70 Year History of the A&M Garden Club (Part 1)

First Year
Oct 14 – Organization meeting
The program for the year had a stellar list of speakers
–all from A&M faculty and specialist in their fields.
Nov 6 – Dr. L G Jones – “Soils”
Dec 4 – Dr. Mougelsdorf – “Native Shrubbery”
Jan 8 – Miss Sadie Hatfield – “Gardens around the World”
Feb 5 – Dr. Guy Adriance – “Pruning”
Mar 12 – 2:30 Plant Exchange
4:00 Prof. F W Hensel – “A tour of the Green Houses and Redbud trails”
Apr 14 – Dr S H Yarnell – “Iris”
May 7 – Dr Robert Fletcher – “Insects in Our Gardens.”
May 14 – Garden Party in the formal gardens in the front at the new administration building combined with an flower arrangement exhibit in the rotunda. Mrs. C B Campbell was general chairman.

Plants and Seed Exchange

Mrs. Holtzman – had redbud seed to distribute at 1st meeting
in Jan was asked to assist the Projects committee.
in Feb. has added Mrs. Silvey, Mrs. Moguelsdorf, and Mrs. Williamson to the committee.
Held a seed and plant exchange on March 12 at 2:30.

Projects adopted Dec ’36

I. Purchasing red bud trees in large quantities and planting in groups, as a community idea.

II. Purchasing of red bud trees and selling to the Garden Club members at cost.

III. A Chrysanthemum Show. The club voted to have a Fall Chrysanthemum Show the next fall. Everybody brought 1800 chrysanthemum plants to grow and show that fall.

IV. Garden Club Library

V. Home beautification in the Community as a whole.

Mar ’37

I. A Spring Flower Show about the last of April open to any display meeting the committee requirements. The show to be judged by an outsider.
A lecture on flower arrangement to be included in the regular admission. [April meeting -club voted this year to just have flower arrangements by each club member at the last meeting.]

Committee appointed to work out plans with Mr Hensel for the park as our club project.

II. A fall Flower show featuring chrysanthemums

III. A committee to work out plans for a home beautification project embodying a competition with a trophy.

Our 1st Flower Exhibit
Friday, May 14 1937 1 – 5 p m
Rotunda
Administration Building
with a
garden party and tea
in the formal gardens on the front lawn

Nov 19 – Installation of officers followed by informal discussion of fall gardening.
Dec 3 – Mr. Manosmith – “New Water System of Plant Culture”
Jan 7 – Caleb Rucker – “What to do in the Garden in January”
Feb 4 – Mr. McGuinnis -“Pruning Shrubs and Maintaining Lawns”
Mrs O’Neal – “Greetings from the state Federation
–conventions and garden pilgrimages”
Dr. Floy – “Amaryllis, as adapted to this region”
Mar 4 – Mr Yarnell – “Iris, the selection, planting and care
— also, What to plant now”
April 1 – Mr Edmondson – “Some Experiments with Home Planting”
May 6 – Miss Badjer [Home Economics dept at UT]
“Flower Arrangement”
[approx. 100 people came to hear her]

4 Feb – Club voted to adopt as a project
“the Beautification of the Bryan Cemetery”

4 Mar – Chrysanthemum Committee [Mrs Astin and Mrs Irvin] took orders for plants.

1 April – Club voted $25 to further the Hensel Park project

7 Oct – J Coulter Smith, Bryan Florist
“Pointers of the Fall Garden, what to plant,
and how to care for the plants”
Nov – Dr A A Dunlap – Chief Plant Pathologist Tx Ag Ex St.
“Starting Plants in Sand”
Dec – Dr J C Ratsek – Ex Station at Tyler
“Minature Arrangements — the most essential thing in arranging small flowers is to get flowers and containers to harmonize”
Mrs. J Gordon Gray – “Seasonal Activities”
6 Jan – Dr Horsley – Landscape Dept A&M
“Scenes Along the Mr. Vernon Memorial Highway”
3 Feb – impromptu discussion on spring flower problems
3 Mar – J E Blair – State Highway Dept.
“Highway Beautification”
28 April – the flower show
5 May – Dr Horsley – tour of the Greenhouses & beauty spots on A&M campus. – “Recreation”

7 Oct -Removal of Signs along the highway and roadside between College Station and Bryan
5 May – $20.00 donated for beautification of Hensel Park

Our 1st Annual Flower Show
Friday, April 28 1939 1 – 5 p m
Rotunda
Administration Building
held in Conjunction with
the College Women Social Club’s
annual garden party and tea
on the front lawn

500+ attended show & reception

Pilgrimage [Field Trip] 1939

5 May – Dr Horsley – tour of the Greenhouses & beauty spots on A&M campus. – “Recreation”

Theme for year:
“Things to Do in Your Garden Now”

Nov – question and answer program
Dec – Mrs Ireland Hampton -rose enthusiast –
runs test garden at Ft Worth spon. by Am Rose Soc.
“Establishing a Rose Garden, transplanting bushes,
pruning, fertilizing, cultuvation, and watering,
varieties for success”
Jan – Dr G M Watkins, plant pathologist Exp Sta.
“Rose Diseases – their causes and methods of control”
Feb – Dr Guy Adriance, head of the Hort. Dept. A&M
“Pruning —on not pruning too early”
March – Mr W S Flory, Div. of Hort.
“Native Trees and Shrubs Suitable for Home Plantings”
April – Miss Mae Del Flagg, Garden editor of the Houston Post –
“Flower Arrangements”

Jan ’40 – Highway Landscape Project — the five mile strip [between College Station and Bryan] be divided into five one mile strips and our roll of seventy members be equally divided — each group headed by a chairman; all group leaders will confer to devise a general plan of planting the strip as a whole, but each group will work out its own individual plantings per needs for that particular section. each being funded. Club approved plan.
Feb – leaders for Highway Landscape Project are Mrs L H Yarnell, Mrs W T Carter, Mrs J S Doane, Miss E Cavitt, and Mrs. Albert Stevens.
Club selected the native Patama as the shrub to be featured in the project.
Landowners donated native shrubs; Landscape Dept furnished labor and trucks for obtaining materials in return for a share of the plantings. The Highway Dept furnished labor for digging holes, fresh soil and also watered plantings twice. A total of 17 plantings were made with 127 shrubs planted over the entire project strip including 65 ratarnas, 28 eupon, and 34 huisache.

Also reported that A M Waldrop & Co was the first to remove sign boards from the strip after request by members of the Garden Club.
April — W S D Clothier of Bryan have removed their signs from the strip.

Our 2nd Annual Spring Flower Show
Chairman: Julia Burns
Friday, 26 April 1940 2 – 5:30 p m
Rotunda
Administration Building
held in Conjunction with
the College Women Social Club’s
annual garden party and tea
on the front lawn +
music
by the A&M Consolidated School

Pilgrimage

3 May ’40: Several historical spots
Old Washington; Monument Hill at La Grange -where a picnic lunch will be eaten and the final business of the year concluded;
Wildflower Show; then to “Liends” the plantation home of Elizabeth Ney.

2 May — the A&M Club will be hostesses to the Temple Garden Club who will be visiting A&M College on their garden Pilgrimage.

Theme for year: 1940-41
“Things to Do in Your Garden Now”

4 Oct – Mr. Monosmith –
“Soils and the response of plants to soil treatment.”
1 Nov – Dr J S Ratsek, research Hort. at Tyler Exper. Sta.
“Rose Culture”
Dr W S Flory, hort. at A&M
“Bulbs: kinds and care of bulbs suitable to this area”
6 Dec – Dr. S H Yarnell
“Planting and Care of Shrubs Suitable to this Area”
Mrs George Warner “What to Do In the Garden Now”
Mrs I G Adames “Birds and their Value”
Mrs W E Long “Garden Queries”
10 Jan – Mr N M McGinnis of the landscape dept
“Propagation and use of Cuttings” demonstration
Mrs. Doane and Mrs. Waldrop
“What to do in the Garden in January”
7 Feb -Mrs. Blank “New Prize Flowers for 1941”
Mrs. Yarnell “Color Harmony
as it Influences Flower Arrangements”
14 Feb – special meeting at 7 p m in the Chemistry Lec. rm.
Mr —– entomologist for Freeport Sulphur Co
“Illustrated lecture on Rose Culture”
7 Mar -Mr. Coulter Smith, Florist of Bryan,
“Spring Planting, stressing preparation of beds for annuals, best methods of planting, use of peat and spagnum moss, fertilizer, and such”
18 April – about thirty members bought Flower arrangements for judging and criticism. Judging was done by Mrs. C B Campbell, Mrs. J S Mogford, and Mrs J S Doane.

Projects 1940-41

Nov – projects for the year.
I. Continue beautification of Bryan-College Station Hwy
adopted
II. Help with beautification of little College Cemetery
adopted
Dec –
$15 for highway marker section – Mrs. O C McIntyre ch.
$10 for the highway park triangle – Mrs. Albert Stevens ch
$10 for the Consolidated School section – Mrs. J S Mogford ch
Yard Beautification Project – Mrs. G C Bauer

Our 3rd Annual Spring Flower Show
Chairman: Mrs J S Doane
Arrangements: Mrs Albert Stevens
Classification: Mrs J S Mogford
Entries: Mrs S H Yarnell
Hostesses: Mrs D W Williams
Friday, 25 April 1941 2:30 – 6:30 p m
Rotunda
Administration Building

3000+ attended

Pilgrimage

2 May – to include local (College Station and Bryan) gardens and several in the Brazos bottoms.
Mrs G B Wilcox ch.

Programs 1941-42

3 Oct 1941 – Mr Coulter Smith, Bryan florist,
“Gardening and What to plant in gardens this fall”
– Mr George Wilcox
“How to Grow Sweet Peas”
14 Nov – Tea honoring New members at Mrs. Gilchrist’s home
Mrs. Campbell, Ch. –There will be flower arrangements in each room suitable for the home to be judged by Mrs. Mugford.
5 Dec – Mrs R M Sherwood “Christmas decoration demo– Natural foliage and berries emphasized”
Mrs Burns “Short review of roses and rose planting”
11 Jan – Mr Brison – Hort. Prof. A&M “Vegetable Growing
and Budding and Grafting”
[he consented to make a list of varieties of fruit trees and vegetables for this locality to be mailed to club members.]
Feb – talks by various Club members on gardening
March – Mrs Lyle “Vines and Shade for Screening”

3 Oct – Mrs John Astin asked the club members for homemade cookies to be delivered at Luke’s Grocery at College and David Reed’s in Bryan for the 10,000 men that are to be encamped at the American Legion grounds for Saturday Night.

Beautification of Bryan and College on Highway 6:
Mrs. C B Campbell, Ch; Mrs W B Cline; Mrs. Gibb Gilchrist

Stevens Triangle Park: Mrs A B Stevens, Ch; Mrs Kay Halsell

Jan – Mrs. Campbell reported 47 things planted on highway still living and also reported the shrubs and plants that will be replaced.
Club approved this in Feb.

April – Collect flowers for College Hospital regularly

The 4th Annual Flower Show
to be judged by popular ballot
Chairman: Mrs. Albert B [Ruth] Stevens
Friday, April 24 1942 2 – 7 p m
Rotunda of the
Main Administration Building on campus

Pilgrimage [Field Trip] 1942

3 March – Houston
and annual Houston Flower Show

giving a report on the 7th to the club were:
Mrs Gilchrist; Mrs Campbell; Mrs Dona Carnes;
Mrs Waldrop; Miss Cavitt;
and Mrs Wilcox

Programs 1942-43 [ten meetings]

4 Sept – Tea for the old and new members of the club at the home of Mrs. C B Campbell. Mrs. Gibb Gilchrist arranged for arrangements in every room suitable for the home done by various club members. 69 members paid their dues at the tea.
The club’s first yearbook was distributed. 75 in attendance
2 Oct – met in the ladies lounge of the YMCA
Dr L J Jones – “Bulbs, Soils, and Fertilizers”
Mrs E W Markle – Vegetable Gardens
Miss Ethel Cavitt – Flower Gardens
Mrs. S H Yarnell – Bulbs
Mrs C B Campbell – Calendas
6 Nov – Mrs. J E Roberts “Roses” followed by discussion
10 Nov – Mrs Dorothy Biddle – “Flower Arrangements”
Special guest lecturer – 100 in attendance
8 Jan – Mr Fred Brison – Hort. Prof. A&M
“Budding and Grafting”
5 Feb – Dr W S Florey – “Planting Victory Gardens”
Mrs Howard Berry – the Flower Garden
Mrs C B Campbell – ” on Pruning”
5 Mar – Mrs. J D Benson – “Dahlias and Chrysanthemums”
2 April – Dr. Sperry – “Grasses and Wild Flowers”
illustrated with Specimens followed by colored slides
5 May – Field Trip to the Sims’ Plantation

Sept – Mrs T R Spence asked for a volunteer Ch to look after the grounds of the Sailor’s Recreational Hall.
Nov — Mrs Doane asked for volunteers to make cookies for the social hour following the Biddle lecture. to be Nov 10th.
– Mrs Waldrop asked that $25 be held in reserve for the small cemetery at College.
Dec – asked for the Club’s cooperation in the purchase of US Bonds and stamps thru the Club
March – Mrs Campbell spoke of the need of more seeds to be sent to England. $10 granted by the club to this project. [$10 was sent to the British War Relief Society to purchase seed for ten family gardens in the war affected zones of England]
– Mrs. Doane told of the need for shrubbery and flowers to beautify the Bryan Airfield. Moved and carried to donate $10 to the project and Mrs. Doane was made chairman of this work.

Fall Chrysanthemum Show
Chairman: Mrs. D W Williams
Friday, 6 Nov 1942
Parlor of the Ladies Lounge of YMCA

————

Our 5th Annual Spring Flower Show
Theme: “Victory Gardens”
Chairman: Mrs D W [Madge] Williams
Friday, 30 April 1943 2-5:30 p m
Y M C A – College Station

100 entries despite bad weather
well- attended by the community

Pilgrimage [Field Trip]
Chairman: Mrs Pat Burns

7 May – the W M Sims Plantation
bird sanctuary
back via Bryan Airfield

38 participated

1st Memorial Trees Planted 1943
to honor deceased members:
Mrs Kay Halsell at Travis Elem.
Mrs Ivan Jones at A&M Consolidated
Mrs. O E [Letitia Guillonery] Beazley
at A&M Consolidated

Programs 1943-44

4 Sept – Tea for the old and new members of the club at the home of Mrs. Dona Carnes. Mrs. A J Bennett arranged for arrangements in every room suitable for the home done by various club members.
1 Oct – met in the YMCA sunroom
Mr. Fred L Cavitt – “Beautiful Gardens – color films of flowers and gardens in New Mexico, the Bellangrath Gardens and a series of Bryan Gardens”
5 Nov – Mrs. B F Vance – “Strawberry Culture”
3 Dec – Miss Jennie Camp – “Herb Culture and Herbs in Civilization”
7 Jan – Club members – “Flowering Shrubs – things tried and true for our community from our own experience. ”
4 Feb – Mr. Rosborough – “Gardens”
Mrs. Mogford – “Recipes from the Garden” – then she served some delicious samples to prove the recipes
3 Mar – Dr R G Reeves – “Plant Mutations”
7 April – Mrs R R Lyle – “Color in the Garden”
12 May – Field Trip & picnic to Mrs J C Collier’s home

A garden calendar for the area was presented each month

Flowers for the Armed Forces: shrubbery and flowers to beautify
1. the Sailor House in CS
club cares for the grounds and flower bed
2. USO House in Bryan
3. the Bryan Airfield Mrs. Doane
4. – shrubs to go around the Bryan field hospital

– flowers to the A& M hospital – every week
– US Bonds and stamps thru the Club
– save all kitchen fats, newspapers and magazines all of which will be collected by the Boys or Girls Scouts.
– contributed to “embarkation bags”
new project:
Jan – Coulter Triangle Park project: Mrs Roberts ch,
Mrs Campbell, Mrs Wilcox, Mrs Carnes, Mrs Carter,
Mrs Cline, Mrs Waldrop, Mrs Williams

Floral Arrangements for meetings etc:
Sept: Mrs J B Wilcox – the reception hall; Mrs D W Williams – the guest rooms; Miss Edith Cavitt and Miss Ethel Cavitt – the living room; Mrs J S Mog ford – the tea table and dining room; Mrs A J Bennett – the back living room.
Oct: Mrs Campbell and Mrs W T Carter
November: at the meeting

Fall Flower Show
– all fall flowers
Chairman: Mrs. A J Bennett
Friday, 5 Nov 1943
YMCA

Dec: Christmas arrangements – club had decorated the Y, also the USO and the Sailor’s House for Christmas
Jan: Mrs Bennett – arr. of white gladioli
Feb: Mrs Williams – arr. of japonica; Mrs Wilcox – arr. of yellow jasmine and jonquils; Mrs Waitsent – the carnations displayed in a reflector globe.
March: arr.’s by Mrs Campbell, Yarnell and Miss Edith and Miss Ethel Cavitt. [also Mrs Waldrop displayed one of her Ruble iris]
April: arr’s Campbell – iris; Bennett – pink roses; Lyle – several in the Japanese manner.

To be held with the Social Club’s Tea
Our 6th Annual Spring Flower Show
Chairman: Mrs Fred [Sena Mae] Hale
Friday, 14 April 1944 2-6 p m
Y M C A – College Station
Admission: 10 cents
[money to be used in landscaping the Triangle Park]

Pilgrimage [Field Trip & picnic] 1944
Chairman: Mrs Gibb Gilchrist

12 May – to Brazos Bottom Plantations
Mrs J C Collier’s for picnic
and stopped at
Mrs Simm’s on the way

Programs 1944-45

1 Sept – Dr A A Dunlap – “Fall Gardens”
6 Oct – Tea for the old and new members of the club at the home of Mrs. J B Wilcox. Mrs. Yarnell arranged for arrangements in every room suitable for the home done by various club members.
17-18 Oct – Club hosts State Board meeting in College Station [Mrs. C B Campbell, a member of the club, is Program Chair for the State that year]
3 Nov – Mr C R Henton, ext. service – “Small fruits”
8 Dec – Dr J W Adriance and Mr W D Jackson – “Rose Culture”
5 Jan – N M McGinnis – “Ornamental Shrubs”
– a tour of the green houses was made to see various shrubs in their different stages of developement.
2 Feb – Fred Brison – “Spring Gardens”
9 Mar – Mrs Williams and Mrs Campbell “Flower Show plans”
27 Mar – Mrs S B McKnight of Ft Worth – “Flower Arrangements”
6 April – Mrs Wilcox – “Making Corsages”
10 May – Picnic at home of Mrs Yarnell.

A garden calendar for the area was presented each month

Club voted:
– to participate in the Plant Fact Finding Contest Sponsored by Dr Allen – Nat’l chairman of Horticulture.
– set club dues at $1.25 which would include a one year subscription to “Southern Home & Garden Magazine” [memberships closed Oct 6th]
Park Committee gave report and Mrs Stevens asked each member to plant a Crepe Myrtle this year.
– furnish flowers for the Bryan Field hospital
– Mrs Dona Carnes [and Mrs Fulgram] to write a history of the A&M garden club.
– $10 to McCloskey Hospital at Temple planting fund
– Chairman appt of the decorating com. for the annual College Christmas dinner to be held on 21st of Dec.

Flowers for the Armed Forces: shrubbery and flowers to beautify
1. the Sailor House in CS
club cares for the grounds and flower bed
2. USO House in Bryan
3. the Bryan Airfield Mrs. Doane
4. – shrubs to go around the Bryan field hospital

– flowers to the A& M hospital – every week
– US Bonds and stamps thru the Club
– save all kitchen fats, newspapers and magazines all of which will be collected by the Boys or Girls Scouts.
– contributed to “embarkation bags”
new project:
Jan – Coulter Triangle Park project: Mrs Roberts ch,
Mrs Campbell, Mrs Wilcox, Mrs Carnes, Mrs Carter,
Mrs Cline, Mrs Waldrop, Mrs Williams

Our 7th Annual Spring Flower Show
Chairman: Madge Williams
Wed. 11 April 1945 4 – 8 p m
Y M C A

Oct 44 Brief tribute in memory of
the late Dr. J C Ratsek – Rose grower –

Programs 1945-46
Theme: Planting for Color

7 Sept – Y – Mrs Hale read the clendar
5 Oct – Musical – “Gardens” –
Tea for the old and new members of the club at the home of Mrs. Gilchrist.
9 Nov – Mrs Miliff ch. – “Bulbs”
14 Dec – 7:30 pm at the Petroleum Engineering Lecture Room where films of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and Peurto Rican flower shows were shown.
11 Jan – Y – Mrs Yarnell ch. – “Why Plant Shrubs?” Chart of “What to Plant” with prices and where to Get Them was passed to the members. An exhibit showing various kinds of shrubs was explained by the chairman. “Care of Ornamental Trees and Shrubs”
8 Feb – Mrs Brittingham – “Spring Gardens” offered a planting chart to each member. Several members presented a program on “Scientific Agriculture”
15 Mar – Mrs Campbell ch. – “Color Harmony”
11 April – annual flower show
10 May – Y – reports

A garden calendar for the area was read each month

Coulter Triangle Park is being planted – the hedge will be trimmed by the city for a while.

Library established.

Decorated for the College’s Christmas banquet.

Flowers to Bryan Field Hospital in Nov.

Our 8th Annual Spring Flower Show
Chairman: Mrs Stevens
Co-Chairman:
12 April 1946 4 – 7 p m
YMCA Chapel and Parlors