The Slug and Lettuce (CC4)
A lot of us (maybe about half) have been secretly wondering about how TM would be if women weren’t allowed to join. These days, there are very few places women aren’t allowed anymore, unlike the old days.
Years ago, women were understood to hold a different position in society to men, that is they stayed at home and reared the children. When Ralph Smedley started Toastmasters, women still understood their limits, and left the important stuff to men.
Now few might know it, but originally TM was only for men. You see, for Ralph, Thurs nights was his favourite night out with the guys. Not usually, his wife took exception to his only bit of freedom left and sought to curtail it. Why women do this has always been a mystery, I do have some theories on the subject but in another speech.
In fact, originally TM was entirely conducted in an establishment called the Slug and Lettuce, a renowned gentleman’s retreat within walking distance of Ralphs place. Over time, Ralph’s wife, Ethel, took more and more exception to Ralph’s Thursday nights with the guys, such that eventually Ralph began making up reasons why these nights were so important for him. Reasons like a beer with the mates simply don’t wash with women, although for men, that’s logical reasoning.
In his desire to come up with something acceptable from a woman point of view, Ralph started off by saying he needed to network for business purposes. Not being gainfully employed, that soon developed into self-development. But what kind of self-development can you do at a place like the Slug? Ralph and his mates spent a lot of the evening toasting all and sundry before starting a new round, so much so that they developed it into a fine art. A club to learn how to Toast.
When Ralph began expounding to Ethel about the virtues of his virtual creation, Toastmaster’s Club, unsurprisingly Ethel didn’t buy it. But she has no facts at her disposal to argue against it.
For weeks Ethel privately stewed and was powerless to prevent Ralph from his Thursday evenings out at the Slug. Then Ethel came up with a brilliant idea.
One Friday morning she turned to Ralph, still sleeping off the effects of a heavy night at Toastmasters, and said “You know, Ralph, I’ve been thinking. I would also like to learn public speaking. I think I’ll join your club and come with you next Thursday.
Now imagine. Ralph was half asleep, he had a splitting headache and a severe hangover, so he made a mistake us toastmasters have regretted ever since. He said to his wife, certainly honey, women are welcome at TM.
A mistake we’re still paying for today.
Ralph began paying immediately for that mistake. You can imagine the efforts Ralph had to go to to get his mates to cooperate. The next week was a busy one. But by Thursday he still wasn’t ready, so he said to ethel, “Did I say every Thursday? I meant every second Thursday”.
The rest, as they say, is history, .. to accommodate the new mixed gender clientele, the Slug changed its name to Café 41, women began going to university, and even began running for president….
Years ago, women were understood to hold a different position in society to men, that is they stayed at home and reared the children. When Ralph Smedley started Toastmasters, women still understood their limits, and left the important stuff to men.
Now few might know it, but originally TM was only for men. You see, for Ralph, Thurs nights was his favourite night out with the guys. Not usually, his wife took exception to his only bit of freedom left and sought to curtail it. Why women do this has always been a mystery, I do have some theories on the subject but in another speech.
In fact, originally TM was entirely conducted in an establishment called the Slug and Lettuce, a renowned gentleman’s retreat within walking distance of Ralphs place. Over time, Ralph’s wife, Ethel, took more and more exception to Ralph’s Thursday nights with the guys, such that eventually Ralph began making up reasons why these nights were so important for him. Reasons like a beer with the mates simply don’t wash with women, although for men, that’s logical reasoning.
In his desire to come up with something acceptable from a woman point of view, Ralph started off by saying he needed to network for business purposes. Not being gainfully employed, that soon developed into self-development. But what kind of self-development can you do at a place like the Slug? Ralph and his mates spent a lot of the evening toasting all and sundry before starting a new round, so much so that they developed it into a fine art. A club to learn how to Toast.
When Ralph began expounding to Ethel about the virtues of his virtual creation, Toastmaster’s Club, unsurprisingly Ethel didn’t buy it. But she has no facts at her disposal to argue against it.
For weeks Ethel privately stewed and was powerless to prevent Ralph from his Thursday evenings out at the Slug. Then Ethel came up with a brilliant idea.
One Friday morning she turned to Ralph, still sleeping off the effects of a heavy night at Toastmasters, and said “You know, Ralph, I’ve been thinking. I would also like to learn public speaking. I think I’ll join your club and come with you next Thursday.
Now imagine. Ralph was half asleep, he had a splitting headache and a severe hangover, so he made a mistake us toastmasters have regretted ever since. He said to his wife, certainly honey, women are welcome at TM.
A mistake we’re still paying for today.
Ralph began paying immediately for that mistake. You can imagine the efforts Ralph had to go to to get his mates to cooperate. The next week was a busy one. But by Thursday he still wasn’t ready, so he said to ethel, “Did I say every Thursday? I meant every second Thursday”.
The rest, as they say, is history, .. to accommodate the new mixed gender clientele, the Slug changed its name to Café 41, women began going to university, and even began running for president….
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