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MIDDLE TENNESSEE DAFFODIL SOCIETY HISTORY

The Middle Tennessee Daffodil Society was organized on April 5, 1958. This was four years after the American Daffodil Society was organized on April 9, 1954 in Washington, D.C. Louise Linton Hardison, along with Mary Cartwright,  attended the 1957 ADS convention in Ohio, which inspired her to organize the MTDS. Louise Linton Hardison was the first MTDS president. Other founding members included Mary Cartwright, Margaret Cosner, Dan Eadie, Sam Caldwell and Clarence Connell.

The Middle Tennessee Daffodil Society would like to gratefully acknowledge the past growers and former members of our society who were instrumental in the growth and perseverance of the society. Those individuals, who over the years, encouraged many of the current members to fall in love with showing and growing daffodils. Members to whom we owe our gratitude include Dick Frank, Louise Linton Hardison, Clarence Connell, Dan Eadie, Sam Caldwell, Pat Lee, Alice Wray Taylor, Kitty Frank, Billy Hobby, Pat Bates, Martha Gaines, Becky Talbot, Sue Thomas, Edna Metcalfe, Dot Allen and Arlene Ziegler.

MTDS Presidents

1958 - 1960     Louise Linton Hardison

1966 – 1970    Mary Cartwright  

1970 1972    Sally Stanford                 

1976 – 1978    Kitty Frank                              

1978 – 1980    Ted Snazelle                            

1980 – 1982    Becky Talbot                           

1982 – 1984    Betty McEachern                     

1984                Mary Lou Gripshover              

1984 – 1986    Dick Frank                              

1986 - 1988     Alice Wray Taylor                   

1988 - 1990     Sue Zapp                               

1990 - 1992     Sam Winters

1992 - 1996     Mary Cartwright

1996 - 1998     Sam Winters

1998 - 2000     Dick Frank

2000 - 2002     Patrice Winters

2002 - 2004     Ann McKinney

2004 - 2006     Becky Fox Matthews

2006 - 2008     Ann McKinney

2009 - 2011     Anne Owen & Susan Basham

2011 - 2015     Jeff and Jennifer Harvey

2016 - 2023     Suzanne Shambaugh

MTDS members who are American Daffodil Society Silver Medal Winners
The Silver Medal is given for exceptional service to the American Daffodil Society.

1981 - Louise Hardison - a founder and the first president of MTDS. She was ADS membership chairman from 1958-1961. She was a superb exhibitor and instructor. Her daffodils now bloom in the Louise Hardison Garden at Cheekwood.

1991 - Kitty Frank - a past editor of The Daffodil Journal from 1986-1994. She was president of MTDS from 1976-1978 and was co-chairman of the 1993 ADS convention held in Nashville. Kitty was an outstanding judge, exhibitor and coordinated the Louise Hardison Garden at Cheekwood.

1999 - Dick Frank - a leading member of the MTDS for many years, exhibiting, judging and worked as a judging instructor to add new judges to the Nashville area. Dick was president of MTDS from 1984-1986 and again from 1998-2000. He was co-chairman of the ADS convention in Nashville in 1993. He was the ADS Legal Counsel for more than 30 years and then the ADS Legal Counsel Emeritus.

2021 - Becky Fox Matthews- a Past President of ADS (2012-2014) and a Past President of MTDS (2004-2006), she has also served as Youth Chair and Media Chair for ADS and as Newsletter Editor and Website Editor for MTDS. She chaired the ADS Fall Forums in Nashville for 2008 and 2012 and was co-chair of the 2018 National Convention in Franklin, Tennessee.

Monumental moments involving the MTDS in American Daffodil Society History

1958 - Founding of the MTDS, with 112 members

1958 - First MTDS show

Judged by George Lee, second ADS president

10 Quinn entries

1962 - First ADS Convention hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

Attended by 200 people

First Judging School III was offered

1969 - Second ADS Convention hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

First Quinn Gold Medal awarded to Harry Tuggle

1982 - Third ADS Convention hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

          Throckmorton Ribbon awarded for the first time

1993 - Fourth ADS Convention hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

             Miniature Bronze Award offered for the first time

2005 - MTDS added an Artistic Design Section with four classes to our show

2008 - MTDS added a Photography Exhibit with four classes to our show

2008 - ADS Fall Board Meeting and Miniatures Symposium hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

2012 - ADS Fall Board Meeting and Symposium "The Future of Daffodils" hosted by MTDS held in Nashville

2018 - Fifth ADS National Convention and Show hosted by MTDS was held in Nashville (Franklin) - "Music City"

MIDDLE TENNESSEE DAFFODIL SOCIETY                              
OFFICERS and SHOW COMMITTEE 2023
 

President                                              Suzanne Shambaugh

Vice President                                     Susan Basham

Treasurer/Membership Chair          Byron Dumas

Website/Newsletter Editor                 Becky Fox Matthews

Show and Judges Chair                      Becky Fox Matthews

Clerks Chair                                        Andrew Buhler, Jr.

Staging Co-Chairs                               Susan and Ray Basham

Photography Chair                              Anne Owen

Artistic Design Chair                         Connie Baird