November 20, 1990 - John Chubb, senior fellow in government studies at the Brookings Institution; Robert Maddox, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State; Nelson Smith of the U.S. Department of Education; and Ray Marshall, former Secretary of Labor in the Carter Administration and now a Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, speaking at an education reform conference sponsored by The Center of the American Experiment. The group provide varying views about education reform. Chubb has written a new book called "Politics, Markets and American Schools", and argued that our system of public education is so dysfunctional that we need to start all over again. Maddox is part of group that opposes using vouchers as a tool for school reform, and that taxpayers should not be required to support specific religious values and beliefs as they are conveyed through parochial schools. Marshall stated the future of our country depends on what we do to improve education for minority students and argued that the U.S. will only be able to compete internationally if we make sure that all our children are well educated. Smith discussed social problems such as fatherless households, drugs and poverty that some people think prevent the public-school system from meeting the educational needs of all children.
August 27, 1990 - MPR’s Kate Smith visits the Minnesota Letterpress Museum located at Heritage Square on Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Smith talks with printers as they work the linotype machine and print fair newspaper.
September 7, 1989 - A report by MPR's Kate Smith on the teacher surplus in Minnesota. Joe Nathan, senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute, answers listeners questions.
August 25, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on the final year of the carousel at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. It has been a fixture of fair since 1914. The carousel was sold in 1988 to the non-profit organization Our Fair Carousel, with plans to preserve and relocate in St. Paul.
August 9, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, also known as MECC, which is being placed up for sale by the state. The corporation has helped Minnesota schools with software at cost, but legislators are looking to sell the company.
May 26, 1989 -
March 6, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on a controversy over recent Minneapolis city council meeting where undercover officers were present. Report includes excerpt of Keith Ellison speaking at meeting. Also contains comments from John Laux, Minneapolis Police chief and North Minneapolis resident Cozelle Breedlove.
February 6, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on protests over incidents of police brutality.
December 17, 1988 - MPR’s Kate Smith looks back at the extreme drought that enveloped Minnesota in 1988. Smith speaks with a farmer and climatologist to get their stark take of the weather event.