History

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This form can be used to either interview current or former members, or it can be used to create your own memoir to forward to the District Historian. The list is meant as a guideline for use with any Toastmaster, and therefore some questions will not apply to a specific individual. The interview or memoir may be submitted either as a Word document, or an audio file (.wav or .mp3). There is a downloadable version if you need a hard copy here . [download version – suggested questions…]

1. When were you in Toastmasters and for how long?
    
2. How many clubs were you in?
    
3. Did the meeting times, dates or even the name of the club that you belong to change? Can you give me any details?
    
4. Why did you stay in for so long?
    
5. Why did you eventually decide to leave?
    
6. What were the major changes you experienced in Toastmasters? How did it affect the experience for you?
    
7. What traditions did your club have? How did they start? Do you know if they are still in existence?
    
8. How did the Conferences and Conventions change over time?
    
9. What programs did Toastmasters International offer (e.g. membership contests, educational system, Distinguish Club, Banner Ribbons) have at the time? How did they change?
    
10. Were you around when the club had dinner meetings?
    
    a. What were they like?
    b. Besides eating, are there any major differences between running a dinner meeting and the, now, standard non-eating meeting?
    c. Do you know why the club decide to change the format?
     
11. Were you around when Toastmasters International first allowed women to join?
    
    a. Were there any 'bumps in the road' for your club when women first joined or tried to join?
    b. What was the adjustment period like?
    c. How did the club change?
     
12. If you were around when Toastmasters Clubs were male only (for men):
    
    a. Did your club ever stage events with Toastmistress clubs?
    b. Did you have events were women (wives, girlfriends or others) were invited? How did they work?
     
13. If you were a Toastmistress:
    
    a. Did your club ever stage events with Toastmasters clubs?
    b. How was Toastmistresses different from Toastmasters?
    c. Did you change from a Toastmistress to a Toastmaster right away? How did you make your decision?
    d. How did Toastmasters and Toastmistresses becoming co-educational change the Toastmistress club?
     
14. Were you ever involved at the District Level (Area Governor, etc)?
    
    a. What were your duties?
    b. How many clubs/areas/divisions (depending on their level) were you responsible for?
    c. Do you know of any major differences between the job then and the job now?
     
15. Did you ever start a club?
    
    a. Which club?
    b. When?
    c. What support did you get from district?
    d. How did you go about it?
     
16. Were you ever involved in a Gavel club?
    
    a. For which group?
    b. How did it work?
    c. What benefits did you see (both for the members and the organizers)?
     
17. Where you ever involved in a club in trouble or actually folding?
    
    a. If so, how did it happen?
    b. Was a rescue effort made by District? What did they do?
     
18. How do you think Toastmasters affected you - whether socially, intellectually, emotionally, financially or the gaining of skills?
     
19. Do you have any materials that you are willing to donate to the District Archives (i.e. do you have boxes full of TM stuff somewhere that you haven't looked at for years?).
     
20. Are you willing to have your old certificates electronically scanned for the District Archives?
     
21. Do you have any pins of which you could provide electronic close up photos? Of particular interest are Convention Pins and the pins awarded for the yearly Toastmasters International membership sponsor contests.