From that moment, Hollman knew her
passion was to teach Shakespeare. She
taught Honors English at Upper St. Clair
High School for 36 years. During that
time, she developed the curriculum for
her English classes so they would include
several works of William Shakespeare.
“I love Shakespeare because, no matter
when or to whom you’re teaching, it’s
always relevant,” says Hollman. “I chose
a Shakespearean comedy, romance and
tragedy for the kids to study,” she notes.
“And yes, I [brought in] a cake on April
23 to celebrate his birthday. Sometimes
it would be five cakes if that’s how many
classes I was teaching at the time. Some of
the kids thought it was silly, but they all ate
the cake.”
It was a very distinguished career for
Hollman as she also served as the Yearbook
Advisor for 34 years and National Honor
Society Advisor for 18 years: “I really
enjoyed it because I got to know the kids in
a totally different way.”
In 2002, Hollman retired from USC and
a year later was asked to develop a class for
the “Quest for Lifelong Learning” program
for senior citizens. While comfortable with
the content, she didn’t quite know what to
expect from the attendees.
“My very first class was from 3 to 5 p.m.,
and I went over on my time,” recalls
Hollman. “I apologized to the class and said
I would keep a better watch at the next class,
but no one seemed to mind. One of them
actually said to me, ‘Jane, it’s OK — we all
want to be here.’”
After a few years of teaching the program,
Hollman’s class was the only one that
remained active. She continues to offer
it at the Upper St. Clair Rec Center on
Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Sessions are
twice a year for six weeks: March through
April and October through November. The
class size ranges from 12 to 15, and one of
her active students is in his mid-90s.
Hollman selects plays for her class that
coincide with local productions they can
attend together. She explains, “In the last
few years I’ve organized our teachings
around productions that will enhance
what we’ve learned. After several weeks of
studying ‘The Merchant of Venice’ or ‘A
Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ it’s nice to see
a movie or play that enriches our class time.”
Recently Hollman’s sister joined the class
to help bring a different perspective. “My
sister is also a former English teacher and
loves Shakespeare as much as I do, but we
don’t always have the same interpretation.
The class gets a kick out of watching us
disagree. They also like her to come because
she brings great snacks!”
While Hollman’s love of Shakespeare
dates back several decades, the reason his
writing remains her focus is because his
works are universal.
“Shakespeare is quoted more than any
single author in history. He wrote 37 plays
and 154 sonnets. His works range from
funny to gruesome, tragic to romantic. His
themes were about the relationships of
commoners and kings. There is so much
to learn from his writing. And even though
I’ve been teaching Shakespeare for many
years, I still find things I didn’t know before,
simply by talking about it with others. It’s
been one of the most rewarding aspects of
my teaching.”
To sign up for Jane Hollman’s class,
contact the Upper St. Clair Rec Center at
412.221.1099. n
“I love Shakespeare
because, no matter
when or to whom
you’re teaching, it’s
always relevant.”
Upper St. Clair | Fall 2016 | icmags.com 19