Page 3 - 1976 State of the Plymouth Rotary Club

THE FOUNDING OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

Paul Harris

On the night of February 23, 1905 at the invitation Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer, and Hiram Shorey,
of Paul Harris, an attorney, four men met at an of- a merchant tailor.
fice in the Unity Building in Chicago's loop. Their
purpose was to bring to a realization the conviction This meeting marked the birth of Rotary, the first
of Harris that friendship and business could be as- of the great national and international service clubs.
sociated together to the advantage of both. The name Rotary was adopted because the founders
planned to "rotate" the meetings between the mem-
The other men were Silvester Schiele, a coal dealer, hers' places of business.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL TODAY

From this inauspicious beginning, Rotary Inter- continuing steadily and as you read this the figures
national, as of November, 1970 embraced a total of will be higher.
14,526 clubs with an estimated 686,750 members 111 ''Share Rotary with others" is the guiding principle
148 countries and geographical regions. Growth is behind this impressive growth performance.

-

THE OBJECT OF ROTARY Fourth, the advancement of international understand-
ing, good will, and peace through a world fellowship
The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster of business and professional men united in the ideal
the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise of service.
and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

First, the development of acquaintance as an oppor-
tunity for service. THE FOUR WAY TEST
of the things we think, say or do
Second, high ethical standards in business and pro-
fessions; the recognition of the worthiness of all use-
1. ls it the TRUTH?
ful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER
Third, the application of the ideal of service by every
FRIENDSHIPS?
Rotarian to his personal, business, and community
life. 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?