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Copyright
© 2003 Rotary International |
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How do you describe
the organization called “Rotary”? There are so many characteristics of a
Rotary club as well as the activities of a million Rotarians. There are
the features of service, internationality, fellowship, classifications of
each vocation, development of goodwill and world understanding, the
emphasis of high ethical standards, concern for other people, and many
more.
In 1976, the Rotary
International Board of Directors was interested in creating a concise
definition of the fundamental aspects of Rotary. They turned to the three
men who were then serving on RI’s Public Relations Committee and requested
that a one-sentence definition of Rotary be prepared. After numerous
drafts, the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever
since in various Rotary publications:
“Rotary is an
organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who
provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all
vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.”
Those 31 words are
worth remembering when someone asks, “What is a Rotary club?”
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An official flag was
formally adopted by Rotary International at the 1929 RI Convention in
Dallas, Texas, USA. The Rotary flag consists of a white field with the
official wheel emblem emblazoned in gold in the center of the field. The
four depressed spaces on the rim of the Rotary wheel are colored royal
blue. The words “Rotary” and “International” printed at the top and bottom
depressions on the wheel rim are also gold. The shaft in the hub and the
keyway of the wheel are white.
The first official
Rotary flag reportedly was flown in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in January
1915. In 1922, a small Rotary flag was carried over the South Pole by
Admiral Richard Byrd, a member of the Rotary Club of Winchester, Virginia,
USA. Four years later, the admiral carried a Rotary flag in his expedition
to the North Pole.
Some Rotary clubs use
the official Rotary flag as a banner at club meetings. In these instances,
it is appropriate to print the words “Rotary Club” above the wheel symbol
and the name of the city, state, or nation below the emblem.
The Rotary flag is
always prominently displayed at the World Headquarters as well as at all
conventions and official events of Rotary International.
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A wheel has been the
symbol of Rotary since our earliest days. The first design was made by
Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel,
with a few lines to show dust and motion. The wheel was said to illustrate
“Civilization and Movement.” Most of the early clubs had some form of
wagon wheel on their publications and letterheads. Finally, in 1922, it
was decided that all Rotary clubs should adopt a single design as the
exclusive emblem of Rotarians.
Thus, in 1923, the
present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes was adopted by the Rotary
International Association. A group of engineers advised that the gear
wheel was mechanically unsound and would not work without a “keyway” in
the center of the gear to attach it to a power shaft. So, in 1923, the
keyway was added, and the design which we now know was formally adopted as
the official Rotary International emblem.
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Many Rotarians
consider the Secretariat simply another name for the RI World Headquarters
in Evanston, Illinois, USA. Actually, it is much more. While it does
include the World Headquarters, the Secretariat encompasses more than 600
individuals working to make Rotary International run smoothly and
effectively. The term describes the entire operations of the general
secretary and his staff. The Secretariat also includes seven RI
International Offices (formerly called service centers) around the world,
all of the staff serving in those offices, as well as all staff assigned
to The Rotary Foundation. Its sole purpose is to serve the clubs,
districts, and administrative officers of Rotary International and The
Rotary Foundation. RI World Headquarters, in a building called One Rotary
Center in Evanston, is the headquarters of the Secretariat.
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The first Rotary
club meeting was in Chicago, Illinois, on 23 February 1905.
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The first regular
luncheon meetings were in Oakland, California, chartered in 1909.
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The first Rotary
Convention was in Chicago in 1910.
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The first Rotary
club outside of the United States was chartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada, in 1910.
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The first Rotary
club outside of North America was chartered in Dublin, Ireland, in 1911.
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The first Rotary
club in a non-English-speaking country was in Havana, Cuba, in 1916.
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The first Rotary
club in South America was chartered in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1918.
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The first Rotary
club in Asia was chartered in Manila, Philippines, in 1919.
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The first Rotary
club in Africa was chartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1921.
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The first Rotary
club in Australia was chartered in Melbourne in 1921.
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In some areas of the
world, weekly Rotary club meetings begin with all members standing and
reciting the Object of Rotary. This statement, which comes from the
constitution of Rotary, is frequently seen on a wall plaque in Rotarians’
offices or places of business.
The Object of Rotary
is “to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy
enterprise.” The statement then lists four areas by which this “ideal of
service” is fostered: through the development of acquaintance as the
opportunity for service; the promotion of high ethical standards in
business and professions; through service in one’s personal, business, and
community life; and the advancement of international understanding,
goodwill, and peace.
Object of Rotary has
not always been expressed in this manner. The original constitution of
1906 had three objects: promotion of business interests, promotion of good
fellowship, and the advancement of the best interests of the community. By
1910, Rotary had five objects as increased emphasis was given to expanding
Rotary. By 1915, there were six objects. In 1918, the objects were
rewritten again and reduced to four. Four years later, they had again
grown to six and were revised again in 1927.
Finally, at the 1935
Mexico City convention, the six objects were restated and reduced to four.
The last major change came in 1951 when the objects were streamlined and
changed to a single object, which has four parts.
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The first motto of
Rotary International, He Profits Most Who Serves Best, was approved at the
second Rotary Convention, held in Portland, Oregon, USA, in August 1911.
The phrase was first stated by a Chicago Rotarian, Art Sheldon, who made a
speech in 1910 that included the remark, “He profits most who serves his
fellows best.” At about the same time, Ben Collins, president of the
Rotary Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, commented that the proper way
to organize a Rotary club was through the principle his club had adopted —
Service, Not Self. These two slogans, slightly modified, were formally
approved to be the official mottoes of Rotary at the 1950 convention in
Detroit — He Profits Most Who Serves Best and Service Above Self. The 1989
Council on Legislation established Service Above Self as the principal
motto of Rotary, since it best explains the philosophy of unselfish
volunteer service.
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Regular attendance is
essential to a strong and active Rotary club. The emphasis on attendance
is traced back to 1922 when Rotary International announced a worldwide
attendance contest that motivated thousands of Rotarians to achieve 100
percent attendance year after year. Many Rotarians take great pride in
maintaining their 100 percent record in their own club or by making up at
other Rotary club meetings.
Although the bylaws
of Rotary require members to attend only 60 percent of all meetings, the
custom has emerged in many clubs that 100 percent is the desirable level.
Rotary stresses regular attendance because each member represents his or
her own business or profession and thus the absence of any member deprives
the club of the values of its diversified membership and the personal
fellowship of each member. Club directors may determine appropriate
reasons for excusing absences. From time to time, proposals have been made
to give attendance credit for various reasons or to lower the minimum
requirement, but such attempts have not been adopted by the Council on
Legislation.
In 2001, the Council
approved the creation of a New Models Rotary Clubs pilot project to
develop up to 200 new clubs that were more responsive to the needs of
younger professionals. The new models clubs are allowed to operate outside
the Standard Rotary Club Constitution and Bylaws. Many of these clubs have
altered their meeting frequency and relaxed attendance requirements. If
the pilot clubs prove successful, the 2004 Council on Legislation could
adopt policies making these innovations permanent.
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One of the most
widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is
The 4-Way Test. It was created by Rotarian Herbert I. Taylor in 1932 when
he was asked to take charge of the Chicago-based Club Aluminum Company,
which was facing bankruptcy Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling
company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a
24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and
professional lives. The 4-Way Test became the guide for sales, production,
advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the
survival of the company was credited to this simple philosophy.
Herb Taylor became
president of Rotary International during 1954-55. The 4-Way Test was
adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than 100
languages and published in thousands of ways. The message should be known
and followed by all Rotarians. “Of the things we think, say or do: 1. Is
it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL
and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”
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Was Paul Harris the
first president of a Rotary club? No.
Was Paul Harris the
first president of Rotary International? Yes.
There is an easy
explanation to this apparent contradiction. Although Paul Harris was the
founder and organizer of the first Rotary club in Chicago in 1905, the man
selected to be the first president was one of the other founding members,
Silvester Schiele.
By the year 1910,
there were 16 Rotary clubs, which linked up as an organization called the
National Association of Rotary Clubs. Two years later, the name was
changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs, as Rotary was
organized in Winnipeg, Canada, and then in England, Ireland, and Scotland.
In 1922, the name was shortened to Rotary International.
When the first
organization of Rotary clubs was created in 1910, Paul Harris was selected
as the first president. He served in this position for two years, from
1910 until 1912. Thus, the founder of the Rotary idea, who declined to be
president of the first club, became the first president of the worldwide
organization, Rotary International.
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From the earliest
days of Rotary, members have referred to each other on a first-name basis.
Since personal acquaintanceship and friendship are cornerstones of Rotary,
it was natural that many clubs adopted the practice of setting aside
formal titles in conversations among members. Individuals who normally
would be addressed as Doctor, Professor, Miss, the Honorable, or Sir are
regularly called Joe, Bill, Mary, Karen, or Charley by other Rotarians.
The characteristic Rotary club name badge fosters the first-name custom.
In a few areas, such
as Europe, club members use a more formal style in addressing fellow
members. In other parts of the world, mainly in Asian countries, the
practice is to assign each new Rotarian a humorous nickname which relates
to some personal characteristic or which is descriptive of the member’s
business or profession. A member nicknamed “Oxygen” is the manufacturer of
chemical gas products. “Trees” is the nickname for the Rotarian in the
lumber business, “Building” is the contractor, “Paper” is the stationery
or office supply retailer. Other members might carry nicknames like
“Muscles’ “Foghorn’ or “Smiles” as commentaries on physical
characteristics.
The nicknames are
frequently a source of good-natured fun and fellowship. But whether a
Rotarian is addressed by a given first name or a nickname, the spirit of
personal friendship is the initial step that opens doors to all other
opportunities for service.
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The term “Four
Avenues of Service” refers to the four elements of the Object of Rotary:
Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, and International
Service.
Although the Avenues
of Service are not found in any formal part of the constitutional
documents of Rotary, many Rotarians use this concept to describe the
primary areas of Rotary activity.
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Vocational Service
describes the opportunity each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and
utility of one’s vocation to the other members of the club, as well as
the responsibility of the club to undertake projects related to such
areas as career planning, vocational training, and the promotion of high
ethical standards in the workplace.
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Community Service
pertains to those activities that Rotarians undertake to improve the
quality of life in their community. It frequently involves assistance to
youth, the aged, the disabled, and others who look to Rotary as a source
of hope for a better life.
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The fourth Avenue
of Service, International Service, describes the many programs and
activities that Rotarians undertake to advance international
understanding, goodwill, and peace. International service projects are
designed to meet humanitarian needs of people in many lands. When a
Rotarian understands and travels down the four Avenues of Service, the
Object of Rotary takes on even greater meaning.
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The month of April is
annually designated as Rotary’s Magazine Month, an occasion to recognize
and promote the reading and use of the official RI magazine, THE ROTARIAN,
and the regional magazines, which make up the Rotary World Press.
THE ROTARIAN has been
around since 1911 as the medium to communicate with Rotarians and to
advance the program and Object of Rotary. A primary goal of the magazine
is to support and promote key programs of Rotary. The magazine also
disseminates information about the annual theme and the philosophy of the
RI president, major meetings, and the emphasis of the official “months” on
the Rotary calendar.
THE ROTARIAN provides
a forum in which both Rotary-related and general interest topics may be
explored. The magazine serves as an excellent source of information and
ideas for programs at Rotary club meetings and district conferences. Many
articles promote international fellowship, goodwill, and understanding.
Regular readers usually have superior knowledge of the activities of
Rotary and understand how each Rotarian may be more fully involved in the
four Avenues of Service around the world.
In addition to THE
ROTARIAN, the Rotary World Press includes 29 regional magazines printed in
21 languages with a combined circulation of almost half a million.
Although each regional publication has its own unique style and content,
they all provide Rotarians with up-to-date information and good reading in
April — and all through the year.
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As an international
organization, Rotary offers each member unique opportunities and
responsibilities. Although each Rotarian has first responsibility to
uphold the obligations of citizenship of his or her own country,
membership in Rotary enables Rotarians to take a somewhat different view
of international affairs. In the early 1950s, a Rotary philosophy was
adopted to describe how a Rotarian may think on a global basis. Here is
what it said:
“A world-minded
Rotarian:
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looks beyond
national patriotism and considers himself - as sharing responsibility
for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace;
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resists any
tendency to act in terms of national or racial superiority;
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seeks and develops
common grounds for agreement with peoples of other lands;
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defends the rule of
law and order to preserve the liberty of the individual so that he may
enjoy freedom of thought, speech, and assembly, and freedom from
persecution, aggression, want, and fear;
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supports action
directed toward improving standards of living for all peoples, realizing
that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere;
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upholds the
principles of justice for mankind;
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strives always to
promote peace between nations and prepares to make personal sacrifices
for that ideal;
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urges and practices
a spirit of understanding of others’ beliefs as a step toward
international goodwill, recognizing that there are certain basic moral
and spiritual standards which will ensure a richer, fuller life.”
That is quite an
assignment for any Rotarian to practice in thoughts and actions!
‘When this philosophy
was developed, Rotary was still an all-male organization. The description
of a world-minded Rotarian today would obviously include all women members
as well
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Rotary International
exists in 163 countries and cuts across dozens of languages, political and
social structures, customs, religions, and traditions. How is it that all
of the more than 31,000 Rotary clubs of the world operate in almost
identical style? The primary answer is the Standard Rotary Club
Constitution.
One of the conditions
to receive a charter to become a Rotary club is to accept the Standard
Rotary Club Constitution, originally adopted in 1922. This document
outlines administrative techniques for clubs to follow in holding weekly
meetings, procedures for membership and classifications, conditions of
attendance, payment of dues, and other policies relating to public issues
and political positions.
When the Standard
Rotary Club Constitution was accepted, it was agreed that all existing
clubs could continue to follow their current constitution. Although most
of those early clubs have subsequently endorsed the standard constitution,
a few pre-1922 clubs still conduct their club affairs according to their
former constitutional provisions.
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The bylaws of Rotary
clearly outline the procedure for proposing someone for Rotary club
membership. The “proposer” or sponsor is the key person in the growth and
advancement of Rotary. Without a sponsor, an individual will never have
the opportunity to become a Rotarian. Individuals must be asked to join
Rotary; thus, it is every member’s responsibility to identify and invite
prospective members.
The task of the
sponsor should not end merely by submitting a name to the club secretary
or membership committee. Rotary has not established formal
responsibilities for sponsors; however, these procedures are recommended
in many clubs.
The sponsor should
1.
Invite a prospective member to several meetings prior to proposing
the individual for membership
2.
Accompany the prospective new member to one or more
orientation/informational meetings
3.
Introduce the new member to other club members each week for the
first month
4.
Encourage the new member to become involved in any club service
projects underway
5.
Invite the new member to attend meetings of the Interact or
Rotaract clubs sponsored by the club
6.
Provide opportunities for the new member to get involved in
international program efforts, such as Group Study Exchange or Youth
Exchange
7.
Invite the new member to accompany the sponsor to neighboring clubs
for the first make-up meeting to learn the process and observe the spirit
of friendship
8.
Ask the new member and spouse to accompany the sponsor to the
club’s social activities, dinners, or other special occasions
9.
Urge the new member and spouse to attend the district conference
with the sponsor
10.
Serve as a special friend to assure that the new member becomes an
active Rotarian
When a new member
becomes involved and connected, both Rotary and the new member become
stronger.
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Until 1989, the
Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International stated that Rotary club
membership was for males only. In 1978, the Rotary Club of Duarte,
California, USA, invited three women to become members. The RI Board
withdrew the charter of that club for violation of the RI constitution.
The club brought suit against RI claiming a violation of a state civil
rights law that prevents discrimination of any form in business
establishments or public accommodations. The appeals court and the
California Supreme Court supported the Duarte position that Rotary could
not remove the club’s charter merely for inducting women into the club.
The United States Supreme Court upheld the California court indicating
that Rotary clubs do have a “business purpose” and are in some ways
public-type organizations. This action in 1987 allowed women to become
Rotarians in any jurisdiction having similar “public accommodation”
statutes.
The RI constitutional
change was made at the 1989 Council on Legislation, with a vote to
eliminate the “male only” provision for all of Rotary. Since that time,
women have become members and leaders of clubs and districts throughout
the world.
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The headquarters of
Rotary International always has been in the area of Chicago, Illinois,
USA. The first seven Secretariat offices were located in the city’s
downtown, but in 1954 Rotary built an attractive new building in suburban
Evanston. This building met the needs of the Rotary Secretariat until the
1980s, when the addition of new programs, the growth of The Rotary
Foundation, and the new PolioPlus activities made the headquarters
building extremely crowded and required some staff members to operate in
supplementary office space nearby.
When a modern
18-story office building became available in downtown Evanston in 1987, it
appeared to meet all of Rotary’s space and expansion needs for years to
come. The glass and steel structure, built in 1977, provides 400,000
square feet (37,160 square meters) of office and usable space. The
building was purchased by Rotary International, which leases nearly half
of the space to commercial tenants, until needed by future Rotary growth.
The building provides
a 190-seat auditorium, large parking garage, and 300-seat cafeteria, as
well as functional office space for the 500 employees of the World
Headquarters. The executive suite on the 18th floor includes conference
rooms for meetings of the RI Board of Directors, Rotary Foundation
Trustees, and RI and Foundation committees, in addition to the offices of
the RI president, president-elect, president-nominee, chairman of The
Rotary Foundation Trustees, and general secretary.
One Rotary Center, as
it is called, enhances the efficient operations of Rotary International.
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Rotary established
the Endowment Fund in 1917, which became the forerunner of The Rotary
Foundation.
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Rotary first
adopted the name “Rotary International” in 1922, when the name was
changed from the International Association of Rotary Clubs.
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Rotary first
established Paul Harris Fellow Recognition in 1957 for contributors of
US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
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The Rotary emblem
was printed on a commemorative stamp for the first time in 1931 at the
time of the Vienna convention.
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The first Rotary
club banner (from the Houston Space Center Rotary club) to orbit the
moon was carried by astronaut Frank Borman, a member of that club.
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The first Rotary
Convention held outside the United States was in Edinburgh, Scotland, in
1921.
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The first head of
state to address an RI Convention was U.S. President Warren G. Harding
in 1923 at St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
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The number 711 has a
very special significance for Rotary. Room 711 of the old Unity Building,
formerly located at 127 North Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois,
USA, was the birthplace of Rotary. It was in that historic room, which was
the office of engineer Gus Loehr, where Paul Harris first met with several
friends to discuss his new idea of a club for professionals and businessmen.
It took extensive
research and dedication by a few Chicago Rotarians to preserve the room and
restore it to its 1905 authenticity. For years, Room 711 was preserved as a
miniature Rotary museum by Rotarians around the world who voluntarily
belonged to and contributed annually to the Paul Harris 711 Club, which
provided funds for leasing, maintenance, and preservation. In 1989, when the
Unity Building was about to be torn down, members of the 711 Club carefully
dismantled the landmark room and placed its contents in storage. There it
stayed until 1994, when the re-created Room 711 found a permanent home at
the RI World Headquarters in Evanston, where this piece of Rotary’s heritage
is preserved.
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