90 Years And Counting ...

I was a little surprised to learn that Toastmasters celebrated it's 90th year this year.  Trying to put that in perspective, I decided to find out just when the Boy Scouts began.  Allowing the internet to be my crutch while I surfed for the Boy Scouts, here is what I pieced together to help appreciate the founding of Toastmasters and the world as it was at that time:

The Chrysler Corporation was becoming a reality and would be founded in the summer of 1925.  Four years later, ground on what would become the tallest building in the world and the first to be 1000 feet straight up would begin.  It would only hold the crown for 3 years before being out done by the Empire State Building in 1933.

The Scopes Monkey Trial was about to get into full swing in Tennessee (yeah, I'm having fun with words). 

There was no TV, no Dallas Cowboys, and the Alamo had happened less than 100 years ago.

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held a month after Toastmasters formed.  It featured giant balloons that were released, and if found and returned would fetch nice prize money.  Giant balloons and Zeppelins were the fascination, with flying machines having graduated from WWI.

The Titanic had sunk 12 years earlier, but Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic was still 3 years away.

And here it is... the Boy Scouts had been around since 1910; just 15 years old.  Adolph Hitler was working on Volume 1 of his personal manifesto, Mein Kampf that would be a catalyst for WWII, and many of these  Boy Scouts from 1924 would lead us through some of the world's darkest hours.

The stock market would crash in just 5 more years and through it all, the good and the bad, public speaking would remain a top fear; even a deterrent in the business world despite the hardships and the need to get ahead. Sound familiar?

Fortunately for all of us, an ingenious plan began to unfold in this building in 1924, bringing about the birth of Toastmasters on October 22 of that year.

Located in Santa Ana, California, this YMCA became home of the first club. 

Oh, and how old is the YMCA?  It's an astounding 171 years old getting its start back in 1844. 

Therefore, for all of us Toastmasters out there, it does appear we're just getting started.


                                                      I'll toast to that!



Submitted by
Ken Dorsey
VP Public Relations Top of Texas

September Contests

There is still time to sign-up for either or both contests.  In addition, there are also some openings for volunteers to take a role with the contests that count toward Project 6 in your Competent Leadership manual.  If you are interested in being in either contest  - or - just volunteering, please contact our Top of Texas Contest Chair Lina Choun at (717) 304-8338 linachoun@hotmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes A Good Mentor

A Good Mentor Always Learns

The Toastmasters International Website is loaded with Easter eggs of information!  Here you can find educational materials free for download, recorded tips and speeches, information to help improve your speaking and leadership skills, and kits to improve your club.  One such free download from Toastmasters International I recently read came from the Successful

Club Series entitled; "Mentoring" (Click here).

A section worthwhile is a review of the essential qualities a mentor possesses.  Recognizing their importance and why they are considered essential not only helps one mentor more effectively, but it also boosts the club and provides benefit to the mentor as well. 

Toastmasters International recognizes the 10 essential characteristics of a mentor to be:
 

Available	Knowledgeable	Respectful
Flexible	Sensitive	A Good Listener
Confident	Considerate	Patient
	Supportive

 
When a new member joins Top of Texas Toastmasters, they are paired with a mentor.  But one of the things that drew me to Top of Texas was the genuine willingness demonstrated by all to help each other succeed, and in turn all of us succeed.  It’s no wonder Top of Texas has been recognized as a Distinguished Club for four years running.  They have the essential characteristics and I’ve found are always available.

Being a good mentor starts with being available.  Nothing else really happens unless there is a dialog and interaction between the mentor and the mentee.  Watching each other grow becomes part of the reward; another hidden Easter egg waiting to be discovered within the Toastmasters organization.

Submitted by

Ken Dorsey
VP Public Relations