Toastmasters International: History at a Glance
| October 22, 1924 The first meeting of the Number One Toastmasters club in Santa Ana, California. January 19, 1926 A second Toastmasters club is chartered in Anaheim, California. August 11, 1927 Representatives of five Santa Ana Toastmasters clubs plan the formation of a Federation of Toastmasters clubs. October 25, 1928 The first Manual for Toastmasters Clubs is copyrighted by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley. October 4, 1930 The name Toastmasters International is adopted and officers are elected. December 6, 1930 Publication of The Gavel, the first Toastmasters newsletter. December 19, 1932 Toastmasters International is incorporated. January 9, 1933 First Toastmasters club outside California is established in Seattle, Washington. April 1933 The first issue of The Toastmaster magazine is published. July 6, 1935 District organization is instituted, starting with District 1 of Southern California. October 1935 First Toastmasters club outside the United States is chartered in British Columbia, Canada. January 29, 1938 Charter No. 100 is presented to the Century Toastmasters club in Santa Ana, California. August 1938 Inter-club speech contest started. First winner: Henry Wiens of Reedley, California. July 1946 District 18 of Scotland becomes the first district organized outside the United States 1948 First TI Articles of Incorporation are published. 1950 The first “Certificate of Achievementâ€? is issued for the new advanced course, Beyond Basic Training. June 1951 First Regional Conference is held in Des Moines, Iowa. October 27, 1962 Dedication of new World Headquarters building in Santa Ana, California. 1964 The first Able Toastmasters Award (ATM) is issued. 1965 Founder Ralph C. Smedley dies. He was born February 22, 1878. 1968 The first Competent Toastmaster Award is issued for completing the Communication and Leadership Program manual. August 1969 The Communication and Leadership manual is introduced at the International Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. 1970 The first Distinguished Toastmaster Award (DTM) is issued. August 1973 Membership opens to women. 1978 The multi-manual Advanced Communication and Leadership Program is introduced. 1979 The first two Success/Leadership Programs are introduced. 1981 The Accredited Speaker Program begins. October 1982 Membership reaches 100,000. April 1983 The Youth Leadership Program is introduced. 1984 The Communication and Leadership Program manual is revised, and two new educational awards are introduced, the ATM Bronze and ATM Silver. 1985 The first woman is elected International President: Helen Blanchard. April 1989 Membership reaches 150,000. July 1989 The Distinguished Club Program, Distinguished Area Program and Distinguished Division Program are introduced. June 1990 World Headquarters moves to Rancho Santa Margarita, California. 1992 The Successful Club Series debut. January 1993 Toastmasters International charters its 8,000th club. June 1993 The High-Performance Leadership Program is introduced. January 1997 The revised Communication and Leadership Program manual is introduced. July 1997 An improved two-track educational requirement recognition system begins. The communication track includes the CTM, ATM-Bronze, ATM-Silver, and ATM-Gold awards. The leadership track includes the Competent Leader (CL) and Advanced Leader (AL) awards. Requirements for the DTM award also change. 1999 The improved Distinguished Club Program, based on 10 goals, begins. 2001 The Leadership Excellence Series debuts. August 2001 After 26 years at the helm of Toastmasters International, Executive Director Terrence McCann retires and is succeeded by Executive Director Donna H. Groh 2003 The Communication and Leadership Program manual is revised. July 2004 Toastmasters International charters its 10,000th club and has more than 200,000 members in 90 countries. July 2005 Toastmasters International charters its 10,500th club and surpassed 211,000 members in 90 countries. August 2008 Toastmasters International holds International Conference in Calgary Alberta Canada October 2014 Toastmasters International celebrates its 90th birthday – the first official meeting was held on October 22, 1924. |