How Rotary Came to Phillipsburg

On the morning of January 11 , 1918, James Williams, a field representative of Rotary International, visited John S. Correll, Secretary of the Easton, Pennsylvania Rotary Club. The possibilities of a Phillipsburg club that Phillipsburg could and should have a Rotary club. That same afternoon Messrs. William and Ide conferred with Thomas F. Murphy, a resident of Phillipsburg and a member of the Easton club, and requested Mr. Murphy to explore the possibilities. The result of Mr. Murphy's prompt action was that on January 14th, he with President Ide, met with a small group of Phillipsburg men, and again on January 18th with Secretary Correll present. An invitation to visit the Easton club was extended to those at this meeting, and on January 20th, Joseph Salandi , A. Leroy Williamson, Edward K. Williamson, James A. Tirrell, Harold J. Curry, and Frank J. Kingfield were introduced at Easton's noon meeting. One week later, January 27th, twenty men met with President Ide, Secretary Correll and Mr. Murphy. A decision was made to proceed with establishing the club. On February 3, 1938, at a meeting at the Elks Club, with Mr. Ide presiding, assisted by Secretary Correll, and with 26 in attendance, 19 signed the application for a charter from Rotary International. The Minutes of this meeting included the following: "After much discussion, a temporary chairman was appointed and the following officers elected: H.J. Curry, President; L.R.Dohm, Vice President; F.L.Walterd, Secretary; and R.VanSyckle,Treasurer." "There were also elected three directors for 1,2 and 3 years respectively: Ed K. Williamson. One year; Dr. John Cane, two years; and W.1. Dittmar, three years. The place for a regular meeting place was discussed and finally voted on. The Elks Club was chosen, the time would be 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday of each week and the price of the luncheon would be 60 cents." The first regular noon luncheon was held February 9, 1938 with 24 men present. The speaker was Prof. Carl V. Ziegler of Lafayette College, a member or the Easton Rotary Club. On February 16, 1938, the first address by a member of the club was given by Robert B. Meyner, a signer of the charter application, later to become Governor of the State of New Jersey. His topic was " Lincoln and Washington Patriots." The attendance al this meeting was 43. The first visit by District Governor, Chester A. Lydecker, was March 2, 1938. The club, No. 4621 , then in District 182, received its charter from the hand of District Governor Chester A. Lydecker at a dinner meeting March 30, 1938. The program was as follows: Call to Order  President H.J. Curry Salute to the Flag - American Invocation  Rev. Wm A. Gilfillan, St. Philip and St. James Catholic Church, Phillipsburg Introduction of Joseph A. Ide, President of Easton Rotary by E.K. Williamson, Chairman Dinner Introduction of Visiting Rotary Clubs Introduction of Guests Music by Wayfarers Quartet, Union, NJ Greetings - Samuel L. Shananman, Govemor, District 179 Address and Presentation of Charter. Chester A. Lydecker, Governor, District 182 Presentation to the new club were a Rotary Flag by the Washington Rotary Club, and American Flag by Belvidere, and a bell by Easton. Interest in the new club was indicated by the number of visitors. They came from Easton, Belvidere, Washington, Cedar Grove, Passaic, West Orange, Boonton, Englewood and Phoenixville, PA. The total attendance was 150. In those days, the cost of a ticket was only Sl.00 per person. We have enjoyed over sixty years of Rotary fellowship among ourselves, service to our Community and State, service that has extended beyond our national bounds. This Sixtieth Anniversary celebration can serve no better purpose than to cause us to look into the future, to continued and expanded activity in all fields of Rotary service, to meet in our personal, business and professional lives, the ethical standards that have made Rotary an international messenger of goodwill to all mankind