1937 - 1940
When I entered the College of Pharmacy at the University of
Minnesota in the fall of 1937, I never dreamed the woman I would
marry some day would be a classmate of mine. Although there were ten
women in my class, it was soon clear which young lady was number
one. Her name was Audrey Jackson. At least in my eyes, I thought
Audrey was beautiful, vivacious and intelligent. She also was very
popular. I was so busy with my studies there did not seem to be time
for dating. I later learned Audrey also had her eye on me. I guess
the chemistry between us developed slowly but permanently because we
are enjoying a long, incredible marriage.
Audrey and I were following the steps of
our fathers who preceded us in the field of pharmacy. Her father had
a drug store in Minneapolis on the corner of Chicago Avenue and 41st
Street. My father had a drug store in Red Wing on the corner of Bush
and Main Streets.
It was not until our senior year that
Audrey and I began dating. Early in 1940, we went bowling, to some
shows at the movie theatre and attended Gopher basketball and hockey
games. About that time, she was my dinner guest at the fraternity
house.
On March 27, 1940, Audrey and I joined
many of our classmates on a train trip to Detroit to tour the
facilities of Parke, Davis and Company, at that time, one of the
leading pharmaceutical companies in the country. Our group spent
three nights in Detroit. Audrey and I were impressed with the many,
research and manufacturing facilities. During our spare time, Audrey
and I went bowling, and on another occasion, we attended a dance.
When our group departed from Detroit on
the fourth day to return to Minneapolis, Audrey and I elected to
detrain in Chicago that noon. We found two rooms available at the
YMCA. Audrey and I spent that afternoon and the following morning
visiting the Field Museum, Planetarium and Aquarium. That evening we
arrived back in Minneapolis.
In early April, Audrey came home with me
to spend the weekend in Red Wing and meet my parents and family.
We enjoyed playing tennis when warn
spring days arrived. Audrey and I were surprised how fast the time
passed. It was soon time to study for our final exams, followed by
commencement.
Audrey and I graduated in June, 1940,
from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota, with a
Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. Audrey was twenty and I was
twenty-three. Soon after our graduation, the College of Pharmacy
offered a Pharm-D degree in a five year program. A graduate
pharmacist was required to have one year of practical experience
before taking the State Board examinations. Since both Audrey and I
qualified, our next priority was to study for the State Board
examinations to be given in July.
I had heard of graduate pharmacists
taking the State Board exam two or three times before passing them.
One exam consisted of a written exam covering our four years of
studies in the college of Pharmacy. The second exam was a practical
exam. In this exam, they would give us a number of prescriptions to
fill. Everyone would be apprehensive of this exam because one of
more of the prescriptions would either have an overdose or there
would be a problem in compounding the prescription. This would
require the use of an additional substance to correctly compound the
preparation, especially if a lotion for eternal use.
During the week before the exams, I went to Minneapolis and
stayed with Audrey and her parents. I slept in the basement which
was nice and cool. Audrey and I studied diligently every day. We had
so many papers to review. We went over and over some of the more
important papers.
Audrey and I were overjoyed when
notified we had passed both of the exams. We had correctly filled
the two prescriptions which had to be modified. A short time later,
we received our State License to practice as a registered
pharmacist.
Audrey began working as a pharmacist for
her father at Jackson Pharmacy, 41st and Chicago in
Minneapolis. I began working as a pharmacist for my father at Kuhn’s
Drug Store, corner Main and Bush Sts in Red Wing.
I was usually off Tuesday afternoons and
evening. I would drive to Minneapolis that afternoon in my new
Pontiac car. I would have time to spend much of the afternoon and
the evening with my darling, Audrey. Sometimes I would have a box of
Garrots milk chocolates for Audrey. I did not learn until after we
were married that Audrey did not like milk chocolates, but her
mother did. So I must have made an impression with my mother-in-law
to be.
Audrey had a problem with migraine
headaches. She tried her best to enjoy our time together. On
occasion, she would be too sick for part of my visit and have to lie
down. Then I would play cards or a game with her mother.
It would become quite late some of those
nights before I returned home. On one of those late trips home, I
remember a scary experience. The highway at that time was only two
lanes. A semi truck, about a quarter mile ahead was approaching.
Seconds later, there was no truck. I had started to doze off and did
not see the truck pass by. That was a great lesson. It never
happened again. If I became sleepy I stopped for a time to rest. |