Herbert J. Grover
23rd Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
In office
July 6, 1981 – April 9, 1993
Preceded byBarbara Thompson
Succeeded byLee S. Dreyfus (interim)
John T. Benson (elected)
President of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents
In office
June 8, 1979 – September 5, 1980
Preceded byEdward E. Hales
Succeeded byJoyce M. Erman
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office
January 1, 1973 – January 6, 1975
Preceded byDistrict established
Succeeded byEarl W. Schmidt
Constituency87th district
In office
January 4, 1965 – January 1, 1973
Preceded byTheodore Abrahamson
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
ConstituencyMenominee–Shawano district
Personal details
Born (1937-02-05) February 5, 1937
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S.
SpouseCaroline
Children8
Alma mater

Herbert J. "Bert" Grover (born February 5, 1937) is a retired American educator and Democratic politician. He was the 23rd Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin, serving nearly 12 years (1981–1993). Earlier in his career, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Menominee and Shawano counties.

Early life and career

Born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Grover graduated from Shawano High School. He earned his bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, in 1959. He went to work as a legislative assistant to United States Senator William Proxmire in Washington, D.C., and, while there continued his education at American University, where he received his master's degree in international law in 1963.[1]

Wisconsin Assembly years

He returned to Wisconsin to work on a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but paused his education to run for Wisconsin State Assembly in 1964. Running as a first-time candidate Democrat in the heavily-Republican Menominee–Shawano district, he was considered a long-shot against incumbent Theodore Abrahamson, a power broker in Shawano County for over two decades. Inspired by the campaign tactics of Senator Proxmire, Grover canvassed thousands of farms in the district, covering over 17,000 miles during the campaign.[2] He made a bid for cross-over Republican votes with the slogan "cross over to Grover" and won Shawano County while the county was only one of four in the state to vote for Senator Barry Goldwater over President Lyndon B. Johnson in the presidential election that year.[2] Overall, he won 54% of the vote in 1964,[3] went on to win three more elections in the district, and won a fifth term representing the 87th Assembly district, which was drawn to replace most of the territory of his former Menominee–Shawano district in the 1972 redistricting plan.[4]

He served on the Assembly Education Committee throughout his tenure in office, and was chairman for the 1973–1974 session.[1] Likely the most important contribution of his tenure in the Assembly was helping to shepherd Governor Patrick Lucey's plan to merge the University of Wisconsin System with what had previously been the State University System.

While in the Assembly, he resumed his education, earning his Teaching Certificate from University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 1967, and continuing his doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, ultimately earning his Ph.D. in educational administration in 1974.[1][5] He worked as a teacher in the Shawano area between legislative sessions.

He briefly ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1973, after receiving the endorsement of political committee formed by a group of educators, but withdrew before the election after failing to receive the endorsement of the Wisconsin Education Association Council—the state teacher's union.[6]

Education service

He resigned from the Assembly in July 1974[7] to accept an appointment as a special assistant to the newly elected State Superintendent, Barbara Thompson.[8] Within a few months, however, he accepted another position as superintendent of Niagara, Wisconsin, public schools, where he served for the next four years.[1][9] He left Niagara in 1978 to become superintendent of Monona Grove Public Schools—covering Monona, Wisconsin, and neighboring Cottage Grove, in the suburbs of Madison.[1]

In the meantime, in 1976, he had been appointed to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents by Governor Patrick Lucey.[6] In June 1979 he was elected president of the board by a vote of the regents.[10] He resigned less than two years later, in 1980, to launch a campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin, challenging his one-time boss, incumbent Barbara Thompson.[6] Grover had become an outspoken critic of Thompson, who—since the November 1980 election of Ronald Reagan—had taken to publicly campaigning for nomination as United States Secretary of Education.[11][12] Grover placed first in the 1981 spring nonpartisan primary, in a field that also included future Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette, and prevailed in the spring general election with 55% of the vote over his rival, Thompson.[13] He was reelected twice, in 1985 and 1989, taking a larger share of the vote each time. He announced he would not seek a fourth term in 1993, amid speculation that he would launch a bid for Governor of Wisconsin in 1994. Grover instead accepted a job in the Wisconsin Department of Administration to oversee a new state career program for people who do not attend college, the Office of School to Work Transition.[14]

Later years

After leaving government service, he taught at University of Wisconsin–Green Bay for five years, and went into the tree farming business.[15]

Personal life and family

His brother, Thomas G. Grover, was appointed County Judge for Shawano and Menominee counties by Governor Patrick Lucey in December 1975.[16] He went on to serve over 30 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge for Shawano and Menominee counties.

Grover and his wife, Caroline, have eight children.[1]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly, Menominee–Shawano district (1964–1970)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1964[3] General November 3 Herbert J. Grover Democratic 7,242 54.14% Theodore Abrahamson (inc.) Rep. 6,135 45.86% 13,377 1,107
1966[17] General November 8 Herbert J. Grover (inc.) Democratic 5,734 59.51% Theodore Abrahamson Rep. 3,901 40.49% 9,635 1,833
1968[18] General November 5 Herbert J. Grover (inc.) Democratic 8,439 61.79% Elmer D. Anderson Rep. 5,219 38.21% 13,658 3,220
1970[19] General November 3 Herbert J. Grover (inc.) Democratic 8,339 72.43% William H. Cantwell Rep. 3,174 27.57% 11,513 5,165

Wisconsin Assembly, 87th district (1972)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1972[20] General November 7 Herbert J. Grover Democratic 10,467 85.56% Albert Reinke Jr. Amer. 1,767 14.44% 12,234 8,700

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 1981[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Primary, February 17, 1981
Nonpartisan Herbert J. Grover 125,249 44.03%
Nonpartisan Barbara Thompson (incumbent) 89,475 31.45%
Nonpartisan Doug La Follette 49,171 17.29%
Nonpartisan Grant Douglas Tews 12,347 4.34%
Nonpartisan Reinhold Kaebitzsch 8,228 2.89%
Total votes 284,470 100.0%
General Election, April 7, 1981
Nonpartisan Herbert J. Grover (incumbent) 424,794 54.63%
Nonpartisan Barbara Thompson (incumbent) 352,820 45.37% -9.79%
Plurality 71,974 9.26% -1.08%
Total votes 777,614 100.0% -3.01%
Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 1985[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 2, 1985
Nonpartisan Herbert J. Grover (incumbent) 419,845 75.60% +20.98%
Nonpartisan I. W. Poehlman 135,470 24.40%
Plurality 284,375 51.21% +41.95%
Total votes 555,315 100.0% -28.59%
Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 1989[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Primary, February 21, 1989
Nonpartisan Herbert J. Grover (incumbent) 182,466 73.81%
Nonpartisan Arlyn F. Wollenburg 32,828 13.28%
Nonpartisan I. W. Poehlman 31,917 12.91%
Total votes 247,211 100.0%
General Election, April 4, 1989
Nonpartisan Herbert J. Grover (incumbent) 616,353 76.78% +1.17%
Nonpartisan Arlyn F. Wollenburg 180,496 22.48%
Nonpartisan Craig L. Parshall 5,915 0.74%
Plurality 435,857 54.29% +3.08%
Total votes 802,764 100.0% +44.56%

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Grover, Herbert J. 1937". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Political Science Student Passes His Campaign Test". The Capital Times. November 7, 1964. p. 4. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "Elections" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1966 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 742, 757. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  4. ↑ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book (Report). pp. 810, 828. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Grads Warned of Budget Pinch". Wisconsin State Journal. December 16, 1974. p. 2. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Gribble, Roger A. (September 5, 1980). "Regent president to resign post". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Friday, July 26, 1974" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Assembly Journal. Wisconsin Legislature (Eighty-First Regular Session). July 26, 1974. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Grover to Leave Assembly". Green Bay Press-Gazette. July 17, 1974. p. 3. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Sherman, Diane (September 30, 1974). "Colorful Grover Takes a Final Poke at Politics". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ Schultz, Kaye (June 8, 1979). "Grover elected new regents head". The Capital Times. p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Pommer, Matt (December 1, 1980). "Grover opens bid with calls for basics". The Capital Times. p. 27. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Thompson's ink hurts his bid, challenger says". Wisconsin State Journal. December 31, 1980. p. 5. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 865, 869. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Grover picked for new post". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. April 9, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Shively, Neil (January 8, 2010). "Where are they now? Bert Grover battling knee surgery complications". Wisopinion.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "Thomas Grover fills judgeship of Luckenbach". The Post-Crescent. December 24, 1975. p. 2. Retrieved February 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1968). "Elections" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1968 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 714, 726. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  18. ↑ Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1970). "Elections" (PDF). In Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1970 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 804, 819. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  19. ↑ Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1971). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 302, 320. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  20. ↑ Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1973). "Elections" (PDF). In Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 810, 829. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1985). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1985-1986 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 883. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  22. ↑ Barish, Lawrence S.; Theobald, H. Rupert, eds. (1989). "Elections" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 1989-1990 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 884, 888. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
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