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HISTORY
OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF
FOREWORD
The original history covering 1954 - 2002 was compiled and edited by N. Eugene McClintock during the Rotary Year 2001-2002.
This CD version, by William B. Bennett, used the booklet that was produced. All the pages were scanned and then converted to Microsoft Word. This type of document was chosen because it was felt that most users would have easy access.
For ease of reading most of the document uses a 12 point font. All multi-columns were converted to single. Rather than use the differing and often decorative mast headings of the Northern Cog a simple designator was chosen. The text is that as originally written with spelling and grammatical corrections as suggested by Word.
You will see many years where the only knowledge is that of the President for the year concerned. This does not mean that nothing was accomplished but only no records could be found. If anyone has anything that he/she feels should be included in this history please contact the current Club Services Director and/or Historian.
PROLOGUE
Before our club history can be presented a short presentation of Rotary International history is necessary. It will help in understanding why our club's organization and activities are established in a given manner.
What is Rotary?
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 1,219,532 Rotarians as members of 31,936 clubs in 166 countries. (The Rotarian - November 2004)
The mission of Rotary International is to assist and guide Rotarians and Rotary clubs to accomplish the Object of Rotary, to ensure Rotary's continuing relevance, and to help build a better world, emphasizing service activities by individuals and groups that enhance the quality of life and human dignity, encouraging high ethical standards, and creating greater understanding among all people to advance the search for peace in the world.
A Brief History
Rotary's first day and the years that followed...
The four businessmen didn't decide then and there to call themselves a Rotary club, but their get-together was, in fact, the first meeting of the world's first Rotary club. As they continued to meet, adding others to the group, they rotated their meetings among the members' places of business, hence the name. Soon after the club name was agreed upon, one of the new members suggested a wagon wheel design as the club emblem. It was the precursor of the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians around the world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30 members.
The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 half a continent away from
The name Rotary was chosen to reflect the custom, in the early days of the first Rotary Club in
Avenues of Service
Since 1927, the program of Rotary has been carried out on four Avenues of Service (originally called channels). These avenues - club service, vocational service, community service and international service - closely mirror the four parts of the Object of Rotary:
Club Service includes the scope of activities that Rotarians undertake in support of their club, such as serving on committees, proposing individuals for membership, and meeting attendance requirements.
Vocational Service focuses on the opportunity that Rotarians have to represent their professions as well as their efforts to promote vocational awareness and high ethical standards in business. For decades, Rotarians having been applying the "4-Way Test" to their business and personal relationships and in recent years, a "Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions" has given expression to their concern for ethical standards in the workplace. From offering career guidance in high schools, to seeking ways to improve conditions in the workplace, Rotarians and their clubs engage in many different kinds of vocational service.
Community Service includes the scope of activities which Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community. Many official Rotary programs are intended to meet community needs, whether it is to promote literacy, help the elderly or disabled, combat urban violence or provide opportunities for local youth.
International Service describes the activities which Rotarians undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace. The spread of Rotary clubs across the globe allows for the concerted Rotary support of humanitarian efforts worldwide.
(In the Rotary Club of North Colorado Springs, we took some of the responsibilities of the club service directorate, added some member development activities and responsibilities and made a fifth avenue of service - Member Service Directorate. The president-elect traditionally directs this area of service.)
Mottos
The enthusiasm with which Rotarians embraced the ideal of service is evidenced by Rotary's principal motto, "Service Above Self" and its other official precept, "He Profits Most Who Serves Best." The roots of both of these adages, adopted as official mottos at the 1950 RI Convention, can be traced back to the first decade of Rotary's existence, when "He profits most who serves his fellows best and Service not self were both put forth as slogans. In 1989, the RI Council on Legislation designated "Service above Self" as the principal motto.
The Rotary Emblem
Rotary's first emblem was a simple wagon wheel (in motion with dust) representing civilization and movement. Montague Bear, a member of the
In 1922, authority was given to create and preserve an official emblem, and the following year the present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes was adopted. A keyway was added to signify that the wheel was a "worker and not an idler." At the RI Convention in 1929, royal blue and gold were chosen as the official colors.
The
Although this article was published in a 2002 issue of the Northern Cog it best describes how this important avenue in Rotarian ways was established.
Letter to the editor copied from the
Rotary standard is ideal
It is a shame that the managers at Enron, Global Crossing and the many other companies that have been less than truthful in their financial reporting did not follow the example of Herb Taylor, a Chicago businessman who, in 1932, took over Club Aluminum Products, a bankrupt company whose liabilities exceeded it's assets by $400,000.
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
In the following 20 years, the firm paid its debts, paid stockholders more than $1 million in dividends and had a value of more that $2 million. According to
In 1943, Rotary International made the test part of its ideal of Vocational Service. Today, some 30,000 Rotary clubs around the world subscribe to the principles of the Four Way Test. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all organizations were to apply these simple tests to all they say and do?
H. Michael Hayes - Westminster
Rotary Foundation
The objective of the Foundation of Rotary International is the achievement of world understanding and peace through international, charitable and educational programs. Arch Krumph, the sixth President of Rotary International, recognized that those worthy objectives could not be attained unless the members of Rotary worldwide united as one in the funding of projects to meet those goals. President Krumph provided the "vehicle" to be used in the distribution of funds intended to bring about world understanding and peace.
The Rotary Foundation was established in 1917 when President Krumph convinced those in attendance at the International Convention of the need for an endowment for "doing good in the world" in charitable, educational and other avenues of service. After the 1918 Convention in
Nothing much happened until after the death of Paul Harris in 1947. After the death of Paul Harris; D. D. Monroe, the first and only R. I. Director from District #5470, challenged all Rotarians to give $10 each in honor of and in recognition of Paul Harris' contribution to mankind. More money was raised in 1947 than was raised in the previous thirty years.
Group Study Exchange
The Group Exchange Team is one of the many activities sponsored by the Rotary Foundation. Its purpose is to select highly qualified young business and professional men (since 1989 women are eligible to be members of the GSE team) to go as a group on an exchange basis in a foreign country, there to study for a limited time the activities of corresponding business and professions. They live with Rotarians while they are there so they come closer to the actual life of the country they visit. The Club has continued, on an annual basis, to participate in the District Sponsored GSE Team Program.
Rotary Fellowships
The Club has also been actively involved with other clubs in the District in the nomination and selection of qualified students as recipients of Rotary Fellowships paid for from the Foundation. The Rotary "Fellow" (since 1989 women are eligible) is sent abroad for a period of one year to carry on his studies in a foreign educational institution. During this time he usually lives with a Rotary Family. Thousands of young men and women from all countries where there are Rotary Clubs have participated in this great program.
World Understanding
World Understanding Week is observed, annually, by the Rotary Clubs in the Pikes Peak Area. Planning and conduct of the meeting is shared by all clubs and the club presidents preside at the meeting on a rotating basis. Students enrolled in the area high schools and colleges are guests at the meeting.
Rotary's involvement in World Understanding began in 1910 when the first Rotary outside the
"RotaryAnns - The History of the Name"
Way back in 1912, The Rotary Convention was held in
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