Information on Rotary International
Paul P.Harris
Paul P.Harris (1868-1947) a lawyer, was the founder of Rotary, the world’s first and foremost international service club ,Rotary is an organization 0f business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, Promote goodwill and peace in the world.
Born in Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.A. on April19, 1868, Paul was the second of six children
To George and Cornelia Harris .At the age of 3, he moved to Wallingford,Vermont where he grew up in the care of his parental grandparents. Married to Jean Thomson Harris(1881-1963),they had no children. He received a LL,D from university of Vermont.
Paul Harris worked as a Newspaper reporter, a business teacher, cowboy and traveled extensively in U.S.A. and Europe selling marble and granite. In1896, he went to Chicago to practice Law. One evening after dinner, as Paul and his friends strolled through the neighborhood, he was introduced to various tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his New England village and occurred to him” Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupation, without restrictions of politics or Religion.”
On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris formed the first Club with three other businessmen: Selvester Schiele, a coal merchant, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Paul Harris named new club “Rotary” because the Club membership grew rapidly. Many members were from small towns and in the Rotary club they found an opportunity for camaraderie .
When Paul Harris became the President of the club in its third year, convinced of its role, he strove to extend Rotary to other cities.The second Rotary club was founded in 1908, in1910 when16 clubs, the National Association of Rotary clubs was organized, When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain in1912, the name was changed to International Association of Rotary Clubs and in 1922 shortened to “ Rotary International”
Paul Harris was the first President of both the National and the International Association.
Two world wars changed the face of Rotary-Eastern Europe was closed to Rotary until1989 when clubs were re-established in Poland and Hungary In 1990 the first Club was opened in Soviet Union.
When President Emeritus Paul Harris passed away on 27th January,1947,his dream had grown from an informal meeting of four to some 6000 clubs brought together through service and fellowship of Rotary.
Source : Rotary International Directory District 3010
(2007-2008)
Submitted By
Past President Rtn.Vikas Rikhye
Rotary Club of Gurgaon South City
History of Rotary International to continue…….
|
