ARS Honors
Gordon Wylie
Eugene, Oregon
Plant exploration, new hybrids, rhododendron history, great gardens, cultural information, companion plants and so on; these are the subjects we look forward to finding among the pages every three months as a fresh issue of our favorite publication about our favorite plant genus arrives - the
Journal ARS
. In fact, this periodical is no doubt a primary reason for many continuing as one of our nearly six thousand members. The subject of this article, though not engaging in the same fashion as discovery of a splendid new species, is nevertheless significant to all and one frequently the object of ardent attention. That subject is the vehicle by which we recognize extraordinary individual contributions to the genus
Rhododendron
and the Society, generally referred to as honors.
The basis for bestowing honors and for plant awards/ratings is found in Article X of the American Rhododendron Society Bylaws, which provides the "...(Society) Board shall establish policies and procedures..."The policy and process for honors, which have undergone several reviews and changes over the years, are found in Policies of the Board (POB) sections 9.5.1 through 9.5.10. This short explanation will discuss some highlights from those sections. Different provisions control the rarely awarded Pioneer Achievement Award, and are found at POB 9.17.
Honors are divided into four categories named: (1) Citation for Service/Award of Merit, (2) Bronze Medal, (3) Silver Medal and (4) Gold Medal. Citations for Service or Awards of Merit may be granted by either chapters or the Society and the recipient does not have to be an ARS member. Also, these honors may be awarded to an individual, group, or organization. Medals are awarded to individuals and the recipient must be a member of the American Rhododendron Society. The Bronze Medal may only be bestowed by local chapters, while the Silver Medal and Gold Medal are restricted to award by the Society as a whole.
ARS medals are often mistakenly compared to sporting or other events where gold means best, silver is second and bronze third. Rather, with our medals, the distinction rests on the geographic area of contribution by the honoree. Indeed, former ARS president and long time Honors Committee Chairman Austin Kennell often remarked a Bronze Medal was the best sign of accomplishment because it was given by one's closest associates with every opportunity to observe the efforts expended. The Bronze Medal is for outstanding contributions to a chapter which may include outside activities consistent with Society goals. The Silver Medal is for efforts having a regional impact; that is, an area clearly larger than a chapter but not necessarily western or eastern North America or some other defined unit. Finally, the Gold Medal recognizes outstanding contributions having a national or international impact.
Petitions for Silver Medals or Gold Medals must be in the hands of the Honors Committee chairman by no later than December 15 of each year. They must be submitted through a district director, and it is wise to enlist the assistance of a director early in the process. The committee with the difficult task of reviewing these applications consists of a chairman appointed by the ARS president and five other members chosen by the chair who are geographically representative and generally knowledgeable of the Society and its objectives. Only the chairman's identity (who does not vote on petitions) is known; that of the voting members of the committee is kept strictly confidential to shield them from inappropriate contacts or pressures. The chairman serves as a facilitator between the committee, general members and the ARS Board, and is responsible for sending favorable recommendations to the Society's president by February 15 of each year so they may be acted upon in time for presentation at our annual convention. Currently, Ed Egan is in his eighth year as chairman of the sensitive and demanding endeavor. These comments are not intended as an exhaustive review of the requirements and process for awards, and the full POB is required reading for those undertaking to seek recognition for one believed a potential recipient of any award. In fact, success depends in part on how well that task is understood and accomplished, particularly as to Gold Medals and Silver Medals. The full text of the POB is available from any district director or Society officer. Even though not exciting in the same way as reading about a new and hardy hybrid in lovely shades of pastel, it may some day become the subject of a different sort of passion as you advance the cause for a worthy award candidate!
| Silver and Gold Medal Recipients | ||
| 1952 |
Claude Sersanous
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1953 |
Joseph Gable
Stewartstown, Pa. |
Gold |
| 1954 |
Joseph Rock
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1957 |
Endre Ostbo
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1959 |
Guy Nearing
Ramsey, N.J. |
Gold |
| 1960 |
Del James
Eugene, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
George Grace
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1961 |
John Wister
Swarthmore, Pa. |
Gold |
| 1962 |
Mrs. A.C.U. Berry
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1963 |
Halfdan Lem
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Clement Bowers
Main, N.Y. |
Gold |
| " |
Paul Vossberg
Westbury, N.Y. |
Gold |
| " |
Rudolph Henny
Brooks, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1964 |
Herbert Ihrig
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Ben Lancaster
Camas, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Frederick P. Lee
Bethesda, Md. |
Gold |
| 1965 |
Rocco Cappelli
Portland, Ore. |
Silver |
| " |
Henry Skinner
Washington, D.C. |
Gold |
| " |
David G. Leach
Brookville, Pa. |
Gold |
| 1966 |
John Henny
Brooks, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Ted & Mary Grieg
Royston, B.C., Canada |
Gold |
| " |
Ben Nelson
Suquamish, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1967 |
J.R. Brooks
Asheville, N.C. |
Gold |
| " |
Cecil Smith
Aurora, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1968 |
Paul J. Bowman
Fort Bragg, Calif. |
Gold |
| " |
Carl Phetteplace
Eugene, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Howard Slonecker
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1969 |
J.H. Clarke
Long Beach, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1970 |
Mrs. Robert Berry
Aberdeen, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Evelyn Jack
Vancouver, B.C., Canada |
Gold |
| " |
Robert Ticknor
Canby, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Koichiro Wada
Yokohama, Japan |
Gold |
| 1971 |
Edward B. Dunn
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1972 |
Donald McClure
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Maurice Sumner
San Francisco, Calif. |
Gold |
| 1973 |
Thomas Wheeldon
Richmond, Va. |
Gold |
| " |
A.M. Shamarello
Euclid, Ohio |
Gold |
| " |
P.H. Brydon
Salem, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1974 |
James Caperci
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| 1975 |
Ruth Hansen
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Gustave A.L. Mehlquist
Storrs, Conn. |
Gold |
| " |
Wm. Whitney
Brinnon, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
H.H. Davidian
Edinburgh, Scotland |
Silver |
| " |
Marie Grula
Philadelphia, Pa. |
Silver |
| 1976 |
Alfred S. Martin
Philadelphia, Pa. |
Gold |
| " |
Ted Van Veen
Portland, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Ernest H. Yelton
Rutherford, N.C. |
Silver |
| 1977 |
Frank Mossman
Vancouver, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
August Kehr
Hendersonville, N.C. |
Gold |
| 1978 |
Gordon Jones
Oyster Bay, N.Y. |
Gold |
| " |
Hermann Sleumer
Germany |
Gold |
| " |
Sidney V. Burns
Muttontown, N.Y. |
Silver |
| 1979 |
Orlando Pride
Butler, Pa. |
Gold |
| " |
Helmer Larson
Tacoma, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
George Ring
Fairfax, Va. |
Silver |
| " |
Thomas Koenig
Ashbury Park, N.J. |
Silver |
| 1980 |
Edmund V. Mezitt
Hopkinton, Mass. |
Gold |
| " |
Britt M. Smith
Kent, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Robert D. Gartrell
Wyckoff, N.J. |
Silver |
| 1981 |
Ed Parker
Astoria, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Lawrence J. Pierce
Seattle, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Everett Farwell
Woodside, Calif. |
Silver |
| " |
Velma & Charles Haag
Brevard, N.C. |
Silver |
| 1982 |
Hideo Suzuki
Japan |
Gold |
| " |
Gertrude S. Wister
Swarthmore, Pa. |
Gold |
| " |
Peter E. Girard, Sr.
Geneva, Ohio |
Silver |
| 1983 |
Fred C. Galle
Pine Mountain, Ga. |
Gold |
| 1984 |
John P. Evans
Oakland, Calif. |
Gold |
| " |
H. Furman Cantrell
Piedmont, S.C. |
Silver |
| 1985 |
Edwin C. Brockenbrough
Bellevue, Wash. |
Silver |
| " |
Robert L. Badger
Kent, Wash. |
Silver |
| 1986 |
Weldon E. Delp
Harrisville, Pa. |
Gold |
| 1987 | (none) | |
| 1988 |
David Goheen
Camas, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Sandra McDonald
Hampton, Va. |
Silver |
| 1989 |
Warren Berg
Port Ludlow, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Harold Greer
Eugene, Ore. |
Gold |
| " |
Harold Johnson
Surrey, B.C., Canada |
Silver |
| 1990 |
Frank Doleshy
Edmonds, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Polly Hill
Vineyard Haven, Mass. |
Gold |
| " |
E. White Smith
Tacoma, Wash. |
Silver |
| 1991 |
Raymond C. Huey
Eugene, Ore. |
Silver |
| " |
Don Kellam
Charlotte, N.C. |
Gold |
| " |
Herbert Spady
Salem, Ore. |
Gold |
| 1992 |
J. Judson Brooks
Sewickley, Pa. |
Silver |
| " |
John C. Cowles
Wellesley, Mass. |
Silver |
| 1993 |
Peter Cox
Perth, Scotland |
Gold |
| " |
H.H. Davidian
Edinburgh, Scotland |
Gold |
| " |
Parker Smith
Sebastopol, Calif. |
Silver |
| 1994 |
Bruce Briggs
Olympia, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Edward W. Collins
Hendersonville, N.C. |
Silver |
| 1995 |
Wilbur C. Anderson
Mount Vernon, Wash. |
Gold |
| " |
Homer Salley
Danville, Ky. |
Gold |
| " |
Bob Rhodes
Galbriola Island, B.C. |
Silver |
| 1996 |
David F. Chamberlain
Edinburgh, Scotland |
Gold |
| " |
Hans Hachmann
Holstein, Germany |
Gold |
| " |
John Basford
Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
Silver |
| " |
Gert Forum Petersen
Vaerloese, Denmark |
Silver |
| 1997 |
Henry A. Schannen
Princeton, N.J. |
Gold |
| " |
Ken & Dot Gibson
Tofino, B.C., Canada |
Silver |
| " |
Lynn Watts
Bellevue, Wash. |
Silver |
| 1998 |
A. Richard Brooks
Concord, Mass. |
Gold |
| " |
Richard M. Steele
Bayport, N.S. Canada |
Gold |
| " |
Sophia Maitland
Grimsby, Ont., Canada |
Silver |
| " |
June Sinclair
Port Ludlow, Wash. |
Silver |