Rotary Global History Fellowship
In 1905....37 year old attorney Paul Harris, our Founding Father of Rotary, changed the world.
“This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it.”1
From the years 1891-1896, Paul Harris was raised by his New England Grandparents with values of tolerance toward all. He gained his law degree in 1891 and had a wide variety of jobs before settling down in Chicago to practice law.
1896-1905 In 1896, he did go to Chicago to practice law. One evening, in 1900, Paul went with a professional friend to his suburban home. After dinner, as they strolled through the neighborhood, Paul’s friend introduced him to tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his Grandparents home in New England. "Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without restrictions of politics or religion?" he thought.
1905-1908 On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris had dinner with his closest friend, Chicago coal dealer Sylvester Schiele. Afterwards they walked over the river to Room 711 of the Unity Building where they met their host, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and another friend, Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Harris proposed that they form a club. No name was chosen for the group. The second meeting was March 9th.
Paul was very interested in starting Rotary in other cities. The second Rotary club was founded by Homer Wood in San Francisco in 1908hem. Rotary Harry Ruggles was a printer, and created the "name badge" version of the Rotary "wheel" and also started singing in Rotary.
Paul Harris had a vision of "Around the World Rotary" which was opposed by many of his fellow Rotarians. It was not until he won the loyalty of the man who was to be Rotary secretary from 1910-1942 that Rotary became organized and international. That man was Chesley Perry, whom Paul called the "Builder of Rotary.”
1910-1911 By August 1910 there were sixteen clubs and the National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized and held its first convention that year, in Chicago. At the 1911 Portland Convention, "Service, Not Self" was introduced by Frank Collins of Minneapolis. It later became "Service Above Self." The slogan "He profits most who serves best," was also read there.
In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary’s sixth president, proposed to the R.I. Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . .for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational, and other avenues of service. A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri.
1912-23 When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain in 1912, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs. Paul Harris served two terms, was named President Emeritus, and served until his death January 27, 1947.
1989-2005 Rotary came close to removing polio from the face of the earth and, in 2005, returned again to Chicago to celebrate the first 100 years.