The 23rd Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee took place on May 26th, 1950. It was held at the National Press Club Auditorium in Washington, D.C., and 50 spellers participated.

Diana Reynard and Colquitt Dean were the first co-champions in Scripps National Spelling Bee history! They refused to misspell, although Colquitt was nearly eliminated had the judges not discoverd his acceptable spelling of “ferule.” The officials exhausted all three of their supplementary word lists before ending the competition with a tie.