James Robert Austin, ’67
Overall, I had an interesting experience. I was on the wrestling team for three years with my coach, Dr. [Warren] Boring. I helped Dr. Boring on his manuscript on the sport. I enjoyed the size of the small state college of 13,000. I can’t imagine going to school with some 40,000 students as it is now.
I was on the wrestling team where I played for three years. I was involved with the Student Union Committee which approved the construction of the University Student Union. I was a member of Phi Kappa Tau and became President on the Universities Skate club. My best memories here would probably be my involvement in the 49er days and Homecoming. I enjoyed working on the event as Homecoming co-chairman in ’66 as well as attending it myself. A bizarre event that I remember around the year ‘64 was the toilet race where we made go-karts to race down the hill made out of the parts of a toilet.
I went to the Homecoming game, 49er days, and witnessed a few of the protests that happened on campus. It was when the SDS club invaded the campus and police were called. I had to help my buddy out of jail for using foul language towards a police officer and I was lucky enough to get out of there before the riot began. As for my favorite event, it would probably have to be Homecoming since I was so involved with the event as co-chair.
My favorite place to go had to be the 49er tavern since it was convenient and had a healthy mix of students and professors. I remember the Acting president would sometimes have a beer with his students. I’m not sure if it’s still around but I remember heading to DiPiazza on Belmont shore and Clancy’s to hang out as well.
Dr. [Dale] Drum from the speech department had the biggest impact on me. He had multiple Ph.D.’s and I had him for speech and debate. Group of friends and I started an off-campus program with him that dealt with motion pictures from Washington D.C. We would stop by his house sometimes once to twice a month and watched classic to foreign films. After, we would discuss and talk about what we just watched and tried to interpret the meaning behind each the motion pictures.
Classes were interesting. Despite its small size, people would still go back to this campus. I returned to college after my Bachelor’s degree to take graduate courses until 1969.
After I graduated, I went to work for an insurance agency but did not stay for too long, about 8 months. I joined Texaco, the oil company, in their sales department. I began to get involved in management and production studies where my classes in economics helped. I later become a superintendent of a plant and transferred to Stockton. I decided to leave the Texaco cooperation and began to represent independent employment group. I was fortunate enough to be able to teach some special courses on bargaining at UC Riverside and was a guest lecturer at UC Davis and UCLA. I have worked with the US Department of Labor; Special Service for a few special products.
I am currently an independent consultant as a neutral third party. I have started to take up music again and decided to bring back the trumpet. I’ve been working some line reviews on my free time and I enjoy being able to work with music again. Right now, I have been active in the Squaw Valley Community of Writers and have been on their board as an Ad Hoc member. I have written two plays on the Underground Railroad which have been highly regarded. I have also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize on a few separate occasions I was able to give a presentation at the Redlands Shakespeare Conference about the influences of Shakespeare on President Abraham Lincoln. Nominated pushcart prize.
