Bertha Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Bertha Capen Reynolds, born in Stoughton
, Massachusetts
, was an American
Social Worker who was influential in the creation of Strength Based Practice
, Radical social work and Critical social work
, among others.
to work as a teacher. Her aunt paid for her to attend Smith College, where she graduated in 1908 with a Bachelor of Social Work. She suffered from an unknown illness during this time, and later attended Simmons College
for two years, graduating in 1914 with a second Social Work degree. At this time, she described her professional goals as "...a desire to help poor people and the Negro and to be able to earn her living" . After her graduation, she worked for a short time at the North End Health Clinic. In 1917 Smith College began running a psychiatric social work degree, and she enrolled. After graduating, she stayed on and taught the subject, working as an Associate Dean between 1925 and 1938. During this period she used Marxist
analysis as an element of the course, and attempted to unionise college employees. This was not well received by the Dean, who terminated her position in 1938. She then worked for a time with the Maritime Union but funding was scarce. She retired and became a full time writer. A later biographer described her three guiding philosophies as Marxism, Christianity
and Freudian/psychodynamic theories. This was not well received by many American social workers and for decades her writings were sidelined in favour of more psychoanalytic approaches.
A docudrama based on her letters, performed by Margaret Draper
was written and produced at Smith College for the Bertha Capen Reynolds Centennial Conference in June 1985.. At that conference, an organizing meeting of progressive social workers was convened, resulting in the founding of the Bertha Capen Reynolds Society in Chicago in October, 1985. The name of the BCRS was later changed to the Social Welfare Action Alliance .
Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,962 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately from Boston, from Providence, and from Cape Cod.-History:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Social Worker who was influential in the creation of Strength Based Practice
Strength based practice
Strengths based practice is a social work practice theory that emphasizes people's self determination and strengths. Strengths based practice is client led, with a focus on future outcomes and strengths that the people bring to a problem or crisis...
, Radical social work and Critical social work
Critical social work
Critical social work is the application of social work from a critical theory perspective. Critical social work seeks to address social injustices, as opposed to focusing on individual people's problems...
, among others.
Life
Reynolds' father died while she was a young child, and she moved with her mother to BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to work as a teacher. Her aunt paid for her to attend Smith College, where she graduated in 1908 with a Bachelor of Social Work. She suffered from an unknown illness during this time, and later attended Simmons College
Simmons College (Massachusetts)
Simmons College, established in 1899, is a private women's undergraduate college and private co-educational graduate school in Boston, Massachusetts.-History:Simmons was founded in 1899 with a bequest by John Simmons a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Boston...
for two years, graduating in 1914 with a second Social Work degree. At this time, she described her professional goals as "...a desire to help poor people and the Negro and to be able to earn her living" . After her graduation, she worked for a short time at the North End Health Clinic. In 1917 Smith College began running a psychiatric social work degree, and she enrolled. After graduating, she stayed on and taught the subject, working as an Associate Dean between 1925 and 1938. During this period she used Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
analysis as an element of the course, and attempted to unionise college employees. This was not well received by the Dean, who terminated her position in 1938. She then worked for a time with the Maritime Union but funding was scarce. She retired and became a full time writer. A later biographer described her three guiding philosophies as Marxism, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Freudian/psychodynamic theories. This was not well received by many American social workers and for decades her writings were sidelined in favour of more psychoanalytic approaches.
A docudrama based on her letters, performed by Margaret Draper
Margaret Draper
Margaret Ruth Draper was an American actress and international service worker. She was born in 1916, the third of six children born to Delbert Morley Draper and Frances Mary Rogers...
was written and produced at Smith College for the Bertha Capen Reynolds Centennial Conference in June 1985.. At that conference, an organizing meeting of progressive social workers was convened, resulting in the founding of the Bertha Capen Reynolds Society in Chicago in October, 1985. The name of the BCRS was later changed to the Social Welfare Action Alliance .
Published works
- An Experiment in Short-contact Interviewing - 1932
- Learning and Teaching in the Practice of Social Work - 1942
- Re-thinking Social Case Work - 1943
- Social Work and Social Living: Explorations in Philosophy and Practice - 1951
- An Uncharted Journey: Fifty Years of Growth in Social Work - 1963
- Between Client and Community: A Study in Responsibility in Social Case Work - 1973