John Ward

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: John Ward is a Caucasian male born on November 14, 1981. He lived with his mother, father, and older sister in the West 7th neighborhood growing up. Ward\u27s father worked at a cable company. His mother was a teacher. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Ward shares memories of his immediate and extended family. He talks about the regular Saturday breakfast at his paternal grandmother’s house. He talks about Kelly and Shamrock, two dogs that he had. He goes on to talk about how chores were distributed in his household. He mentions his older sister and the significant age gap. Next, Ward reflects on the fluctuations in his family\u27s economic status during his childhood, highlighting difficulties during periods of unemployment faced by his parents. He goes on to talk about how in adulthood, these experiences significantly shaped his spending habits, as he identified himself as frugal and cautious. In speaking on religion Ward shares his exposure to religion through Catholic school. His immediate family wasn’t particularly religious, but his grandparents offered to cover the expense of his private Catholic education. He shares more religious practices of his extended family. In sharing about his neighborhood Ward describes a tight-knit community where residents looked out for each other. He fondly remembers the ease of access to parks and amenities, but also noted a shift in community caution after the kidnapping of Jacob Wetterling. In talking about the values of his family and community he mentions hard work, family reliance, and kindness. He mentions his father’s strong views against bullies and bullying. Ward shares what he would do for leisure. He talks about the sports he played, swimming at the local pool, and going downtown or the Mall of America. He also mentions board games with the family and camping trips that they took. He shares some of the toys he played with, shows he watched, and some of the alternative and classic rock bands he listened to. Going into his educational history, Ward highlighted his 13-year experience in private Catholic schooling. He acknowledges the high-quality education he received but expresses some regrets wishing he\u27d experienced public school for some social aspects. He talks about notable achievement from his school years was winning three different bees: spelling, geography, and religion. Lastly speaking on local and global issues, Ward mentions issues around public safety. He talks about the changes in the community after the kidnapping of Jacob Wetterling. Globally, Ward remembered the fall of the Berlin Wall and the early \u2790s economic downturn which had direct impacts on his community. Ward also talks about the importance of inclusion taught by his family, school, and community.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1073/thumbnail.jp

Robert Anthony Roy

https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1018/thumbnail.jp

Catherine Paulsen

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Catherine Paulsen is a white female born on December 22nd, 1944. She lived with her father, mother, and siblings while growing up. Her father was a trucking firm accountant, and her mother was a homemaker. She was raised Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Paulsen discusses her family history and life growing up in a house built by her grandfather. She shares the history of the family members that lived in this home. Paulsen recalls watching fights on TV and walking to a buffet restaurant. Paulsen talks about family pets, including a dog and a canary. Paulsen discusses her family\u27s religious background and practices. She talks about in her early years, the children stayed home with her father while her mother and aunt attended church. Later on, the entire family began attending church together. She speaks on how as an adult, religion remains important to her, and she continues to attend church every Sunday. Paulsen talks about her neighborhood, how her neighborhood had abundant trees and diverse types of houses, each with its own unique architecture. She talks about the shared values, sense of community, and sense of safety she felt from her neighborhood, although she does share some stories where something unusual happened, such as a drunk person sleeping on their porch and a fire in Highland Park. Paulsen reflects on leisure time, that leisure time wasn\u27t abundant and suggests that people focused on yard work, laundry, and cooking without the conveniences of today. Leisure activities mainly involved talking, with family members spending time sitting on the porch and engaging in conversation. Paulsen shares that her parents were avid readers, passing on a love for reading to the children. Paulsen recalls her school experiences during childhood. She shares that she was initially terrified of school, finding ways to leave school early. She shares some stories of the teachers that stood out to her. For local and global issues, Paulsen discusses her limited awareness of local and global issues during her childhood. She remembers a relative who was in the military during the Korean conflict. She states there wasn’t much political discussion at home and mentioned that her interest in politics developed later in life. She also briefly mentioned the impact of the fire for local issues.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1061/thumbnail.jp

Gretchen Walther

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Gretchen Walther is a white female born on June 18th, 1967. She lived with her father, mother, older sister, and younger brother in Brooklyn Center and later Brooklyn Park. Her father had a trade school degree and worked with two different jobs. Her mother was a teacher but stopped to be a stay-at-home mom. She grew up Lutherans, specifically the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod (LCMS). SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Walther discusses her family life and memories. She talks about growing up with her parents, an older sister, and a younger brother. She shares memories about grandparents who lived both in the cities and in northern Minnesota. She mentions that her family enjoyed camping during weekends and had close ties with her church community. Walther describes how her family valued spending time together, and family relationships were significant to them. Walther describes how she grew up in a household where her father worked two jobs to make ends meet, and how they didn\u27t have many extra things. She was aware of the economic differences between her family and some of her friends\u27 families, especially when they moved to a new home and school district. She also talks about how this has affected her spending as an adult; she is mindful of her spending habits, looking for sales and opting for generic brands when possible. Walther discusses the significance of her faith to her life growing up. She mentions attending church regularly, even during camping trips. She also touches on how the church was a crucial social aspect of her life, and many close friendships were formed within the church\u27s youth group. As an adult, Walther still considers religion important, and they raised their two daughters in the same faith and how the value and role of faith in guiding her lives remain important to her and her husband. Walther goes into the two neighborhoods she grew up in, Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. She mentions how the community shared similar values and morals, with a strong connection to their church community. Walther touches on how leisure time was filled with outdoor activities, camping with family, listening to music, and playing with Barbies. In recalling her experiences with schooling Walther talks about teachers that made an impact on her and the struggles of transitioning to a larger school district. Lastly, for local and global issues, Walther touches on economic and racial disparities. She doesn’t recall many global issues or community health issues but recounts a family friend who had cancer.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_mpls/1008/thumbnail.jp

John Zalesky

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: John Zalesky, white male born on January 22nd, 1960. He lived with father and mother. Grew up like an only child because he had a significant age difference of eighteen or nineteen years between him and his two older sisters. His father was a mechanic. His mother was a stay-at-home mom. They lived in the Maryland and Arcade area. He is Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Zalesky describes extended family gathering. He describes a family cat that would follow him on his paper route. He describes how he felt love from his parents through acts of service. Zalesky brings up the challenges of the financial situation of his family. Zalesky details his religious upbring and how that has shaped the work he does with groups today. Zalesky goes on to describe the various jobs he had in his neighborhood and the sports played in his neighborhood. The tight knit relationships of his neighborhood and values that were shared was explored. Zalesky explains the importance of music to his life and list the shows he has been to. He talks about one of many teachers that have had a lasting impact on him. Lastly, Zalesky talks about the Vietnam war and values held by his family.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1033/thumbnail.jp

Timothy Blaeser

https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1078/thumbnail.jp

Beth Peter

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Beth Peter is a female Caucasian born on January 17th, 1966. She lived with her five siblings in Roseville growing up. Peter\u27s father worked at Concordia University, and her mother was a homemaker who also taught piano. Her religious affiliation is Lutheran. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Peter shares what her life was like growing up with five siblings close in age. She talks about her dad’s work and mom’s piano lessons. Peter shares what it was like being raised in a Lutheran family. She talked about attending church regularly and participating in religious activities. Beth\u27s mother was the church organist, and their family valued attending church services together. She talks about how religion is still an ingrained part of her life. She goes on to talk about the neighbors and neighborhood she grew up in. She shares that had close friendships with neighbors and spent time playing games, swinging, and enjoying outdoor activities. She expresses the neighborhood was stable, and Peter\u27s family knew most of their neighbors. She shares the values held by her family including honesty, kindness, and friendliness. She goes on to talk about being engaged in various leisure activities, including playing house, playing school, biking, and enjoying swing sets with friends in her neighborhood. Next, Peter talks about her experience with schooling. She talks about initially attending private school and transitioning to public school. Lastly, when speaking on local and global issues, Peter mentions growing up sheltered, but she recalls global events like the Vietnam War and Watergate. Her family and neighborhood focused more on their immediate lives, school, and church, rather than discussing broader social and global issues.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1060/thumbnail.jp

Paula Stuart-Warren

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Paula Stuart-Warren is a Caucasian female born on July 18, 1948. She was born into a family of two sisters and a late younger brother. Her father worked in the automotive industry. Her mother worked at a drugstore making malts and serving sodas. Stuart-Warren grew up on the South end of Highland Park in St Paul. She was raised in a Catholic household. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Stuart-Warren discusses growing up in a tight-knit family. She recalls her family\u27s financial difficulties after her father\u27s company went bankrupt and how that experience shaped her parenting techniques and spending habits. Stuart-Warren shared stories about exploring downtown St. Paul during her teen years and summers spent with the neighborhood kids. She reminisces on the importance of community within her childhood neighborhood. Later in the interview, Stuart-Warren recalls the moment she reunited with an influential teacher from her high school years. Lastly, she elaborated on the financial struggles her previous neighborhood faces today.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1082/thumbnail.jp

Janice Bisch

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Janice Bisch is a Caucasian female born on June 25, 1965. She was born into a family of two sisters and one brother. Her father worked as a mechanic and for the city of Saint Paul. Her mother worked as a secretary at St. Vincent\u27s Church. Bisch grew up in the Saint Paul neighborhood of Frogtown. She was raised with Catholic beliefs and regularly went to church. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Bisch explains how her parents\u27 money-saving habits influence the way she spends money as an adult and the fun, low-budget leisure time activities they did. She reminisces on the Sunday drives she and her family did. Bische recalls how important Catholicism was during her childhood and fondly remembers Sister Rosemary as an influential figure. Lastly, Bische elaborates on the local and global issues she went through in her neighborhood, which included the Vietnam War, illicit crimes, and the Cold War.https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1084/thumbnail.jp

Fred (Fritz) Schreiber

https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/1080/thumbnail.jp