The next day after breakfast I returned to the office an asked the clerk if I could take to someone who was in charge of assigning work to new employees. At that moment a short dark complected man appeared from another office. He asked me my name, what I was sent to do and how long I had been there. I have him that information and he then asked me to return to his office in one hour.
Upon returning he said, “Come get in my pickup.” I did and we proceeded out to the jobsite. He began asking of my work experience, my schooling and my future plants for life. “What do you want to be, Where are you schooling wise, what does you father do, what experience have you had in construction and other subjects”, were what he talked about as we rode along. When we did stop we were at a very large, well open graded pit. There were wood forms going around and up and down the pit. I could see that they were forms to receive concrete. This was where the batched concrete would be cast from the batches of sand, gravel and cement that I would weigh out as the scale man. The small dark complected man stopped the pickup and we got out. He said, “We are not ready to pour concrete yet. Steel re-enforcing must be placed in these forms fist. The steel rods are over there in a pile. They are all tagged. Here is a set of plans showing where they each go. From these plans can you select the correct ones a place them where the steel tiers can place them in position?” I told him I though I could. I went to work right then and there. That night in our tent house one of the truck drivers told me that the dark comlected man was J.A. Tertling, the owner of the construction company. Each day as I worked with the steel I would see J.A Tertling drive by in his pickup looking at me and work. One day he stopped and said to me, ”You are doing this work well. Are you planning to go onto school?” “Yes I am,” I replied. “What courses are you taking”, he asked. “I am majoring in business,” I replied. “Have you ever considered engineering?”, he asked? “Yes I have but I like business better”, I answered. “I have an offer for you. If you would consider engineering and major in it I would send you through college. You would then spend your Career with J.A. Tertling Construction Co.” This offer was perhaps the best shot in the arm that I had received since the leaving Weber College. The depression had certainly depressed my attitude toward the future. Confidence in my ability to ever achieve a suitable goal in life had reached a very low ebb. The J.A. Tertling offer was tempting. I told Mr. Tertling that I would consider the offer and give him my decision.
Ray Holmes, my scale man partner, had been placed in employment as a laborer. Needing someone to discuss the offer of John Tertling, I began to discuss the offer with Ray. Ray was already disillusioned with the Terteling Co. He was critical of all they were doing. He was of no help to me. Ray was discouraged and probably homesick. He lasted but two more weeks and then quit and went back to Ogden. With no one to talk to about the Terteling offer I was left alone to make a decision. Looking at the Pros of the offer, I saw the completion of my college and lifetime position with one of the most reputable construction companies in the United States. Looking at the cons, I saw the possibility of working with engineering which could turn out to be detestable. I also saw myself moving from place to place wherever the construction contracts called. I would never have a permanent home. After a week of deep thought on the matter I called on John Terteling, in his office, and advised him that, though I appreciated his offer, I felt that my love for business administration had made me turn his offer down. He accepted my turn down graciously and he wished me well for the future. I left his office and returned to my steel placement work. As my future turned out I had made the correct decision. However, I was most appreciative of the offer. It told me that somewhere, my ability and personality would bring me a productive and enjoyable life.
After Ray Holmes left another truck driver moved into our living quarters. The make up of our rooming house now was three drivers and one scale man, me. The drivers were rough men. They smoked, drank beer and whiskey and used considerable amount of foul language. One was a single man, having been divorced. The other two had families living in their home towns. All of us had been used to good food and good home conditions. None of us liked living in a tent so we began looking for something in the town of Hyrum.