Gideons Timeline: Highlights

1899 – Samuel Hill, John Nicholson and William Knights form an association of Christian
            traveling salesmen
1899 – Association named The Gideons and the official emblem designed
1900 – First publication of The Gideon magazine
1901 – Auxiliary formed for wives of Gideons
1908 – First hotel Bibles placed
1910 – Church presentations begun
1911 – Canadian Gideons organized on a formal, national level
1911 – First hotel Bibles placed in Canada at King Edward Hotel, Toronto
1913 – First international convention of Gideons held in Toronto
1918 – First hospital Bibles placed in Canada at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario
1923 – Auxiliary organized in Canada for wives of Gideons
1927 – First Bibles provided by Canadian Gideons internationally – King David Hotel,
           Jerusalem
1933 – First Bibles placed in Canadian correctional institutions
1936 – First Bibles in Canadian public schools
1938 – Bibles placed on Trans Canada Airlines
1939 – Scriptures placed in army camps
1941 – Personal Testament distribution to armed forces approved
1946 – Grade 5 student personal distributions begin
1949 – Gideons International now organized in forty-three countries
1949 – New Testaments given to student nurses
1957 – University distribution of personal New Testaments begins
1958 – First Bibles placed in medical and dental offices
1968 – Gideon Scripture taken into space on Apollo 8
1972 – First distributions to college students
1973 – French Scriptures produced for Québec
1974 – Collection of Memorial and Sympathy cards (SOW Bible Plan) unveiled
1976 – Nurse Testament program begins
1978 – First International Scripture Blitz
1982 – First sidewalk distributions to youth begins
2008 – Testament Insert Program with local churches initiated
2008 – Gideon Expressions card collection unveiled for easy donor use
2011 – Association celebrates its 100th anniversary
2012 – Association amends definition of membership to be:
            "Christian men and women of all vocations"