Our History - Jessie Elizabeth Bardens (Bess Bardens)
The year 1944 was full of misery for many people. Everyone was so weary of the War and so many had lost loved ones. Morale was slipping and anything that would give it a boost was needed. This is what Jessie Elizabeth Bardens, who was a Red Cross production chairman (living in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania) had in mind when she asked a group of her co-workers to come to her home. There were to "bring an antique and a sandwich." She had purchased a little blue syrup pitcher from a shop near work in October 1943. On her way from work, what would be more natural than to stop at an antique shop if you were passing by?
After showing this pitcher to her co-workers and discussing it, others stopped and more questions were asked with still more discussion following. This started a whole stream of small antiques being brought to work by her co-workers, so on April 6, 1944, she invited fourteen people to come to her home to learn more about antiques. This was too ma y people for most homes, so Mrs. Bardens encouraged all those wanting to join to form their own study groups. Before long, there were five more groups. In March 1950, Mrs. Bardens organized these six groups into a national organization as a non-profit corporation. Mrs. Bardens was the first National /Quester President, serving from 1950-56.
Publicity soon spread the word and inquiries came from all over the country about forming chapters, as well as how to affiliate existing antiques clubs with this national organization. Mrs. Bardens personally went where she could to organize these groups and the rest she did by mail. She always made it a point to answer all questions. In 1954, she and her husband drove as far west as Iowa, organizing chapters as they went.
Mrs. Bardens had a large and choice collection of tea caddys that she was frequently asked to talk about. She gave her personal friend Mildred Hanna (Michigan), the National President from 1964-1966, a sterling silver tea caddy. Several years later Mildred donated it to the Questers Headquarters in Philadelphia.
Bess Bardens, as she was known to family and friends, lived to attend the first National Quester Convention, and to see Questers grow from 21 chapters in 1952 to 149 chapters in 22 states in 1963, when she passed away.
In 1992, The Questers earned the right to add "International" to their name. The organization stands for preservation and restoration of memorials, historical buildings and landmarks and any money earned must be used for these purposes. It has remained nonprofit and goes to great length to keep it so.
The Questers are governed by International, State or Provincial and Chapter Bylaws, with the International Bylaws setting the example. There is a full set of International Officers, State or Provincial Officers and each chapter has its own officers. International and State or Provincial Officers are elected for two year terms. Any Quester who meets prescribed criteria can become and officer - an individual is judged by his/her credential sheet and work done in their chapter and state or province.
The size of each chapter is governed by its Bylaws. There must be eight members to form a chapter. The number of members is usually determined by the size of the member's homes.
When Mrs. Bardens was asked "What is a Quester?" she gave this answer - "A Quester is a socially well-adjusted intelligent person who has curiosity, enthusiasm, imagination and a good memory. The the powers of the mind are memory and imagination. Without memory we have no past; without imagination,
no future." These are the words of Questers' founder, Jessie Elizabeth Bardens.
After showing this pitcher to her co-workers and discussing it, others stopped and more questions were asked with still more discussion following. This started a whole stream of small antiques being brought to work by her co-workers, so on April 6, 1944, she invited fourteen people to come to her home to learn more about antiques. This was too ma y people for most homes, so Mrs. Bardens encouraged all those wanting to join to form their own study groups. Before long, there were five more groups. In March 1950, Mrs. Bardens organized these six groups into a national organization as a non-profit corporation. Mrs. Bardens was the first National /Quester President, serving from 1950-56.
Publicity soon spread the word and inquiries came from all over the country about forming chapters, as well as how to affiliate existing antiques clubs with this national organization. Mrs. Bardens personally went where she could to organize these groups and the rest she did by mail. She always made it a point to answer all questions. In 1954, she and her husband drove as far west as Iowa, organizing chapters as they went.
Mrs. Bardens had a large and choice collection of tea caddys that she was frequently asked to talk about. She gave her personal friend Mildred Hanna (Michigan), the National President from 1964-1966, a sterling silver tea caddy. Several years later Mildred donated it to the Questers Headquarters in Philadelphia.
Bess Bardens, as she was known to family and friends, lived to attend the first National Quester Convention, and to see Questers grow from 21 chapters in 1952 to 149 chapters in 22 states in 1963, when she passed away.
In 1992, The Questers earned the right to add "International" to their name. The organization stands for preservation and restoration of memorials, historical buildings and landmarks and any money earned must be used for these purposes. It has remained nonprofit and goes to great length to keep it so.
The Questers are governed by International, State or Provincial and Chapter Bylaws, with the International Bylaws setting the example. There is a full set of International Officers, State or Provincial Officers and each chapter has its own officers. International and State or Provincial Officers are elected for two year terms. Any Quester who meets prescribed criteria can become and officer - an individual is judged by his/her credential sheet and work done in their chapter and state or province.
The size of each chapter is governed by its Bylaws. There must be eight members to form a chapter. The number of members is usually determined by the size of the member's homes.
When Mrs. Bardens was asked "What is a Quester?" she gave this answer - "A Quester is a socially well-adjusted intelligent person who has curiosity, enthusiasm, imagination and a good memory. The the powers of the mind are memory and imagination. Without memory we have no past; without imagination,
no future." These are the words of Questers' founder, Jessie Elizabeth Bardens.
