[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E600-E601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ORVILLE L. FREEMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Ms. McCOLLUM.  Mr. Speaker, the state of Minnesota lost a friend in 
February.
  Born in 1918, Orville L. Freeman grew up in south Minneapolis, where 
his father owned a men's clothing shop. Graduating from Central High 
School at the height of the Depression, he attended the University of 
Minnesota because, as he stated, it ``was convenient and affordable.''
  For 25 cents an hour, Freeman scrubbed walls at the University 
Hospital to help pay for his college tuition. As a summer job, he 
watered grass at Memorial Stadium and harvested grain with crews in 
Minnesota and North Dakota.
  And somewhere in between, he made time to play quarterback for the 
University of Minnesota Gophers football team.
  He received his diploma from the University of Minnesota magna cum 
laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1940 and began law school in 1941. But, 
Freeman's law school career was cut short with the bombing at Pearl 
Harbor that same year.
  The day after the attack, Freeman volunteered for the Marines. During 
World War II, as a Second Lieutenant, Orville L. Freeman led his combat 
patrol behind enemy lines on the island of Bougainville in the South 
Pacific in 1943. He was hit in the jaw by a bullet but managed to 
successfully lead his men to safety. Second Lieutenant Freeman spent 8 
months in a military hospital, overcame partial paralysis, learned to 
speak again and was eventually awarded a Purple Heart before he was 
discharged as a Major.
  Upon returning to Minnesota, Orville completed law school at the 
University of Minnesota, married his college sweetheart Jane Shields 
and had two children, Constance and Michael.
  Mr. Freeman's interest and involvement in politics began as a college 
student at the University of Minnesota where he befriended

[[Page E601]]

soon to be United States Senator, Hubert H. Humphrey. They worked 
tirelessly to ensure the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
and committed themselves to the reorganization of Minnesota's 
Democratic party.

  1944 marked the year that brought the Farmer-Labor and Democratic 
parties together to form the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party in 
Minnesota. Together, Humphrey and Freeman built the DFL party--uniting 
farmers, unions, academicians, small-business owners, veterans and 
female activists through their common interests and goals for a better 
Minnesota.
  With his political involvement and role as party secretary--Orville 
Freeman shaped the DFL and gave the party a face. His position gave him 
the opportunity to schedule events, control the party message and make 
connections in the community. He eventually made two bids for statewide 
office, first in 1950 for Attorney General--and then in 1952 for 
Governor. Although Freeman lost these two statewide races, at the 
suggestion of his good friend Humphrey, Freeman ran for governor again 
in 1954. Humphrey was running for re-election to the Senate that year--
and wanted someone he knew he could work with in the governor's office.
  Freeman's 1954 campaign for governor brought a new dynamic to 
political races in Minnesota. As the leader of the DFL, Freeman 
organized a statewide television campaign, and implemented a sample 
ballot that proved a very successful tool for the DFL that year, and 
years to follow. The sweeping DFL victory included electing Minnesota's 
first woman member of Congress, Coya Knutson, and winning all but one 
statewide DFL race. Freeman became the first DFL governor in Minnesota 
history, and was re-elected for two consecutive terms in 1956 and 1958.
  In his three terms as governor--Freeman's commitment to education for 
all students was truly inspirational to me. He understood the strong 
desire for a quality education for all Minnesotans. He instituted the 
state-aid system for K-12 education that guaranteed a basic minimum 
education for all students, regardless of their school districts' 
wealth. In addition, he was a strong supporter of making college more 
accessible and affordable to students.
  In 1960, Governor Freeman delivered the nomination speech in support 
of John F. Kennedy as the Democratic Party candidate for President of 
the United States and actively campaigned for Kennedy throughout 
Minnesota. Lutherans in Minnesota were apprehensive about electing the 
first Catholic President for fear the Vatican might influence him. This 
inspired Freeman to participate in a statewide television broadcast 
stating that religious prejudice had no place in Minnesota politics. 
While Freeman's dedication to Kennedy paid off--Kennedy won Minnesota 
by a 20,000 vote margin--Freeman unfortunately lost his re-election bid 
for governor by 20,000 votes.
  The new President did not forget the strong support Governor Freeman 
had given him in Minnesota. Kennedy rewarded these efforts by 
nominating Freeman as Secretary of Agriculture, and Freeman continued 
his public service in Washington, DC.
  As Secretary of Agriculture, he initiated a revolution in U.S. 
programs by launching the Food Stamp program, proposing the School 
Breakfast program, as well as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 
program. Additionally, he was a major proponent of food safety.
  Secretary Freeman remembered those whose most basic needs were not 
being met by establishing a goal of eliminating hunger. Tying American 
farmers with the world market, he expanded the Foreign Agriculture 
Service and visited other countries to encourage opportunities for 
further U.S. trade abroad. Globally, he organized a massive program to 
ship U.S. grain to India that was instituted early enough to avert an 
impending famine.
  Vice President Walter Mondale, his friend and mentor, may have put it 
best by saying this of Orville Freeman:

       He was one of the great public men in modern Minnesota 
     history and American history. He fits Tom Brokaw's definition 
     of America's greatest generation--enlisting in the Marines, 
     becoming an officer, being seriously wounded and almost 
     dying, fighting back, becoming a lawyer, leading the new 
     generation in the DFL that was so successful and regaining 
     the governorship.''

  Orville L. Freeman, Minnesota's 29th Governor, died at the age of 84 
on Thursday February 20, 2003 in Minneapolis, MN.
  Minnesotans will miss the leadership and the dedication of Orville 
Freeman--his family will miss the wonderful, loving family man.
  From the military to elected office to an appointed office, Orville 
Freeman dedicated his life to public service. He was a dynamic leader, 
an organizer and pioneer for his party. He was always a champion for 
the state of Minnesota and the United States and a champion for those 
that could not fight for themselves. It is from his example that we 
should learn and follow.
  The Honorable Orville L. Freeman is survived by his loving wife of 61 
years, Jane, their two children Constance and Michael, and three 
grandchildren Katie, Beth and Matthew.

                          ____________________