--- description: On May 27 and 28, 2015, the nation's best young spellers continue a tradition that began in 1925. title: When the National Spelling Bee Returned From Its Wartime Hiatus image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a13065fdff841a2/6987ef730b72e3435e6e2026/150512-spelling-bee-06.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Education](/tag/education/) ## Education Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # When the National Spelling Bee Returned From Its Wartime Hiatus  by [Eliza Berman](/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 28, 2015 12:00 PM CUT  A contestant appears to be pondering a tough word or lamenting a missed opportunity. A contestant appears to be pondering a tough word or lamenting a missed opportunity.Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  by [Eliza Berman](/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 28, 2015 12:00 PM CUT Like many other nonessential activities, the Scripps National Spelling Bee took a hiatus during World War II as energy and resources were directed toward the war effort. When the competition returned in 1946, LIFE dispatched a photographer to capture the contest. Though the photographs were never published, historical records state that the Bee that year was held in Des Moines, Iowa, and its champion was John McKinney, who correctly spelled the word “semaphore” (noun, French origin, [definition](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american%5Fenglish/semaphore "undefined"): “a system of sounding messages by holding the arms or two flags or poles in certain positions according to an alphabetic code”). This year’s bee will be held May 27 and 28\. The words appear to have increased in difficulty over time — _therapy_, _initials_ and _dulcimer_ in the 1940s compared to _appoggiatura_, _guetapens_ and _feuilleton_ in the last decade — but the contestants’ expressions of puzzlement, exasperation and triumph are timeless. _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@lizabethronk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk "undefined")_._  A contestant at the National Spelling Bee in 1946 ponders a word. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Preparing for the 1946 National Spelling Bee. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Practicing tough words in advance of the spelling bee, Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Practicing tough words in advance of the spelling bee, Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  The audience looks on as contestants attempt various words. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  A contestant appears to be pondering a tough word or lamenting a missed opportunity. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  The audience looks on at the National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Competing spellers at the National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  A contestant receives attention from the press. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Triumphant contestants at the National Spelling Bee, 1946. Walter B. Lane—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3856046/spelling-bee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3856046/spelling-bee/"},"headline":"When the National Spelling Bee Returned From Its Wartime Hiatus","datePublished":"2015-05-28T12:00:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:04:01.774Z","description":"On May 27 and 28, 2015, the nation's best young spellers continue a tradition that began in 1925","url":"https://time.com/3856046/spelling-bee/","keywords":["Education","photography","1946","LIFE Magazine"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a13065fdff841a2/6987ef730b72e3435e6e2026/150512-spelling-bee-06.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliza Berman","jobTitle":"Berman is a senior editor at TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a13065fdff841a2/6987ef730b72e3435e6e2026/150512-spelling-bee-06.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"National Spelling Bee 1946","caption":"National Spelling Bee 1946","creditText":"Walter B. 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