896 documents
782/896 results        
Print
printID843
Full referenceRotary: The Remarkable Organization which Celebrated its Anniversary this Week (1922)
TypeJournal article
TitleRotary: The Remarkable Organization which Celebrated its Anniversary this Week
Year1922
JournalNorth China Herald
Date publication1922
LanguageEnglish
KeywordsRotary; club; organization; transnational; network; elite; Shanghai; anniversary; history; membership; profession; community; convention; service; companionship; information; knowledge; meeting; speech; magazine; rotation; ethics; standards; motto; statis
Abstract

The article took the opportunity of the 17th anniversary to trace the history of the Rotary since its founding in Chicago in 1905, its expansion throughout the world, its mott, the ethics and the principles that guided its membership and actions. 

[Full text]

Rotary Clubs all over the world on Wednesday celebrated the 17th anniversary of this unique organization. 

Rotary had its beginning in 1905 when four men met in a Chicago office building. What brought these men together was the longing of one man for companionship. He was a lawyer and he called in a coal dealer, a coal operator and a merchant tailor. His purpose was to start an unnamed club which should have for its object a closer personal acquaintance among its members each of whom, as the members grew, should be selected from a business or profession which was not already represented. 

The name "Rotary" was decided upon because the members of the new club had been in the habit of holding their meetings in "rotation" in the places of business of the different members. As "Rotation Club" was somewhat inapt, they decided upon to adopt a short form and call it a "Rotary Club". 

Why the Limited Membership

There is an inflexible rule in Rotary that the membership shall be made up of men of different businesses and professions. such an arrangement ensures the fullest representation of the community, while, at the same time, it is impossible for the membership to become so large and unwieldy as to make difficult the promotion of friendship among members. this limited membership enables each business and professional man to have a more sympathetic understanding of the other businesses and professions represented and gives him suggestions and information otherwise difficult to obtain. 

The Rotary platform is a concise statement of the principles and ethics guiding and actuatin all Rotary Clubs. "The Rotary Club" demands fair dealing, honest methods, and high standards in business", s the theme of this platform, and its last sentence which reads "Service above self - He profits most who seves best" has been adopted as the motto of the Club. 

Within a year a membership of 50 was reached. As the time came for each to act the host, he gave a discourse on his own business so that his guests might learn something worth while regarding it, and thus broaden their own knowledge concerning various businesses outside their own. This plan of meeting from place to place was kept up until the membership became so large that its continuance was unpracticable. 

Spreading to other cities

In 1908, San Francisco, having heard of the Chicago Rotary Club, patterned one after it. This in turn was rapidly followed by others. Eventually the NAtional Board of Commissions representing 14 Clubs held the first National Convention at Chicago in August 1910. At that time the term "National Association of Rotary Clubs" was adopted, but at the 1912 convention it was changed to "International" in recognition of a Canadian Club represented. Forty clubs were represented at the convention when a cable was received from London asking for a charter. Last year the Convention was held in Edinburgh. 

By 1916 the number of Clubs had increased to more than 250 with 27,000 members. Now there are 1,056 Clubs scattered over the earth in the United States of America, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, Port Rico, Panama, Hawaii, Philippines, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand and China. Membership is approximately 76,000. 

The total number of Clubs in the British Isles is about 40 with a membership of over 4,500. 

There 74 members of the local Rotary Club, 65 of whom are American, five are British and four are Chinese. 

Headquarters

These are in Chicago where the voluminous business connected with the operations of 1,056 clubs is handled. Here also is edited "The Rotarian" the official monthly Rotary Magazine which is sent to each member of every Club. 

Note

North China Herald, Feb 25, 1922. 

 

file attachment

NCDN_RotaryTransnationalExpansion_25Feb1922.pdf (79.8 ko)

or read document on line in a new window

782/896 results        
Last update: Sunday 3 March 2024 (03:13) +
Page rendering in 0.025s