Growe, Joan Anderson (1935 - )

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:7414#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Joan Anderson Growe was born in 1935 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her father's parents came from Sweden, while her mother's family was of German descent. Despite being born in Minneapolis, Growe grew up in Buffalo, Minnesota. She graduated from Buffalo High School in 1953, and attended St. Cloud State to become a teacher. She completed her bachelor's degree in 1956, and went on to teach in Bloomington, Minnesota for two years. After two years, Growe worked as a substitute and tutor while also becoming certified to teach special needs students. After becoming involved in the anti-Vietnam movement and the League of Women, she became interested in politics. In 1972, she won an election to the Minnesota state legislature. In 1974, Growe was elected as Secretary of State and won reelection in 1978.

Transcript Summary: Growe discussed her family and educational background. She described the few career opportunities for women at the time. However, her parents encouraged her to go to college, so she decided to pursue teaching.

Growe chronicled her time at St. Cloud State University. She discussed her decision to complete her degree in 3 years. She gave much attention to the living situation on-campus, as well as the social activities she was involved in. She claimed that she attended college at a time when students were not focused on world affairs, but only on their own lives and surroundings, something that changed drastically in the 1960s. She also believed that the university always provided plenty of social activities, from sporting events to dances, to keep her busy.

Growe briefly summarized her experiences after attending St. Cloud State, as well as what inspired her to become involved in politics. She also briefly discussed the ways in which St. Cloud State University prepared her for her future career.