DISTRICT 7 TOASTMASTERS HISTORY RALPH C. SMEDLEY FOUNDER OF TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL Photograph Dated June 1948 Toastmasters Zone Conference Multnomah Hotel Portland, Oregon Photographer’s Name Unknown District 7 Toastmasters and Toastmasters International Copyright © 2014 All rights Reserve FEBRUARY 27, 2014 FIRST EDITION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS District 7 Toastmasters officers and members thank individuals and organizations including copyright permissions for making history of District 7 Toastmasters possible. Written copyright permissions obtained from the following newspapers The Oregonian Newspaper Medford Mail Tribune Klamath Falls, Evening Herald and the News Baker Herald Tillamook Headlight Herald Hillsboro Argus Eastern Oregonian Vancouver Columbian Requests for other newspaper and media copyright permissions in progress. Other organizations and individuals that helped make District 7 History website possible. District 7 Toastmasters Webmaster Library of Congress Librarian Oregon Historical Society Staff Members of District 7 and District 7 Governors both past and present District 7 Officers Multnomah County Library University of Oregon Archives District 7 Member Contributions Toastmasters International Staff Brian, District 21 Toastmasters Historian Glen Meek, Past District 7 Historian and his daughter David, District 32 Toastmasters Historian PURPOSE AND DISCLAIMERS 1. Making District 7 history available to public helps insure long-term historical preservation of district history and for educating Toastmasters membership and public. This history illustrates how public speaking education progressed that provided foundation for establishing Toastmasters in Oregon and importance of public speaking and leadership skills. 2. Opinions expressed in District 7 History web site are sole responsibility of District 7 Historian and authors of articles expressing them and does not constitute an endorsement of them from Toastmasters International, District 7 Toastmaster officers, and Toastmasters members. 3. The District 7 Toastmasters history posted web site compiled and reconstructed from various sources such as letters; photographs contest programs, written notes, interviews, newspaper articles, books, Toastmasters Magazine, and miscellaneous documents. Efforts made to provide accurate information as much as possible but errors and omissions may have occurred. Web site history revised periodically to correct errors and to improve the history based on suggestions and add new material obtained from research. In some cases, errors in the original document or article may have occurred years ago are difficult to uncover or correct. District 7 officers and District 7 historian are not responsible for those errors. 4. Information on this web site is for the sole use of Toastmasters, for Toastmasters business and education only. This web site not used for solicitation and distribution of non-Toastmasters material and information. Down loading material from this website and commercial distribution and sales of it with out expressed written permission from District 7 Toastmasters and Toastmasters International strictly prohibited. Web site material copyrighted District 7 Toastmasters and Toastmasters International © 2014 All Rights Reserved. Reproduced newspaper and media articles have separate copyright protections. District 7 Toastmasters obtained written permission to reproduce them. If document never copyrighted or copyright expired, document or article cited and credit given to document originator. 5. Certain types of personal information acquired about individuals during research for this project excluded from the District 7 history to comply with Toastmasters International privacy policies. 6. This history consists of articles about different aspects of public speech, public speech education, Toastmistress International, and Toastmasters International. Comments and notes interjected for further clarification or information. Digital search engines substantially reduce research time allowing reconstruction of a history. First installment of District 7 History begins with years 1900 ends with 1941. Subsequent installments will cover years 1942 to 1945 and so forth. OTHER TOASTMASTERS DISTRICT HISTORY WEB SITES 1. District 19 Iowa History November 1990 182 pages Authors John Miller, Paul R. Basch, Mary R. Young, and Alfred Ritchie PDF File INTRODUCTION January 26, 2014 Dear: Toastmaster Members and Public I hope you find this District 7 History an interesting and educational experience. Furthermore, I want to thank the authors, members, newspaper editors, Glenn Meek, past District 7 historian, past and current district officers, district webmaster, Toastmasters International and public that made this public speaking and District 7 Toastmasters history possible. Although this history primarily focuses on District 7, other topics explored related to public speaking, public speaking education and Toastmasters International including other Toastmasters districts. References provided where reader can further explore topics presented in more detail. At turn of century, society regarded public speaking as a valued skill. As twentieth century, progressed demand for public speaking instruction grew with schools experiencing high enrollments. School faculty and students showed strong interest in debate competitions. Even businesses, professional associations, religious organizations, and clubs held public speaking classes and speech contests. Many speech classes taught in schools had uncanny resemblance to subjects covered in modern Toastmasters manuals. Before World War I, street speaking was common in down town Portland where individuals expressed various political views sometimes controversial. Public speeches supporting women’s suffrage was important in persuading voters to vote for passage of law allowing women to vote in November 2, 1912. Ralph Smedley ideas for Toastmasters clubs developed during this period and finally took hold at the Santa Ana Y. M. C. A. during October 1924. After 1924, Toastmasters grew slowly but then began growing rapidly during late 1930s and early 1940s. Toastmasters’ growth accelerated after the Great Depression lifted but approaching World War II dampened this growth. Toastmistress International (Women’s Organization) experience experienced rapid growth after 1938. One interesting result from research about District 7 history was discovering how much influence Toastmasters has on public speaking education. If Toastmasters never existed, businesses, community colleges and universities forced to offer more public speaking classes. Toastmasters has helped these organizations because they no longer need to offer many public speaking classes, many of them duplication of Toastmasters manuals and programs. Ralph Smedley’s revolutionary public speech education ideas improved many lives through public speaking and leadership abilities for many individuals. Sincerely Yours: District 7 Historian and Editor for District 7 History Website TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2 PURPOSE AND DISCLAIMERS 3 INTRODUCTION 4 OTHER TOASTMASTERS DISTRICT HISTORY WEB SITES 11 1900 – 1909 DECADE CHAPTER 12 THE MODERN ORATOR 12 ORATORY PAST AND PRESENT 13 BY THOMAS BRACKEETT REED MODERN ELOQUENCE VOLUME X ANCEDOTES INDICES 14 ORATORY OF THE STUMP (1900) page xxvi By Jonathan P. Dolliver JONATHAN P. DOLLIVER (Picture) 16 PORTLAND ACADEMY GRADUATION CEREMONY SPEECH CONTEST 1900 17 RAYMOND FLETCHER AND LEO HALEY (Picture) 18 PUBLIC FORUM, 18 Dr. STEPHEN S. WISE, AND COLONEL C. E. S. WOOD, RABBI Dr. STEPHEN S. WISE 1901 (Picture) 19 PLEA FOR CHINEESE 19 Dr. Wise Denounces Mitchell-Kahn Exclusion Bill HITS THE CHURCHES 20 Dr. Wise Says They Spread Prejudice DR. WISE STARTLES CHAUTAUQUA MRS. STEPHEN S. WISE 21 SLAY THE UNFIT 22 PUBLIC FORUM 23 PARTIAL PUBLIC FORUM CHAIRMAN LIST 23 COLONEL C. E. S. WOOD 24 LINCOLN BANQUET BRILLIANT EVENT 25 FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN OREGON COLONEL C. S. E. WOOD, ATTORNEY (Picture) 26 Y.M.C.A. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 27 RALPH SMEDLEY’S IDEAS FOR TOASTMASTERS CLUB 27 FIRST SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SPEAKING CLUB 27 APPENDIX 1900-1909 28 REFERENCES 1910-1919 DECADE CHAPTER 30 SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES 30 PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEBATES SCHOOL DEBATES 30 ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL TALKS GIVE INSPIRATION IN THE SCHOOLS 32 CORRECT SPEECH WILL BE ENFORCED IN THE SCHOOLS 33 YOUNG MEN WIN PRIZES IN ORATORY 33 HAROLD J. ROUNDS AND ARTHUR GEARY (Picture) 33 OREGON DEBATING TEAM GETTING INTO SHAPE 34 OREGON AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL DEBATE TEAM (Picture) 35 UNIVERSITY WOMEN DEBATE MAY 5, 1911 35 UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON DEBATE TEAM REED COLLEGE 36 ALBANY COLLEGE DEBATOR GROVER BIRCHET 1914 (Picture) 37 Y.M.C.A. AND PUBLIC SPEAKING CLUBS 38 OF AMERICA AND GREAT BRITAIN GRENVILLE KLEISER 1912 (Picture) 39 CLUB PLANS ARE LAID 41 FRANK MUTTER Y.M.C.A. PUBLIC SPEECH INSTRUCTOR 1912 42 SLANG 41 WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT 1912 43 DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW AND PICTURE 43 MRS POTTER TO LECTURE 45 SUFFRAGE WORK IS ACTIVE 46 COLORED SUFFRGISTS ACT 46 CHINESE WOMEN DINE WITH WHITE RACE LINES NOT DRAWN AT SUFFRAGE BANQUET 47 SUFFRAGE TALKED TO 25,000 PEOPLE 49 GIFTED SPEAKERS TO PLEAD SUFFRAGE 51 SUFFRAGE RALLY DATES ARE FIXED 52 GROSS IGNORANCE REVEALED 53 STREET PUBLIC SPEAKING 1912-1913 54 ORATORY BAR TO TRAFFIC ” 55 CITY OF PORTLAND STREET PUBLIC SPEAKING BAN AND TOM BURNS 55 TOM BURNS (PICTURE) 57 GOVERNOR STOPS AGITATOR’S TALK 58 POLITICAL GOSSIP 61 SOAP BOX ORATORS OBEY CITYS’ ORDER 61 AGITATORS TO LEAVE CITY 64 CLASH OF I. W. W. ORATATORS AVERTED 63