Dr. Jerome Bolan, educator and writer, was a native of Milwaukee, where he was educated at St. Josaphat Parochial School. He received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, an M.A. from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. (1953) from the University of Wisconsin in Madison; the latter two degrees were in school administration. He also studied psychology and testing at Marquette University, and attended St. Bonaventure Minor Seminary, Sturtevant, Wisconsin, for two years, where he learned Polish. In 1935 Bolan was awarded a Kosciuszko Foundation stipend to study at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. In 1953 he received several offers to teach at the university level, and subsequently changed his surname from Bolanowski to Bolan. Bolan remained at Bay View High School, Milwaukee, where he had taught Polish, Latin, and mathematics since the 1930s. Bolan also taught at Walker Junior High School, Kosciuszko High School, and Audubon Junior High School, where he was assistant principal at the time of his retirement in 1980. Bolan is perhaps best known in the community for his Polish language textbook, A New Polish Grammar (1st edition, 1938), which was illustrated with examples drawn from the Milwaukee Polish community, including Bay View High School. The book has had seven editions, the latest published in 1962.
While teaching in Milwaukee high schools, Bolan organized several Polish clubs for the students. In 1934 he initiated Klub Orleta (the Eaglets Club) at Bay View, to stage dances and dramas, to organize sports events and hikes, and to sew costumes for folk dance performances. About the same time he organized Klub Oswiaty (the Education or Enlightenment Club) in West Allis; club activities were held at the Horace Mann School and the Sali Wawel on 60th and Becher Streets. Bolan also started the Klub Przyjazn (Friendship Club) in West Allis. Bolan began the Klub Sposobnosci (Opportunity Club) on Milwaukee's north side; members met at the North Pier Street School and Pulaski Hall. The most active of the groups was Klub Orleta, which usually had forty to fifty members, and performed plays in Polish. Klub Orleta performed at the Wisconsin Centennial in 1948.
In addition to his other activities, Bolan acted with the St. Adalbert Drama Circle, and occasionally played saxophone with Max Skajewski's polka band. Bolan wrote seven or eight plays, all in Polish, for the student drama clubs with which he worked. He also chose all of the plays performed, with the intention of providing a “vivacious” performance.
