By Jim Studer
I know; I know. If I think so much of small towns, why do I live in a metro area of over two million people? It’s a consequence of living in a small town. I found a good wife there. She had the brains and the will to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology. The University of Albany nor the University of Maple Lake offered such a program. Hence, the University of Minnesota and St. Paul became home. I also found a Master’s Degree in Speech Communication there.
There are benefits besides schools. For me there were Gopher football, basketball, and baseball attractions. At the time Title IX opened up women’s programs, and I took in volleyball, softball and women’s basketball games right there in my backyard. Big cities also offer professional sports. I saw a few Vikings’ games, but baseball had its hold on me. Some years I saw over 25 Twins’ games. Of course, tickets and parking were affordable then. Another metropolitan benefit is public transportation. Busing to Twins’ games and graduate school classes made living in a city easier and cheaper.