1970

The 43rd Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee took place on June 4th, 1970. It was held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., and 74 spellers participated.

This year’s Finals concluded after a spelling duel in which Libby Childress, the winner, and Tom Moe Jr. correctly spelled nine words each before the latter made a costly mistake.

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About the 43rd Bee

Champion

Libby Childress

Mount Airy, North Carolina

Libby Childress, age 14, sponsored by the Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel, won the $1,000 prize by correctly spelling the word “croissant.”

Libby married and became Libby Childress Poot. She attended Wake Forest University and moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Location

Mayflower Hotel

at the Grand Ballroom

Winning Word

croissant(n)

kruh-SANT

a rich crescent-shaped roll.

This word came from French, which formed it from a Latin word.

OFFICIALS

Directors

James H. Wagner

Pronouncers

  • Dr. Richard R. Baker

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Judy Annand
  • Laurie Asseo
  • Marilyn Bacarella
  • Sarah Lynn Bane
  • Marian Barber
  • Alfred Bevak
  • Roberta Bogner
  • Bethany Rae Boyd
  • David Brickman
  • Cheryl Buchmuller
  • Carol Bunch
  • Robinette Caldwell
  • Maura Carroll
  • Ann Chao
  • Kim Charloupka
  • John E. Chiasson
  • Libby Childress
  • Kathy Collmer
  • Sam H. Crawford
  • Cynthia Crusham
  • Barry Daub
  • Leslie Dewaard
  • Antoinette Didato
  • Tracy Dillard
  • Dale Farrar
  • Michael Fiacco
  • Melanie Freczko
  • Debbie Froh
  • Edgar Givhan III
  • Mary Elizabeth Graham
  • Catherine Gubash
  • Alexis Howard
  • John Hudson
  • Carol Sue Humphrey
  • Sharon Jennings
  • Joyce Jones
  • Robert Judge
  • Tina Katayama
  • Billy Kenney
  • Gary Krigsman
  • Margery Lampson
  • Karlton K. T. Lau
  • Leslie Ann Liebeno
  • Ida Lujan
  • Mary Jo McCarthy
  • Terry McCarthy
  • Philip D. McPherson
  • William B. Millard
  • Laurie Miller
  • Vickie Mitchell
  • Tom Moe Jr.
  • Cora Lou Montgomery
  • Martin Moore
  • Charles Morgret
  • Becky Murr
  • Sandra Murr
  • Gerald Owsley
  • Nancy Palmer
  • Richard Popp
  • Karen Pushmaw
  • Kevin Riggs
  • Richard F. Rothwarf
  • Elaine Ruffin
  • Renee Ruska
  • Sylvia Sandoval
  • Michael Schulder
  • Stephan Slusher
  • James M. Stoner
  • Anne Jean Tom
  • James Wald
  • John T. Walsh
  • Lawrence Wichlinski
  • Mary Beth Zaleski
  • David Zill

* Winner
** Runner-Up