DO YOU REMEMBER

BY PENNY CHAMPION, CTM, DISTRICT HISTORIAN

The hierarchy in Florida Toastmasters runs from bottom to top: member, club, area, division, district, region This structure seems as much a part of Toastmasters as the Icebreaker, but it has not always been so. In 1954, most Florida Toastmasters clubs were not affiliated with any district. 1954 was the year that the International Conference was held in Washington D.C Master Sergeant Ira J Callman and Sergeant Kuck, Marines, in Club # 1423 in Miami, attended that conference and heard the term "district" over and over during the educational sessions (Yes, they had them even then!) As the conference wore on, they began to feel that Florida could use the benefits of being a district. When B. M. Wherette of Orlando joined them, the three of them began to wonder why Florida was not a District They decided to go right to the top and ask Ted Blanding, Executive Secretary of Toastmasters International

The meeting did not go quite the way the three Floridians expected, however. When Ted Blanding was asked why Florida did not have a District organization, he promptly answered a question with a question: Why didn't they do something about establishing their state as a District? After the initial shock wore off, the three men got down to brass tacks, learning the procedure for establishing a new District.

The most important requirement was that at least ten clubs in the proposed district would have to petition for provisional district status. Ira Callman began the process of actually getting the thirteen clubs then in Florida to fill out and sign the petitions A few clubs sent their petitions back right away, but the majority of the clubs had to be coaxed into signing, one at a time The Tallahassee club wrote that they were too far from the rest of the clubs, and therefore should not be part of the district. Ira cleverly used reverse psychology on them and agreed completely As soon as the members of the Tallahassee club realized no one was going to beg them to join, they could not get their petition back to Ira fast enough

Because the petitions had to be in the hands of the Board of Directors of Toastmasters International when they met on February 15, time was definitely of the essence But by February 10, which was less than six months after the convention, the tenth petition finally arrived Florida was granted provisional district status on February 15, 1955

Less than a month later, the first Florida District meeting was held in Orlando In March 26, 1955, the following District officers were elected:

Ira J Callman District Governor

B M Wherette 1 st Lieutenant Governor

Walter Kehoe 2 nd Lieutenant Governor

Bib Swanson Education Chairman

William C Mader Sec.-Treasurer

Yes, the hierarchy in Toastmasters is member, club, area, division, district, region But if it were not for the efforts of previous members, the word district would not appear in this list It is the individuals who have invested their time and energy in keeping Toastmasters vital and viable who have made our organization what it is today.

Thanks to Ira Callman for his help in compiling this report.**