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EARLY OREGON TOASTMASTERS - PART 3
by Harvey Schowe, DTM - District 7 Historian
Claude Funston Studios. Claude Palmer was innovative in
Palmer was a charter creating the first model and photography
member of Portland agency in the Pacific Northwest. He used live
Toastmasters Club. The club chartered April 17, models for advertising photography from
1935. How long Claude Palmer was a member infants to elderly people. He heavily used 8
of Portland Toastmasters remains unknown. X 10 photos for his industrial and advertising
He was born May 16, 1899 in Kingman, Kansas. photography.
His father, a local newspaper editor, died During the 1930s and 1940s he continued
during his early childhood and the family as president of Photo Art Commercial Studio.
moved to Portland, Oregon. His interest in He was involved in civic activities. He gave
photography began after receiving a box speeches and taught photography classes.
camera as a gift. At age 13, he held a job deliv- Perhaps his heavy involvement in civic activities
ering for a photography supply company. His was the reason he joined Toastmasters in the fall
fascination with photography lead to starting
a photography business. He purchased Arleta of 1934. He won the 1941 Portland Chamber of
Studio at age 15. It necessitated him quitting Commerce award for bringing in new members.
Washington High school. He completed his One of them was Frank McCaslin, a Portland
high school education with night classes that Toastmasters Club
included college extension courses. charter member.
The studio burned down in 1918. He On May 12, 1945,
then worked as a salesman for the Pike he delivered a
Oneill Company before being inducted speech on uses
into the Army during World War I. After his of photography
discharge from the military, Claude attended in war indus-
Oregon Agricultural College or Oregon State tries during the
University, majoring in commerce and jour- launching of the
nalism. During college he worked as a college SS Union Victory
reporter for the Oregonian newspaper. In at the Oregon Ship
1922, he won second place in an industrial Building Company
news writing contest. Other college activities yard.
included; reporter and military editor for After the war,
the student newspaper Barometer, Editor of he delivered an
the 1922 Beaver Year Book, and articles for address at the 1946 Photographers Association
campus humorous publication Orange Owl. Convention in Chicago. He served as Oregon
He held the position of Lieutenant-Colonel State University Alumni Association presi-
in the ROTC program. Student offices held dent in October 1948. Lynn Sabin, Portland
were student assembly and Student Council Toastmasters charter member, was a member
secretary. He became a member of the YMCA.
After graduating, he married and worked of this association. One of Claude Palmer’s
for Eastman Kodak Company. In May 1924, employees was chief cameraman Ray Atkinson,
he became a member of the newly organized who resigned April 1946. Ray Atkinson
Photographers Association. He served as the later became one of Oregon’s most famous
secretary-treasurer and first editor of their photographers.
newsletter. In 1925, Claude started a photog- In 1952, Claude was appointed as a director
raphy business called Photo Art Commercial for the Portland Chamber of Commerce and
34 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 JULY, 2017
