Rotary's Onward March

Posted by Ray Ruth 
on Feb 10, 2011
 
The history of Rotary spans one of the most turbulent, albeit the most significant, periods of man's history.  Even though this outline of Rotary events, within the space limitations, is short and incomplete, the record is an astonishing one - in growth, in development of principles, and in achievement.  Here is a chronological listing of Rotary highlights against a background of significant world news events.  I will do this over a period of time from 1905 to 1959
 

1909

Rotary club Number 3 organized at Oakland, California, U.S.A..; the first club to hold weekly luncheon meetings regularly.

Additional clubs organized in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City and Boston.

Peary discovered North Pole after eight trials in twenty-three years.

Radio used for first time in rescue at sea, when wireless operator of the S.S. Republic sent "CQD" (before "SOS"), saving all but six passengers.

1910

Wide interest manifested in new service club idea.  Year marked organization of 16 existing clubs into a united body: The National Association of Rotary Clubs.

Rotary "principles" adopted in form of five objectives, subsequently changed from year to year until 1921 when a new objective was adopted "to emphasize the international influence of Rotary," forerunner of Rotary's fourth avenue of service.

Rotary becam international when a club was organized in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Boy Scouts of America formed by union of Woodcraft Indians and Sons of Daniel Boone, an extension of an idea originated in 1903 in England, by Sir Robert Baden-Powell.

1911

Rotary idea spanned the Atlantic when clubs were organized in Dublin, London and Belfast.

The National Rotarian was born, forerunner of the The Rotarian in English (1912) and the Spanish edition Revista Rotaria (1933)

At the Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., convention, the phrase "He profits most who serves the best" was added to tyhe "Rotary Platform," later to become Rotary's official motto.

Norwegian explorer, Captain Roald Amundsen, discovered South Pole.