Harold V. Froehlich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Honorable
Harold V. Froehlich
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| Chief Judge of the 8th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts | |
| In office August 1, 1988 – July 31, 1994 |
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| Preceded by | William J. Duffy |
| Succeeded by | Philip M. Kirk |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Outagamie Circuit, Branch 4 | |
| In office August 14, 1981 – April 8, 2011 |
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| Appointed by | Lee S. Dreyfus |
| Preceded by | R. Thomas Cane |
| Succeeded by | Greg Gill, Jr. |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th district |
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| In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1975 |
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| Preceded by | John W. Byrnes |
| Succeeded by | Robert John Cornell |
| 66th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly | |
| In office January 11, 1967 – January 4, 1971 |
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| Preceded by | Robert T. Huber |
| Succeeded by | Robert T. Huber |
| Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly | |
| In office January 4, 1971 – January 3, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Robert T. Huber |
| Succeeded by | John C. Shabaz |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Outagamie 1st district |
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| In office January 1, 1963 – January 1, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Kenneth E. Priebe |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harold Vernon Froehlich
May 12, 1932 Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sharon F. Ross
(m. 1970) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Education | University of Wisconsin (BBA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1951–1955 |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Harold Vernon Froehlich (born May 12, 1932) is a retired American politician and judge. He served as a judge in Wisconsin for many years. Before that, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin. He also spent ten years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, even becoming the Speaker. He is known for his long career in public service and for a funny incident involving toilet paper!
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His Life and Career
Harold Froehlich was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. After finishing high school in 1950, he joined the United States Navy. He served during the Korean War.
After his military service, Harold went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He earned his business degree in 1959 and then his law degree in 1962. That same year, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. He served there for ten years. He was even chosen as the Speaker of the Assembly for two terms (1967–1968 and 1969–1970).
Serving in Congress
In 1972, Harold Froehlich was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. During his time in Congress, a big event happened: the possible impeachment of President Richard Nixon. Harold Froehlich was on the committee that looked into this. He voted to recommend impeaching President Nixon, even though Nixon was from his own Republican party.
He lost his re-election in 1974. This was during a time when many voters were upset after President Nixon resigned.
Becoming a Judge
In 1981, Governor Lee S. Dreyfus appointed Harold Froehlich as a judge for the Wisconsin Circuit Court in Outagamie County. He was very popular and was re-elected many times. He served as a judge for 30 years, retiring in 2011.
From 1988 to 1994, the Wisconsin Supreme Court chose him to be the Chief Judge for the 8th Judicial Administrative District. This meant he was in charge of how courts in that area were run.
Later Public Service
After retiring from the court, Governor Scott Walker appointed Judge Froehlich to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board in 2013. This board helped make sure elections and government were fair. He served as vice chair in 2014. The board was later closed down in 2015.
Harold Froehlich also led the Wisconsin Trial Judges Association. He was recognized for his excellent work as a judge. In 1999, he was named "Judge of the Year." In 2013, he received a Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award. An award called the "Harold Froehlich Award for Judicial Courage" was even created in his honor. It celebrates judges who show great bravery in serving justice.
The Great Toilet Paper Scare
Harold Froehlich was involved in a very unusual event in 1973. His district was known for its paper industry. Because of concerns from paper companies, he issued a press release on December 11, 1973. He warned that the U.S. might face a shortage of toilet paper soon. He even mentioned that rationing might be needed.
This news quickly spread to major newspapers and even reached the famous TV host Johnny Carson. On December 19, Johnny Carson joked about the toilet paper shortage on his Tonight Show. Millions of people watched his show.
The very next day, people rushed to stores and bought all the toilet paper they could find! This caused empty shelves everywhere. The panic lasted for about three weeks. People only stopped hoarding when they saw that stores were being restocked. It turned out there was no real shortage.
This funny incident was even made into a short film in 2020 called The Great Toilet Paper Scare. Interestingly, a real toilet paper shortage actually happened later that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
