Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 1956 Volume 9 Number 1, Pages 18–24

The men's garden club of Berwyn

J. Alden Mason

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On October 19, 1933, five flower-lovers of Berwyn, William Armstrong, Henry T. Bernard, Floris Ferwerda, Henry C. Potts, and Reverend Robert H. Walker, met in the Berwyn Library. A few years before, the women had founded the Berwyn Garden Club, and the men felt that they should also be organized. Two members of the women's group, Mrs. Mildred Bradley Fisher and Mrs. Henry C. Potts, also attended, probably to give the boys some warning and advice on the formation of such a club. A week later the men met again at the Potts home end, with considerable temerity, decided to hold a Chrysanthemum show at once. Two more men, Harold E. Hayes and Edward J. Lockwood, joined.

So the First Annual Chrysanthemum Show of the Men's Garden Club of Berwyn was held on the evening of Friday, November 3d, 1935, in the Old Easttown Grammar School Building on Bridge Avenue. The five founder-members formed the committee in charge. The Twenty-third annual Show was held on October 29th, 1955.

Meetings were held, as they have always been, at the homes of the members, but for a short time they were held twice monthly. Dues were set at $1.00 per year for active members, 50 cents for associates, It was decided to discuss some certain flower at each meeting. Host of the early members attended meetings regularly but, as the club was small, four or five was the average attendance.

In January, 1934, William Armstrong was elected the first president, and during the year Joseph A. Englebert and Charles E. Gibb all three still members and the late William T. Mansley joined. Mr. Mansley offered a prize to students of the High School for the best essay on "The Chrysanthemum."

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The Chrysanthemum Show was held in Odd Fellows Hall, Under the auspices of the Club Mr. L.S. Mauger, of Hosea Waterer's, gave a talk on "Spring Bulbs" at the Easttown School in 1935. During that year the membership was increased by seven new members, John F. Heagy, Edward J. Kehoe, William C. Latch, Clarence W. Leighton, J. Alden Mason, Charles P. Niskey, and E. William Pyle. The Chrysanthemum Show was again held in Odd Fellows Hall, this time for a period of two days.

The minutes of these early days contain many amusing and interesting items. Several times members chipped in fifty cents or a dollar each to boost the failing treasury. Several times the meeting adjourned to visit a flower show or to hear a lecture, and then returned to finish business - and refreshments. At many of the early meetings guest speakers came to talk on horticultural topics, and the members made Sunday trips to such places as Longwood Gardens, Hosea Waterer's bulb farm, and the Conard-Pyle Rose Gardens at West Grove.

A number of the members were called to service but all returned safely. When they left, farewell gifts were given them. The hardships of the war were suffered with little complaint. It was difficult to get sugar for the refreshments. Cookies were donated to the Red Cross several times. It is mentioned once that Mrs. Pyle would make cookies for the Valley Forge Hospital if the boys would get her the red points and the sugar stamps. After the war, packages of seeds were sent to Europe several times.

The present pattern of holding meetings at the home of members on the second Thursday of every month has continued from the earliest days to the present. Recently the December and January meetings have been omitted. Generally discussion of the Club's business and preparation for shows occupies the evening, but occasionally there are talks by members or guests, the showing of pictures, or other instructive entertainment.

The evening always ends with refreshments supplied by the host's wife who is then officially thanked by the current president. At each meeting there is an exhibition contest of some particular flower or plant then in season, the type having been specified on the card announcing the meeting.

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Members who have not brought entries are appointed judges,and points are awarded which are tabulated at the end of the year. Since 1948 a door prize has been supplied by the host for which a chance at ten cents is taken by each member. By custom the prize is something useful in the garden that costs about a dollar.

The membership limit was early set at twenty-five. This limit has never, I believe, been reached; at any rate I never heard of any desirable applicant who was refused membership on grounds of no vacancy. Present dues are two dollars a year.

Chrysanthemum

The great interest and activity of the Club has always been its public Flower Shows. Possibly the Club was founded for this purpose; at any rate, the first Chrysanthemum Show was held less then two weeks after the founding meeting. Chrysanthemums were the primary interest of the founders, and a Chrysanthemum Show has been held every year since, generally on the last Saturday in October. Most of the members also raised dahlias of prize quality, and of late years these have tended to replace chrysanthemums in importance. For a few years the members displayed their dahlias at the fall Flower Show of the Berwyn Garden Club, but, beginning in 1938, the Club assumed the conduct of the dahlia section of this show, the two clubs being joint sponsors. This section came to play such a large part in this show that in 1946 the Club decided to conduct a separate exhibition, and so on September 19th of that year inaugurated the First Main Line Dahlia Show; this will be its 11th anniversary on September 22nd of this year.

Since 1937 the two shows have been held in the gymnasium of the Easttown Grammar School. In 1939 a number of dismountable tables were built and other equipment secured. With these the members arrange the flowers which are brought not only by members but by flower growers from a large surrounding region. The flowers are generally grouped into three classes so as to give everyone a chance. There is generally one class for the beginner, another for all amateurs, and a third for anyone, including professional gardeners. This gives everyone an opportunity to win a prize and yet insures a fine display.

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In addition to the award of ribbons and seals to the winners, prizes have been given since very early days. In the earliest shows, the prizes were garden utensils and supplies, donated by local business houses and Philadelphia flower and gardening concerns, but of late cash prizes have been given. Several cups also are or have been in competition. Among the cup donors have been Mr. Casper J. Tollinger, Mr. Clifford A. Hood, and Miss Devereux. The Club itself has also offered the Show Committee Cup, and recently a plaque in memory of the late John C. Lober; the latter is for competition among Club members only.

As soon as the entries are closed and the exhibits arranged, the judges inspect them and make the awards. These judges are professional gardeners, friends of the Club, who, year after year, give their knowledge, experience and services gratis. The Club has expressed its appreciation to them by electing them Honorary Members. The arrangement classes are sponsored by the women's Berwyn Garden Club.

Every Spring since 1939, in order to show its appreciation to the judges of the show, a dinner is held, with the judges as guests. Today it is always held in a local inn, but in early days sometimes in some church basement, catered by the Women's Auxiliary.

For many years the shows were held two days, Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon and evening, the entries being taken and arranged Friday afternoon, Now the shows are limited to Saturday afternoon and evening, the flowers brought and arranged on Saturday morning.

In the early days, occasionally other shows were given by the Club. In 1934 a Spring Flower Show was held in the Malvern Monday Afternoon Club House, jointly by the Men's Garden Club of Berwyn, the Berwyn Garden Club, and the Club of Little Gardens, and in 1937 and 1938, the Men's Club gave its own Spring Flower Show.

Admission to the shows is free, though a container for contributions is placed near the door and helps to defray the expenses of the show. For many years the programs were mimeographed or cheaply printed, but recently,with the help of local business men who

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take advertisements in it, the programs have been large and well printed, the income from the advertisements helping to pay for the cost of the program, the show, and the prizes.

While of course exceeded in size, variety and quantity by the great Philadelphia Flower Show, the Berwyn Dahlia and Chrysanthemum Shows concede it little or nothing from a point of quality, and they are probably as good as similar shows given anywhere else in the Philadelphia region. Many of the members regularly enter flowers in these other shows (which are held on other dates), and as regularly secure high awards therein. The exhibits in the Berwyn shows are really surprisingly good for a group of relatively few members in a small suburban town.

Dahlia

Beginning in 1947 a sale of dahlia roots has been held on a Saturday in May. The members bring and label their excess roots, and often a large sum is made by selling them to the public. Rooted chrysanthemum cuttings are also sold.

During the late war, the Club took over the encouragement of Victory Gardens, to raise vegetables; All persons with sufficient ground were encouraged to plant, and given advice and help. Prizes were given for the best gardens which were twice inspected by a jury from the Club, on July 7th and September 8th. The prizes were War Savings Stamps which were donated by the Berwyn Business Man's Association, the Bank, and Mrs. William E. Fritz.

The Club has also properly considered the beautification of the town as one of its duties and interests, though probably not as much as it should. For some years a dogwood tree was planted every year on the grounds of the Easttown Elementary School, as well as some roses. The ground surrounding the War Memorial was also beautified. The Club passed resolutions against permitting refreshment stands at Valley Forge Park and against unsightly billboards on our highways, and had a part in promoting the preserve on the Robinson tract at Paoli. In 1959 it sponsored a drive for the planting of dogwoods and other flowering shrubs by local residents, as a result of which

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it was reported that thirty-seven dogwoods and eleven shrubs had been planted. At one time seeds were distributed to schoolchildren and prizes given for flowers grown from these seeds at the fall flower show.

As the only Men's Garden Club on the Main Line and almost the only one in the Philadelphia region, members residing as far away as Cynwyd are among the most active members, but the majority still reside in Berwyn and vicinity. It has not been the custom for presidents to be reelected, and the Club has had a different president for almost every year of its existence.

The presidents of the Club throughout its existence have been:

There were in April 1955 ten honorary members, consisting mainly of professional gardeners who have served as judges at shows or who exhibit at the shows, and a few old-time and inactive members. They are:

At present there are twenty-five active and two associate members. The complete list of present and past members follows. Present active members are denoted by an asterisk, associate members by two asterisks.

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