at Georgia Tech he always made an effort to work those kids in the mill to the summer so every summit coming along I worked between my freshman and sophomore year and sophomore and junior year then I then then the next year I was in the Navy program at Tech I made a cruise but missed Callaway I always encourage kids to go to go to go and take if you know an interesting thing have not heard that before yes so he was a huge influence on early what he and influenced the kids there because he made jobs available encourage you to work in his mills a lot of kids a lot of kids graduate in tech I was not a textile engineer but a lot of kids follow admire at that time Textiles was big time there were a lot a lot of text a minute so he wasn't telling you you had to go into technical or not just to be Larry do you and he was good to to work kids in high school you knew him personally there and no I didn't really he and my dad were friends and I knew him I met him years and I knew his son his son as a say was 3 years old and I thought well the thing is is that the Callaways of course have had a big impact on Georgia Tech because they've been very generous you know they said I have but I don't know anything that much about them you know no one who knew what they look like or and it's nice for you to tell the story that he encouraged people to come to see his his daddy Fuller's daddy started a textile business and then he in time he.

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Came right along and cushion $168.00 calories so the mills to Milliken and but missed Callaway and now a foundation that has contributed millions upon millions of dollars to the Grange and he's done it so he's the best as I want to flash heal your community citizen picture to have that's wonderful to know that and I'm glad you shared it with us so that we can establish the joy his generosity and in very nice that he offered the young people coming here an opportunity to earn money he did when school did and I can't remember but I think it was a fast sense now I thought about that day how might he would they pay what what we've That was a going right back man he was and said it was hard work yeah I'm going home going textile mill that was as hard work was it was hot you want to try to hard how to read your parents raised you for work ethic Yes my dad had a good work and he wanted you to work in the city are your money so when you were growing up you had part time jobs here and there I did I used to could yards I did I did that cost me and and just different little things I never delivered papers but I guess that's one thing that I certainly should have been a lot of a lot of parts of my job to fight was our moment but you know that always works in a male Well you know just the fact that to your parents allowed to or encourage you to work at all is different than today so that's why we establish these things because that's where you've got your work ethic I mean you just came up knowing you needed already on Maui and you said to me I guess the idea is expected of me and I never thought otherwise so the time came for you to apply for college to do apply for other schools or just sort of I applied it to take and Vanderbilt and operated on a while I don't remember but I did apply value we had our courage to apply for more than half right and I and we had a good placement of Paul but they the grindhouse crew we had a lot a lot of teachers they were interested in the kids and really hip too and in a way that you needed help and that's fair and that's that is unusual because that's back in 1901 which has been very very good values go you you know we had we're very blessed.

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And so you applied by letter I'm presuming I was dating what is I remember I have and you've got if you had a wake a C. if you were accepted and you did have a say teabag faded having like it back in those days and so we didn't then when did that trend by you transcript by your grades and you're pretty good student so didn't seem to be I was a pretty good high school student had you been to Georgia Tech before you were yeah I had a friend of mine that live right down the street his dad was real good about Saturday's Le Grange So he said no mouse at that point and no interstate Stan but but he'd take a bike dealers but off I would get in his car he cares which stops for a burgeoning which is by way to you know the way back to Q. Yeah we did we had it on the way then we go to the ball games and come I don't back to see because it was not far away so you did see Tech football so I let our last select go on growing up something and I saw Georgia do we go to Athens every man and see doing so you had a fair idea what you're getting in a game and up here I do now the I thought I had a fair idea you're right but I'd be like you know I've never really as I read it did not but at least had been here before because a lot of what it came without knowing I had been on campus many times that was an interesting year 1951 because there was a lot of talk after you got here about their goal that women and now I gotta ask you Were you for or against it all I hear you know what there was there was conversation about it and.

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The 2nd year that I was a athlete the 1st women and they own a handful when we 1st took women it take if I'm correct Now this is a long time for me to carry hash but I think you had to be an engineer now I was in the definitely right there wow you can only be here in the showroom and if you couldn't get it somewhere I was in the College of Management and so we were I was not they were no women in my screw and they were only there well here and they wanted yes that's right as in any group.

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I guess I'm 53 and fit for then my life but are a very small so hardly ever did I ever see a girl on campus and 151 they ran a poll in the technique asking students to vote for and against women I just wonder where you stood on that are you proud you know I think we might all remember that you're right but now you got the tack you got accepted and you came just at least knowing what the campus look like from and how well academically prepared were you for this I was I was prepared academically I think as well as I could be prepared I had my freshman year was a pretty difficult year for me so you did meet the wall all years I iced my 1st quarter was not a good quarter I was in the neighbor program and I was in a big city and and I was not as studious.

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Like I say that was the big city turnover had a bet that's right it didn't and you know what up until fairly recently I've never told my kids the downside of my 1st year but it was not a pretty thing it was not and but the reality was you learn how to study the reality and enjoy to take either you learn how to study and they get your attention and pretty early age and it took me a little while to become accustomed to that but those were the days of look to your left to look to you and I say that's alright and when you 1st come you think there's going to be me I know I'm going to do it but it was almost me.

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Most me because it was tough it was tough and the really I I can remember that my a part of I got along all right but I can remember the mechanical drawing part of it was was a very difficult thing for me that I symmetric drawings and I didn't visually see that you know some people see that so easily and that's a reason I was not an engineer I do remember the slide rule and I and I didn't like working a slide rule and so therefore you know at that point time you don't have to buy a slide rule.

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Go to a bookstore and rent a Slattery this is what I did I rented a slide rule because I knew enough about it to hide what owner Slattery and I knew at the end of at the end of those 3 floors I will turn as flattery but never and never use that again if I've got friends bleed and I know a majority of that going to still specially want 4 and that was an agency of the civil engineer that was the city is an area you know already I guess lad real he can work things off I think in this day mechanical drawing I'll never never forget one thing my 1st Professor Won a professor his name was Armstrong and you know I can remember going to turn to has and then they asked me races you mechanical draw improv and I said press on from he says Man let me tell you some you know its nickname is no he and I says No says double F..

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Well tell me about him he's like they want to go back he said every draw and plate every drawing that you do and you have at the end of the day and at the end of the quarter if you finish everything said I don't care if you it is wrong every one of your drones but what do you do he'll give you a D. that is a one quality bone so that's all I want and that's all I got was a D. But I I want to forget that so and I won't ever get that flattery and so then I got stories the end I really was really 1st the 1st glamour of being in the big city you quickly got it all right for another that you're a guy had this buckled out and you were living in the towers dorm for I live in towers and then I live out of roll my own house from the grain to yeah I had had a cup roommate from the grains and one from Augusta and then we got to meet some folks that's right and then how did you to go out for fraternity which was obvious I was caught 5 turn and did you ever live in the tourney how I did the last 3 years and I let it live in towers I lived in England in that.

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Point time. Now you were happened to pick not only a time when women were coming but a time when Bobby died with you and his people with you was the golden years about death so I don't have to ask but I'm sure you would tell us about the idea I did when you're old Madeleine Albright none of it yeah and I you know I was I in 5152 and the best among those those years and that were big one for years and taking them to a Bowl every year and a kid was expected and and he was a wonderful coach and everybody got all choked up at those down because it was just another win and another win another win $51.00 we had one tie.

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And then 52 none of our fake season every went as right so you can't we see if you ought to do not the average unit period time I know your freshman demolition 7 years in a row would be humorous you Joe You and I had a bad fact our C.N.N. got another service back live in Albany and I was the old day that sat broke the drought I do remember they broke at 7 they are in SAP and I saw them take lose that ball game that which is a would have been I game in a row so I sat through all that means your every bit of every bit of because I was a great time to tell you this campus right you had wonderful people around you at that time family or was the president like land very strong to his son was I think maybe a year Sammy was the year but.

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But he was yes he was here so you had that role model and you had a gracious wonderful gentleman by the name of Dean Griffin needing Griffin will I beg you to tell me that tell me a ding Griffin story. Griffin I do and I got to know him better really but because Dane Griffin one ever any turn anybody got in trouble and then Griffin found out about it he'd make a phone call he'd call it turn to have and I got one of those calls one day said Reece get your boat together come up here the hill to see.

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Me I said OK Dean he told me what time so we got the office go and came up later and it seems that somebody by mistake gets put beer in the Coke machine so you put a quarter and got a beer ass out of a Coke whether they probably want to quote I really don't remember what it was but anyway it they got wind of it because he checked it out and yes I was very integral scene.

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And I would guess many other things but he was a wonderful man and his his son Paige married a young lady that lived directly across the street from my present day wife and so being Griffin used to love to come to Albany and what happened during those years and I'm all take you back to 1958 now 60 and 62 and 3 days in Griffin we had a dean Griffin go off to me and what he would do at that time I played a lot of golf and he would bring both $568.00 of his players from Atlanta to come down here and play several of the sub Severus and we then after we play golf and they want to know we won we had a little cocktail hour after that we had a we had a daughter and then Griffin always told a story and told a joke about his days and a lot of time Peter repeating say if we said the previous year he'd tell us same thing over again but we all had a big.

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Thing grin and yeah he was available man and met a great for was Al He was not a good guy but he was in a matter of fact. And that was part of his job Yeah but you know if his grandson Joe if you did work forward you were to take the lead now has one point time's a good friend of my metal ball a mac and they they still see each other frequently when we didn't guess it would reprimand someone because he had to race there on these little mistakes were happening quite in a way that he never really hurt anybody's feelings did he know he did not he knew how to Hamlet and he and he could had a way of making you understand that what you had done was not right and he wasn't going to tolerate it and don't do it again he was I mean he was very he was he was he was firm about his conversation because he had to be from good as a bunch of boys and you brought right all that I mean I had he knew what was coming so I know Dean the was verify aren't in very honest and if you didn't clean up your act and it was supposed to be done you.

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But there were consequences involvement and there was some probation involved and shared Thank you Norman as they owned attorneys and and if a kid got in trouble 23 times he was dismissed he was he was firm but everybody but are you all a kids get dismissed and I so doing Griffin lead kids I had a couple of personal friends that had a problem and he let him back in school after straitened for it so he said he was unfair that's what everybody loves and I'm right because I can never say his name anywhere that somebody doesn't smile that I mean I don't know anybody that was with the eared you know as is the Dean was he was really a character now there was somebody else that costs a lot stir around this campus and his name was Freddy LE knew Fred or knew and I remember him because I you know I love swimsuits women was never probably didn't marry you though I did not but I tell you what our mum of the moment the bombing for an hour or 2 hours our member the bombing when you had your legs tied and your feet tied behind your back and I remember having to swim up and back on the water and you know I never thought that I'd be able to swim the link that to kick out the other side and come back under water never thought I could do that but you know what it's amazing what you can do when you have to do something but no I made an angel imminent threat of new because I was a pretty good swimmer and it's something I had done all my life you were fortunate because you're always landlocked folks that never had any prior to it Dad was out of of but you know what he worked your hard and you know he was he was had a decidedly he was huge in the gap along those lines but he was tough but he was fire lighting yourself he was fair all yeah he was say yes he was fair but he was to.

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Get away with murder with him very much right all right he did he because people actually couldn't graduate if they didn't pass his course truck so that's pretty tough you know if you just don't have to take to the wire so one of the funny stories I heard about Freddie was that he was a sinker himself which is that he just didn't have the natural buoyancy to float in the water which is kind of funny if the irony is that he ends up being the little thinker of the South so you really had some strong role models Bobby died in and then Griffin and.

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The Colonel. And fighting the new front so you boys had a lot to look up we didn't keep straight read it and when I was a neighbor program they are our member we had a captain Stokes was the command and also the Navy unit there and when I I was on probation a couple times when I when I was when i'm Body and Soul because your grades weren't good you know you can't handle it that's right and you had a problem you had that you had to stay current on school work and then time into that I that I did I didn't hear on the air that I was right only a matter of fact I went over there to them and say but i then they always brought me back and I remember him I was struggling and I had that point time we were taken 5 courses Everybody much cooler said to back than everybody much cooler sectors and and he called me and he said refuel asked what year they gave you either midcourt I don't remember exactly one year great point I would say you know your status because he would take and he said Reece you've taken 5 courses do you realise that you are flocking through those courses as a captain I said yes I'm aware of it here's what you can do but says you know I'll be honest labor program if you don't do better what you're doing he says Son you've got you've got hit the books and I said as a cab folks I'm going to do better he said You see treated better because if you don't do better you're not going to be in a problem well I did do better but I didn't do better anough So he said call me again today when I'm going to you he said you coming back this is a 2nd quote he says not.

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If you don't probation again but he says Nay you are going to do better and you did it 1st quarter you will be out in April when I did better and so it Mike a long story short those 1st 3 quarters I told you in the beginning of this interview kind of tough to make and but I got through the neighbor problem even though I was on probation and and so that's the captain Stokes got my attention and I tried he helped me get my stuff because to be honest I was a contract student I was not a regular student a regular student they paid full tuition contract the pay few books and so I was sacked with the Navy you me that's right and that's you know you are then those days when you unless you had some physical disability you are in the army and photos are in the Navy unit right now in the Navy Unit at the end of your 2nd year before you began your 38 you could go to the Marine Polish and I had a lot of classmates that stayed like I did Navy own follow years but a lot went Marine at the end of the 2nd year that meant when they got that commission.

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They got a commission is starting to turn the Marine Corps I got my commission as an engine in the name the name Yes Now in order for it I was I am yes when you committed to your 3rd and 4th year that meant you committed to the reserves.

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And I was when I served 2 years in the Navy and then after a mad 2 years my commission as all of us unless Here again if I was a regular You got a commission regular navy see my commission with us in our reserve now when I got out of the service after my 2 years I was supposed to be in the reserves if you that was a mandate if you had a reserve unit in it when you knew you well all they had no navy reserve unit that point time you had 1 o'clock was which is only 8 a mouse away so I want to Columbus and that unit was full and it stayed full for several years because I was able not you so that So no I didn't have place to go but I would have gone in the reserves because really able to pay me to go on reserve so after 20 years you see that I got hammered have counted and I would have when I turned 66 Start Point time I could have grown retirement Yes right I could have said I would have done if you could have thought we had our 2 I mean because that's why they have they will listen that you had people from my own hometown that went every I think I'd go once a month yeah the weekend it was a weekend warrior like the right and so you know I was never able to get in that you know because I was a waiting list of kids that never got in Paul beyond me but I don't mean just small that it's not I mean the whole side about it you know it's interesting how that system was put into effect in order to be sure there would always be ready people that's right we just had rather many of the you don't have the you had the draft bank they're not a problem we've got to the at last I got to feel thing about the draft because you know you had to stay in good graces we had record by that I mean you had to make good passing grades and what what you had a problem which I have related to my problem which at.

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I never laid to my kids before jail or Recently I got a draft notice I got all right because they still did my job right I had a draft notice from my draft the word that I would not prefer forgotten how it was worded so I had a fist go where the old cracker ballpark on Ponce de Leon and the old Sears style I had or I had a notice to report on a ceremony at a certain time to take my physical to go in the service Army draft me I haven't either problem but I mean the Nairo on probation when I got my nose my drab boy that I had that was invited now not invited and I was told to go down and have a physical go that way but the draft me hi let's talk about boat got busy got his life straight man well you know he had pressure go lower I think you had so much pressure on you but I was 181000.

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And your daddy was gone by then no no no I don't know but what we're doing with the video my dad had a lot say to me just like my dad had a lot slay me like then Griffin had to say to me like Captain Stokes had to say to me like I love you but I got you got it I got my life you got your I got it together did you participate in any activities on the campus besides fraternity.

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Average mainly turning cause. In R.T.C. at that time you drill every Thursday and you had maybe a place. Maybe classes like you had taking the you're big boy you were born all the time now work out a social life which you had well I you know we dated to go from I just got is a matter of fact I met my wife and I just got I'm 3 years older than she met my wife and this guy sanity.

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Yeah they're doing that through a common friend Yeah and that is a lot and it's got girls used to come to Tech all the time and and at that time they did go so going to college I used to go home on weekends of Grange had a had a collie say at that point time was all female and now the grain scout age is it's a male go in but at that time so there was no shortage of women in Day No that's right because boy I was an all boys school now tell me about the dances did you go to any of the Vegas attorney well yeah we are the turn he always had had dances with different places of turn to have parties at their house and the Navy always once a year had a big bow the Navy bowed and was always usually at the Biltmore Hotel and and Louis Armstrong I do remember him well played it one time and that's a good looking ballroom if you can go into right today and see because Jim Bowden says preserve the Biltmore and has room for tonight riddle it all that ballroom that I didn't really pay any attention to say when I was going to Georgia Tech when we had dances and that ballroom but now it is a beautiful room and I live a go bag go in and go in that audience and rack a lot of memories now Louis Armstrong That was a big gap big we had Louis Armstrong and I think maybe Tommy don't and there were a lot of people that they Daniel had fans.

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They came back to and handle Anna dancing was in the you know was OK everybody danced and with friends and dressed up you got yeah stuff for big time yet again what a great time what a great time for you to come up overall when you look back at those years isn't making you do right now even though you were on the edge all the time for a while least for the 1st few years is it still happy memories for you yeah it's so wonderful there for me you know that my classmates I see not enough of them because I do.

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Me as a good way. Yes away from some of them but I yeah it was a great great grown up time for me and I'm MATURE do no feel full years that I was and that's that I will be there how it is girl that's right you learn how to think out of the box so to speak and you you learn you better develop some study habits because my my study habits is related to a not as good as they should have been when I got there but I found out in her that did any professor take an interest or mentor you in any way encourage you know.

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By the end they probably has all been changed today nad now you know got no chance left that there is a different day. You know back then it was more to use your own independence that's right you had to think on your own at doing your own and behave yourself on your own to misbehave on your own you had you had to do all those things it was strictly up to you so you just made it or you didn't strike before you and a lot didn't like it did you see.

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Support some of the local movie theater or go where we want the facts of the A to matter a fact I graduated from the fact. That we are gradually Yes I can I remember there are stars and it's a parallel ouds and yeah. And you were the friend of mine your family to graduate from high while I was a pretty great deal was a big deal for them big deal for me your dad was probably just relieved was he but he was really proud yeah I was Jerry was because it looked a little hairy there right you did good as you say there were a lot of interesting places the varsity of course was here always use your the Varsity and I thought time would study and they would go right across over the box of granite towers and made a time I've done that at 10 o'clock at night 9 o'clock yeah yeah and after that was a and I still a go to this day in the grandkids live mama and my kids live good yes to yet we are a tradition it is as it was the Georgia Tech tradition so the happy time for you to be a Georgia teleserye happy about did I had a wonderful time it would take in one follow it and.

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It's not a big part of my life it has in the end it was only 4 years and yet yeah that's profound influence on you when you went home in the summer you finish up in the summer you know when summer started you always went back and worked in the mill at least those years when you went back those years except the one some I had a cruise where did they send you on your cruise.

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My my cruise my I was on or destroy us go to. Date a black good math fact that shipment commissioned me to many years ago and we have crews out of Norfolk and went to Cuba when Cuban runtime obey places like that there was a pretty big adventure it was like that that made was it but a cruise on the last 6 weeks but it was a great adventure but just imagine 6 weeks for somebody who lives in south Georgia so that's pretty good now only time I've been to Cuba Cuba.

[00:35:24]
Because it had to come back to spend spend and I don't board ship but I do remember going to the National Hotel at that time was a big am. Place and we had a certain curfew had to be back on the ship but we were free to leave in the morning to spend all day at and have an and then come back on boat or ship play on video we had a bad lead at that time or great time we had something to talk about a lot to.

[00:35:46]
Talk about now after you graduated it was a given you were going into the military front everybody that was a mandate that's it we had the draft and you either went to college and earn a commission or you were drafted unless you had a physical impairment and you had your commission and what their length of time between when you graduated and you were going to go after the Navy are not no I've what I did is is I really made my cruise because as I told you I got behind in a little bit in my neighbor program and so I did make my cruise when I was supposed to have between my junior and senior year so what they did I made my cruise after I got my diploma and graduated before they commissioned me I'm a micro use came back to do it and I got my commission as an infant in the Navy because of that yet was that was your time off and you went right into the Navy that's right and I went right out where the whole and I sent made it to Sam Cisco California and back and I drove December Cisco California and I was never had a car back then kids did have automobiles Well what I did is when I got my commission after I made my cruise after I'd graduated that year that September went to Le Grange and I barged $700.00 my dad took me to see as Mike about $700.00 and I bought an old $1000.00 fallen on a 50 olds mow below convertible believe bought by my 1st call was no part of my own fantasy.

[00:37:24]
And I got in that and that call if you want it made because a fella sold me that car. Where do I and I call it never made it back but I drove about I never made about it's not just like our triple A car but in a way I drove that car all the way across the nation and I got to see that I got in my ship was at that point I got you know and I didn't see the countryside no way am I drove in 5 days because I had a boat to my ship so I did looney sightseeing back that I'd say it's one of the anchors However having a call we always hitchhike and nobody hitchhikes today but I could tell you every time I came home to live right here which I had I shied I get somebody to catch a trolley add to that scourge of Atlanta where they'd be east bound College Park and we'd get off the bus the trolley and then would start to hitchhike and we'd get homeless men the way can I use or ride a great Him bus back is what I did or I hitchhiked back when I made my trip I always had a spot my heart for hitchhiker and I picked up I when I made that trip across United States I don't know how many hitchhikers I picked up you know you wouldn't dare do that today but I did it and I'd call that on Cathy no matter what it was like for me to hit back at think it kid up with that my one side road I didn't next place I was going to we go and then I came out but you got to be like I talk we all I met a lot of people I met a lot of what I found I picked up by letting Matt and I spent the night dog and he was at the end I picked him back up again and carried him over the Manor always so you know I do remember things like get because I went for my life and thank goodness my kids didn't have to say well when you got to San Francisco what ship would you assign I was on and it was a cargo ship it was a Lima is and they followed and I know what we did is my ship was not the same Sisko it was a new coach could your pain.

[00:39:17]
And so what I did yet take also shots you had to check into the the Naval Air Station and then they put me through a lot of shots and after my shots they flew me in a baby 29 I remember that well we landed. In Pearl and then after in Pearl then we left there and we flew on and you could ask my ship operator you could go.

[00:39:41]
Assessable one of the 2 we had to the Navy to poach them so happened that they flew me thinking my ship was going to be and you could go but it was still and Sasebo So when I got a new Coast guy I found that at the station layout that meant that it was in Sasebo so they had to take me and put me on a train and then I had a job training in Japan they put me on a train so I drove I flew from you know Robert all the train all the way between going to SAS about an arm of the little burst Japanese shortly.

[00:40:15]
I'm a 6 foot man of a little bird for somebody about 56 vive 8 and I do remember in my head my feet you know that's that's something I wouldn't let them let me sleep on that right over my right eye when I tripped and I was my goodness yes so here you are on an airplane something that you that's right do very often and then I train and finally you get to where you're supposed to be 22 years of age you know what they're all happy doing on the ship the our lads I think what they had me doing and what they put me in because I know if you get that either when I reported on board my ship as a fellow by the name of J. Dunn Bailey who is a executive also and he took me on told me what MY did a survey said race you know you take we're going to put you in engineering so you go beyond them is control of you said I'm not an engine I said I say command I'm I'm not an engineer what do you think you know I mean to me I said I say I certainly didn't elect him but I'm not only did I use what I made and we'll make you know.

[00:41:13]
So I think it is that they put me in what was known and then as damage control in that and so I And then when they came back to San Francisco recently what's known as names control and so I had that after I had the job and then I I later became chief engineer now so now and here again I'm not in their professed advantage and they made it very clear to them but one thing about the Navy you've got a lot of chiefs you've got a lot of people Bill would that say dear life every day they character is what they did you know somebody like me who had not had one day of experience that I you know so the own thoughts took care that's got always took care so your eyes good to those people you're right you better be you know if you want to survive.

[00:41:58]
They didn't make you use a slide rule that they know I felt like I turned my flat really I think that's a Larry is that I don't think I could be an automatic thing if you came from Georgia Tech you must be an ass write this out I said What do you say what you mean what are you there.

[00:42:13]
Man I was in school management he said what does that mean so I had him with that man and you're an engineer anyway I probably I can do mine I want to yeah he did my would only slide Yeah so he had put me there what about A R C But thing that's so much fun that you were there for 2 years to get I was on a ship 2 years we cross that on that Golden Gate Bridge 10 times relax and dally back and forth yeah we were you know we were in Poland 68 weeks and then we were on our way to 1617 days get across Wow did you get seasick No no no that was before I think are you very fortunate because actually some rough weather I've never never that is my check because I think I've talked to something yeah a lot of people I know in the day yeah well so even the name experience or not to be a positive for our name experience was a mission that was a wonderful experience for me you know we went the Philippines and we went to Okinawa and and we had.

[00:43:09]
A home call we had our what's known as R. and R. rest recreation where. Yeah but you got to get a hospital to go to Hong Kong and and get right in the bay out there and and and so we got to you know we got to go on board I mean go and see the things that I never would've seen in Hong Kong before to be able Harben I remember that took a lot of pictures this day that just don't go yeah yeah that's great isn't it was it could expand their want to well OK So over here come back in the Navy says we're really need you in the reserves so you try to do now what you want to do.

[00:43:42]
No career placement Well no you know what I came back to Albany and I came back for one reason number 2 or number one I don't have a job I didn't have a job any I could have on the Columbus you know I'm out now at that point in time because my family was in Columbus they had moved to Columbus but but I didn't have a job to go to now I was coming back to take because I interviewed several people but nobody offered me a job well nobody because I had to be a committee had a new year so I had an interview with Armstrong called at that point time several of the people but my father in law lived in Albany and he wanted his daughter Sandra who is my wife and what year did you marry Santa Saturn I got married in 1957 when I last saw the X. Mind you I mean there are a fair 7 mile a mile a few months in the military and and did you get a furlough to come home to do that yeah God I did I put I did sorry to now but me I right I got married in Albany I flew home.

[00:44:49]
And then we drove back here again the 5 day trip you were made and I go right ahead All right back on board my ship and we had our There that's right but we had enough we stayed by half a several weeks before I had to go back again and then she flew back home we had an apartment in Oakland which is you know Treasure Island that bases sentiment close Treasure Island was right in the middle of same Sisko the bicep to see us go and Oakland California you're blowing a bridge I was the exit he got off to go the Naval Air Station you know what I meant when I got my orders everybody was invested maybe said race you know what you're going I said you said you go in the same Sisko you go to the naval and you go into the naval base right there and that's one of the greatest places and it was very small base but I ship came in right under that bridge right into that place I was I had I was a wanted for to a D. And and we were very active in my comment was passed on that Golden Gate Bridge is 5 times going on 5 times coming back but I don't want anyone but.

[00:45:52]
To you yes so we moved a lot of area and we're all over. What we did this I was Mons Billy only a Chicago ship where we operate with an A K and A which is an all in and out and munition ship and. And what we did is we replenish the fleet we the.

[00:46:12]
Highland we the gave them food a gave them ammunition gave them all and we were planning to get a crew one in the carriers on the destroyers and they pulled up beside us and we had what was known as a hot line and that they came beside us and we Holland over and we transported the ships go in very close together no emotive about 1500 feet and it's amazing when you stop like about that I also had the ups are together as they cruise along by and we replace them so that's what that's what what we did but it was a good tour do you want to own one center flew back to Albion come back to Albany way so we had a problem 1st in Oakland and one place and I do is to funny thing isn't it WAS IT WAS own the big like in Oakland then and we had a bad tunnel bad up in the wall and we let the bad then I thought that's kind of me thinks OK then next the problem was when I came back again she went home and came back and I trip I came and she stayed that time till I got out of the service with with officer friend of mine his wife and so she said I'd die the last time and then we drove back I didn't have a car I left that car mind what was left of it out there and evident because it would have made the trip back a lake and all everything was wrong with but Center had a car and I had a forward she she had we drove that come back one time so we drove her car and that's when I came back to Albany and had gotten a real estate business and how did that come up because my my father in law Dr McCamey a great man and didn't live but 3 years after we came back to me and but he's a wonderful man and.

[00:47:52]
But he helped me get a job through a common friend and help me go to work so I was in the real estate business began 1st few years of my life now you didn't know anything about real estate nothing I had to pass an exam so I studied the house I found the book sit back in the box again at that point I am in in the rust I've been if you had come to Atlanta we came I came to Atlanta that had come to camp and I took my exam there of state exam 1907 past it and after I passed and you had a broker's exam he had taken I did that a year later I became a broker and that's how I got in the right to stay been out literally did you go out and sell houses to go Yeah yeah so I would yeah I've been there and I saw how to lay it all on your hearing I did that and then Albany Yes yeah and was that all but I got it on time and yawed it yes I enjoyed the billing been a small but yes I joke what I did because I like to work with people so you got to meet somebody I got time and it's fun to be entered satisfaction and put them in something they really and I like their hats and that's the way I got started and then one thing led to another I have a tin real estate for how many products 18 years ago and I never match you know why it was yelling at Albany grew well then we had a we had a big navy base they had 1st hand they force may turn I force and then we had a naval station house so the Navy brought Fed gets into the land then the base was closed in a period of time and and so we had a marine logistics base of so that was that increasing the growth of the it was that all that help there yes all but at that point time even though not only not an interstate never been managed but Albany has.

[00:49:30]
So then what role could you make a pretty good living only in real estate because there was this constant And I thought it was a pretty good leave to be program. Well enough to keep I told my kid nobody but I might well find out for him which work I never get a granddaddy my father my own apartment and so he would he let me pay minaret the very 1st year I remember that so my wife and I and she started teaching school and and you know she was a SAHM was a homemade major but she began to teach school and she we began we expected our 1st child to Hume's and was able to take for a few months for a few months so we you know we had one card and I wonder how Penny OK campaign is I'd say a big big night was with a 6 pack of beer and a hamburger and all the neighbors got together and we were what we all got to go out a lot of friends young friend just like guys I mean at that time I was 22 and 3 and 4 years old and Stan was 3 years younger than I but we had a lot of friends a lot of young folks just like gotten out of service and come back home and even though it's not my home is my wife's home and I was a big help for me and our father was a big and mother with big help to us when you're with people who are in your same circumstances I try and buy gets a lot I was right and it's that nobody anything but everybody not each other so nobody had to cause you had to make about a.

[00:50:52]
Month ago. Tell me sir how did you get the idea to start the construction company well when I. I was in business with a man by the name of dealings and then I began that we bought 23 pieces of land and develop a piece of land and and what we started doing and I began to subcontract some houses as well as sell those houses that I subcontracted by sub contract I mean we what we did is use about the foundation of the framing of and that's right you really begin to build a story a study because I would have had no experience in any way I mean my college education it take was not about head in the to do with a building but I was not a been a construction person like.

[00:51:42]
That's right but you had management skills I had management skills and I had good work habits so you know I think I developed good work habits That's right so I was I was a pretty good coordinator and I could manage my business like that so. I started out like that and then after I'd done that several years and I went on my own I started my own little business and by that what I did is had we do you know development land and we had lots and then I started I got I had been built for he and I and then I left that situation because he was more interested in real estate business and and I was more interested in the building part of it and I left and I bought lots and begin to build houses at that poll time did you incorporate the Senate your business reason I don't talk race construction because that was a bit that's right that was the beginning of my building business and it was I was stricken solo I didn't have anybody work for me but me I had NO NO secretary and nobody would help me and I had at that point in time I had built a house and up over my garage I had a big room that I had built the stairway that leads to presently is the why are we still in the same house that I've built some almost 40 years now when you say I've built Did you actually burst your yacht Yeah I did it so you had learned a lot from moving some Yeah right and when I say pressure that I did driving nails but I I did OK You know I hired dash and I subcontracted that have sat so by this time you had a handle on how to handle these cars that's a big job handling contract right you've got to you've got to be able to stand you're on top of a lot of time and that's a nightmare of every place if you got good at that I got good at that I would say I was a good one to plan and coordinate and a father up I'm a pretty good father a person but you know you if you're doing that in the small community it behooves them if they're going to get repeat business from you to keep you happy doesn't that's right I mean what what I what I had to do you know I built for people but again with I speculated on houses and I was out I would buy a lot and been in the house.

[00:53:50]
And I should add about that right I would sell the house I'd then I'd buy me another 2 lots of free life estoy I started I found rocket reinvest Val Ott's build a house sell the house buy another lot 2 lots of 3 lots that's the way I studied and I don't know why I did it this way because I.

[00:54:09]
Know in that addict I still got some of mild checkbooks I wrote all the checks borrowed all the money made it a pies it's that with people right they up stay as in that house of mine which present that room is still upstairs with my garage but Saturn I'm in my kids to fill that big old room up with everything a world in that I do I got a lot of how paperwork a lot of things that I had bagged in those days still remain right but then after that up my partner and myself a man by the name of Dan Black should I built the building is right they had let that one vulture road where my office is today from right by in that same building and and then he and than I began to build apartments I built an awful lot of apartments and Albany.

[00:54:53]
And that's what we can at a commercial that's rather sad and I started a part of it and I begin that that they use of my life along with another friend Amanda came to Albany for 5 years after me by the name are Webb and Murray and I but again we bought a little piece of land and we developed some LOT So those lots and then after that point time we began to build cars we were in the commercial business we built the strip shopping center then we built we built houses we built locations and my kids are all aware of everything that I own and he and I own and what they had passed away many years ago but his son are now in business this present day and when you were in business at that was it considered reconstruction companies still reaching a strike you just said as a riding a partner that's right and then what what my partner and I mention very Web We formed a business and we named the business at that point Thomas Lubanga race construction got me now and then my son John and then by our own that business and now they bought Murray out several years ago 6810 years ago and I've been separate that business I really never had an office claim I've always maintained reconstruction can now write is a commercial contracting company they build a large base and I found they are is so what you do what you created beget something else what i caught is that what I started has really really grown not because I'm a BECAUSE I'M or because of my boy Jonathan and been bear they have made that business grow and is probably 25 or 28 years old at the present time it is not interesting but it might be funny if they don't get back and look at it they've done now you know when you drive around of any you can see things that you had your hand on yeah I can you know I I look at I look at houses and I look at the things that I've built over the years and 35 yeah 34 yards.

[00:56:53]
Yeah there still last year in my own house almost 40 years old I've weighed sand and I have lived in that that very house drive by and raised a family that I and my kids walked across the street with on a block I went to elementary school and not too far all the high school was and so yes I was the body that you built was meant to live I thought which is really a night that asked for a lesson fly by night silent good to the community now we've been referring to your children into Santa but let's talk about your family there you Matt she was a Agnes gosh and resent it Agnes got and later transferred after her 1st year she transferred the university Jo-Jo where she completed her degree they on graduated with honors from University of Georgia and and of all thank you thank somebody to graduate and take so many graduated joy they had a world that work and what is work that well bleed or not there are very few tech boken Sakyo it is mainly made up of the universe you don't want to believe that I am and so my wife it didn't take her long I mean she had to find me and just man tank initiate the biggest take man you have such as she is a wonderful take fine there is no one of a mother to and I want one of a wife for me in an underground Well yes she's right she sees that the role well now let's talk about the children the eldest one is the John that's right John is the is the 1st shall goes by the name of journey goes by the name of John he really does love all race the 3rd and and he came to Georgia Tech he came to do anything now think back to that time when he was graduating from high school he was thinking about going to college give them options and letting everyone in I don't believe I gave him much interaction to be asked for you and you know what is just is just a matter of growing up and.

[00:58:40]
You know what I used to do I could have brought in bed and I'm just like Mack came along 3 years later on and I asked a lot of times had had bad football teams I can remember taking on a limited time to Columbia South Carolina play universe Isac Alabama and they beat us every time we can ever want to play and I can remember so they come because all I know I already know that a lot of guys went to football could it listen they've seen a problem yeah before they came here they probably seen as losing many games then Sam when it all games you had ya gotta love to go to ballgames not live to take them and preach tech to them so when they were little kids yeah they think that's right and they when I say I we when we want to fuck college football game we want to detect college football game we didn't go anywhere else to see nobody else play John came to attack and he didn't go into management now I know John just because I was in a building business then and he saw his interest well along those lines and he did not go come back call me very in the very beginning he went to work for a month construction company but he there he went to take care of that Friday and he wanted 2nd bill construction that's right and then he went to work with blood and he lived in Montgomery and then and other places before they went back pay his dues and try to work some way that we came back to Albany and I finally came back and after he did not this job is John married to have children John is married Leno I've married and they've got they've got 3.

[01:00:06]
Fine young man and one Jake who is the 4th is a sophomore at just finished his sophomore and by the way on the dean's list here at Georgia and you know it's day and well and maybe his ideas and Bill construction he found yesterday strange attitude that's what he's actually exactly right and he's the he's in full force he's for what we call him Jake that's right now that well will is that he is coming alone next and he's many except as a freshman will become the joint take his fall and polish is 2 years.

[01:00:39]
Younger he still and then we all are still high school he goes to West I mean he goes to Deerfield school where he goes yeah and so we're kind of excited to be what we have a 2nd generation here with 3rd generation here with that's what I but it's nice that Will's coming in the fall to leave too soon to say what he's going to go into That's right I'm not you and I'm not sure that he knows exactly what he wants to do and you know if he did everybody that exception to the rule you're right most of them come in they just had absolutely no idea.

[01:01:07]
Is it's very common today for youngsters to change because there's so many more options today try there are degrees you wouldn't even dream about that you can get here at Tech now it's really change for more than i ever and I came to know if they did take you even if the family.

[01:01:24]
Several of you know it you know that I still am not god like that so things are now your 2nd son with Marvin McMahon me going McCamey mac and we really MAC address and MAC also came to Georgia Tech they did well it isn't mac it is a it was in the college management like myself he quit even though mag worked in the summers with me dislike John worked in the summers with me and just like Frank worked they all worked in the summers and some construction related thing in.

[01:01:59]
But but MAGGIE. When the business grew back came to the tech on a magazine good how jumper in high school and but it folks that point time was his track coach and gave him a partial scholarship and so he he became he was hurt in one time unit freshman sophomore year and redshirt a year and so he want to head at you graduated and had another year tracking how to build and guys master sheet and what it all imagined what does he do today today he's in the development business and he and his partner David Kendall.

[01:02:37]
Center G.E. gateway they are they're involved in a lot of things here in Atlanta and they've done a lot of work in Albany and they're presently working against some development work at all MN University and he has got a subdivision so he looked Brian so he's coming he was right here back in Le Grange in developing a piece of land that we were we were there yesterday with he and his family tell me about it is he married yes you have children married Holly holder who believe it or not that was raised in the Grange where I spent most of my fat interest growing up days there and yes they they've got 3 children that your is the oldest and they all got it and they only girls right or only a girl of $66.00 grandchildren 5 boys and one little girl and she's a older Macs and Holly's children and then the other one stay the middle child is Maggie He's Max Little MACK Yeah well you know just he does not little by he don't eat a bag so I think a little don't you dare call on that and but he's he's in the 1st grade they are and then and then Robert has come along and he's 4 and and you know we have here I ran to find they have hair out there all the college kids to for your last Friday they are there in screw they're in La Grange having moved from then on Mac. I was in business in Atlanta and then he he still maintains his office here in Atlanta but he's great they also go and smile at her and he also is working the grunge Now the last one of your songs with Franklin the last one is Frank he is frank is really 12 years younger than Mack and 15 years younger than with then John Whitehead really that's right but we've we listen Frank is he's done well he Frank is and he also comes to Georgia That's right Frank he didn't come right out but he he right.

[01:04:38]
Frank loved to pick and he always had a love for the University of North Carolina Frank after he graduated was in the college in management just like I was in the College of Management and macros in the College of Management Nephrite. Money when he came along he was interested in a whole lot of things Frank Jenna Summers he was an old program Frank went to Africa 116 weeks or so he went Frank love to travel he did yellow paint and he led I have a drought the day as a matter of fact when Frank graduated he went to work.

[01:05:16]
He went to a training program and Columbus and and at that point in time. He he did several different things he worked for Sun Trust for a little while and he ended up thought he was going to pay SCO Franco or to go in the Peace Corps he thought and I do remember sent contact to Senator Coverdell about getting Frank involved face global we thought about that thing ISIS on us about 2425 a month commitment and although he but so that was another a way for him so he spent 6 months and after and sought in an economic development capacity and got that really well yes and he he went over there by himself and he lived by himself and did well and I've gotten Cameroon and he was a are for approximately 6 months and.

[01:06:06]
And he began begun to the data wonderful young lady Lily Tara Button who he married. They've been married over 2 years now they had no children but Frank came back and wanted to go the nurse in Ocala and during that time he had applied and while he was an Afghani he got accepted in the Kenyan flag list to which is a man in Chapel Hill you know getting a master's So he's got his math was easy as he finished his his master's in and then after that point time he worked with product Progress Energy there in Iraq he had literally lived in Raleigh and now they are they may have been here back in Atlanta Jim boaters when the vire his is offered him a job and he's been with G.M. for a little over one year so it's also a little bit more you got a lot to be proud about the Saturn I used to have had a wonderful life and we've got one for kids and one for grandkids and we're proud of already want to damage the lesson they very success you know you and they have not one of the things that that fascinates me about a businessman like yourself that was in the community like nominee is you from the get go from the early days you get back to the community did your father do that when he was where did you get the idea that that was a good thing well I don't know my my father yes he was involved in certain things the community I do remember that.

[01:07:33]
But I think more so I got involved the community because I got involved a commune because I try to make a living that and when you try to make a living then you're in the sales business IT PAYS YOU I don't want to sit a club badge on at that time they had a young Cornish club there that audio and that right off the bat because I eat meat and then people getting to know people and I needed to get to know people because I was an attack am I didn't know about except my wife and her family assuming I didn't own a body else so I started from 0.

[01:08:07]
And I work my way through all of that I do own a civic club and I did join the hardest So I did a whole lot of different things in the very beginning because I needed if I want to make a living I had to get known I had to get to know people and so that's what brought me and any kind of civic accomplish so it isss to anybody you're going into I think when you go to a community and you don't know anybody then you better get yourself involved.

[01:08:33]
But you really got me I did I got involved my probably got probably got over involved in a few US that you know I've always supported me in everything that I've ever done but sometimes she might write your eyebrows you know that yet could I you know I never try to go that neglect her I didn't neglect raising my kids no never no never part faded into that but I know we sometimes are probably over did start things but you know you.

[01:08:59]
Yes What's the thing that you remember the fondly most fondly about your contributions I mean you know I'm I have I did a lot of different things I have you know I mean certainly the quantity club is we did projects that I and I you know I did all sort of things that we we sponsor Little League Baseball we started Little League baseball in Albany Georgia Mackarness club at that point time was a young Kaunas club and I was a young man and.

[01:09:29]
And I remember all Shaw to fawn things about that you know we had pancakes layered we had peanut shells which we had every little Not only had officiate little league ball games and I remember the funniest things and I only had to get behind a plane I was in charge of them pies and I'm and so I had to get to a passion embodied on the by somebody behind the plate Well I always made sure I was never that one thing by the plate and imitate parents because I've had kids that played Little League Baseball parents get irate they get a set of them and I'll never forget one day at the last minute we had 2 great powers Mike want to club I had to get behind the plate I spent most can dodge in a ball and files and I me they booed me and I tell you but I got through that never again I would I would bet experience behind the plate at a Little League baseball game so when I don't know maybe danger at all right but I never allowed me again I always had a backup now but then after the quantised close I've always been a big Y.M.C.A. member and I've gone to the wine I've done a lot of things through the Y. and Albany is probably get you know I know you think everybody thinks they've got great swan country but I do think he did Albany Georgia and we raised a lot of money that I for that was and I was no I chaired a fund raising drive it raised over 3 and I have made in dollars we renovated the WOW prison wine We've got great facilities layout and we've got a camp right outside of town where we have all kids we give scholarships we do things like that and and I've again that some 25 or 30 years ago when and if one thing leads to another and you've got involved in education I got about an education I've gotten involved in politics some 20 years worth and I.

[01:11:17]
I guess I was involved in education at that point in time the state of Georgia you could either be opponent or you are elected one of the 2 and they were about 5050 in and I started in the education business in about 1981 I was a pony had a screw board member we had 7 members in and I became one of the potent members at that point than the process was a grind you a jury opponent 12 members the city commission appointed to the canon commission appointed to the No 6 supported one I was the one that they opponent so that's the way I started I started my political days not running for office I ran for office many times since then but that far as my 1st tenure was as an opponent I really doubt that I ever would have run for any so of a public office had I not been opponent and I saw after those 2 years well that's all we have time but yes right and so then after the 2 years that everybody had run that was a state law they did that all Chafee an Epi of time and so I had to run but I'd already served 2 years so I ran to get elected and I run around several other times they were full year terms but I doubt that I would have ever had not a man that I was in an opponent position and I felt I felt the need fully so you but I think it is they gave you that exposure I thought expose me to it and you and wow we did a play that time until That's right and you close your oath criticism if you can take if you can take criticism you know well you know 1st and you don't have a better serve don't screw boat or really any other type boat but rather is get a lot of it was a bad mom isn't dead isn't kids and in all during those days there were a lot of school district changes and a lot of kids get moved from one school or another because parents don't like that and then you move principals and they don't like I don't like the teachers a lot of times that scoop board member here from my parent at night or some other time or they stop me on the street or stop you somewhere else and read it why do you do this why do you do that so you got to got explain you get on your soundbite.

[01:13:17]
Tasco you defend yourself if you're right but I had your dad and I served after the have to wonder how you could enjoy that but you knew you were making after I did I'd go to very much and I was I was only screwballs 16 years I would say wow dammit I will I'm 13 years and then I was involved in the state association for many many years and made a lot of French state where I was I was present last screwballs state school board socialization for one year and I was on full which meant for me and I was a process to way you move up the doing different offices as a Law Center and I and made a lot of school friends and we went to a lot of different places and got to always went to Washington because you know your school board members lobby lobby your your folks in the house and you sent it on all aligned Yeah we had all come down though I had all we have a we've had a lot of waterfall thoughts about you and I was years in the screw boat years and especially one time but proud of that I was active on my right wrist a bullet when I will take you back money experience we had which I'll never forget she and I talk about it every man and I was present on the boat rotors I am in Albany and always they sent the incoming present to watch and they see than the national association mostly but which always had one big meeting in Washington it so happens at that point time and this was a long time ago this meant 3540 years ago we would drive and I had no problem with you and when we drove drove to Washington D.C. little but no in the worst snowstorm they have ahead in life they say.

[01:14:50]
We got to racial in Virginia snow everywhere had to put chains on my tires and it was terrible. And we spent the night in Richmond after after coming into arrangement couldn't find the hotel where we were stay and a friend of mine made a reservation snow everwhere snow chains try to stop a tow right in the back of a place called the back of place got everything got out he says son what do you mean I I say Have you ever driven in snow ice and never driven snow he says a good thing if you had heard Mark Carnegie and you had heard your call I say if you'll just tell me how to get off this day and we were staying in the quad at the motel I said can you tell me how to set there which he did he got me off that interstate we woke up the next morning show everywhere all my Learn it took me 6 hours which is normally about a probably an hour trip to get to Washington we started out snow everywhere and kept on the radio do not get on the road and I went on the road Kefalas Well you were all on the road going why should they see snow everywhere all we saw was abandoned cars and we got within right in from the Pentagon and it took me 5 and half hours and most the time I was sitting there with my lights sewn the heater own and do you know we had a quarter of a foot with a quarter of a tank lit I said we don't give out again as I know it's less than a quarter tank I swing on go out again she was a world I said I will cut his car off I could the car kept on kept on call and do you know that the lad for they started bench stuff for a long period of time I tried to start that car click.

[01:16:27]
My battery was dead. I have a car got all the luggage out which will I want to hold out allow you to read Pentax and I put a little business card up there how to get the morays told we were staying at a hotel in Washington where I was staying and put the room number and put it at least had enough to do that put that up layer.

[01:16:48]
And she was a world state patrol came I was you know I was off the road everybody women it was a mess the buses were off the road you know where to stay and would you believe it and I'm dumb and dumber all my life and I thought I thought I was in D.C. and we got out back to that and I got a White House placement own his way to work picked up and cared at that point I'm sure Mr Hu Taylor stand Sure I mean the economy my thing maybe still like a member but they cared and he couldn't they were so steeped in because nobody would listen no friends no national hope was no way to think that that he got us to the show hotel but I need to regress back your soul bit of tape back to code that was I was when I was that's a real estate bet now that's what you call the major event that was their money come get your car and here they picked it up and when you're Fairfax Virginia I got a phone call from the phone a total man and I and they pick my card up and call me at the hotel and told me where the car was cut by banning the car yeah and I worded my word to death my sheriff would cover it at least and I really could enjoy my 3 full days wife they say what about that car but the day before we left I got that phone call and so we called a cab back and went to the garage got my car and do you know call to find one skin place owner to his so he lives some but is nothing at all now and Moby and we drove go back to what did they do retract the batteries Yeah yeah yeah so what about the batteries you're trying to isn't that amazing that's quite I thought like Yeah that's quite a story that's quite a story all because you've got all of them voluntary staff and one thing it's got to be I bought my boat a room does not involve my screwball and I Joe and that I gave Frank is the problem you know at him but that was how I graduated West over high school I gave because I missed the other 2 boys because they came along where you say you want to quite up there now I want to I want to involve in.

[01:18:42]
What would you say was a singular greatest honor you got out of all that. I know I I don't know it's a hard one I guess you know in L.A. to be present state associations Kubota but that was about was a big for me yes but they can name a building here they did that that was I want to promise they did name screw left me certainly when I call else they lay they named the Magnus crew limo race they left me yes I was which is their right and that that today was the school's only bad they did that the lead that at the year I was like I came off the board of education so that meant some 67 years that's kind of probably 5 years ago of all things and it was competitive business but John the Fermat All right they were low better on that screw and so he felt the so on and they got that right yes right because I think you better now you're right that's what I'm very proud of that and all those very proud through there that's a wonderful honor for you Alicia and Shannon I've had a wonderful life and and you know you've got another honor this spring when you got the George goat I mean and I now that I know how close you were to the dance that I know the head that I have is a that was a a wonderful and I don't expect that a good friend of mine Dante Jones who has also been a recipient of the this award Dante is a bright young man who lives in Albany that's about 2nd 3rd man a Procter and Gamble and it was a heck of football player here yes and I should say and now for that because I've listened and I would have been they had met the Dante and had had been at it and really more meaningful but I knew Dane graphic and that meant a great deal to me and because you know I was on can a commission of Cham can commissionaire for 4 years and some had been expected a but something after I'd come off my boat race cation I did serve can commission for 4 years and I was I want to experience here again.

[01:20:38]
Sandra I got to do one of the parks because you know always it's a pretty demanding job you meet every Monday every Monday of every year unless you've got $5.00 money should meet and then it's 15 minutes later but you like it and commission work it's just like school board work in thing else is controversial or that resulting is and people well I think you will upset all you go through that and I went through all that but I.

[01:21:05]
I went through those full years and devoted very much and we did we took a lot of trips to that's part of that so it's good to my life in a massive each of your sons and followed your footsteps in education and in career some what are they going to be community services to Yeah they all are joining.

[01:21:27]
US Mack is volved in the community is involved in things a joy to take and Frank is involved and John is involved and know everybody D.F.A. Well yeah yeah they all they they all are involved in the community and you know how lucky we are listen I don't know how lucky we are speaking for George although I view it again multiplied and also came back to less and less and wave ways and I kids that can and we're proud of that and I'm proud of doing to pick and I'm proud I had the opportunity sitting in front of you and I like a you a little bit about I can tell you Lamar Reese that Georgia Tech is proud of you too now yes we like I'm so happy that you came to tell me your story had to its job to get to you did your dad like and I'm glad I came to know that he told me what it was forward that somebody 50 years and I am 10 years and I can come in and pull this pull this interview I've been here a little here a little back maybe we say from the horse's mouth you're right the story is it was told Thanks for speaking with us it's been a pleasure.