Title: Louise M. Tesmer Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1973-1976

Creator:

• Tesmer, Louise M., 1942-

Call Number: Milwaukee Mss EN

Quantity: 1.6 c.f. (4 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries’ Archives Department / Milwaukee Area Research Center; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of Tesmer, a Wisconsin state legislator from the 19th Assembly district, including correspondence with her constituents and a legislative subject file with letters from interested citizens and organizations of the state. The constituent correspondence reflects views on issues such as drunken driver arrests, broadened powers for the state patrol, campaign financing, state lottery, and public employees' right to strike. The subject file covers a wide span of legislative interests but most of the letters relate to budget bills or abortion legislation. There is almost no correspondence for 1976.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil000en

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Louise M. Tesmer, a Democratic legislator from Wisconsin's 19th Assembly District, and a member of the State Bar was born in Milwaukee, December 25, 1942. Daughter of Edward William Tesmer and Genevieve Marie Mitdbo Tesmer, she is a graduate of Bay View High School and, in 1964, of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1967 she received her J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As an undergraduate, she was elected to Sigma Tau Delta, honorary English society, was literary editor of Cheshire Magazine, and secretary-treasurer of the Slavic Language Club.

She holds membership in Kappa Beta Pi, international legal association, the National Order of Women Legislators, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders of which she was a 1974 delegate to the U.S.S.R. She has honorary membership in the Municipal Justice Association, and is a former member of the Milwaukee County Protective Services Advisory Board and the A.F.L.-C.I.O. In 1968 she was awarded the “Carol Citation” by the Cudahy Jaycees, and in 1972, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's “Distinguished Service Award.” Since 1973, she has served on the Board of Visitors of the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Tesmer was elected Municipal Justice, St. Francis, Wisconsin for 1966-67, and appointed Assistant District Attorney, Milwaukee County, 1967-1972. She was a delegate to the Wisconsin Democratic State Convention, 1972 and 1973, and to the Democratic National Convention, 1976. She was elected to the state legislature in 1972 reelected in 1974 and 1976. Her biennial committee assignments have included Criminal Justice and Public Safety (vice chairperson), 1977; Judiciary and Joint Interim Committees, 1973, 1975, 1977; Commerce and Consumer Affairs (vice chairperson), 1975, (member), 1973. Tesmer is a candidate for reelection in 1978.

The papers of Louise M. Tesmer pertain only to her legislative career. The papers are almost totally letters to and from constituents, interested citizens and organizations of Wisconsin. There is a copy of the three questionnaires mailed to district voters and a one-page summary of returns for each. More than half the papers are arranged in a subject file covering a wide variety of legislative interests. There are very few letters for 1976.

The papers are grouped in two series: Constituent Correspondence and Subject Correspondence. The CONSTITUENT CORRESPONDENCE contains incoming and outgoing General Correspondence for 1973 and 1974 chronologically arranged. Topics include the Wisconsin teacher retirement plan, legality of 65-foot double-bottom trucks, merger plan within the University of Wisconsin System, studded snow tires, no-fault divorce, and the proposed closing of several state medical or correctional facilities. The Questionnaire Related Correspondence is both incoming and outgoing for 1973 and 1974, arranged chronologically. The majority of the letters are dated between October 1973 and May 1974, and concern such topics as stricter laws for drunken drivers, broadened arrest powers for the State Patrol, energy crisis, political campaign funding, state lottery, and public employees' right to strike. There is no correspondence relating to the third questionnaire.

The SUBJECT CORRESPONDENCE FILE contains incoming and outgoing letters and a few related clippings and/or memos on twenty-two general legislative topics for the period 1973-1976. Within each topic the papers are arranged chronologically. The greatest amount of material covers Abortion legislation, the state Budget, and the Humane Treatment of Animals. There is some duplication of topics with those in the first series. The researcher should be aware also that some letters in the Subject File are from constituents.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Louise M. Tesmer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1975 and 1977. Accession Number: M75-56, M75-144, M77-55

Processing Information

Processed by S. Annette Gallagher (F.G.H. Intern) and Joanne Hohler, July 28, 1978.

	Series: Constituent Correspondence
	Subseries: General, 1973-1974
Box   1 Folder   1	January-March, 1973
Box   1 Folder   2	April-May, 1973
Box   1 Folder   3	June-December, 1973
Box   1 Folder   4	January-February, 1974
Box   1 Folder   5	March, 1974
Box   1 Folder   6	April-August, 1974
	Subseries: Questionnaire Related, 1973-1974	⇧
	Number 1, 1973
Box   1 Folder   7	October, 1973-May, 1974
	Number 2, 1973
Box   1 Folder   8	December, 1973-May, 1974
Box   1 Folder   9	Number 3, 1974
	Series: Subject Correspondence	⇧
	Abortion
Box   2 Folder   1	January-February, 1973
Box   2 Folder   2	March, 1973
Box   2 Folder   3	April, 1973
Box   2 Folder   4	May-December, 1973
Box   2 Folder   5	Alchohol (Implied Consent Law), March, 1973- September, 1975
Box   2 Folder   6	Beer (license), January-August, 1973
	Budget
Box   2 Folder   7	February-April, 1973
Box   2 Folder   8	May, 1973-June, 1974
Box   2 Folder   9	February-April, 1975
Box   2 Folder   10	May, 1975
Box   3 Folder   1	June-October, 1975
Box   3 Folder   2	Cabinet Government, April 2-17, 1975
Box   3 Folder   3	Chiropractic Medicine (Insurance Coverage), April, 1973-July, 1974
Box   3 Folder   4	Correctional Institutions, February-August, 1973
Box   3 Folder   5	Energy Crisis, January-April, 1974
Box   3 Folder   6	Handicapped, February-May, 1974
Box   3 Folder   7	Health Care, May, 1973-October, 1974
Box   3 Folder   8	Humane Treatment of Animals, February, 1973-March, 1974
Box   3 Folder   9	Insurance (No Fault), January, 1973-April, 1974
Box   3 Folder   10	Invitations, April, 1973-August, 1974
Box   3 Folder   11	Maps, February, 1973-July, 1974
Box   3 Folder   12	Milwaukee County, January, 1973-November, 1974
Box   3 Folder   13	Probate Reform, January, 1973-January, 1974
Box   3 Folder   14	Schools, January-November, 1974
Box   4 Folder   1	Seat Belts, May-December, 1973
Box   4 Folder   2	Sewers, June-September, 1974
Box   4 Folder   3	St. Francis, Wisconsin, October, 1973-November, 1974
Box   4 Folder   4	State Patrol, February-March, 1973
Box   4 Folder   5	Tax Bills, May, 1973-May, 1974
	Miscellany
Box   4 Folder   6	January-December, 1973
Box   4 Folder   7	January-March, 1974
Box   4 Folder   8	April-December, 1974
Box   4 Folder   9	February, 1975-October, 1976