A Short History of the Indiana Daffodil Society

The Indiana Daffodil Society was organized in August of 1956 after the first Annual Meeting of The American Daffodil Society in April, 1956 in Washington, D.C.

Mrs. John Downing (Marge), Mrs. Glenn Kildow (Florence), Mrs. Goethe Link (Helen), Mrs. William McCoy (Mary Helen) and Mrs. Henry Prange (Miriam) attended The American Daffodil Society Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. They decided following this meeting that Indiana needed a daffodil society.

In August of 1956 an organizational meeting was held in the Indiana War Memorial building. Letters were mailed by the group to known daffodil growers in Indiana inviting them to the August meeting to join the organization.

Dr. Raymond C. Allen of Kingwood Center, Ohio came to Indianapolis to help with the organization.

The first meeting after the organization was held in October, 1956 in the Indiana War Memorial building and the Indiana Daffodil Society became part of the Midwest Region of the American Daffodil Society. Judge Carey Quinn came to the meeting and Helen Link recalled taking him to lunch preceding the meeting. Helen was elected the first president of the I. D. S.

The secretary’s minutes for 1956 until June 24, 1959 unfortunately are missing. However, in the clubs’ archives the treasurer’s records has a list of those paying dues for 1956 —1957. On the list are 62 members paying dues. Forty-five of the members also joined the American Daffodil Society. Today, April 1985 only five of the original members are presently members of both societies, they are Mrs. Joyce Boots, Darlington, In.; Mrs. Leon Killigrew, (Marian); Mrs. Goethe Link (Helen); Mrs. Robert F. Mannfeld (LaVonne ) and Mrs. Henry C. Prange (Miriam ). Joyce was the first corresponding secretary

A form of Standing Rules or Bylaws must have been adopted in those early years. In the 1966 minutes there is a reference to having them reprinted and given to the members. A copy of them is in the club archives. They state that the objectives of the Indiana Daffodil Society are to increase the general interest in the use of daffodils through:

1. Study and testing of varieties and cultures
2. Exchange of information and experiences
3. Promoting and encouraging wider use and appreciation of daffodils
4. Encouraging breeding and improvement of daffodils particularly for the Midwest
5. Study of ways to promote the health of daffodils
6. Setting of standards for showing and judging of daffodils in shows.

The dues were $2.50 annually and members could also join the American Daffodil Society by paying another $2.50 which was forwarded by the I.D.S. treasurer to the treasurer of the American Daffodil Society.