Ralph C. Smedley facts for kids

Ralph C. Smedley (born February 22, 1878, died September 11, 1965) was a very important person. He started Toastmasters International. This is a huge group that helps people learn how to speak well in public. It has over 352,000 members in 141 countries. They meet in more than 16,400 clubs!

A university called Illinois Wesleyan University honored Smedley in 1950. They gave him a special degree for helping people. A school in Santa Ana was also named after him in 1955.

Who Was Ralph C. Smedley?

Ralph C. Smedley was born in Waverly, Illinois. This city is about twenty miles southwest of Springfield. He spent most of his younger years in Illinois.

After high school, he taught in country schools. Then he went to Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. He graduated in 1903. After that, he started working at the local YMCA.

People knew Ralph C. Smedley as a humble and quiet person. He worked very hard. He loved helping others reach their full potential. He was not a show-off at all. He was always determined to make Toastmasters a big success.

His Early Ideas

In 1903, while working at the YMCA, Smedley noticed something. Many people needed to improve their communication skills. They also needed to learn how to lead and manage. He wanted to help them.

So, he started a speaking club. He called it The Toastmasters Club. The first meeting was on March 24, 1905. This was the first unofficial Toastmasters club.

In these meetings, members took turns speaking. They also practiced leadership roles. Smedley and other experienced men would listen. They gave helpful advice on the short speeches. This helped younger men get better.

However, Smedley had to move away. The club did not have strong leadership. So, it did not grow much at that time.

The Official Beginning

Smedley tried again in Freeport. He wanted local business people to join. He hoped they would improve their speaking skills. But the idea did not become popular there.

Then, he moved to California. He took a job at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California. On October 22, 1924, he started the first official club. This club became Club No. 1 of Toastmasters International.

News about the club spread quickly. People in nearby towns and other states wanted to start their own clubs. Smedley decided to write down the rules. He wrote a "Manual of Instructions." He also wrote "Ten Lessons in Public Speaking." This saved him time from writing many letters.

On October 25, 1928, he protected his writings. He also trademarked the name "Toastmasters Club." He chose the name "Toastmasters" because a toastmaster is someone who gives toasts at events.

Growing Worldwide

By 1930, nearly 30 Toastmasters clubs had started. One club even began in British Columbia, Canada. To help the group grow outside the United States, they changed the name. It became Toastmasters International.

A few years later, in 1932, Toastmasters International became a non-profit group in California. Smedley took on many jobs. He was the Secretary and an Editor for the new group.

Smedley kept his job at the YMCA. But in the evenings, he wrote articles. These articles were about how to speak well. Some of his writings are still used by Toastmasters today.

His simple idea about good speaking was this: Speak to a group as if you are talking to just one person. He gave examples like President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also mentioned humorist Will Rogers. Smedley said their radio talks were great. This was because each listener felt like the speaker was talking only to them.

Over the years, Toastmasters kept growing. By 1941, the group was big enough. They hired Smedley to work for them full-time. He left his YMCA job. He rented a small office in Santa Ana. From there, he handled all the letters. He also sent out learning materials to clubs. New clubs were starting all over the country and the world.

As the education director, he wrote two important books. They were called "Basic Training" and "Beyond Basic Training." Toastmasters still uses these books. He also edited the group's magazine, The Toastmaster. He wrote many articles for it.

Toastmasters International honored Smedley in 1956. At a big meeting, they made him president for life. He continued to work for the group. He lived in Orange County until he passed away in 1965 at age 87.