Their income was just high enough to pay for his education at the Hogere burgerschool in Sappemeer.

At a young age, Ter Laan became interested in socialism.

In 1901, he was elected member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands by the district of Hoogezand.

He was appointed the first social democrat mayor of Zaandam in 1914 by the Cabinet Cort van der Linden.

[2] Ter Laan is known for his books about the dialect of Groningen, Gronings.