| Amenda, Mrs. Ruth Perkiomenville, Pa. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Perkiomenville, Pa. Ansell, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bryn Mawr, Pa. Bagoly, Lewis and Emily Phoenixville, Pa. Bieberfeld, Herbert, M Harleysville, Pa. Bussell, G, Ralph Phoenixville, Pa. Davis, Lewis W. Warminster, Pa. Herbert, Mr.& Mrs. Charles (Ethel) Phoenixville, Pa. |
Huber, Robert R. Deer Run Nursery Salford, Pa. 18957 Kern, Mr. & Mrs. Walter (Elaine) Woodlyn, Pa. Keyser, Bruce G Philadelphia, Pa. Krebs, Oscar F Norristown, Pa. Reese, Dr. Whildin A. Nursery Pennsburg, Pa. Richman, Earl Warminster, Pa. Ritschard, George Valley Forge, Pa. Saddington, Jay Warminster, Pa. |
| Beury, Mr. and Mrs. James (assoc) Margate, NJ Chambers, Mrs. W.E. (assoc) Merion Sta., Pa. Clause, Charles W. (assoc) Newtown Square, Pa. Davis, Ross B. Jr. (assoc) Wayne, Pa. Jackson, H. Gordon (assoc) Jenkintown, Pa. |
Kelius, Betsi (assoc) Levittown, Pa. Reed, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson A (assoc) Media, Pa. Sholomskas, Francis J (assoc) Norristown, Pa. Tietjens, Max (Marie) (assoc) Blue Bell, Pa. West, Franklin H. M.D (assoc) Gladwyne, Pa. |
April 1968
Royer, Jr. C. R July 1968 Way, John, W. April 1969 Mitsch, Frank July 1970 Rosewarne, Charles Jan 1971 Cordy, E. W July 1971 Rahn, Mr. & Mrs. Clarence (Evelyn) October 1971 Dougherty, John |
January 1972
Icelow, Mr. & Mrs. R. J. April 1972 August's Rhododendron Nursery July 1972 Brock, Charles N .II |
| March 1967 | The Valley Forge chapter comes in with 16 members and 10 associate members, that is members of other chapters who desire to be affiliated with the new group also. The officers are: Pres Charles W. Herbert, Phoenixville Pa,.; Vice Pres- Oscar F. Krebs, Norristown, Pa., and Sec-Treas.; Mrs. Ruth Amenda, Perkiomenville, Pa. ARS President Edward B. Dunn welcomes Valley Forge Chapter at the annual meeting in Asheville, NC. |
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| July 1970 | Lewis Bagoly new President from Herbert | |
| Jan 1971 | ARS CONVENTION --- In Philly in May, Valley Forge and Princeton co-sponsor. Herbert's garden is on tour. |
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| July 1971 | New president Robert Huber -- Charles Herbert received the Bronze medal from ARS President Carl Phetteplace at annual Philly Meeting from Philadelphia Chapter. |
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| Jan 1972 | First Annual Banquet, Nov 5, 1971
Having an enthusiastic membership and a healthy treasury as the result of several successful spring plant sales, the officers, and directors concluded that the chapter should hold it's first annual banquet and program. The colonial era Seven Stars Inn was chosen as the site. At seven o'clock pres Bob Huber welcomed the members and the guests. The invocation was read by Mr. Herbert. After an excellent dinner Dr. West introduced the principal speaker of the evening, Mr. Robert D. McDonald, the director of the John .J. Tyler Arboretum. Mr. McDonald is also the director of the Plant Records center of the American Horticultural Society. |
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| April 1972 | Philadelphia and Valley Forge Chapters to establish display and test garden at Tyler. Area about one fourth planted, by springtime over one hundred plants. |
Charlie and Ethel joined the ARS in 1952. In 1952 there were no local chapters. Charlie helped found the Philadelphia Chapter in 1957 and was the second president of the Philadelphia Chapter.. In 1967, The Philadelphia members living in the Valley Forge area didn't want to travel to meetings in Philadelphia at 325 Walnut St., the Penn Hort Bldg. So on March 1, 1967, Charlie started the Valley Forge Chapter and was its first president. There was some disappointment in the Philadelphia chapter because many of the Philadelphia members went with Charlie to Valley Forge. But this was soon overlooked and the Philadelphia Chapter recognized Charlie with the Bronze Medal on May 14, 1971. The two chapters work together on many things still to this day. [from information from Ted Stecki and Laura Grant]
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| Dr. Carl Phetteplace (right) presents the ARS Bronze Medal to Charlie Herbert at the 1971 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia |
WHEREAS, you possess a great enthusiasm and an extensive knowledge of the genus Rhododendron and have used these attributes to the benefit of the genus in a number of ways, to wit; the collection of many valuable species and hybrids, the dissemination of plants, cuttings, pollen and seed nationally as well as locally:
WHEREAS, you have had a vast influence on many other people in relation to the genus in numerous ways, to wit; you have kindled their interest in using the genus in their landscapes, you have inspired them to great productive efforts and provided counsel and facilities for their work, you have accumulated your own excellent color slides and have not only used these in many presentations but have made them available for others, you have willingly shared your great storehouse of knowledge of the genus:
WHEREAS, you have demonstrated your interest in the society in several ways, to wit; by being a charter member and a past president of two chapters and by providing the present meeting place for one;
BE IT THEREFORE KNOWN that the Philadelphia Chapter hereby confers upon you, Charles Herbert, the Bronze Medal Award of the American Rhododendron Society on this fourteenth day of May, 1971. [ from the January 1972 ARS Quarterly]
On November 26, 1978 the American Rhododendron Society lost a uniquely dynamic force, and those of us privileged to know him, an irreplaceable friend. Charlie Herbert died at the age of seventy-seven.
Charlie started what was to become a life long affair with rhododendrons back in 1925. As the story goes, he chanced to see a child with some beautiful flowers unfamiliar to him. Never one to wonder about things without positive action, he soon discovered the source of the blossoms. It turned out to be a rhododendron, and the love affair was on.
In the ensuing years Charlie searched for the meager information then available on rhododendrons. Sought out fellow enthusiasts, located sources of plant material and started gathering plants. The collection grew slowly at first. The Depression interfered, and there really was little available other than the Eastern species and a few English hybrids. In 1945 his activities brought him into contact with Joe Gable. The two men became lasting friends and through this association Charlie's interests were expanded to include raising of plants from seed and hybridizing. In 1961 he and his wife Ethel moved, what was by now, an extensive collection to ''Stony Acres", a wooded hillside at the edge of Valley Forge. There, through Charlie's untiring efforts and loving care, the garden developed into its present form.
Stony Acres certainly mirrors the nature of the man who created it. It is natural, unpretentious, and reflects his intense dedication in the great variety of its contents. The more than 7,000 plants represent perhaps the most comprehensive collection of rhododendrons suitable for growing on the East Coast.
Charlie was a mover, a doer, and was active to the end as all of us close to him knew he had to be. He was a founder and charter member of the Philadelphia Chapter; he was the founder and, until his death, the cornerstone of the Valley Forge Chapter. Charlie made things happen — plant sales, banquets, a local seed exchange, picnics, bus trips, cutting exchange, test gardens, truss shows, and study groups. Among his many hybrid creations are over twenty registered clones including Schuylkill, French Creek, Ethel M., Beechwood Pink, Pikeland, Powder Mill Run, Aldham, Antigua, Leon Rind and others. Through his great generosity, many of these have found their way into the gardens of friends and acquaintances.
He was unstinting in sharing his knowledge, plant material, cuttings, seedlings, and above all, his infectious enthusiasm.
The foregoing is a brief objective summary of one man's dedication to an ideal. I would like to close with a subjective reflection on a personal loss.
[ from the Spring 1979 ARS Quarterly]
Valley Forge Chapter ARS Members |
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| Angino, Richard, Harrisburg Arnold, Kenneth, Oaklyn, NJ Bagoly, Lewis, Strafford Barbye, Mr.&Mrs. Werner, Woodlyn Beck, Richard, Mechanicsburg Beissel, Larry, Leesport Billerbeck, W.J., Waynesboro Blackwell, D&M John, Kennett Sq. Bliss, Mr.&Mrs. William, Camphill Brand, Robert, Darlington, MD Brouse, Frank, Norristown Brown, Lawrence, Doylestown Burnett, Warren, Lima Buzzard, Carl, Phoenixville Caire, Jack, Blackwood, NJ Clark, Mr.&Mrs. John, Villanova Clause, Mr.&Mrs. Charles, Newtown Sq. Clifford, Thomas, Pottstown Cook, Mr.&Mrs. Edwin, Willow Street Cooper, Charles, Penfield Cordy, E.W., Halifax Curley, Mr.&Mrs. Albert, Wayne Curry, Dr. S.O., Camp Hill Daller, Mr.&Mrs. Morton, Glenside Davis, Mr.&Mrs. Ross, Wayne Deckman, Donald, Mechanicsburg DePrisco, Carmine, Glen Mills Dogwood Hill Nursery, Sunbury Eberl, James, Moylan Fager, D&M Charles, Camp Hill Felton, Mrs. Paul, Audubon Fisher, Mr.&Mrs. Arthur, Bluebell Forrey, Ralph, Mechanicsburg Foster, Dr. J.V., Harrisburg Frederick, Mr.&Mrs. Glenn, Landenberg Frederick, Mrs. Halsey, Bryn Mawr Friend, Paul, Swarthmore Fry, Dr. Robinson, Allentown |
Gaugler, Dr. George, Hatfield Gordon, Mathew, Chester Springs Haas, Herman, Harrisburg Habecker, Charles, Lansdale Hartman, Henry, Halifax Hendricks, Elaine, Phoenixville Henning, Mr.&Mrs. Stephen, Fleetwood Herbert, Mr.&Mrs. Charles, Phoenixville Hersch, William, Mechanicsburg High, Mr.&Mrs. Lester, Pottstown Hill, John, Unionville Hoffman, Mr.&Mrs. Edwin, Wayne Huber, Robert, Salford Hummel, Robert, Reinholds Jackson, Mr.&Mrs. Noel, King of Prussia Jocelyn, Rodney, Ottsville Keenan, Kevin, Huntington Valley Keyser, Bruce, Revere Kline, Howard, Leesport Knowlton, Richard, Paoli Kolvek, Mr.&Mrs. Michael, Stowe Mannion, Donald, Spring City Maust, Russell, Berwyn Mead, Gib, Broomall Merker, Mr.&Mrs. George, Broomall Neiberber, Robert, Frackville Norton, Wayne, Dresher Olson, Hilding, Mohnton Onn, David, Neward, DE Partain, Lloyd, Pottstown Patton, George, Philadelphia Pearson MD, James, Wynnewood Peters, Robert, Bendersville Raflowski, Frank, Collegeville Rahn, Mr.&Mrs. Clarence, Douglassville Raughley, Francis, Wilmington, NJ Reese, Dr. Whildin, Pennsburg Repash, Leonard, Hellertown |
Rhein DDS, William, Mechanicsburg Richman, Earl, Warminster Ritschard, George, Valley Forge Roback, Mrs. Helen, King of Prussia Rochford, Mr.&Mrs. F.J., Lancaster Romano, Mr.&Mrs. Peter, Blue Bell Rosewarne, Mrs. Charles, Pottstown Russell, Paul, Newtown Square Saddington, Jay, Warminster Schuetz, Thomas, Mechanicsburg Schultz, Richard, Macungie Schumacker, Dr.&Mrs. Ralph, King of Prussia Shiffert, Kenneth, York Siegel, Mr.&Mrs. William, Norristown Spotts, Ricke, Hershey Suggs, Albert, Villanova Swan, John, West Chester Thayer, John. Exton Thomforde, Harold, Kennett Square Thompson, Mr.&Mrs. Rodman, Berwyn Tollen, Pamela, Swarthmore Topp, John, Honey Brook Urfer, Betsy, Ambler VanArsdall, Dr.&Mrs. Robert, Villanova Varnell, Mr.&Mrs. Orville, Elverson Walters, Mr.&Mrs. Ralph, Perkiomenville Ward, Mr.&Mrs. William, Wayne Waterloo Gardens, Devon Way, Johm, Cochranville Weir, Mr.&Mrs. George, Swarthmore Whitten, Mr.&Mrs. James, Berwyn Winn, Mr.&Mrs. Richard, Pottstown Winter MD, Fred, Pottstown Wise, Glenn, Boiling Springs Wismer, Russell, Norristown Wolff, Richard, Media Young, Howard, Chadds Ford Ziegler, Clarence, Devon |
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Valley Forge Chapter ARS Associate Members |
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| Becales,Joseph, Phila Chapter Bernardy, Karel, Princeton Chapter Collins, MR.&MRS. Edward, Phila. Chapter Kern, MR.&MRS. Walter, Phila. Chapter Kunze, Frank, Phila. Chapter Layman, MR.&MRS. Dan, Phila, Chapter |
Livingston, Philip, Phila Chapter Minyon, Anthony, Phila. Chapter Muller, MR.&MRS. George, Phila. Chapter Reed, Emerson, Phila. Chapter Sholomskas, Mrs. Francis, Phila. Chapter Smith, Wilburn, Phila. Chapter |
Stecki, Theodore, Phila. Chapter Swiss Pines, Phila. Chapter Tietjens, MR.&MRS. Max, Phila. Chapter Tyler Arboretum, Phila. Chapter West MD, Franklin, Phila. Chapter Wister, John, Phila. Chapter |
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From March 1978 ARS Directory |
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Thank you to Sonja Nelson and the American Rhododendron Society for permission to use information from ARS Quarterly Bulletins.
Thank you to Laura Grant for researching the original records of the club in ARS archives.
Thank you to Tadeusz Dauksza for searching his archives of ARS bulletins for early information on the Valley Forge chapter and its founders.
Thank you to Eva Jackson for contributing information from the Valley Forge newsletter.
Thank you to Ted Stecki and Karel Bernady for contributing information on Charlie Herbert and the early years of the Valley Forge Chapter.
Thank you to Win Howe for contributing the list of Bronze Medal recipients and flower show records.
Thank you to Joan Warren for contributing the report of the Rhododendron Study Group and information on Chapter members.
Thank you to Helene Huber who drew the botanic sketches over the years.
Thank you to Bud Gehnrich, Dr. R. Gustafson, Randell Jesup, Sally Perkins, Jim Willhite, & Steve Henning for contributing pictures.
Thank you to Dr. Homer E. Salley and Harold Greer for compiling the pedigree of the hybrids made by the Valley Forge founders.
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