. W ." ▁D irl am ▁( Oct ober ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁– ▁June ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Minnesota ▁politician ▁and ▁a ▁former ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁who ▁represented ▁the ▁old ▁District ▁ 1 4 , ▁District ▁ 1 7 , ▁District ▁ 1 7 A , ▁and ▁District ▁ 2 1 B , ▁which ▁included ▁all ▁or ▁port ions ▁of ▁ ▁Brown , ▁K and iy oh i , ▁Red wood , ▁Ren ville ▁and ▁Y ellow ▁Medicine ▁count ies ▁in ▁the ▁south western ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁district ▁number ▁and ▁boundaries ▁changed ▁through ▁the ▁years ▁due ▁to ▁red istrict ing . ▁ ▁House ▁service ▁and ▁leadership ▁First ▁elected ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁D irl am ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁every ▁two ▁years ▁until ▁he ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁During ▁his ▁ 3 4 ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁House , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Spe aker , ▁Major ity ▁Le ader ▁and ▁Minor ity ▁Le ader . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Legisl ature ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁candidates , ▁represent atives ▁and ▁leadership ▁positions ▁were ▁officially ▁non - part isan . ▁He ▁al lied ▁with ▁the ▁House ' s ▁Conserv ative ▁C au cus , ▁and ▁was ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁Republican . ▁ ▁D irl am ▁originally ▁sought ▁the ▁House ▁speak ership ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁but ▁lost ▁the ▁contest ▁by ▁one