Scottish Terrier Club of America Records Finding Aid Prepared by Kari Dalane, 2009; Additions, Edits, and Conversion of Legacy Finding Aid by Brynn White, 2016
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Scottish Terrier Club of America records Finding aid prepared by Kari Dalane, 2009; Additions, edits, and conversion of legacy finding aid by Brynn White, 2016 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit May 23, 2016 Describing Archives: A Content Standard American Kennel Club Archives Scottish Terrier Club of America records Table of Contents Summary Information ................................................................................................................................. 3 Historical Information....................................................................................................................................4 Scope and Contents Note.............................................................................................................................. 6 Arrangement...................................................................................................................................................8 Administrative Information .........................................................................................................................8 Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 9 I. Club Administration.............................................................................................................................9 II. Publications....................................................................................................................................... 10 III. Scrapbooks.......................................................................................................................................12 IV. Photographs..................................................................................................................................... 13 V. Negatives...........................................................................................................................................13 VI. Video............................................................................................................................................... 29 VII. Ephemera........................................................................................................................................29 VIII. Clippings....................................................................................................................................... 30 - Page 2 - Scottish Terrier Club of America records Summary Information Repository American Kennel Club Archives Title Scottish Terrier Club of America records Date 1890-2005 Extent 12.0 Linear feet 15 doc boxes, 3 flat boxes, 4 card boxes, and one OS box Language English Language of Materials Materials are in English. Preferred Citation [Identification of item, date (if known)]; Scottish Terrier Club of America records, AKD 4.17, [Box and Folder number]; American Kennel Club Archives. - Page 3 - Scottish Terrier Club of America records Historical Information The Breed The Scottish Terrier originates from the Highlands of Scotland. It is unclear exactly when the breed emerged as a distinct type, since five modern-day terrier breeds come from Scotland (the others being the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Cairn Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, and Skye Terrier). In The History of Scotland from 1436-1561, John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, wrote of a likely predecessor: “a dog of low height, which creeping into subterraneous burrows routs out foxes, badgers, martens and wildcats lurking in their dens." All of these breeds are relatively short-legged and hardy, well suited to their original role of keeping Scottish farms rodent free. These terriers were bred to be fearless, hardy and small enough to go to ground in pursuit. They had rough coats that were suitable for the cold weather of the north and were sturdy little dogs. The qualities of this non-distinct early terrier are still valued in the Scottish Terrier of today. It is also known that Scottish Terrier predecessors had a typical feisty terrier temperament. In fact, George Douglas, who was made the first earl of Dumbarton in 1675, kept a pack of terriers from Scotland that was so tough he called them the “Diehard Pack”. He later went on to name his favorite regiment, The Royal Scots, “Dumbarton’s Diehards” after his dogs. The nickname ‘Diehard’ has stuck with the Scottish Terrier to this day. In The Book of the Scottish Terrier, Dr. Fayette C. Ewing of Nosegay Kennels suggests that he slight differences in leg and body length and color of the five Scottish breeds may have resulted from the geographical separation of the Scottish highlands, lowlands and moorlands. It is also argued that particular families had different aesthetic preferences when it came to their dogs and that from their breeding programs the separate breeds gradually diverged. There was a great deal of confusion in the mid 19th century about the correct standard and name for the one “Scottish Terrier”. Some used the name Skye Terrier, Highland Terrier or Aberdeen Terrier, all of these being regions of Scotland. Other names included the Scotch Terrier, Scots Terrier, Otter Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Diehard, and Sorty Terrier. There was a general confusion about which names were appropriate for which dogs. Somehow the five breeds gradually solidified out of this uncertainty. In 1860 a show in Birmingham, England had the first Scottish Terrier class. By 1880, there were sufficient enough numbers in England to warrant a breed name and standard. The first Scottish Terrier Club, the Scottish Terrier Club of England, was formed in 1882. This club managed to precede even the Scottish Terrier Club of Scotland, which was founded in 1888. These clubs developed definite ideas of what a “Scottish Terrier” should look like. Breeders began to select dogs very carefully to propagate the characteristics in the standard. Two major strains were started, one by English Ch. Allister and one by English Ch. Dundee. Nearly all present day Scotties descend from Ch. Allister who was whelped in 1885. Allister’s two most important descendents, English Ch. Albourne Barty (1925) and English Ch. Heather Necessity (1927) were a turning point for the Scottish Terriers. These dogs had shorter, more compact bodies and longer heads- characteristics that are visible in the modern day breed. American Scotties are mostly descended from Necessity, who was the most successful Scottish Terrier of his day in the show ring. A secondary group is descended from Barty. - Page 4 - Scottish Terrier Club of America records John S. Naylor was the first to show Scottish Terriers in America. At a show in Pittsburgh in 1884, he exhibited Tam Glen and Bonnie Belle, dogs he had imported from England. They were entered in the Rough-Haired terrier class at the first show Mr. James Mortimer, an Englishman who became superintendent of the Westminster Kennel Club and was a longtime AKC delegate, ever judged in America. Mortimer was also a Scottish Terrier enthusiast, claiming that the dog “cannot be outrivaled by any other breed of terrier, or any other breed for that matter.” In letters to Dr. Fayette C. Ewing, Naylor notes that the breed did not catch on immediately in the United States. Some people were initially were interested in the dogs since they had heard “Scotch Terriers” were excellent rodent catchers, but most were simply looking for a pet. Many thought the Scottish Terrier to be unattractive and aloof. Naylor was hard-pressed to sell the dogs. He showed until 1899 and then threw in the towel when it seemed his work was getting the breed nowhere. A second attempt was made to popularize the breed by Mr. Henry Brooks and Mr. Oliver Ames around 1890. Mr. J. L. Little joined the campaign a bit later. These three spent a good deal of money and time importing dogs and started American breeding programs. However, they faced little serious competition in the show ring and could barely give away their dogs, let alone sell them, so they became discouraged. Finally, in 1900 an American club was formed and the breed was put on a solid ground thanks to the efforts of Dr. Ewing. As S. S. Van Dine put it in the introduction he wrote for one of Ewing’s books, the man “has been one of the foremost breeders of Scottish terriers in this country, and he has probably had his finger in more Scottish terrier pies in the history of the Scottie in America than has any other man,” and his Nosegay Kennels enjoyed forty years of success and activity. Ch. Nosegay Sweet William, the most famous and successful of Ewing’s dogs, helped to bring the breed into favor with terrier lovers. The breed steadily grew in popularity across the first half of the twentieth-century. Americans began to appreciate the Scottie for his fierce loyalty and spunk. In the 1940s the breed enjoyed a sudden increase in popularity, ranking the 3rd most popular purebred dog breed in the United States, owing in part to the fact that Franklin Roosevelt had a Scottie named Fala, who reportedly received more fan mail than many presidents did. The breed has since dropped in popularity rankings, ranking 45th in 2007 AKC registration statistics. However, there are still many Scottish Terrier enthusiasts, who often reiterate the Francis G. Lloyd quote: “All dogs are good; any terrier is better; a Scottie is best.” The Club The Scottish Terrier Club of America was founded on 1 Oct. 1900. The meeting minutes from the first annual meeting on 19 Feb. 1902 note