A Ranger's Life

T. W. Strait Was Employed By The Missouri State Park Board Each Summer From 1958 Through 1962. He Was A College Summer Day Worker For The First Year But Became The Campground Supervisor For The Next Four Summers. Most Of What You Will Read Comes From Many Personal Experiences And A Bit Of Creati Ve License. He Saw So Many Things Happen Through Young Eyes That Have Stuck With Him For These Many Years. Tom Met His Wife While Working At The Park And Has Had A Fondness For All Memories Connected With That Work Experience. He Made Many Friendships While Employed There And For That Reason Felt It Important To Share Those Experiences With You. When Tom Started Working For The Park System At Lake Ozark State Park He Arrived As A 210 Pound Over Weight Spoon Fed Son Of An Ibm Branch Manager Who Got The Job For Him During The Christmas Break Of 1957 Tom'S Junior Year In High School. Mowing His Dad'S Yard And Watching Tv Was His Only Summer Interests During Previous Summers. This Summer Was Be Diff Erent. Upon Arriving At The Park Tom Was Quartered In The Back Room Of The Main Park Office With A Bunk And With Only A Refrigerator And A Hot Plate For Appliances. There Was No Hot Water Heater So Any Showers Were Taken In Very Cold Well Water In The Basement Or By Catching A Ride To The Campground Six Miles Away For A Hot Shower. With No Vehicle Tom Depended On The Other Students With Cars Two To Go To Town To Shop For Groceries And Other Necessities. This Was A Major Difference In His Past Lifestyle. Tom'S Duties That First Year Were To Help Clean All Of The Restrooms At The Campground Swimming Beach And Picnic Shelter. Aft Er Doing That He Helped Haul Garbage From Each Of The Above Locati Ons And Then Hauled Wood Back To The Campers. Once Done With Those Projects He And The Other Boys Cut Grass Andwhipped Weeds For The Rest Of Each Day. Once A Week He And His Co-Harts Got To Run The Road Picking Up Litt Er Thrown Out By Thoughtless Visitors. That Was A 6 Mile Run