Paul Harris
The 23rd February is the Anniversary of the founding of Rotary.
This year marks 111 years.
Paul Harris held his first Rotary Club meeting "in fellowship and friendship" with three clients and local businessmen, Silvester Schele, Gustavus Loehr, and Hiram Shorey. His initial goal was solely to create a club of professional and business men for friendship and fellowship. Soon, he realised that Rotary needed a greater purpose.
And so Rotary, the World's first Service Club, was born.
Their first Community Service project was a Public toilet in Chicago in 1907.
The first Rotary Conference was in 1910 in Chicago with 16 Clubs, all but two from cities in USA and two from Europe.
The first lady member was the wife of Paul Harris.
The Paul Harris Foundation was formed in 1911 as a fundraising charity, which later became the Rotary Foundation.
An Annual "Giving" of $US1000 is qualification for recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Over the last 40 years each Clubs Annual Giving contribution of $US1000 qualifies that Club to nominate one Paul Harris Fellow.
Individual excellence of Service within a club is now also recognised.
The Club Annual giving to Foundation is returned to District after 3 years for application in International Education and Humanitarian Grants & Special Grants for projects in the Local District Community.
Annual Giving by Rotarians is the lifeblood of the Grants process. Have you made your contribution?
But what about Paul Harris the man?
Those that think of Rotary as a stuffy old organisation would think its founder rather stuffy and conservative. I certainly did before I joined The Rotary Club of Eltham.
A bit about him.
Born on April 19, 1868
He attended the famous Black River Academy in Ludlow, but was expelled after only a short time. At his secondary school in Rutland, he was known as a prankster.
After secondary school, he attended the University of Vermont. In 1886, he was expelled in an incident involving a secret society.
In 1888, he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he was apprenticed at a local law firm. After completing his apprenticeship, he studied law at the University of Iowa. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in June of 1891. However, for the next five years, he worked odd jobs: for a newspaper as a salesman and a reporter, on fruit farms, as an actor and cowboy, and on cattle ships that traveled to Europe. In 1896, Harris moved to Chicago, eventually settling in the Beverly neighborhood.
So he was born just 3 years after the end of the American civil war, just as many in our club were born just after WWII. He was in his late 30's when he founded Rotary. As many of us were when we joined.
He Founded Rotary in 1905
The Roads?
The first Mercedes came out in 1900, Rolls Royce were founded in 1906.
In 1905 there were 0.94 cars for every 1,000 people in the USA, (Thats less than 1 per thousand.)
Eltham today has a population of 18,000, that's a total of just 18 cars in the whole of Eltham. Chicago in 1905 was about the same size as Eltham is today
The Ford Model T was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908. There were cars on the road in 1905, but very few. The T started the ball rolling.
Chicago around 1905
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did evening last Thursday hearing the excellent results being achieved nationally and internationally by our elite basketballers with an intellectually disability, we will have a casual evening this Thursday with a little entertainment from a guest performer. Can all Directors arrange that your committees meet and discuss activities for the next 4 months after dinner and our entertainment finishes? Please fill out the Members Survey available on line or at the front door on Thursday.
