A Mini History of Don Ricklin:
I hale from Bristol, Rhode Island, born in Providence at the Lying In Hospital.
Went through the Public school system. Highlights from that period include
being in the band (Clarinet), school plays, and Science Fair awards Junior
and Senior years. My sister and I were also sent for a seven week tour of
Europe including England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and four weeks
supposedly study French in Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Following graduation I went to UVM in Burlington, VT as an engineering
student. I early discovered, though, that what I really wanted to do was
Theatre. However this was before University-without-Walls and Open
University situations so I was stuck in engineering for the nonce. I did
run a Coffee House for a while and did ecumenical religious stuff during
this period.
Then came Kent State ('70), and a change of academic venue, as it were,
for me. Following the Kent State "thing" I went to what was then the
Roger William's College, Providence campus to complete my engineering degree.
During this period I spent a lot of time at three or four coffee houses that were
in Providence. I got very much into the "scene".
In the spring of 1972 I finally graduated from college after five years and two
summers of schooling. I started what I had hoped to be an extended trip across
and around the USA by van with a cat, but only managed eleven weeks. In the seventh
week I had gotten my draft notice while at my Aunt's ranch in what was, at the
time, the outskirts of Sante Fe, NM. So I went off with Sibyl, the traveling cat,
and saw the west coast before returning for Basic Training at good old Fort
Dix (D-5-3). My MOS training was as an MP at Fort Gordon, Disgusta,
GA as we GI's called it.
I lucked out, and instead of going to Nam, I was posted to Berlin, Germany.
I had a great time there. Following that I went back to Roger Williams College
(now University) and got a second degree in theatre technolgy. This was
just prior to coming to Worcester in 1976.
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Updated 11/21/95