The Birth of Divisions in 1967

[New Text added in 2011 is shown in green type]

Areas were created when the first Districts came into existence in 1936. The following motion at the Toastmasters International Board of Directors on October 15, 1936.


Source:  Photocopy of Toastmasters Magazine December 1936 Pages 20 and 21

The newly elected Governor of District One, Willis J. Hamrick of Beverly Hills, California, assumed office on October 1st. 1936.  Bill has long been prominent in Legion work, holding various offices and becoming thoroughly familiar with the principles of successful organization.  He lost no time in applying the knowledge gained from that experience to the problems of T.M.I.  Getting right on the job, he was able to submit his plans and recommendations to the International board of directors at their meeting on October 15 as outlined below.
  1. Each district to be no larger than one state.

  2. Each district to be subdivided into Areas.

  3. Each Area to be in charge of an officer (elected by the Deputy District Governors of that Area) known as the Lieutenant Governor.

  4. Each Lieutenant Governor may hold any elective office within a club (other than that of Deputy District Governor) during his term.

  5. Areas to be no larger than can be efficiently covered by the Lieutenant Governors.

  6. Each Lieutenant Governor shall have Deputy Governor within his Area under his immediate jurisdiction for the purposes of coordinating and carrying out his plans and programs as announced by the District Governor.

The object of restricting the size of a district to not more than that of a state, dividing said state into areas and electing a Lieutenant Governor in charge in charge of each area, is to simplify the International set-up so that an educational program can be properly instituted by the District Governor, and carried out in each area under the leadership of the Lieutenant Governor.

To promote interchange of club speakers within their areas.

To promote closer cooperation between clubs.

To promote new clubs.

To promote and sell ideals of Toastmasters International to the respective communities.

To promote the Scholarship Contest and to promote and carry out such other community activities as may be deemed fitting.

To establish Toastmasters International in each community as the outstanding organization.

Realizing the value and workability of the recommendations, the directors lost no time in approving them, and Bill thereupon………………………

President Toastmasters International

Raymond J. Huff 1935-1936

Jean Bordeaux 1936-1937


The first two Districts were District 1 for California and Arizona, and District Two for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia on October 1, 1936. After that came Zones by  Before Regions came Zones (from District 7 History 1947). The following are a list of Zones and their Districts as of Aug 1, 1947.

THE ZONES For the purposes of the zone contests the districts have been divided into five zones as follows:

            A.        Pacific Northwest, Districts 2, 7, 9, 15, 17, and 21.

            B.        Mid-West, Districts 8, 10, 11, 13, and 14.

            C.        Eastern, Districts 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14.

            D.        Districts 4, 12 and Founders.

            E.         Districts 1, 3, and 5.



As a background in how Divisions would have evolved in Toastmasters, we need to go back to the creation of Districts, Zones and Regions. We thank for this article on Region 1 (of which District 21 is a part) by Rick Sydor DTM of District 39.

REGION ONE HISTORY
Reprinted from the “Region 1 Directory 1997-1998
(Published by Rick Sydor DTM, International Director 1996-1998)

 
            The “History of Region One” has as it’s base the “History of District 2”.  In the early years, before WWII, District 2 covered the geographical area of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.  At this time there were only three districts in the entire Toastmasters organization.  With the growth of clubs it became necessary to reduce this great area.  Thus, Oregon became District 7, eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana, District 9; and British Columbia, District 21.  The last division came in 1950 when Districts 32 and 33 were formed in southwestern and central Washington, leaving District 2 in its present area.
 
            While Toastmasters founded in southern California, District 2 proudly boasts of the first club to be formed outside that area.  Seattle #10 was the 10th club to be granted a charter.  Originally, clubs were referred to by numbers instead of names.  This was changed in 1940 when a group was organized to take over the charter of Seattle Toastmasters No. 3 and called themselves “Totem Toastmasters”.  Other Seattle clubs followed suit and the numbering habit was effectively killed.
 
            Districts were formally organized as of October 1, 1936.  However, it was not until May 1942 that the first complete District Convention with an educational session, business meeting and election was held, Franklin McCrillis (who later went on to serve as International President) was elected.  Prior to this time, District Governors were appoint by International.  District 2 was the first district to publish a newspaper and to establish a district office.  (Reprinted from the District 2 officer roster booklet of 1963-64).
 
            As Toastmasters grew after WWII, so did the structure of the organization.  Prior to grouping the districts as a “Region”, there was a grouping call a “Zone.”
 
            In the May 1953 issue of The Toastmaster magazine, the article on page 31 gives notice of the various “Zone Conferences and Speech Contests”.  Zone A’s conference was held on June 12-13 in Tacoma, Washington at the Winthrop Hotel and included Districts 2, 7, 9, 15, 17, 21, 32, and 33.  Present day Districts 39 and 57 were not formed as of this time as they were still part of District 4, and thus part of Region II.
 
            “What exactly is a Zone?  Toastmasters International was divided into geographical Regions.  Each Region consisted of two Zones, designated A or B.  These Zones were in turn made up of Districts - the average was about five Districts per “Region.”

Divisions where introduced in 1967 as a new level between the District and the Area, the Lieutenant Governor of Area was replace by a Division Governor and Area Governors. An Area Governor ideally looks after 5 clubs, and is the liaison between the club and the Division Executive (the Division Governor, the Area Governors, and such appointed positions as Division Lt Governor of Education, Lt Governor of Marketing, Division Chief Judge.

Date Division Area






1 Vancouver Island




2 Lower Mainland


May-50
3 Nanaimo and Upper Island out of Area 1
Jan-59
4 Interior



Mar-59
5 North



Apr-60
6 Lower Mainland out of Area 2

Apr-60
7 Kootenays out of Area 4

Jul-67 A
Vancouver Island


Jul-67 B
Lower Mainland


Jul-67 C
Interior and the Rockies

Jul-67 D
The North




E
Richmond 


Jul-94 F
Fraser Valley


Jul-99 G
Nanaimo and Island north of Malahat out of Division A
Jul-99 H
Vancouver & North Shore

Jul-99 J
Burnaby & New Westminster

Jul-99 K
Eastern Fraser Valley



The following clubs are in good standing at October 31, 2007.
Division Area Club Name Club #
City
A 1 First Canadian Toastmasters Club 38
Victoria
A 1 The Communicators Toastmasters Club 4483
Victoria
A 1 Advocates Club 6382
Victoria
A 1 Trestle Club 7340
Victoria
A 2 Camosun Club 757
Victoria
A 2 Nite Shifters Toastmasters Club 6676
Victoria
A 2 Saanich Lunch Bunch 6719
Victoria
A 2 Birdcage Club 8394
Victoria
A 2 Revenue Ramblers Toastmasters Club 673198
Victoria
A 3 Thunderbird Club 396
Victoria
A 3 Belmont Babblers Club 1201
Victoria
A 3 Saanich Peninsula Club 1288
Sidney
A 3 James Bay Toastmasters 2952
Victoria
A 3 Master Motivators Club 4671
Victoria
A 3 Night Hawks Club 813223
Victoria
A 4 Rise And Shine Club 331
Victoria
A 4 Norvic Toastmasters Club 5060
Victoria
A 4 Goldstream Toastmasters 5952
Victoria
A 8 Victoria Beaver Toastmasters Club 790
Victoria
A 8 Sierra Victoria Club 1211
Victoria
A 8 Oak Bay Club 1882
Oak Bay
A 8 Context Shifters 6265
Victoria
A 8 Capital Coastmasters Club 724977
Victoria
A
National Money-Mart InTheMail
Victoria






B 20 Vancouver Toastmasters Club 59
Vancouver
B 20 Cloverleaf Toastmasters Club 2769
Vancouver
B 20 Advanced Speakers Club 4589
Vancouver
B 20 Toastmasters Of Today Club 7291
Vancouver
B 20 Kitmasters 1085189
Vancouver
B 21 Declarations Toastmasters Club 4548
Vancouver
B 21 Pure Gold Club 4820
Vancouver
B 21 VTS Orators Club 4961
Vancouver
B 21 Newspeakers Club 8784
Vancouver
B 21 AMEC Downtown Xpress Club 8844
Vancouver
B 21 Stantalk 925453
Vancouver
B 22 Rapid Pulse Toastmasters Club 1662
Vancouver
B 22 Kerrisdale Toastmasters Club 2460
Vancouver
B 22 City Hall Connaught Toastmasters Club 4328
Vancouver
B 22 Positive Expressions Club 5501
Vancouver
B 22 Vancouver Club 59 Advanced 799767
Vancouver
B 22 RADSpeak 885083
Vancouver
B 23 Walter Gage Toastmasters Club 3169
Vancouver
B 23 Success Toastmasters Club 7732
Vancouver
B 23 Kitsilano Toastmasters Club 8237
Vancouver
B 23 Sauder Speaks 618279
Vancouver
B 24 Morning Vision Club 6862
Vancouver
B 24 Fyrebyrde Toastmasters Club 8051
Vancouver
B 24 Night Vision Toastmasters Club 8139
Vancouver
B 24 Racquenteurs Club 9740
Vancouver
B 24 Politically Speaking Club 813938
Vancouver
B 24 Vancouver Entrepreneurs Toastmaster Club 982012
Vancouver
B 24 High Nooners 1069023
Vancouver
B 25 Advanced Aurators Club 1709
Vancouver
B 25 Centennial Club 6456
Vancouver
B 25 Seymour Speakers Club 7239
Vancouver
B 25 Anchor Club 7325
Vancouver
B 25 Sky's The Limit Club 9171
Vancouver
B 35 Two Toasts Please Club 1066274
Vancouver






C 34 Vernon Club 1929
Vernon
C 34 Armstrong Toastmasters Club 2645
Armstrong
C 34 Salmon Arm Toastmasters Club 2861
Salmon Arm
C 34 Enderby Toastmasters Club 3849
Enderby
C 34 Revelstoke Toastmasters Club 4050
Revelstoke
C 34 Kalamalka Toastmasters Club 4869
Vernon
C 34 Monday Night Vernon Toastmasters Club 6884
Vernon
C 34 Tolko Toastmasters 1009820
Vernon
C 35 Overlander Club 1938
Kamloops
C 35 Merritt Toastmasters 3929
Merritt
C 35 Morning Sun Club 9073
Kamloops
C 35 High Country Achievers Club 9832
Kamloops
C 36 Cranbrook Phoenix Club 1911
Cranbrook
C 36 Cranbrook First Club 3532
Cranbrook
C 36 Creston Valley Club 4949
Creston
C 36 Omega Toastmasters Club 5526
Creston
C 37 Sentinel Speakers Club 2852
Castlegar
C 37 Arrow Lakes Toastmasters 4962
Nakusp
C 37 Selkirk 5499
Revelstoke
C 37 Kokanee Speakeasy Club 6196
Nelson
C 37 Trailblazers Club 8540
Trail
C 38 Penticton Club 2392
Penticton
C 38 Peach City Toastmasters Club 2450
Penticton,
C 38 South Okanagan Toastmasters Club 7791
Osoyoos
C 38 SITSO Said-So Toastmasters Club 641259
Penticton
C 39 Kelowna Flying Solo Club 723
Kelowna
C 39 Westside Toastmasters Club # 872 872
Westbank
C 39 Kelowna Club 2796
Kelowna
C 39 Kelowna Am Club 5300
Kelowna
C 39 Okanagan Advanced Club 693235
Peachland






D 41 Spruce Capital Club 2171
Prince George
D 41 Prince George Club 3081
Prince George
D 41 Quesnel Toastmasters Club 3197
Quesnel
D 41 Williams Lake Toastmasters Club 5253
Williams Lake
D 42 Cariboo Club 786
Prince George
D 42 Hart Toastmasters  Club 1643
Prince George
D 42 New Dimension Club 8316
Prince George
D 42 City Centre Toastmasters Club 9164
Prince George
D 45 Nechako Toastmasters Club 2046
Kitimat
D 45 Bulkley Valley Club 2293
Smithers
D 45 Prince Rupert Club 5873
Prince Rupert
D 45 Terrace Toastmasters Club 6062
Terrace
D 45 Skeena Toastmasters Club 7870
Hazelton
D 48 Mile O Communicators Club 2969
Dawson Creek
D 48 Achievers Club 4560
Fort St John
D 48 'Noon Toasties' Club 647256
Dawson Creek
D 48 Fort Nelson Toastmasters Club 794831
Fort Nelson
D 49 Teletalkers Toastmasters 1572
Prince George
D 49 College Toastmasters Club 6252
Prince George
D 49 Chinook Speakers Club 8847
Prince George
D 49 Robson Valley Toastmasters Club 8904
Valemount
D 49 College Heights Club 9612
Prince George






E 50 Deltones Club 867
Delta
E 50 Delta Club 1924
Ladner
E 50 Ambassadors Club 4666
Delta
E 50 Comp-Talk Toastmasters 6246
Vancouver
E 50 Macdonald Dettwiler & Assoc Toastmasters Club 8790
Richmond
E 51 Richmond Toastmasters Club 5488
Richmond
E 51 enRICHed Speakers Toastmasters Club 9257
Richmond
E 51 Global Speakers Toastmasters Club 9868
Richmond
E 51 Coast Communicators 693182
Richmond
E 51 McKToast 764514
Richmond
E 51 Unit Presidents Toastmasters Club 1087686
Delta
E 52 Leading Edge Club 908
Richmond
E 52 PCL Speech Builders Club 3100
Richmond
E 52 Flying Toastmasters Club 4142
Richmond
E 52 Richmond Achievers Toastmasters Club 8878
Richmond
E 52 Sage Beta Speakers Club 817829
Richmond
E 52 Sage Alpha Speakers Club 833509
Richmond
E 53 Rich-Del Club 3767
Richmond
E 53 Laurel Club 4812
Richmond
E 53 Dragon Masters Club 9373
Richmond
E 53 Safeway's Select Club 749875
Richmond
E 53 MDSI Toastmasters Club 801831
Richmond






F 60 New City Club 937
Surrey
F 60 The Word Toastmasters 5881
Delta
F 60 Surrey Civic Speechmeisters Club 9460
Delta
F 60 Safeway Speakers Club 846877
Surrey
F 61 Save On Words Club 951
Langley
F 61 Cloverdale Club 2651
Surrey
F 61 Walnut Grove Club 3439
Langley
F 61 Delta Controls Club 6128
Surrey
F 61 Good News Toastmasters Club 8742
Surrey
F 61 Crazy People Xpressing Club 913538
Surrey
F 62 Langley Club 2743
Langley
F 62 LANGLEY A.M. Club 5767
Langley
F 62 Township Toastmasters Club 9198
Langley
F 62 Midnight Madness Toastmasters Club 9932
Surrey
F 62 AnorMED Toastmasters Club 845571
Langley
F 62 Envision Enunciators 861014
Langley
F 63 White Rock Mariners Club 6212
White Rock
F 63 White Rock Club 8178
Surrey
F 63 Evening Edition Toastmasters 9362
White Rock
F 63 The Rock Christian Toastmasters Club 9429
Langley
F 63 White Rock Evening Edition Club 9516
Surrey
F 64 Surrey Club 2590
Surrey
F 64 Tax Masters 5268
Surrey
F 64 World Class Toastmasters Club 7475
Delta
F 64 North Delta Power Talkers Club 9200
Delta
F 64 Crossroads Christian Toastmasters Club 664484
Surrey
F 65 Coast Masters Toastmasters Club 1649
Surrey
F 65 Surrey Business Friends Toastmasters Club 4814
Surrey
F 65 Speakers Advantage Toastmasters Club 7173
Surrey
F 65 Speak With Confidence Club 7966
Surrey
F 65 Terasen Talkers Toastmasters Club 689049
Surrey






G 10 Cowichan Toastmasters Club 950
Duncan
G 10 Hub City Club 1591
Nanaimo
G 10 Enterprising Toastmasters Club 3620
Nanaimo
G 10 Pot Luck Club 5052
Ladysmith
G 10 Harbour City Club 7460
Nanaimo
G 10 Salt Spring Club 614459
Salt Spring Island
G 11 Somass Club 1303
Port Alberni
G 11 Pacific Rim Club 2898
Tofino
G 11 Arbutus 5750
Parksville
G 11 M B Forest Talk Club 6952
Port Alberni
G 12 Discovery Club 1146
Campbell River
G 12 Hardy Toastmasters Club 8165
Port Hardy
G 12 Campbell River Toastmasters Club 714495
Campbell River
G 13 Malaspina Toastmasters Club 738
Nanaimo
G 13 Woodgrove Club 3219
Nanaimo
G 13 Uplands Lunch Bunch Club 4697
Nanaimo
G 13 Chamber Sunrisers Club 7461
Nanaimo
G 13 Mid Island Advanced Toastmasters Club 8031
Nanaimo
G 13 Toastmasters On The Hill Club 713811
Nanaimo
G 14 Sunshine Speakers Club 1363
Powell River
G 14 Comox Valley Club 3984
Courtenay
G 14 Sixty Minutes Club 8010
Courtenay
G 14 Comox Toastmasters Club 712842
Comox






H 70 Evergreen Club 973
Vancouver
H 70 Speechless Club 8650
Vancouver
H 70 The iCAPTURE Club 644644
Vancouver
H 70 French Toastmasters Club 771909
Vancouver
H 71 Early Byrdes Toastmasters Club 1020
Vancouver
H 71 Burrard Toastmasters Club 1892
Vancouver
H 71 Pacific Spirit Toastmasters Club 2938
Vancouver
H 71 Burnt Toast Club 764388
Vancouver
H 71 Speaking Cents Club 764578
Vancouver
H 71 HSBC Managing For Toast Club 822550
Vancouver
H 72 Speakerhub Club 322
North Vancouver
H 72 North Shore Toastmaster Club 1085
West Vancouver
H 72 Friendship Club 1734
North Vancouver
H 72 District Dialoguers Club 6127
North Vancouver
H 72 Quay Speakers Toastmasters Club 6155
North Vancouver
H 72 Logos Club 9412
North Vancouver
H 73 Morning Stars Club 1248
Gibbons
H 73 Sunshinetoastmasters 5403
Schelt
H 73 Mountain Spirit Whistler Tm Club 8376
Whistle
H 73 Sound Off Club 737202
Squamish
H 74 BCSC Talking Watchdogs Club 8454
Vancouver
H 74 FutureWorks Toastmasters 690553
Vancouver
H 74 Blastmasters Toastmasters Club 776206
Vancouver
H 74 Ernst & Young Vancouver Club 776290
Vancouver
H 74 Teli-Toast Club 804526
Vancouver
H 75 Vancore Toastmasters 2149
Vancouver
H 75 Positive Thinkers Toastmasters Club 3922
Vancouver
H 75 Royal-T Club 8988
Vancouver
H 75 Sophmasters Club 778602
Vancouver
H 75 Technical Talkers Club 848879
Vancouver






J 80 Nokia Cheers Toastmasters Club 841
Burnaby
J 80 Tillicum Toastmasters 3435
New Westminster
J 80 Etoasters Club 5362
Burnaby
J 80 Power Speakers Club 6907
Burnaby
J 80 Best Future Speakers Club 8208
Burnaby
J 81 Burnaby Toasters Club 3872
Burnaby
J 81 First Mandarin Toastmasters Club 5346
Burnaby
J 81 Stimulight Toastmasters Club 5449
Burnaby
J 81 Burnaby Mountain Toastmasters Club 5989
Burnaby
J 81 Chip Chat Toastmasters Club 783215
Burnaby
J 82 Telespeakers Club 2328
Burnaby
J 82 Metro Speakers Club 4371
Burnaby
J 82 Salsa Speakers Club 4931
Burnaby
J 82 Speakers Of The House Toastmasters Club 6218
Burnaby
J 82 Cyber Speakers Toastmasters Club 9518
Burnaby
J 83 Golden Eagle Club 9132
Burnaby
J 83 Speech Architects Toastmasters Club 693946
Burnaby
J 83 World's Local Club 707371
Burnaby
J 83 Community Impact Speakers Club 813114
Burnaby
J 83 Toastsetters 1091937
Burnaby
J 84 BCIT Sunrise Club 5764
Burnaby
J 84 Speakeasy Club 5818
Burnaby
J 84 Loudspeakers Club 9517
Burnaby
J 84 Roadsters Club 692859
Burnaby
J 84 Club Met 853387
Burnaby






K 90 Crystal Clear Speakers Club 1612
Coquitlam
K 90 Lincoln Toastmasters Club 6399
Coquitlam
K 90 Rocky Point Club 7743
Port Moody
K 90 Morningside Toastmasters Club 8781
Port Coquitlam
K 90 Talk of the Town 605658
Coquitlam
K 91 Chilliwack Toastmasters Club 3486
Chilliwack
K 91 Snowpeaks Toastmasters Club 9328
Chilliwack
K 91 Bigfoot Toastmasters Club 692777
Agassiz
K 91 Professionally Speaking 807873
Chilliwack
K 92 the Messengers 5737
Abbotsford
K 92 Mission Toastmasters Club 6095
Mission
K 92 Positively Speaking Club 8116
Maple Ridge
K 92 Rise And Shine Toastmasters Club 9453
Abbotsford
K 92 City of the Arts 1017095
Port Moody
K 93 Abbotsford Sundown Club 965
Abbotsford
K 93 Valley Advanced Toastmasters 3923
Abbotsford
K 93 Toast Of The Toastmasters City 6683
Abbotsford
K 93 Aldergrove Toastmasters Club 7275
Aldergrove

 Information on this Web site contains (c) Copyrighted  Material of Toastmasters International Inc. and it's Districts and Clubs; Brian Dodd; and 3001 by Zarcom System Inc., 2007-2011