Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-21
ROTARY CELEBRATES
REMARKABLE GROWTH
OF SIXTEEN YEARS
A Service" Organization With
Over 500 Clubs in Many
Countries.
/ OCAL CLUB HAS FINE RECORD


tnr tho sixteenth birthday OF the or
ranization. will naturally cause many
,e-,pIc 10 ask What is the Rotary
club. anyway. and what does it all
mean"
ore answer might he that il is
small group of business and professional
rlcn who lther once n week for
luncheon and speaking program and
that they seem to have "corking" good
time
BUT this isn't the real answer IL IS
10 moro correct than that definition or
man which would describe hlln as
biped on which 10 display clothes. Tor
Rotary il seems. is an invisible thing
which dwclls in mems hearts and which
"a made manifest only through their
thoughts and deeds. The getting TO-
,other. the talking and the fun are only
the means TO the accomplishment OF q
great end.
To get a clear understanding Of the
Recommendation that's what 1t really IS
1T may hc we'll 10 start al the begin
rirc and see what brought Rotary into
bcinc sixteen years ago. a lonesome
luar-Paul r. Harris 4 Chicago law
yof-,uvited a coal dealer. coal opera
tor and "A merchant tailor TO meet with
him "a form little group OF friends
who could gather together once week
IN each others offices and enjoy that
close aCquaiutanCcship which comes
orlv through such frequent meetings.
from the beginning. each man repre-
seutcd 4 different l4s!ncss or profess
SION strict adherence 10 this plan as
each new man was added - the group
has proven 10 be one of the vital points
in the success of the Rotary Club which
-
me numbers grew. slowly. Of course
name for the club was sought. lnas-
much as the mon had been rotating"
s their meetings in the offices OF the
.ncmbers. someone suggested that IT be
,allcd the Rotation" Club and this
was soon changed 70 "ltotary.
For three years this club was lost"
IN the commercial and social turmoil OF
me riG city lust as its founder. Paul
Harris considered himself lost with
cut conRenial. depeuda bic friends Then
one OF the Chicago men made a business
"trip 70 California and a second club WAS
'ormed in san Francisco. This was the
beginning OF tho movement which has
~pTead to all quarters of the globe. In
,dditiou 10 the 500 clubs ia the United
states Canada. Eugland. Scotland and
ireland. and including the six clubs IN
,~uba. clubs have been organized in Ar
cenuna Spain. Uruguay, France. Porto
llioo Panama. Hawaii. Japan. China.
Philippine Islands and India. while ac-
i've organization work is going for
ward IN Denmark. Chile. Peru. Egypt.
Australia Holland Brazil and other
countries. Even with its restricted
membership plan. there are today up
~~rd Of $4,000 Rotar1ans In the world
= =.
ton. What Is Rotary"
The Rotary platform Is based upon
human service II doesn't consider a
fullest possible value 70 his feIlown4en
\ helping them 10 greater happiness
10 matter whether he IS a money maker
or not The Rotary Club demands fair
lealings honest methods. and high
standards IN business" Is the theme OF
tie Rotary platform. and its lRst clause
He profits most who serves best" has
been adopted as the latter part OF the
ofticial slogan Service Above Self
He Profits Most Who Serves Best. This
thought implanted IN the lie OF one
man spreads 10 others. and q small
group possessing the thought Of unset
nsh service soon creates the desire In
other men 10 do likewise Hence the
rapid spread OF the Rotary idea.
Hewever these facts should be borne
IN mind. lest il be thought that Rotary
ls forcing itself upon the world: The
growth OF Rotary has been spontaneous
Never. at any time has the organization
employed paid organizer. On the other
hand, extreme care has always been eX-
ercised in surveying cities and towns
which apply Tor membership. TO make
FOR a Rotary Club and are OF sufficient
size 20 provide a membership Of repre-
sentative men and still have the mem
Dership restricted 70 one man from each
distinctive business or profession. al
though. occasionally. one additional rep
resentativc from the same firm is per
u4itted. This plan Of restricted member
ship insures the fullest possible repre-
asntation uf thc community while at
The same time il is Impossible for the
inen bcrshlp 70 become large and IN
w1eidy, un-.ed action is easier with a
small group. the diversified represen-
Lauon provides an ideal forum for the
discussion Of local problems; no one line
of business or profession can dominate
the group; and the smallness Of the
club permits OF the enforcement Of the
attendance rule, which requires that
any member be automatically removed
from the roster L ne is absent four
times IL succession This insistence
upon regular attendance has given the
i.otary club the record Of having the
largest average attendance OF all or
gAnizations Of business and profess
sional nen. IN December. 1920. the
average for all Of the clubs or the United
States Ano Canada WAS LAO per cent.
Rotary. II seems, Is a school for serv-
acc" in which men Of hundreds Of cities
oig and little. gather once Il week. In the
middle OF the day. have a good time
become well acquainted. open their
minds and hearts 70 learn. and than
seek 20 apply their lessons as thor
Oughly that the world everywhere Is
earning 70 look upon Rotartans as men
who do things and do them willingly
and unselfishly. BY improving the in
dividual member of the club, each mans /
business must be conducted on q higher
plane; this means a finer influence upon
al other men Of the community engaged /
So the same line. Turning again 10 the /
Individual we find that he becomes . /
better man IN his home life while his /
attitude and activities in connection !
with his town. State and nation are ever /
keaner and broader: that is If he is a |
true Rotarian. and such. il is believed /
all men connected with the orga anizati0n
are STRIVING 10 be.
The world, therefore, welcomes Ro- /
taIy. For sixteen years il has been do /