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HIDDEN TREASURE

TI Zone “A” Conference

Portland, Oregon, January 18-19, 1952

by Harvey Schowe, DTM - District 7 Historian

Sixty four years ago Portland hosted the Festival and Portland
Toastmasters International Zone “A” Educational Oratorio Chorus. He
Conference. George Reed, International was invited to sing at the Chicago Conference.
President, announced in the April 1951 A March 1952 Toastmasters Magazine article
Toastmasters Magazine that the Convention and mentioned that 400 club members attended
Educational Bureau planned three advanced this successful conference. Toastmasters
educational conferences. They would be held International Officers held a mid-year board
at widely separated locations. Ralph Smedley meeting and participated in the educational
further elaborated on this idea in a June 1951 sessions. Conference programs were at the club
paper titled “Zone Conferences in Review”. level and provided members opportunities to
The three zone educational conferences were share ideas. An article summed up the confer-
planned to provide an alternative to the high ence, “A Conference Which Really Conferred”.
cost of travel to the International Conference. Ralph Smedley’s last visit to Portland, Oregon
Attendance at zone conferences was higher than was at this conference. He sent Carl Hasenkamp
at the international conferences. a February 25, 1952 letter praising him for the
October 25, 1951, Wilbur M. Smith, excellent work organizing the conference. In
Administrative Associate for Toastmasters addition, Smedley sent him the autographed
International, announced a mid-year board book, “The Voice of the Speaker”.
meeting and International Zone Conference to
be held at the Multnomah Hotel in Portland,
Oregon on January 18 and 19, 1952. District 7
officers and club members formed publicity,
housing, meeting, banquet, hospitality, entertain-
ment, registration, and finance committees. Carl
Hasenkamp, Past District 7 Governor, served as
the Special Session Leader, or President’s Banquet
Chairman. Harry LaDou, past member of Salem
Toastmasters Club #138, Past District 5 Governor
and International Director, presented a seminar
on club’s responsibility in the International
Structure. Salem Club #138 members made
presentations on Robert’s Rules of Order while
Portland Toastmasters club #31 members
demonstrated hand gestures. A Tillamook club
member made a special presentation at the
evening dinner meeting. Chalmar Blair, second
District 7 Governor and Portland Toastmasters
Club # 31 member, provided a seminar on
Effective Speech in Personnel Relations. Tenor
Walter J. Miesen, High Dawn Toastmasters club
#730, sang during the conference. Miesen was a
choir director, organist and sang solo at Portland
Symphony Orchestra, Hood River Music

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 7 JANUARY, 2017 33