When I joined Toastmasters some 43 years ago last November, my assignments were always slanted toward predicting the future. You know – "tell us what the world will be like 30 years from now." When I was first asked to write this article, the assignment was a “looking backwards tone!”

Perhaps it has something to do with my gray hair (what little is left), sagging jowls, and reputation as “one of our oldest Toastmasters’, but I think there is a message there somewhere. (I used to “get the message” better too!)  With this request for an update, I suspect that the message is more of the "quick, before you are gone!" variety.
 
In November 1966, I was fresh out of the Army and just beginning my legal career here in Santa Cruz. My most vivid recollection of that time was each appearance before the honorable Gilbert B. Perry, the domineering judge of the Superior Court.  A Stanford Law Graduate (with all the lack of ability that title implies --Go Bears!), Perry was, to put it politely, a tyrant. Quaking knees, queasy stomach, and quivering voice were the inevitable symptoms each time I had an appearance before him; and all of that happened before I got out of bed! Determined to gain confidence in public speaking, I embraced Toastmasters.
 
Looking for help, I joined a group of hardy (all male) souls at the Dream Inn on Friday mornings. Compared to the genial bunch we have today, they were a ruthless lot. Praise was a minor point of any evaluation; most evaluators spent their time pointing your gross deficiencies in the name of “constructive criticism.” Each year a few new members would leave the club after an extremely critical evaluation, but those that remained got better.

There are times now when I miss those biting comments, because they brought home very clearly my deficiencies. Some still flash into my mind when I realize that I have just delivered a disorganized presentation in court. Perhaps it is that background that usually gets me a written comment as an evaluator that I am too harsh. Nevertheless, in my view, telling any speaker that they did a great job and that it was very hard to find anything wrong, might make them feel good, but it does little to help them to improve.
 
In those days, no one was missed by the lance of the General Evaluator. Even the prayer and the pledge were fair game. For example, the GE often would sometimes comment on how the Toastmaster’s introduction of a speaker had been inappropriate for a general group – because in those times, that was what we supposedly were preparing to address.

These days, I sometimes get the impression that folks are coming to Toastmasters to hear their friends speak.  Either objective is, I suppose, valid.

In the early days, Ah’s were counted unmercifully, to the point that I often sit in seminars today and keep track of speakers “ahs” simply out of habit.

And yet, for all the structure, it was a friendly group, and many of those original Toastmasters remain friends today.

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I see many former Toastmasters all over town – Doctors (MacKenzie and Tomlinson), Lawyers (including Dennis Kehoe who enticed me into the club), Insurance Agents (Don McNeal, Marios Cavadias, Judy Parsons), General Contractors (Sid Slatter), Public Officials (Laura Brown; Bruce McPherson), Sentinel Commentators (Donna Maurillo) and others. Many ask, “Are you still going to Toastmasters?” They usually add, “I ought to get back up there.” In most cases, they should.

Not too long ago I heard Charlie Keutman, a former member of the club speak at a large group meeting.  He did an excellent job, and I recalled how nervous he had been when he first came to Toastmasters in contrast.

From the Dream Inn, the group moved in the 1970’s to the Golden West Pancake House which is currently a Chinese restaurant on Ocean Street just below the County Governmental Center.  

When the new Golden West was built further up Ocean, the old one became Jerry’s Restaurant and it was about that time the club took a drastic step – we integrated. Female members were admitted. Some of the male members immediately quit, and others bemoaned the depths to which the club had fallen. Others argued that it would bring new life to the club.

Like so many changes in our social structure, it didn’t really make much difference in the long run. One thing that women did quickly change in the club was the location. One day, one of them looked in the kitchen and immediately made a motion to move. We then moved up the street to Sambo’s (now a Dental Office), then to Golden West Pancake House (now Santa Cruz Diner) and finally to DeLaveaga. Over the years, new blood has had the club try other locations (Peachwoods for example), but DeLaveaga has pretty much been the standard. 
 
From my perspective, the club is much stronger now than it was some 43 years ago. More members participate in club offices, the scheduling is professionally done, and the meetings are more varied because of the wide background of the Toastmasters.

Sometimes we are too nice. I have heard some praise for awful speeches because no one wants to hurt anyone’s feelings; on the other hand, I point out all deficiencies, but then I am just old and cranky, so what do you expect?  (I know, I repeat myself too!)

One of my clearest memories of early Toastmasters goes back to the Dream Inn. Someone was called upon for Table Topics one day and asked to recall an event of the past. He began, “Cast your mind back to 1957…” I was impressed with that kind of word picture; I still am.  That's why I keep coming back.