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Ordinary Philosophers Next to the Cows: The Story of Youth Work at UMN

Home > MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds > Ordinary Philosophers Next to the Cows: The Story of Youth Work at UMN

In the 1960s and ‘70’s, the University of Minnesota took the growing interest in and concern over youth and family social work into their classrooms and the local community.

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Editor: Britt AamodtProducer: Emily KrumbergerEditorial support: Emily KrumbergerMixing & mastering: Chris HarwoodAudio credit: SoundlyAudio credit: Protesting at BCPD – Reporting by Georgia Fort for Racial Reckoning (April 14, 2021)

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Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

[SFX: cows in fields, crowds]

Steps from the cattle sheds of the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus sat an oasis for teachers, social workers, and ordinary philosophers from all walks of life.

This learning community was birthed by Dr. Gisela Konopka, an activist in pre-Nazi Germany youth work. She fled during World War II and later started the University’s Center for Youth Development & Research. In the ‘60’s, the university grappled with how to support youth in the midst of Minneapolis' civil unrest in response to racial animosity and police brutality.

[SFX: Protesting at BCPD - Reporting by Georgia Fort for Racial Reckoning (April 14, 2021)]

Then, student protests against the Vietnam War.

[SFX: Protesting at BCPD - Reporting by Georgia Fort for Racial Reckoning (April 14, 2021)]

Konopka called a colleague at University of Pittsburgh to request support. In came Michael Baizerman, who worked closely with Konopka and carried on her teaching philosophy of "meeting” each young person as a unique individual within a larger community. In the early 1970s, the center started training students with youth in foster homes, parks & rec programs, juvenile detention, schools, or otherwise.

[SFX: classroom sounds]

Alumni went on to write education policy, coach young athletes, and lead many of Minnesota’s youth-serving organizations.

MN90 is produced by AMPERS, Minnesota's community radio stations, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at MN90.org.