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1. Interview with John Derus (1940- ), St. Cloud State University Oral History, St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Creator:
- St. Cloud State University
- Date Created:
- 1982-04-21
- Description:
- In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on April 21, 1982, John Derus explained his family and educational background. Derus was born in 1940 in northeast Minneapolis. His family lived in the area for five generations, though they were originally of Irish, German, and French ancestry. After graduating from DaLaSalle High School, then the University of Minnesota on a football scholarship for a year before quitting in order to work to make money for his family. His father, along with one of his sisters, died in a plane crash, leaving the family financially strained. Derus mentioned his reasons for choosing to attend St. Cloud State University. He explained the good things he heard about St. Cloud, as well as his desire to work with children and help those who were in trouble. Derus chronicled his time in St. Cloud, attending classes when he could but also working more than full-time, both at the St. Cloud Children's Home and as a bartender. He discussed his favorite teachers, such as Herb Goodrich and Henry Goehring. In addition, Derus mentioned that he enjoyed the smaller class sizes, as compared with those at the University of Minnesota. A interesting aspect of the interview focused on Derus's description of the culture for young people in St. Cloud at the time, including living arrangements, and what he called a subculture of ""workies,"" college students who were forced to work in order to put themselves through college. Derus described his involvement in extracurricular activities at St. Cloud State, including one play and intramural sports as well as campus politics. He graduated from St. Cloud State in 1967 with a double major in Psychology and Sociology. He also addressed his post-graduate experiences, including his work with the Peace Corps in India, where he taught English for two years. Upon his return from India, he decided to get involved in politics, landing a position with Hubert Humphrey. He was elected as alderman of the 4th Ward in Minneapolis and later as Hennepin County Commissioner in 1974. Derus detailed the way that the community of St. Cloud and the University helped him get his life on track at a time when it was not going well at all.
- Contributing Institution:
- St. Cloud State University
- Type:
- Sound Recording Nonmusical
- Format:
- Oral histories
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