Bardoun, Frank Joseph, 1905-1988.

Prominent Czech-American from Cleveland, Ohio involved in several local and national Czech-American organizations and activities, particularly the Workers Gymnastic Union (Dělnické Tělecvičné Jednoty), founded in Cleveland in 1909 by Czech Socialists. Patterned after workingmen's sokol units in Bohemia, the purpose of the DTJ was to build worker solidarity via gymnastic activities and also to promote Czech nationalism. Singing and dramatic groups such as Vojan augmented DTJ activities. The summer camp "Taborville" near Chagrin Falls, Ohio became the center of many DTJ activities in the Cleveland area. It was the idea of Joseph Martínek, long-time editor of American Labor News (Americké Dělnické Listy), a Czech-language socialist weekly which Bardoun contributed to for many years. Bardoun later compiled a comprehensive unpublished manuscript history of the DTJ. He was also a major figure in the Czechoslovak Society of America, a national fraternal insurance organization which also fostered Czech culture and customs, and the teaching of the Czech language.