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    Grittner, Karl Frederick

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1953-58 (District 39); Senate 1959-62 (District 39); Senate 1963-66 (District 46); Senate 1967-70 (District 43)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 11/22/1922
    Birth Place: West Saint Paul, Minnesota
    Birth County: Dakota
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 3/3/2011
    Gender: Male
    Religion: No Religious Affiliation
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Paul
    Occupation (when first elected): Teacher, Cleveland Junior High School, St. Paul

    EDUCATION

    Bryant Elementary School; Elementary School;
    Douglas Elementary School; Elementary School;
    Mechanic Arts High School, St. Paul; Secondary; Graduate, 1940
    Hamline University; College Graduate; History, Political Science, and Education; 1945
    National Institute of Public Affairs, Washington D.C.; Attended Graduate School; Scholarship, Government Studies
    University of Minnesota; M.A.; Secondary School Administration, 1959
    University of Minnesota; Ph.D.; Educational Administration, 1969

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Commission on the Problems of Mentally Retarded, Handicapped and Gifted Children; 19?? to 196?

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Carolyn "Carol" Pierce (married on May 26, 1945; she died on February 9, 2004)
    Children: Three children: Linda, and Laura (daughters); Frederick "Fred" (son)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was of Swedish and German ancestry.

    He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

    "In 1953, as chairman of the Education Committee, he put freshman DFLer Karl Grittner on the panel…" (Hahn, Trudi. "Ex-Legislator Stanley Holmquist Dies at 93." Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 17, 2003)

    He died of pancreatic cancer, in San Antonio, Texas.

    Birth county, ancestry, marriage date, and spouse's death date provided by his daughter.

    Religion provided by his daughter.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 6573

    SESSIONS SERVED

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 43
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: School Administrator, St. Paul Public Schools
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: "His extraordinary memory helped him stand apart from his peers at the Capitol and earn a spot as minority leader for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in 1967, according to Tony Perpich,…" (Horner, Sarah. "Karl Grittner, 88: Former Legislator, Educator Had a Tale for Any Subject (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 8, 2011.)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Pensions and Retirement Division
    • Education
    • Finance
    • General Legislation
    • Local Government
    • Public Domain
    Leadership Position: Minority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 43
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Principal, Mounds Park Junior High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: "His extraordinary memory helped him stand apart from his peers at the Capitol and earn a spot as minority leader for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in 1967, according to Tony Perpich,…" (Horner, Sarah. "Karl Grittner, 88: Former Legislator, Educator Had a Tale for Any Subject (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 8, 2011.)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Pensions and Retirement Division
    • Education
    • Finance
    • General Legislation
    • Local Government
    • Public Domain
    Leadership Position: Minority Leader

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 46
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Principal, Mounds Park Junior High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Education
    • Finance
    • General Legislation
    • Public Domain
    • Towns and Counties
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 46
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Assistant Principal, Wilson High School/Former Secretary, St. Paul Federation of Teachers, Local 28, AFL-CIO
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Public Domain
    • Public Welfare
    • Towns and Counties
    term photo
    Click to view

    62nd Legislative Session (1961-1962) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/4/1958
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/7/1963
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Teacher, Cleveland High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Public Domain

    61st Legislative Session (1959-1960)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/4/1958
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/7/1963
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Teacher, Cleveland High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Public Domain

    60th Legislative Session (1957-1958)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/6/1956
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1957 to 1/5/1959
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Teacher, Cleveland Junior High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First and Second Class
    • Civil Administration
    • Education
    • Elections (Chair)
    • Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention
    • Rules
    term photo
    Click to view

    59th Legislative Session (1955-1956)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/2/1954
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/7/1957
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Teacher, Cleveland Junior High School
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the First and Second Class
    • Civil Administration
    • Communications
    • Education
    • Elections (Chair)
    • Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention

    58th Legislative Session (1953-1954)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/5/1952
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1953 to 1/3/1955
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Teacher, Cleveland Junior High School, St. Paul
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: "In 1953, as chairman of the Education Committee, he put freshman DFLer Karl Grittner on the panel…" (Hahn, Trudi. "Ex-Legislator Stanley Holmquist Dies at 93." Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 17, 2003)
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Education
    • Municipal Affairs
    • Reapportionment
    • Veterans and Military Affairs

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Photographs
    Karl Frederick Grittner of St. Paul. State Legislator from 1953-1969 (ca. 1955) From the Minnesota Historical Society's Visual Resources Database
    Karl Frederick Grittner of St. Paul. State Legislator from 1953-1969 (ca. 1965) From the Minnesota Historical Society's Visual Resources Database

    Articles & Books About
    Brandt, Steve. "Legislator, Educator Karl Grittner Dies at 88 (Obituary). Star Tribune, March 13, 2011, p. B8.

    Horner, Sarah. "Karl Grittner, 88: Former Legislator, Educator Had a Tale for Any Subject (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 8, 2011.

    Grittner, Karl Frederick (Obituary). Star Tribune, March 6, 2011, p. B9.

    Blake, Laurie. "Ex-Legislators/Where Are They Now?" Star Tribune, March 14, 1988.


    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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