Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Any quotations from the records and volumes of the American Rhododendron Society (10,553-d-e) in any media must be approved in advance by the Society. The Records of the Middle Atlantic Chapter and Le-Mac Nurseries (10,553-f) are unrestricted. Contact Curator for details.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

American Rhododendron Society Papers, Accession 10553-d, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

The American Rhododendron Society records and volumes (10,553-d-e) were given to the Library through Ms. Paula L. Cash, the Executive Secretary, of Tigard, Oregon, and Mr. Harry L. Wise of Charleston, West Virginia, on June 3, 1987. The Middle Atlantic Chapter Records and Le-Mac Nurseries Records were given to the Library by Dr. Sandra McDonald of Hampton, Virginia, on July 20, 1987.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection consists of ca. 2,800 items (12 Hollinger boxes, 4 linear feet), 1931-1987, records of the American Rhododendron Society , the Middle Atlantic Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society , and Le-Mac Nurseries , Hampton, Virginia .

The American Rhododendron Society series contains correspondence, financial records, chapter-related materials, minutes of the National Board of Director's Meetings, records of the Awards and Publication Committees, membership lists, newsletters, and printed material.

The correspondence of the American Rhododendron Society includes that between various chapters and the national headquarters and the correspondence of several past national officers, such as Dr. J. Harold Clarke , Edward B. Dunn , Fred C. Galle , Ruth Hansen , August Kehr , A. S. Martin , Dr. Carl H. Phetteplace , George W. Ring, III , and Dr. Robert L. Ticknor .

Prominent topics in the first series include: the controversy concerning the transfer of Research and Education Funds to the Research Foundation Account , the International Rhododendron Conference (1961) , National Conventions (1966-1971, & 1980), the Pacific Conference of 1970 , the Pollen Bank , the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust , the Quarterly Bulletin , the rhododendron rating project, the rhododendron species glossary, the seed exchange, and the test garden of the American Rhododendron Society in Portland, Oregon .

Series II consists of ten bound volumes of financial record books of the American Rhododendron Society , including a membership record book and an advertising record book.

The third series contains the records of the Middle Atlantic Chapter , chiefly the records of the Secretary-Treasurer, membership lists, and correspondence. The correspondence files include those of Kenneth McDonald , the Denmark Chapter , with political figures, the controversy over the transfer of Research and Education Funds to the Research Foundation Account , the formation of the Middle Atlantic Chapter , the Gold Medal nominations, and newsletter ideas.

The Le-Mac Nurseries Records comprise the fourth series. These papers consist of two folders concerning Azalea Flower Spot Disease ( Ovulinia Azaleae Weiss ), and correspondence between Le-Mac Nurseries and Joseph Gable , Fred Lee , Tony Shammarello , Bellingrath Gardens , B. Y. Morrison , Neil W. Stuart , and Sam Ensweller . Kenneth McDonald served as the chairman of the Virginia Nurserymen Association Committee concerning Azalea Flower Spot Disease control in the late 1940's.

All newsletters have been removed from this collection and placed in the open accession 10,553-c.

Organization

These records are arranged into four series, with individual folders in alphabetical order within each series: 1) American Rhododendron Society Records (Boxes 1-7); 2) American Rhododendron Society Bound Volumes (Boxes 8-9); 3) Middle Atlantic Chapter Records (Boxes 10-12); 4) Le-Mac Nurseries Records (Box 12).