Denise McAlpin

Author

Julie M. Luker, Concordia University, St. PaulFollow

Files

Interviewee

Denise McAlpin

Interviewer

Cole Steinberg

Transcriber

Thanh Huynh

Generation

Baby Boom Generation (1946-1964)

Neighborhood

Macalester-Groveland

Document Type

Oral History

Date of Interview

8-2-2023

Keywords

Macalester-Groveland, Saint Paul, 1959

Disciplines

Oral History | Psychology

Abstract

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Denise McAlpin is a Caucasian female born on October 28, 1959. She lived with her sister, and her younger brother, in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. Denise's father was an executive in downtown St. Paul. Her mother worked one day a week on Mondays but was primarily an at-home mom. She identifies as Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: McAlpin describes her family dynamics and upbringing. She uniquely transitioned roles between youngest, middle, and oldest sibling in her family. McAlpin reminisces about her family pets, including a touching memory of her father surprising her with a kitten. She talks about the close bond with her elder sister. In talking about the economic status of her family, McAlpin reflects that she was always aware of her family's relative affluence compared to others in her community. She also acknowledged that there were families even wealthier than theirs, which became apparent during non-uniform school days. She discusses how her parent’s reluctance to bring up money has influenced her. She talks about how she talks about money with her child in order to emphasize financial prudence and the peace of mind that comes with being fiscally responsible. Next, McAlpin recounts her family's religious practices and their role in shaping her personal experiences and beliefs. She mentions her family’s regular church attendance, celebrating religious holidays, and participating in church events. As an adult McAlpin talks about her continued faith and collective involvement in her parish. McAlpin describes her neighborhood. She shares stories of how neighbors would help one another out during emergencies or something as simple as giving kids rides to school on cold days. She also shares stories of games played by neighborhood kids and the freedom of exploring the neighborhood on their bikes. McAlpin next describes her experiences with schooling. She shares that despite typical perception of Catholic schools she had teaching nuns that were feminists and progressive thinkers. She also mentions an English teacher that stood out in her memory. Lastly, McAlpin spoke on local and global issues such as the Vietnam War, the moon landing, the energy crisis, and UNICEF collections.

Copyright

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced without the written permission of Concordia University Library or Julie Luker, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, St. Paul.

Recommended Citation

Luker, Julie M., "Denise McAlpin" (2023). Saint Paul and Surrounding Area. 73.
https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/tc-ohp_interviews_stp/73