Aroline Schmitt Papers, 1939-1971

Container Title
Milwaukee Mss 72
Part 2 (Milwaukee Mss 72, PH 6548, Audio 2035A/7-8): Additions, 1979-2003
Physical Description: 4.4 cubic feet (11 archives boxes), 0.3 cubic feet of photographs (1 archives box and 1 oversize folder) and 2 tape recordings 
Scope and Content Note

This part is arranged into four series, ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, SUBJECT FILES, PUBLICATIONS, and VISUAL MATERIALS, organized alphabetically. There is some overlap in the content of files in all four series due to the interrelated nature of the organization, its interests and its events.

The records contained in the ADMINISTRATIVE FILES date from approximately 1964 to 2003, and include activity reports, bulletins, by-laws, constitutions, correspondence, financial reports, meeting minutes, membership files, newsletters, and record books. The constitutions and by-laws - in both Polish and English - included in the collection are mostly undated, spanning approximately from the creation of PAC Wisconsin up to 2000, after which the chronological files diminish drastically. The correspondence included in the administrative files relates primarily to the activities of three PAC Wisconsin leaders: Eugene Kaluzny, Edward Wojtkowski, and Mark Lazar. A substantial amount of this correspondence is related to some legal questions arising from questions of leadership and some general internal discord. The community events files detail the activities of PAC Wisconsin in the Milwaukee area, including concerts, lecture series, and banquets. Documentation of these events includes flyers, brochures, pamphlets, and letters relating to the planning and execution of the events. Many of these events were sponsored in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and other Polish community organizations in the area, and larger publications related to these events can found in the PUBLICATIONS series.

The SUBJECT FILES contains mostly research and correspondence relating to PAC Wisconsin's interests, providing the foundation for many of their commemorative events and activities. Most of these files and their names were already established by PAC Wisconsin, so loose records were incorporated into existing files when pertinent. Other files were created according to subject categories and organizational interests outlined in the Organizational History. The SUBJECT FILES are composed almost entirely of newspaper clippings, as well as reproductions of articles and book chapters, and transcriptions of speeches from momentous occasions in Polish and English. Some examples of subject files representing matters of considerable interest for PAC Wisconsin include: Polish-Jewish relations, Polish-American cultural issues and ethnicity, Polish history, Janusz Korczak, the Katyn Massacre, the Rev. Waclaw Kruszka, the Polish Relief Fund, Solidarity, the Martial Law Period, Eastern European issues under Communism, and Polish Churches in Wisconsin.

The PUBLICATIONS include all materials produced by PAC Wisconsin partners and related member organizations, as well as general published material on topics related to the interests of PAC Wisconsin. These include pamphlets, brochures, flyers, sheet music, and several books. Most of these publications are relating to banquets and other commemorative events organized and/or sponsored by PAC Wisconsin or its partners. Most of the pamphlets are dated, however most of the books and most of the sheet music are without dates. The sheet music provides an interesting overview of traditional Polish chorals, mazurkas, folk music and other scores used in PAC Wisconsin events.

The VISUAL MATERIALS series includes photographs of people, places and events documented elsewhere in the collection. There are also many negatives in the collection, some of which mirror the prints in the collection, but several of which have no print. The highlights of the VISUAL MATERIALS series include photographs of several member organizations, many photos of Polish dancers in costume, theater troupes, musical events and authors in the cultural events folder and several photographs of businesses in the 1930s with their owners in the Polish businesses in Wisconsin folder.

Series: Administrative Files
Box   7
Folder   1
Bulletins/newsletters, 1983-1989
Box   7
Folder   2-4
Bulletin file, 1983-1989
Box   7
Folder   5
Constitution/by-laws, 1964-1994
Box   7
Folder   6
Community events, 1979-1988
Chronological files
Box   7
Folder   7
1964-1979
Box   8
Folder   1-7
1981-1986
Box   9
Folder   1-4
1986-1989
Box   10
Folder   1-10
1989-2001
Box   11
Folder   1
Landmark committees, 1973-1974
Box   11
Folder   2
Lazar correspondence, 1983-1995
Box   11
Folder   3
Membership, 1974-1995
Box   11
Folder   4-5
Meeting minutes, 1981-1984
Box   11
Folder   6
Meeting protocols and agendas, 1971-1989
Box   12
Folder   1
Polish Relief Fund correspondence, 1984-1989
Record books
Box   12
Folder   2
1981
Box   12
Folder   3
1977-1984
Box   12
Folder   4
Various statistics, 1984-1983
Wojtkowski
Box   12
Folder   5
Correspondence, 1968-1989
Personal file
Box   12
Folder   6
1975-1986
Box   12
Folder   7
1977-1997
Series: Subject Files
Box   13
Folder   1
Auschwitz convent, 1987-1989
Box   13
Folder   2
Copernicus event, 1973
Box   13
Folder   3
Jaruzelski demonstration, 1985
Box   13
Folder   4
Jewish-American Council meeting, 1998
Box   13
Folder   5
Katyn, 1980-1989
Box   13
Folder   6
Korczak, 1989-1993
Box   13
Folder   7
Korczak lecture series, 1979-1995
Box   13
Folder   8
Kruszka, 1987
Box   13
Folder   9
Kruszka Memorial Celebration, 1986-1989
Box   13
Folder   10
Milwaukee ethnic information, 1909-1994
Box   13
Folder   11
Poland/Eastern Europe, 1987-1989
Box   14
Folder   1-3
Polish American Ethnic Committee, 1906-1986
Box   14
Folder   4
Polish cultural events, 1978-1997
Box   14
Folder   5-6
Polish churches in Wisconsin, 1895-1898, 1964-1987
Box   15
Folder   1-3
Polish Jewish-relations, 1979-1999
Box   15
Folder   4
Polish Radio Cultural Hour, 1954-1994
Box   15
Folder   5
Stas Radosh, 1984-1987
Box   15
Folder   6
Sobieski 300 anniversary, 1983
Box   15
Folder   7
Solidarity, 1980-1983
Box   15
Folder   8
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1981-1994
Box   15
Folder   9
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, events, 1986-1998
Box   15
Folder   10
World War II anniversary, 1995
Box   15
Folder   11
Yalta Conference anniversary, 1975
Series: Publications
Box   16
Folder   1
Ecumenical Prayer Service, 1982
Box   16
Folder   2
Federation Life Insurance, 1976
Holy Name Parish
Box   16
Folder   3
1954-1989
Box   16
Folder   4
1983-1989
Box   16
Folder   5
New Life Chorus, 1987
Box   16
Folder   6
“Poland: Facts and Figures,” 1971
Box   16
Folder   7
Polish American Congress, 1944-1994
Box   16
Folder   8
Polonia Appeal to Arms, 1987
Box   16
Folder   9
Polish Army Recruiting, 1967
Box   16
Folder   10
Polish Center of Wisconsin, 2000
Box   16
Folder   11
[folder number skipped]
Box   16
Folder   12
Polish Embassy, 1991
Box   17
Folder   1
Polish League of American Veterans, 1977-1988
Box   17
Folder   2
Polish Millennium Committee, 1966
Box   17
Folder   3-4
Polish National Church, 1971-1997
Box   17
Folder   5
Polish National Alliance, 1975-1995
Box   17
Folder   6
Polish Women's Cultural Club, 1981
Box   17
Folder   7
Polonia Sport Club, 2000
Box   17
Folder   8
Polish Women's Cultural Club, 1981
Box   17
Folder   9
Rola Boza, 1973
Box   17
Folder   10
Syrena Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, 1985
Box   17
Folder   11
United Circle Choirs, 1932-1982
PH 6548
Series: Photographs
Box   1
Folder   1
Cultural events, undated
Box   1
Folder   2
Headshots, undated
Box   1
Folder   3
Kruszka exhibits, 1987
Box   1
Folder   4
Kruszka Memorial Celebration, 1987
Box   1
Folder   5
Polish businesses in Wisconsin, 1939
Box   1
Folder   6
Polish churches, 1900-1930
Box   1
Folder   7
Sports and community activities, 1932
Box   1
Folder   8
Wojtkowski events, undated
Oversize Folder  
Group photos
Series: Audio recordings
2035A/7
Negotiations with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, restructuring of Polish American Congress; relationship with Catholic League; petition for Polish magnet school in Milwaukee, undated
2035A/8
Life in communist Poland; recruiting new generations into the Polish American Congress, undated