14 Facts About Bertha Reynolds

Bertha Capen Reynolds was an American social worker who was influential in the creation of strength-based practice, radical social work and critical social work, among others.

Bertha Capen Reynolds born in Brockton, Massachusetts, on December 11,1887 to Mary Reynolds and Franklin Stewart Reynolds.

Bertha Reynolds's father died while she was a young child, and she moved with her mother to Boston to work as a teacher.

From 1923 until 1925, Bertha Reynolds worked in new clinics for behavioral training of pre-school children in the Division of Mental Hygiene in Boston.

In 1925, Bertha Reynolds returned to Smith, now serving as associate director of the Smith College School for Social Work, teaching courses in the summer term and supervising students' field placements during the rest of the year; conducted research and had clinical assignments at the Child Guidance Clinic in Philadelphia and at the Institute for Child Guidance and the Jewish Board of Guardians in New York.

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In 1937, Reynolds offered her resignation to Everett Kimball, director of the School for Social Work, due to their disagreement over the direction of the program, her political activities, and the termination of Plan D Reynolds left Smith in 1938, after teaching the last group in the Plan D program.

Between 1939 and 1942, Bertha Reynolds was self-employed as a consultant in staff development for social work agencies.

Bertha Reynolds published her major work for social work educators, Learning and Teaching in the Practice of Social Work, describing the contributions of psychology and the social sciences to the problems of practice and teaching in social work in 1942.

Between 1943 and 1947, Bertha Reynolds was appointed by the United Seamen's Service to the Personal Service Department of the National Maritime Union, where she became case supervisor.

Bertha Reynolds drew on this experience to write Social Work and Social Living, which was published in 1951.

In 1948, Bertha Reynolds retired to the family home in Stoughton, where she studied Marxist works, corresponded with friends and former students, had a small clinical practice, and worked as a volunteer on community projects, for the Methodist Church, and the Stoughton Historical Society.

Bertha Reynolds is buried with her parents and siblings at the Avon Cemetery in Avon, Massachusetts.

Bertha Reynolds was honored by Boston University; the Adelphi, Columbia, Fordham, Hunter, New York University, and Yeshiva schools of social work; the New York City chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; and the alumni of the Smith College School for Social Work.

Bertha Reynolds was honored by the town of Stoughton for participation in community affairs.