1936

The 12th National Spelling Bee took place on May 26th, 1936. It was held at the National Museum Auditorium in Washington, D.C., and 17 spellers participated.

Jean Trowbridge initially placed 2nd for “misspelling” the word “numskull,” but only after Bruce Ackerman spelled it “correctly” (numbskull) and spelled his would-have-been winning word, “gnome,” did the judges discover that her spelling was acceptable. She was reinstated and beat Bruce a few words later.

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About the 12th Bee

Champion

Jean Trowbridge

Stuart, Iowa

Jean Trowbridge, age 13, sponsored by The Des Moines Register & Tribune, won the $500 prize by correctly spelling the word “eczema.”

Jean married and became Jean Tyler. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. She died in 2020.

Location

National Museum Auditorium

Winning Word

eczema(n)

EK-suh-muh

an acute or chronic noncontagious inflammatory condition of the skin that is characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or lichenified and that is often associated with exposure to chemical or other irritants.

This word went from Greek to Latin.

OFFICIALS

Directors

Donald McWain

Pronouncers

  • Harold F. Harding

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Bruce Ackerman
  • MacNolia Cox
  • George W. Craigie Jr.
  • Catherine Davis
  • Charles Edwards Jr.
  • Elizabeth Gartland
  • Elizabeth Kenney
  • Kathleen Koger
  • June Anne MacKingham
  • Albina Pacekonis
  • Olive E. Pitkin
  • Doris Rubin
  • Mary Louise Schreffler
  • Doris Shinn
  • Trygve Tholfsen
  • Jean Trowbridge
  • Betty Zwingler

* Winner
** Runner-Up