Page 21 - August 2020 Voices

BURIED TREASURE

EUGENE TOASTMASTERS:

OREGON’S FIRST CLUB (Part 3)

Harvey Schowe, DTM

Albert Holmes Baldrige was born in Connersville, men, I can think of few things which are helpful
Oklahoma September 27, 1902. He graduated and more easily promoted than a Toastmasters’
from the University of Oklahoma, Norman club.” He noted that clubs had chartered in
Oklahoma, where he was a member of the forensic Eugene, Oregon and Wenatchee, Washington.

fraternity. He moved to Eugene, Oregon where he Frank Stimpson Gannett, chairman of
taught public speaking courses at the University educational committee, announced the
of Oregon Extension School from 1927 through organization of a Toastmasters club at The Eugene
the summer of 1929. His six-week public speaking YMCA Center on October 14, 1929. When the

class, taught in the spring of 1929 included idea to organize a Eugene Toastmasters club
extempore speaking, speech content, gestures, occurred remains unknown, but was probably
platform deportment, and posture. sometime between January 1929 and September
He moved back to Oklahoma September 1929. 1929. John Rudd visited the Eugene YMCA

During the 1940’s he worked in the Washington, Center early March 1929. Whether Earl Immel
DC office of the Department of Justice. He served and Albert Baldrige played a role in forming a
as Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division Toastmasters club is not known. The organization
from 1951 to 1957 then became head of the Anti- of the Toastmasters club probably involved Henry

Trust Division. Albert Baldridge retired in 1968 Howard, YMCA General Secretary, and Frank S.
and died in Denver, Colorado on June 23, 1987. Gannett, Educational Committee Chairman.
The January 1931 issue of The Gavel reported In August 1928, University of Oregon officials
that John H. Rudd, Seattle YMCA Associate hired assistant law professor Charles G. Howard

Executive Secretary of the Northwest Council and and assistant law professor Wayne Layman Morse
editor of Northwest Association News, promoted (later elected as U.S. Senator from Oregon) in
Toastmasters at the various YMCA centers in the September 1929. Both individuals taught public
Pacific Northwest. He wrote about Toastmasters speaking classes in addition to law school classes

International in the December issue of the and helped organize the Eugene Toastmasters
Northwest Association News. The Northwest club.
Council administered YMCA centers in the states Eugene Register Guard newspaper articles given
of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. John Rudd credit and provided copyright permissions for information

wrote about the potential for YMCA centers to and photographs used in District 7 Voices! magazine articles
have Toastmasters clubs. He sent copies of The and District 7 history about the YMCA public speaking
Gavel and a letter to the YMCA center officials courses and Eugene Toastmasters club.
with a letter that said “As a program feature for

VOICES! | AUGUST 2020 21