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Paul Harris
1868 - 1947
The Founder of Rotary
On 23 February, 1905, Paul P. Harris, a Chicago lawyer, founded Rotary, the world's first and most international service
club.
Born in Racine Wisconsin, USA on 19 April 1868, Paul was the second of six
children to George N. Harris and Cornelia Bryan Harris. At age 3 he moved to
Wallingford, Vermont where he grew up in the care of his paternal
grandparents. Married to Jean Thompson Harris (1881 - 1963), they had no
children. He received an L.L.B.
from the University of Iowa and received an honorary L.L.D. from the
University of Vermont.
Paul Harris worked as a
newspaper reporter, a business teacher, stock company actor, cowboy, and
traveled extensively in the U.S.A. and Europe selling marble and granite. In
1896, he went to Chicago to practice law. One evening Paul visited the
suburban home of a professional friend. After dinner, as they strolled
through the neighborhood, Paul's friend introduced him to various tradesmen
in their stores. It was here Paul conceived the idea of a club that could
recapture some of the friendly spirit among businessmen in small
communities.
On 23 February, 1905, Paul Harris
formed the first club with three other businessmen: Silvester Schiele, a
coal merchant; Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and Hiram Shorey, a
merchant tailor. Paul Harris named the new club "Rotary" because members met
in rotation at their various places of business. Club membership grew
rapidly. Soon Paul became convinced that the Rotary club could be developed
into an important service movement and strove to extend Rotary to other
cities.
 Paul was also prominent in other civic and professional
work. He served as the first chairman of the board of the national Easter
Seal Society of Crippled Children and Adults in the U.S.A. and of the
International Society for Crippled Children. He was a member of the board of
managers of the Chicago Bar Association and its representative at the
International Congress of Law at the Hague, and a committee member of the
American Bar Association. He received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy
Scouts of America for distinguished service to youth, and was decorated by
the governments of Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France and
Peru.
Paul maintained his law office for most of his life. He
spent much time traveling and was invited to speak to Rotarians at annual
conventions, district and regional meetings, and other functions. When
President emeritus Paul Harris passed away on 27 January, 1947, his dream
had grown from an informal meeting of four men to some 6,000 clubs. In the
past five decades, the organization has grown to more than 27,500 clubs with
1.2 million members brought together through Paul Harris' vision of service
and fellowship.
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The Object of Rotary
The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a
basis of worth enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
First: The development of
acquaintance as an opportunity for service,
Second: High ethical standards in business and
professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations,
and the dignity of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve
society,
Third: The application of the ideal
of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life, and
Fourth: The advancement of
international understanding. goodwill, and peace though a world fellowship
of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
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The Rotary Emblem
Rotary's early emblem was a simple wagon wheel, symbolized in
motion with dust, representing both civilization and movement.
This emblem was designed in 1905 by Montague M. Be ar,
a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago.
In 1922, the organization decided to create and preserve an emblem for the
exclusive use of all Rotarians, and the following year, the current
Gear-Wheel consisting of 24 cogs and 6 spokes,
was adopted. A keyway was later added to signify the usefulness of the
gear-wheel.
An official description of the emblem was adopted at the 1929 International
Convention. Royal Blue and Gold were chosen as the official Rotary
colors and the flag of rotary was designated as the white field
with the emblem emblazoned in its center. The emblem, worn as a lapel
pin, now identifies Rotarians around the world.
The rotary emblem is a trademark owned by Rotary International, is a
registered trademark in over 30 countries, and is protected throughout the
world by the international association.
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The 4-Way Test
From the beginning, Rotarians were concerned
with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One
of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics
is The Four-Way Test. It was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J.
Taylor when asked to take charge of a company facing bankruptcy.
He devised this test for employees to follow
in their business and professional lives. It was to became their guide
for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with venders and
customers ... and is credited with the company's survival.
Adopted by Rotary in 1943, it asks four
simple questions of all that we think, say and do:
1. Is
it
the Truth?
2.
Is it Fair to all concerned?
2. Will it
build Goodwill and better Friendships?
4.
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
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