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Society for Louisiana Irises Records

Collection 63

Society for Louisiana Irises. Records, 1931–2007, n.d.

28 feet

The Mary Swords Debaillon Louisiana Iris Society was organized in 1941 under the leadership of W.B. MacMillan of Abbeville. In 1948, the group changed its name to the Society for Louisiana Irises.

This collection contains records for both organizations. Most of the correspondence comes from the Secretary's files. Someone connected with the University of Southwestern Louisiana (Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) usually held this position: Ira S. Nelson, Marie Caillet, Aline Arceneaux, and Barbara Nelson. Scattered files from several of the society's presidents are also included: R.S. Abbott, Ray Cornay, Charles W. Arny, Jr. and Nolan John Sahuc. Much of the Society's effort was expended on the annual show held in Lafayette usually during April. The correspondence and the financial records both relate heavily to this annual event.

The newsletters were an important vehicle of communication. For the Society for Louisiana Irises, each newsletter mailing included rules and regulations for the flower show, schedules for the annual meeting and flower show, annual meeting minutes, bibliography updates, test garden results, etc. For clarification, these items have been separated from the Bulletins and arranged by subject. Both societies published much information about the care and treatment of Louisiana irises either as part of the newsletter series or separately.

The bulk of the material is dated on or before 1965. Only a few newsletters came after. For related collections, see Ira S. Nelson Papers (Collection 29), which contains material from Louisiana iris societies of the 1930s; W. B. MacMillan Papers (Collection 88); Paul Debaillon Collection (Collection 7); the Joseph Metzmeiller Papers (Collection 231); Frank Chowning Papers (Collection 236); and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Archives, College of Agriculture, Plant Industry Department (B 02 e).

The Society for Louisiana Irises donated this collection, which made UAAMC the official repository for its records.

Series:

A. Mary Swords Debaillon Louisiana Iris Society, 1941-1948 1-01 through 1-19
        18-01
B. Correspondence 1-20 through 4-22
        18-02 through 18-29
C. Material on Popularity Polls 4-23 through 4-29
        18-30
D. Publications  
    1. Bulletin/Newsletters 4-30 through 6-24
    2. Other 6-25 through 11-09b
            18-31 through 19-07
E. Financial Records 11-11 through 11-26; 14-01
        19-08
F. Dealer’s List 11-10; 12-01 through 13-09
G. Material on Show and Annual Meeting 14-02 through 15-40
        19-09 through 19-17
H. Organizational Records  
    1. Minutes of Meetings 15-41 through 16-10
    2. Constitution & Bylaws 16-11 through 16-13
    3. Membership Lists 16-14 through 16-29
            19-18 through 19-21
    4. AIS Records 16-30 through 17-17
            19-22
    5. Clippings 17-18 through 17-20
    6. Photographs 17-21 through 17-27
            19-23 through 19-33
    7. Miscellaneous 17-28 through 17-39
            19-34 through 19-48
    8. Slides Box 20
I. Oversize Scrapbooks Box 21 through 25

Inventory:

Society for Louisiana Irises. Records, 1931-2007, n.d. (PDF)