8th Scripps National Spelling Bee

The 8th National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C. on June 7, 1932, sponsored by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.

8th National Spelling Bee
DateJune 7, 1932
LocationNational Museum in Washington, D.C.
WinnerDorothy Greenwald
Age13[1]
ResidenceMuscatine, Iowa
SponsorThe Des Moines Register and Tribune
Sponsor locationDes Moines, Iowa
Winning wordinvulnerable
No. of contestants19[1]
PronouncerCharles E. Hill and Robert L. Haycock[1]
Preceded by7th Scripps National Spelling Bee
Followed by9th Scripps National Spelling Bee

The winner was 13-year-old Dorothy Greenwald, of Muscatine, Iowa, with the word "invulnerable". Greenwald was a return contestant who had placed 17th the prior year.[2]

Kenneth Cecil of Kentucky took second place, falling on "interchangeably", followed by Wilma Pyle of Detroit.[1][3][4]

Nineteen contestants competed this year, and 667 words were used. Charles E. Hill, dean of George Washington University, and Robert L. Haycock, assistant superintendent for public schools in Washington, served as pronouncers, alternating for thirty-minute shifts.[1][5]

The last hour of the contest was broadcast by radio.[5]

The prize for first place was $1000, followed by $500 for second place, and $250 for third; the following year the effects of the Great Depression led to the grand prize being cut in half.[2][3]

Greenwald (married name Schultz) graduated from Muscatine High School in 1936 and attended Muscatine Junior College for a time. She died in Muscatine on September 2, 2008.[6]

References
  1. (16 June 1932). Iowa Girl Is Crowned New Spelling Champ, Angola Record (Angola, New York), p. 1, col. 5
  2. Maguire, James. American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds, p. 71 (2006)
  3. (8 June 1932). Des Moines Girl Wins National Spelling Bee, Lewistown Daily Sun (Associated Press story)
  4. (16 June 1932). Iowa Girl Wins Spelling Bee, Evening Independent (with photo of top three winners)
  5. (5 June 1932). National Spelling Bee From Washington, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
  6. Dorothy Schultz (obituary), Funeral home website, Retrieved 26 January 2018
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