Toastmasters
History
Toastmasters International: History at a Glance
The first meeting of the Number One Toastmasters club in Santa Ana, California.
A second Toastmasters club is chartered in Anaheim, California.
Representatives of five Santa Ana Toastmasters clubs plan the formation of a Federation of Toastmasters clubs.
The first Manual for Toastmasters Clubs is copyrighted by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley.
The name Toastmasters International is adopted and officers are elected.
The name Toastmasters International is adopted and officers are elected.
Toastmasters International is incorporated.
First Toastmasters club outside California is established in Seattle, Washington.
The first issue of The Toastmaster magazine is published.
District organization is instituted, starting with District 1 of Southern California.
First Toastmasters club outside the United States is chartered in British Columbia, Canada.
Charter No. 100 is presented to the Century Toastmasters club in Santa Ana, California.
Inter-club speech contest started. First winner: Henry Wiens of Reedley, California.
District 18 of Scotland becomes the first district organized outside the United States
First TI Articles of Incorporation are published.
The first “Certificate of Achievement� is issued for the new advanced course, Beyond Basic Training.
First Regional Conference is held in Des Moines, Iowa.
Dedication of new World Headquarters building in Santa Ana, California.
The first Able Toastmasters Award (ATM) is issued.
Founder Ralph C. Smedley dies. He was born February 22, 1878.
The first Competent Toastmaster Award is issued for completing the Communication and Leadership Program manual.
The Communication and Leadership manual is introduced at the International Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
The first Distinguished Toastmaster Award (DTM) is issued.
Membership opens to women.
The multi-manual Advanced Communication and Leadership Program is introduced.
The first two Success/Leadership Programs are introduced.
The Accredited Speaker Program begins.
Membership reaches 100,000.
The Youth Leadership Program is introduced.
The Communication and Leadership Program manual is revised, and two new educational awards are introduced, the ATM Bronze and ATM Silver.
The first woman is elected International President: Helen Blanchard.
Membership reaches 150,000.
The Distinguished Club Program, Distinguished Area Program and Distinguished Division Program are introduced.
World Headquarters moves to Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
The Successful Club Series debut.
Toastmasters International charters its 8,000th club.
The High-Performance Leadership Program is introduced.
The revised Communication and Leadership Program manual is introduced.
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.
The improved Distinguished Club Program, based on 10 goals, begins.
The Leadership Excellence Series debuts.
After 26 years at the helm of Toastmasters International, Executive Director Terrence McCann retires and is succeeded by Executive Director Donna H. Groh
The Communication and Leadership Program manual is revised.
Toastmasters International charters its 10,000th club and has more than 200,000 members in 90 countries.
Toastmasters International charters its 10,500th club and surpassed 211,000 members in 90 countries.
Toastmasters International holds International Conference in Calgary Alberta Canada
Toastmasters International celebrates its 90th birthday – the first official meeting was held on October 22, 1924.
