In October 1924, a group of men assembled by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley met in the basement of the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., forming a club “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among its members.” The group took the name “Toastmasters.”

Speakers Forum is a local chapter of Toastmasters International.

Today, Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization which gives its members the opportunity to develop and improve their public speaking abilities through local club meetings, training seminars and speech contests. Toastmasters International includes more than 199,000 men and women in more than 9,300 clubs in more than 70 countries.

Experienced professionals and beginning speakers alike can benefit from our practical, face-to-face learning program. Whether you're speaking to the board of directors, your customers, your co-workers or your kids, Toastmasters can help you do it better. You'll learn and practice in a friendly, comfortable environment with people who are there for the same reason you are—to become better communicators.

At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. Our Toastmasters club, Speakers Forum, is made up of 10 to 15 people who meet alternate mondays for over an hour. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice conducting meetings, giving impromptu speeches, presenting prepared speeches, and offering constructive evaluation.

Speakers Forum has been in existence for over 60 years. We have members ranging from a few months to over fifteen years of membership. Because we are a small group, you will have many opportunities to speak and receive helpful feedback from experienced, award-winning speakers. You are invited to learn at your own pace.

Speakers Forum meets at the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board 844 N. Rush St., in the 9th floor Conference Center. We are located one block west of the Water Tower in Chicago.

Our meetings begin at 6:15 p.m. and may last until 7:45 p.m. We meet every other Monday. If Monday is a federal holiday we usually meet the following day (since 9/11). See Club Calendar for details. Call for December party meeting time and place.