1955

The 28th Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee took place on May 19th, 1955. It was held at the Department of Commerce Auditorium in Washington, D.C., and 62 spellers participated.

After winning the Bee, Sandra Sloss went to the White House to meet President Eisenhower, who asked her to spell “syzygy,” the word that eliminated him when he competed as a youth. She spelled it correctly without hesitation!

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About the 28th Bee

Champion

Sandra Sloss

Granite City, Illinois

Sandra Sloss, age 13, sponsored by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, won the $500 prize by correctly spelling the word “crustaceology.”

Sandra married and became Sandra Sloss Giedeman. She is the author of “In This Hour,” a poetry collection. She is a former bookstore owner, magazine editor and tech writer.

Location

Department of Commerce Auditorium

Winning Word

crustaceology(n)

kruh-stay-shee-AHL-uh-jee

a branch of zoology that treats of animals of a class of marine or freshwater arthropods.

This word is from Latin and Greek parts.

OFFICIALS

Directors

Charles Schneider

Judges

  • William Harold Martin
  • Mrs. Wilford L. White
  • Dr. Belmont Farley

Pronouncers

  • Benson S. Alleman

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Patricia Anderson
  • Marty Arnaudet
  • Barbara Ann Bowling
  • Areve Brachman
  • Eva Burdick
  • Sandra Buster
  • Beatrice Cameron
  • Michael Cashore
  • Frank G. Collyer
  • Jean Copeland
  • Carol Crosswhite
  • Eileen Danies
  • Robert Boyce Early
  • Frederic Frawley
  • John Deavenport Glenn, Jr.
  • Clyde Gregory
  • Barbara Grevsky
  • Celina Griego
  • Karin E. Hart
  • Jimmy Hickman
  • Jane Lee Hickman
  • Robert Higgins
  • Mary Ella Hunt
  • Susan Hurd
  • Bill Kelley
  • Naomi Klein
  • Linnea Koljonen
  • Harriet Krigsman
  • Janice Ledden
  • Joan Leonard
  • Gloria Lockerman
  • Lawrence Lockwood, Jr.
  • Robert E. McMahan
  • Roger Mehle
  • Daniel Morin
  • Judy Morrison
  • Linda Nelson
  • George F. Oerther, Jr.
  • Linda Owens
  • Teddy Paladino
  • James L. Park
  • Suzanne Evelyn Payne
  • Faye Pike
  • Ted Pinson, Jr.
  • Michael Porter
  • Linda Lee Price
  • Robert Rosenberg
  • Linda Roubalik
  • Rose Mary Sanders
  • James L. Sherry
  • Sandra Sloss
  • Judy Smith
  • Carol Snyder
  • Wayne Stephenson
  • Thomas Stone
  • Linda Kay Stone
  • Elmer B. Sweet, Jr.
  • Judy Tarr
  • John L. Tracy
  • Lucy Tyson
  • Patricia Uselton
  • Patricia Walker

* Winner
** Runner-Up