St. David's Society of Kansas records

Abstract: This microfilm contains minutes, records, programs, newspaper clippings, and photographs of the St. David’s Society, the Welsh in Lyon County, and Bethany Congregational church. The collection is organized into five series, based principally on the form of the material. These series include a record volume of the society, primarily consisting of minutes; records of Secretary John Atherton; concert programs; newspaper clippings; and photographs.

Administrative History: An annual St. David’s Day concert celebrating the Welsh heritage of Lyon County began in 1889. For the first 50 years it was sponsored by and held in the Bethany Congregational church in Emporia, originally a Welsh congregation. In 1939 the church asked to be relieved of the responsibility, so an independent association was established to plan and present annual programs. The group formally organized under the name St. David’s Society of Lyon County, Kansas. Annual concerts of Welsh music continued to be presented on or close to St. David’s Day, March first. In some years the Society sponsored additional public events such as motion pictures and talks about Wales. In the early 1990s, realizing that its membership came from a wider area than Lyon County, the organization changed its formal name to the St. David’s Society of the State of Kansas.