GCFP History & Past Presidents

HISTORY OF THE GARDEN CLUB FEDERATION OF Pennsylvania

In response to an invitation from Mr. James Boyd, President of the PA Horticulture Society, representatives of garden clubs met on November 25, 1929 to form a Pennsylvania Federation of Garden Clubs.

On January 30, 1930, seventeen organizations were represented and bylaws for the new organization were set forth.

On March 26, 1930, the bylaws were ratified and an election of officers was held. Mrs. Thomas Newhall was the first President.

On July 14, 1930, the first regular meeting of the Executive Board was held.

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In the beginning the State was divided into 3 Divisions - Eastern, Central & Western.

A Vice- President and three Directors were selected from each Division.

1934 - The original plan for three divisions was changed to two by a line running north and south through the State forming an Eastern and Western Region. The Executive Board would stand basically as a whole with each Region governed by a Regional Chairman.

1954 - Under advisement of National Council, the State was divided into eight Districts each having a District Director.

1977 - In order to conform to National Council, we reorganized our State Federation by having the officers take office in the spring of the odd-numbered years.

1989 - For a smoother running organization, the District Directors were installed following the State Officers.

The first membership statistics given in July 1930, showed 22 organizations with 4,725 active members. In June 1955, there were 169 clubs with 11, 965 active members. In January 1980 there were 241 clubs with 12,951 members. In January 1989, there were 211 clubs with 11, 403 members.

Dec. 1934 - The first Federation newsletter, “Garden News”, was published as a supplement to PA Horticulture Society’s publication, “Horticulture”.

Oct. 1941 - Publication date of our first independent newsletter.

Oct. 1951 - The publication became “The News”.

June 1980 - After a contest it was renamed “Keystone Gardener”. Louise Dimmick submitted the name.

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1942 - National Council Convention at Philadelphia was cancelled due to war restrictions.

1948 - Publication of a booklet, “Western PA Highway’s & Byways”.

1949 - Publication of a booklet, “Trips in Eastern & Central PA”.

1950 - Bartrams Garden and Home became a State project.

1952 - First refresher course for Accredited Flower Show Judges anywhere in the United States was given at Pittsburgh Garden Center.

1952 - National Council started the Hilda Fox Award of $100 for landscaping. Hilda was founder and first President of the PA Roadside Council, known today as PA Resources Council.

1954 - District VI, in the process of being formed, became the first District to host a GCFP Convention at Bedford Springs Hotel.

1957 - Flower Show Judges Council suggests mileage rate-- 7 cents per mile per car.

1961 - Mrs. James Bush-Brown received the National Council Gold Seal Award.

1964 - GCFP sponsored the National Resources Council in Pittsburgh.

1966 - Mrs. Cyril A. Fox received the “Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Litter Prevention Award”.

1970 - Federation received National Council’s Dean World Gardening Trophy.

1971 - First State Flower Show was held at the Hershey Hotel.

1971 - Our State had its first National Council President, Miriam Steel. Remember her theme, “A Cleaner, Greener Lane”.

1972 - Our most devastating experience was the dreadful damage caused by Hurricane Agnes; the flood completely destroyed our office in Harrisburg and all our records. The office was moved to Camp Hill.

1975 - We sold GCFP license plates.... does anyone still have theirs?

1976 - The official GCFP garden club sign had its inception thanks to Dottie Hermani, who was then District V Director.

1976 - To celebrate the Bi-centennial, National Council sponsored a college contest.

The winner was Mrs. Theodore Busko of Erie.

1983 - Governor Thornburg signs a proclamation for PA Garden Week.

1984 - “Tips to Cultivate” booklet printed for Gardeners and Designers.

1986 - Marie-Louise Shull and her “Backyard Wildlife Habitats” was featured in the April Handyman Magazine.

1988 - “Keep PA Beautiful” Chairman, Sandy Manthorpe, works with PennDOT to find and plant roadside sites with wildflowers.

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The Garden Club of Clarion County is most unique because it was conceived in Italy. In 1928, Miss Hannah Fox was introduced to garden clubs by attending a garden party in Rome. She decided to try something similar at home and upon her return in August 1929, she invited 22 women to her home. Each town, village and hamlet in Clarion County was represented and the Garden Club of Clarion County was born.

Ladies don’t think that all garden clubbers wore hats and white gloves in the early days. A gentleman, Mr. Lester Bowling, was the first president of the Gettysburg Garden Club and in 1931 Mr. Benjamin Kuzkendell was the first president of the Towanda Garden Club.

Sarah B. Stuver

Historian

1990

 

 

GCFP Past Presidents

1930 - 1932 Mrs. Thomas Newhall

1932 - 1934 Mrs. Alan H. Reed

1934 - 1936 Mrs. Jay V. Hare I

1936 - 1938 Mrs. Henry Parry I

1938 - 1939 Mrs. F. Woodson Hancock I

1939 - 1941 Mrs. E. Page Allinson I (CAR Director 1941-1943)

1941 - 1943 Mrs. Robert H. Irons

1943 - 1946 Mrs. Edward S. Nielson I

1946 - 1947 Mrs. George F. C. Blewett I

1947 - 1950 Mrs. William A. Lowrie VIII (CAR Director 1953-1955)

1950 - 1952 Mrs. W. Ray Hastings IV

1952 - 1954 Mrs. Ernest N. Calhoun VII

1954 - 1955 Mrs. Harry A. Fisher, Jr. I

1955 - 1956 Mrs. Ernest N Calhoun VII (filled unexpired term of Mrs. Fisher)

1956 - 1958 Mrs. Maxwell W. Steel V (NGSCG President 1971-1973)

1958 - 1960 Mrs. E Adrian Teaf (became Mrs. Vernon R. Dunlap) I

1960 - 1962 Mrs. David R. Demaree VII

1962 - 1964 Mrs. William H. Benson IV (CAR Director 1965-1967)

1964 - 1966 Mrs. Harry A. Rieger I

1966 - 1968 Mrs. Lee R. Layman I

1968 - 1970 Mrs. Joseph W. Kenworthy II (CAR Director 1979-1981)

1970 - 1972 Mrs. Thomas I. George VII

1972 - 1974 Mrs. W. Sargent Lewis I

1974 - 1977 Mrs. Ray Kristiansen VIII (Served an extra year to conform to National)

1977 - 1979 Mrs. H. Elmer Warner IV

1979 - 1981 Mrs. Elvin W. Overdorff, Jr. VI (CAR Director 1993-1995)

1981 - 1983 Mrs. Charles E. Stone, Jr. VII

1983 - 1985 Mrs. Leonard Dimmick II

1985 - 1987 Mrs. Glenn Dew-Kauffman IV

1987 - 1989 Mrs. Raymond E. Shuster VI (NGC, Inc. President 2001-2003)

1989 - 1991 Mrs. Henry W. Hermani V

1991 - 1993 Mrs. Walter C. Metzger XI

1993 - 1995 Mrs. Merlin J. Pitts VII

1995 - 1997 Mrs. Donald G. Olson VIII

1997 - 1999 Mrs. Judith L. Vehse II/III

1999 - 2001 Mrs. William E. Detwiler I

2001 - 2003 Mrs. John T. Whitmore VI (CAR Director 2007-2009)

2003 - 2005 Mrs. William Davies II/III

2005 - 2007 Mrs. Patricia Beall IX

2007 - 2009 Mrs. Dorthy Yard