Work Of Garden Club Starts With Rush Of Enthusiasm; 45 Join
The Town Manager, August 1932, p. 1 & p. 7
Seldom does a brand new organization of any kind get off to so fine a flying start as that of the Garden Club of Teaneck. And that, by the way, is its correct name – not “Teaneck Garden Club”, as it appeared in our last issue.
First suggested in April; temporary organization formed in May; permanent organization formed in June; three interesting speakers already heard; one trip make to visit a famous garden; plan laid for a flower show in September; forth-five members already enrolled and more joining at every meeting. Such is the record to date of this newest enthusiastic group of Teaneckers, banded together for mutual advantage to make their homes and their home town more attractive.
One July 14, at a special meeting in the council chamber at Town Hall, more than forth-five members and others heard an interesting talk by Mr. George J. Jackson of Hohokus on the subject of rock gardens, in which he is expert. At Mr. Jackson’s invitation, an equal number on the following Monday at dusk motored to Hohokus to inspect his beautiful, large gardens, which include several rock gardens; and as night fell and artificial colored lights were turned on, found themselves in a fairyland of beauty.
On July 28, at the regular monthly meeting, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Berdan, of Allendale, gave a talk and demonstration on the subject of flower arrangement, from which the members and other present gained many new and delightful ideas about the most effective groupings of blooms in vases, centerpieces, and in other ways, with reference to color harmonies and other details of artistic display.
Meetings of this club are refreshingly devoid of formality. Business gets short shrift, and the gatherings resolve themselves into informal receptions, where questions are asked and answered with no restraint, and decorum is observed as a matter of course, with no gavel to enforce it, because none is needed.
Members already enrolled and all others who join before October 1 will be regarded as founders of the Garden Club of Teaneck, and the club hopes by that time to have at least 100 founders. Its officers have asked that announcement be made in this article that all meetings are open to all who wish to attend, whether they are members, or intend to become members, or otherwise. It is planned to have an address given at each meeting by some interesting speaker, expert in some special line that is of interest to all lovers of gardens and flowers, and the club earnestly desires that as many as possible shall benefit by these addresses.
Regular meetings of the club are held on the fourth Thursday evening of each month, and it is expected that special meetings will be held at least once each month, in addition, until the season ends.
Plans are already under way for a flower show to be held about the middle of September, and the Board of Education has been asked to grant the use of space in one of the public schools for that purpose, and to select the school it considers most available. A committee of the club has been appointed to arrange details for the show and already has its work well in hand.
Due to the fact that the club is young and has developed no large treasury balance, it has been decided to give no expensive prizes or medals at this year’s show, but to recognize winners of places in various classes by presentation of ribbons. Completion of final details of this and other matters will be deferred pending the return of President C. J. Fleishman, who is now out of town, but it is expected that not later than the regular meeting on August 25 everything will be decided.
Don’t forget that date of the regular meeting, and watch under Teaneck news in the newspapers for announcement of special meetings, keeping in mind that fact that all are welcome, whether members or not.
The club has before it another invitation for a special trip. The proprietors of Firthcliffe Gardens at Pearl River, at its July 14 meeting, invited the club to visit their gardens on the second Sunday in August, making the visit the occasion for a picnic outing and an inspection of the display of gladiolas at Firthcliffe, which then should be at their best. At the time this issue went to press no definite action had been taken on this invitation, the club having decided to await the return of its president before acting.
