The Foodie Who Doesn't Cook! Part Two

It was time for college. My Dad always kind of wanted me to go to Purdue, but after a campus visit and the fact I didn't want to be an engineerI.ruled Purdue out. Where to go? Where to go?  Michigan State had a good football team, so it became a candidate. I ordered a catalog, and it looked good.  Then I had to look into majors. In leafing through the catalog I came across Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. MMMM! That's sounds interesting . I think I'll look further into that. It seems like getting away from Marion into far off East Lansing would be nice move. As with many times in my life, God has a plan for Sammy Arnold.

I applied and was accepted. I decided to go up to the school in July, and take in Orientation Week for newbies. I had never even been in the state of Michigan, let alone the campus in East Lansing. I got in my Ford and off I went.

I knew the minute I stepped on campus that this was the place for me. It is a beautiful campus  green, lots of trees and a combination of the old and new.  There were about 20,000 students, which at that time was a very large school. I did we'll on my tests and meeting new people. I thought the Michigan natives had an accent. Turns out, I learned that I was the man with the lazy Hoosier accent. No one had even heard of Marion, Indiana. What? Funny thing is that many of the guys who teased me about Marion were actually from much smaller towns than Marion. I bought Michigan State windbreaker. I was going to wear it proud back home. It was different than the many Purdue, Indiana and Ball State jackets.  I returned to Marion to await the day I would become a Spartan.

I settled into my studies. Lots of basic education and a peek into my major. At that time I focused more on the Hotel side. In summers you were required to work in the hospitality industry . I was a busboy,catering waiter most of the time. In the summer between my Sophmore and Junior year I ventured to Cincinnati to work at the Sheraton Gibson Hotel. Fiftybucks a week. Once again I went by myself on an adventure. Living at the YMCA was an adventure in itself.

Course work included, Front  Desk, Quantity Cooking, Food and Beverage Control etc. and regular business courses. HRI was a business degree with a specialty industry focus.

Once again God's plan showed me the way. In that era, military service was a requirement. The only choice you had was how you wanted to serve the seven years. Six months six and a half reserves, two years five years reserve etc. In my case I chose the Navy. A gentleman from the Navy came to campus and told the Seniors that the Navy was starting a new program of recruiting HRI majors to run Officer's Messes and  BOQs. Wow, actually doing what my education intended. The requirements were that you had to qualify, an officer makes more money, graduate from OCS like everyone else and serve three and a half years active duty. Sounded good to me. I graduated from OCS in Newport, Rhode Island in November, 1959 as a shiny new Enaign in the United Staes Navy, a proud day. My orders were to the Amphibious Base in Coronado, California, San Diego, exactly where I wanted to be. It had been a long term goal to live in California. Two dreams in one.

I arrived in San Diego, January 6, 1960. I took the car ferry to Coronado. It was like the first time I sat foot on the campus at MSU. I knew this was the place for me.

I was there  three years, working in my profession with more responsibility than most graduates would of have for several years. In retrospect, I didn't know shit. I was only 22 years old. The Captain didn't like me much. He once said it was a good thing I was in the navy because I'd have a hard time making in the civilian world. Ha! Ha! Turned out it was the other way around.

And so the next chapter of my preparation for life was over. I was ready. More to come in Part Three.

Bored yet?

Have a nice day !

Samuel C Arnold Ltjg (retired)