Keep citizen journalism alive!
Leon Oman retires after 28 years in Community Education at Andersen Elementary
By Harvey Winje
Two hundred people greeted and cheered Leon Oman on his last day of 28 years as a Minneapolis Schools Community Education Coordinator at Andersen School in the Phillips Community. His years as a community educator brought together his passion for education, his seven years experience as a social worker, as well as, his involvement in citizen participation in the Rice Park neighborhood. Five presenters reminisced about years spent, experiences shared and generally agreed that there were no skeletons about which they could “roast” Leon. However, they altered a shared experience while on a car trip in order to be sure we all knew Leon had made at least one mistake in his career.
The Webster Open School Cafeteria was gaily decorated setting the mood for an upbeat celebration that included several of Leon”'s family members, Phillips Community residents, community leaders from many neighborhoods, past interns, students, current and former colleagues and many, many friends. Paul Boranian attended the event. He was the founder of Community Education in Minneapolis, its director for many years and was the person who hired Leon 28 years ago. Community Education”'s current Director, Jack Tamble also paid a tribute to Leon.
The program was one and a half hours long as attendees shared personal experiences and examples of Leon”'s gentle demeanor whether he is handling parking or curriculum issues, interfacing with the day school, student conduct, or sustaining relationships with many community groups in South Minneapolis.… Read the rest “Leon Oman retires after 28 years in Community Education at Andersen Elementary”
Memories of Leon: Being with Leon, you are the focus
by Jonathan Miller
Without Leon Oman I would probably be unemployed right now. No, Leon didn”'t personally give me a job, but the strong impression he left on me during my internship with The Alley Newspaper did steer me away from the career path I was on”“Magazine journalism. We all know how swimmingly that industry is fairing right now and in part because of Leon, I realized that believing in what I do is very important to me and I moved into non-profit communications.
Leon was my mentor and advisor during my first internship with The Alley Newspaper way back in 1999. The focus of the project was to get children and teenagers involved in the paper, so Leon was the natural choice for two reasons: 1. He worked at Andersen School. 2. He knows EVERYONE in Phillips and EVERYONE knows him and respects him. Leon was always able to make time to provide guidance or give me background on the complex dynamics of the Phillips Community even though he was constantly being pulled in different directions.
But the advantages that Leon provided were more than just his connections. When you talk to Leon, he has a real knack for connecting with you.… Read the rest “Memories of Leon: Being with Leon, you are the focus”
What”'s Up at the Franklin Library: October 2009
By Erin Thomasson
All ages
Bats: Truth vs. Fiction
Fri., Oct. 2, 3Â p.m.
Are bats vampires in disguise or harmless flying bug eaters? Learn the truth about these creepy mammals of the night and make an origami bat to take home.
Family Read: The Best Pet of All
Fri., Oct. 9, 4”“5Â p.m.
Join us for an hour of reading fun with Minnesota author and illustrator David LaRochelle, whose other books include “The End.”
Children”'s Programs
Sheeko Caruur Af-Soomaali ah/World Language Storytime: Somali
Tues., Oct. 6 through Nov. 24, 6:30”“7:30Â p.m.
La wadaag bugagga, sheekoyinka, jaan-gooyada maansada iyo muusikada Soomaalida.
For children ages 2 and up. Experience the world in other languages.
Preschool Storytime
Wed., 10:30-11:00Â a.m.
For children ages 4 to 6. Help your preschooler get ready to read. Enjoy stories together and build language skills.
Cuentos y Canciones/World Language Storytime: Spanish
Fri. through Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m.
Para niños de 2 años en adelante. Comparta y disfrute con sus niños libros, cuentos, rimas y música en español. For children ages 2 and up. Share books, stories, rhymes and music in Spanish.
Sonajas de Sol/Sun Shakers
Thurs., Oct. 15, 3Â p.m.
Registration required. Register online or call 612.630.6800. For kids in grade 1 and up.… Read the rest “What”'s Up at the Franklin Library: October 2009”
The Alley Newspaper is Bound for the Future With Your Help!
By Susan Gust and Harvey Winje
The Alley Newspaper is Bound for the Future. Bound into 17 volumes, no less, spanning all of its 33 years! It will be printed on paper much better than the newsprint on which it is printed each month, allowing the many photos, stories and articles to be able to be viewed and used by others well into the future. Once it is reprinted it will be kept in the Special Collections Section of the Main Downtown Minneapolis Library on Hennepin Avenue.
This is great news! No pun intended. What would be even better news would be to raise enough money for a duplicate set of those 17 volumes to be housed at the Franklin Branch Library in the Phillips Community. These volumes would be more readily available to community residents and students. If you or a friend, neighbor, or relative have ever appeared in The Alley or submitted a Letter to the Editor, a photo, or written an article, it will become immortalized”“or least be around a long, long time! Please celebrate this great news, or, better yet, help make it happen by attending
The Alley Annual Meeting and Fundraiser
Friday, October 23, 2009
5-7 pm
At the Cultural Wellness Center in Franklin Bank Building
1527 East Lake St.… Read the rest “The Alley Newspaper is Bound for the Future With Your Help!”
SEARCHING CHAPTER 7: A New Start
By Patrick Cabello Hansel
We can”'t say that Angel didn”'t know where to start this leg of his journey. He”'d been starting his whole life. Fits and starts. False starts. Start and stop, start and stop. Angel”'s problem was finishing. He”'d managed to graduate from Roosevelt””barely””and he vaguely remembered the platitudes the locally famous person of color had shared at the graduation ceremony: Believe in your dreams. Reach for the stars. Stay in touch. Good words, he thought, but he”'d spent the six months since then pretty much wandering through life, without a plan, That morning, in Mother Light”'s house, as he tenderly pulled on his jacket and bent over to tie his shoes, he spotted the webbed ornament in the window.
“That”'s a dream catcher, right?” he said to Ana, who was waiting at the door.
She smiled, nodded yes, then pointed to her eyes, to her heart, to her lips and then to Angel. He shook his head and wondered what manner of answer that was: was this beautiful young woman deaf? Or merely insane? “I wonder if it caught any of my dreams”, he muttered to himself.
Ana handed him his backpack, which felt heavier to his bruised shoulders.… Read the rest “SEARCHING CHAPTER 7: A New Start”
“Bring a shawl and get a baby” from a 1908-09 Baby Farm 3341 Nicollet Avenue
![“The babies [from the Baby Farm on Nicollet Avenue] are buried in unmarked graves at various locations throughout the cemetery.” This heart shaped grave marker is for Emma Bertta who died June 30th 1886, marker of a heart shaped cross and whose family did provide this marker.](https://alleynews.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/004.02-oct-09-tales-photoBabysMarker18861.jpg "004.02 oct 09 tales photoBabysMarker1886")
The babies from the Baby Farm on Nicollet Avenue are buried in unmarked graves
Between June 24, 1908 and September 6, 1909, 27 infants died at the same address–3341 Nicollet Avenue South. These babies (13 girls, 13 boys, and one whose gender was not recorded) were under the care of “Doctor” Hans Oftedal. As the quote marks suggest, Hans Oftedal was not a licensed physician; he was the proprietor of one of several “baby farms” operating in Minneapolis at the time.
Baby farms were essentially unlicensed boarding houses for infants whose parents were too poor to care for them. The parents surrendered their children to baby farm operators and paid a fee for the care that they believed their children would receive. In some cases, the parents intended to come back and reclaim their children, but in other cases they expected their children to be adopted by families who could provide for them. Adoption was unregulated at that time, and Minneapolis had the dubious distinction of being the baby-trafficking capitol of the Upper Midwest. The Minneapolis Tribune described the adoption trade in Minneapolis as one in which people could “Bring a shawl and get a baby.”
In October 1909, “Doctor” Oftedal shut down his baby farm.… Read the rest ““Bring a shawl and get a baby” from a 1908-09 Baby Farm 3341 Nicollet Avenue”
