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Home : Quarterly Archives : Volume 9 |
Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society |
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Source: April 1957 Volume 9 Number 3, Pages 50–58 The Berwyn Garden Club
Of all the things I'd like to do
If you would plan and God would spray, One day in April 1933, a civic-minded young woman, Mrs. Maurice Warner, called on Mrs. LeRoy Fisher (then Mrs. Charles Bradley) concerning the formation of a garden club. It was not long before the idea of such a club spread. On April 20, 1933, the first meeting for the organization of a garden club in Berwyn was held at the home of Mrs. Fisher on Lancaster and Howellville Roads. Miss Iva Warner, a member of the Twin Valley Garden Club and the Club of Little Gardens, was a guest at this meeting. She explained the work and purposes of a garden club. Mrs. Humbert B. Powell, a member of the Farms and Garden Association, was also present. She explained the purposes of small groups, which were being formed to work with the National Association of Farms and Gardens.
Mrs. Leroy Fisher's living room The question of the name and purposes of the new organization, was laid on the table, to be discussed and decided upon at a future meeting. Mrs. Joseph Sharp, Jr., moved that the Club meet on the first and third Wednesday afternoon of each month at two-thirty. The motion was carried. The following officers were elected to serve until the final plans of the Club were made:
President Mrs. Charles Bradley The Club members were anxious to get to work, and on May 3rd., 1933, their second meeting, they accepted the offer of the Berwyn Auxiliary to the Chester County Hospital to manage the Herb Table at its spring plant sale held at the home of Mrs. William P. Morris on Leopard Road. This meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Clara Bolster when the members enjoyed a trip through her garden on the Littlebrook Road. On June 7th, 1933, the Constitution of the Club was adopted. The first article stated: "The objects of the Club shall be to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among amateurs; to aid in the protection of trees, plants and birds; to encourage civic planting." Soon after the adoption of the Constitution the Club began its activities to carry out its purposes as above listed, when they took on the project of "Flowers for the Flowerless," and Miss Sara Nuzum became the first Chairmen of this work. The temporary officers continued as the first permanent officers and the name "Berwyn Garden Club" was accepted. Mrs. Henry Potts became the first Program Chairman, Miss Stella Miller Chairman of Scrapbook, Mrs. Vernon Beatty Chairman of Place of Meeting. July 5th, 1933, found the Club voting to hold a Flower Show on September 20th. Mrs. Joseph W. Sharp, Jr., and Mrs. Humbert B. Powell became co-chairmen for the show, with a general committee of Mrs. Maurice Warner, Miss Catherine Sagebeer, Mrs. Charles Bradley, and Mrs. William T. Vandever. Others taking part in this first Flower Show ever held in Berwyn were Mrs. A. V. Beatty, Hostessess; Mrs. Arthur Hutton, Stickers; Mrs Roy Hunter, Arrangements. The show was held at Odd Fellows Hall on Waterloo Road and there were 286 entries.
Odd Fellows Hall The Charter Members of the new Berwyn Garden Club were as follows:
Mrs. Charles Bradley The Charter members were soon joined by Mrs. J. W. Fell, Mrs. R. A. McMillan. Mrs. Floris Ferwerda, Mrs. Daniel Le Fevre, Mrs. Walter Matthews and Mrs. M. B. Wolf, all joining in 1933 as Active Members, with the following Associate Members; Mrs. William H. Fritz, Mrs. C. H. Warner, Mrs. J. E. Sagebeer, and Miss Barbara Armstrong.
During succeeding years the following women joined the
Club: On October 19th, 1933, five men from Berwyn met in the Berwyn Library to discuss having a Men's Garden Club of Berwyn. Two members of the Women's Garden Club met with them to help make their plans. Upon organization they immediately made plans for a chrysanthemum show. It was suggested that the Women's Garden Club co-operate with the Men's Club in this show; all members agreed. At several meetings held in 1933 a number of members read papers on various flowers, which proved enlightening as well as interesting. By the time 1934 rolled around the Garden Club had purchased a number of library books on flowers, their growth and arrangement. The purchase of library books has continued through the years. The first book purchased was "Color in My Garden." The first instruction in flower arrangement was given on March 7, 1934; Mr. A. R. Kaber of Albrecht's Nurseries was the instructor. This type of activity is still continued. In 1934 the Club made plans to make the Berwyn Railroad Station more attractive. Twenty-five rose bushes and other appropriate flowers were planted as this project.
January 1935 found the following new officers officiating:
2nd. Vice President - Mrs. Harry Vogel
Berwyn R.R. Station In February, 1935, it was voted to have only one meeting a month which would be held on the first Wednesday, and to have a closed membership of twenty. The first evening meeting was held on January 11th, 1935, at the Great Valley Baptist Church. Other clubs who joined in this meeting were Twin Valley Garden Club, Club of Little Gardens, Paoli Garden Club, Conestoga Garden Club, and the Men's Garden Club of Berwyn, when five luncheon tables were exhibited by the five clubs and also house plants and bubble bowls. The Club having joined the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, it paid the annual dues of five dollars. In the spring ivy was planted at the County Home at Embreeville. The Club also became interested in planting a memorial at Bowman's Hill, and a planting of ferns was made in memory of Mrs. R. A. McMillan, a member of the Club who had passed away. Interest in these plantings continued for several years. At the close of December, 1935, Miss Sara Nuzum reported that Club members had made 102 exhibits during the year. In 1936 it was suggested and carried out that the children in the schools be put on the Garden Program, and that the Parent Teachers Association become interested in this plan. Junior Activities: The first movement to interest children in flowers was made in 1935 when a three-dollar prize was awarded to the boy and girl in Easttown School making the best posters for the Flower Show. This interest was continued, and exhibits for children were included in the Flower Show programs. The year 1936 was the time the tent caterpillars appeared, and the Club joined with other Garden Clubs in paying ten cents a hundred to school children for collecting the caterpillar egg bands. Forty-five hundred bands were collected on the Main Line. April 8th, 1936, the Club again planned an evening meeting for interested persons in the community. Slides were shown on Trees and Plantings; the meeting was held in Easttown School. In May of 1938 three packages of seeds were distributed to each school child who wished to grow them and exhibit in the Fall Flower Show. At one show the children had 100 exhibits. On September 12th, 1941, a Flower Show was held from 8 A.M., to 4 P.M. just for children to exhibit. In 1942 a Children's Club was tried out and a meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Walter Conner with Mrs. Mansley and Mrs. Conner in charge. Color was the theme of this class, but somehow the classes did not go on. The following is a summary of the activities of the Club for the 193O's: Plant sales for the benefit of hospitals and homes; flowers for the flowerless; making scrap-books; beautifying the Pennsylvania Railroad grounds; trips to famous gardens such as Conard and Pyle Rose Nursery, the Morris Arboretum, and Mrs. Sharp's woods; setting up a library for the benefit of the Club; papers and talks on flowers, and instruction in flower arrangements; exhibits of flowers at every meeting; exhibits at other garden clubs; poems read at the beginning of every meeting. Representatives attended the awarding of the Gimbel Award of $1000 at the Gimbel Store. The Club joined the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, the Delaware Valley Protective Association, and the American Iris Society. New books were bought for the Library. The Club exhibited at the Men's Garden Club Spring Show and also at their Chrysanthemum Show. It held meetings at the Ambler School of Horticulture, and heard talks by Mrs. Paul Lewis on her trip to Jamaica, Mr. Mauger on daffodils, and Mr. Ralph McKay on dahlias. One activity in which the Club was most interested was that of the work of the Christmas Cheer Committee; all members participated. Cookies, candy, plants, and magazines were distributed to the ill and housebound friends in the community. This project was started in 1941 and still continues. The following officers served in 1936:
President - Mrs. Maurice Warner Up to 1939 the Club had been placing catalogues and flower books on a table in the Berwyn Library but now decided to have a shelf of its own with the permission of the Library; Mr. Daniel Le Fevre made a shelf and presented it to the Club. Mrs. Daniel Le Fevre was now president; under her guidance the Club acted as Hostesses at the Philadelphia Flower Show, when the following members took part: Mrs. Paul Earl, Mrs. Norman Acker, Mrs. Daniel Le Fevre, Miss Sara Nuzum, Mrs. Thomas Bolster, Miss Stella Miller, Mrs. Maurice Warner, and Mrs. Joseph Manypenny. In July of 1939 the Club joined with the Men's Garden Club in sponsoring the planting of dogwood trees throughout Berwyn. The report shows 81 trees planted through the Berwyn Garden Club and 37 through the Men's Garden Club. At the beginning of 1940 Mrs. Del Roy Acker became president of the Club. The annual meeting was changed from January to November, There were several changes in the membership: Mrs. Edward Kehoe, Mrs. Lawrence Roney, Mrs. R. Johnson, and Mrs. William T. Mansley were added to the active list. Mrs. Joseph Sharp, Jr. and Miss Catherine Sagebeer were transferred to the associate list. Mrs. Thomas Corkhill, Mrs. Fred Hunt, and Mrs. Joseph Sagebeer resigned. Later Mrs. Sagebeer passed away to the sorrow of every member. During this year the interests of the Club were enlarged to include the life history of birds: Mr. Frank Burns gave a talk on birds, their traits and habits. Later on, Mrs. Paul Lewis became interested in having blue-bird boxes placed in the neighborhood, and some of these are still being used by the blue birds each summer. During this year two fine dogwood trees were planted on the High School grounds on Arbor Day. The Club was still gathering flowers for the flowerless during the summer. In 1942 there was a change in the officers of the Club. Mrs. W. T. Mansley became the president. During this year and several subsequent years the activities of the Club were somewhat curbed because of the outbreak of the Second World War. The members then became concerned with food conservation and rationing. In 1944 the members of the Club were saddened by the death of one of the most active of its members; Mrs. Clara Okie Bolster died on January 25, 1944. An appropriate resolution concerning her death was sent to her sons and other members of the family expressing their deep sympathy; the resolution was kept in the minutes. A book plate was given to the library in 1944, and the Club moved that contributions from the Club to the Berwyn Library would be in memory of Mrs. Clara Bolster. Mrs. Harry Vogel became president in 1944. In 1945 a letter from her was read telling of her change of residence to Florida. As Mrs. W. T. Mansley was first vice president, the Club voted that she should serve as president for the next two years. The poems read by the hostesses at the beginning of the meetings were both timely and interesting. It was the pleasure of the Garden Club to decorate the windows of the Berwyn Public Library. This was done not only at Christmas but on Easter Thanksgiving, 4th of July, and Labor Day. During the year 1946 the Club donated money for the needy of Europe. Miss Margaretta Atkinson had charge of purchasing food and sending it abroad. Many bouquets of fragrant flowers were sent to the Valley Forge Hospital. This was a part of the Flowers for the Flowerless which the Club had been taking care of since its very beginning. As many as five hundred bouquets were made at one time. Later in the year a rose garden was planted for the pleasure of the patients in the hospital. The by-laws were changed in 1946. The Fall Flower Show was an outstanding success. On January, 1947, Mrs. Daniel Le Fevre became president. It was decided by the members to have a spring flower show during the month of June. Design in flower arrangement was emphasized. A lesson was given by Mrs. Otho Lane of Westtown in which she stressed lines in design: vertical lines stress dignity, curved lines and circles movement and continuity. An arrangement should be dark, light and bright. Mrs. Roy Hunter reported that her committee had taken flowers as usual to the Red Cross to go to Valley Forge Hospital, from 400 to 800 bouquets each time. Seeds in packages for Peace were sent abroad. Mrs. Rice Longaker became president in 1949 and plans were made to hold a daffodil show in the spring. Mrs. Lawrence Roney took office as president in 1952; she was followed by Mrs. W. R. Geist, Mrs. Maurice Warner, and the present President Mrs. Alfred Dill. The Club had now been asked to place arrangements one day a month in the Valley Forge Museum. The Library book shelf had increased to twenty-eight books. The membership had increased to a closed membership of thirty with four on the honorary list; Miss Margaretta Atkinson, Mrs. William T. Mansley, Mrs. S. A. Ritner, and Mrs. Joseph Sharp, Jr. The Club is particularly proud to be the sponsor for the following six clubs in the Garden Federation: The Planters of West Chester, The Paoli Garden Club, The Strafford Garden Club, The Community Garden Club of Wayne, The Uchland Garden Class, and The Conestoga Garden Club. Two trees were recently planted along the Path of Faith at Independence Hall Mall. The activities of the Club in the 1940's were varied and interesting. To enumerate all the activities engaged in would be an almost endless task, However, what has been suggested in this account represents the kind of work that has been accomplished by the Berwyn Garden Club since 1933.
O Lord, grant that in some way it may rain every day - say
from about midnight until three o'clock in the morning. Grant
at the same time it would not rain on campion, alyssum, helianthemum,
lavender, and others which you in your infinite wisdom
know are drought-loving plants - I will write their names on a
bit of paper if you like. And grant that the sun may shine the
whole day long, but not everywhere (not for instance on spirea,
or on gentian, plantain lily and rhododendron) and not too much;
that there may be plenty of dew and little wind, enough worms,
no plant lice and snails, no mildew, and that once a week thin
liquid manure and guano may fall from Heaven, Amen. Edited by Mrs. Maurice Warner and Mrs. LeRoy Fisher. |
