Historic Moments -- Rotary's 105th anniversary

Rotary International News -- 1 February 2010

The first four Rotarians: (left to right) Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, and Paul Harris. Rotary Images

Rotary International on Facebook

During the first Rotary club meeting on 23 February 1905 in Chicago, Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Hiram Shorey, and Silvester Schiele met to talk about their personal experiences. Harris then unfolded his general plan for their club meetings.

This was the simple beginning of the world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago. It was created because of Harris’ wish to capture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices.

Rotarians continue to take pride in their history. In honor of that first club, Rotarians have preserved its original meeting place, Room 711 in Chicago’s Unity Building, by re-creating the office as it existed in 1905. For several years, the Paul Harris 711 Club maintained the room as a shrine for visiting Rotarians. In 1989, when the building was scheduled to be demolished, the club carefully dismantled the office and salvaged the interior, including doors and radiators. In 1993, the RI Board of Directors set aside a permanent home for the restored Room 711 at RI World Headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston.

For more historical information about Rotary, visit Rotary History and Archives or the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

Share your ideas about how to best celebrate Rotary’s anniversary in the comments section below.

26 Comments:

At 10:23AM on 15 November 2010, Md.Maksudur Rahman wrote: I feel very proud to be a member the Rotary International Organigation.There are so many things to serve the human being in this world.This organigation is just like a one soul of human being and love/Efection of a mother for her child. Rtn.Md.Maksudur Rahman.rc Narayangonj midcity 3280

At 9:44AM on 19 July 2010, safina rahman wrote: i feel fortunate that i have so many friends around the world who lives for others......the community. we need to celebrate ourselves for this, we bring differences we make the difference. rtn safina rahman rc dhaka mid town bangladesh 3280

At 10:34AM on 9 June 2010, Rtn.A.Chourappa wrote: I am dreaming a day when the whole world will recognize Rotary as a Saviour of humanity in distress.

At 9:05AM on 25 February 2010, rtn.shivanarayan wrote: we Rotarians fell proud that we are the part of a great service organisation..In our Dis 3150 we cwlebrated the Rotary B DAY in schools giving the greatness of Rotary.We want kids to be future Rotns

At 9:04AM on 23 February 2010, Roland Hailwood wrote: We are but priveleged trustees of a unique service organisation that Paul Harris and his friends envisaged all those years ago. Our birthday pledge should be. We must continue on our journey going forward in thought and deed to ensure that,when our time as a trustee is done we leave the organisation in better health than when we joined it.

At 9:02AM on 23 February 2010, Beni Gopal Mundara wrote: February 23rd is the 105th anniversary of Rotary International is Celebrating performing a peace rally at Biratnagar, Nepal by all Rotary clubs of Zone XII of Nepal R.I. Dist 3292 showing what Rotary is doing for Humanity .Thanks & Regards. Beni Gopal Mundara RC Biratnagar,Nepal

At 9:01AM on 23 February 2010, Manikandan, Charter Secretary, RC of Karaikudi Heritage, RID 3212 wrote: It is a greatest one that being a part of Rotary. As a Rotarian we should be very proud. Each and Every Rotarian must celebrate Rotary today and pay respects to Paul P Harris.

At 3:50PM on 22 February 2010, Bruce de Graaf wrote: 150 years of standing up for what you believe in. Be proud Rotarians. High ethical standard and integrity is a wonderful thing for everyone you come into contact with, but it is much more than this. We are merely the custodians of the planet and will inevitably pass the baton to our children, but what does that look like?. In the way you carry yourself and in your interactions with others, your kids are watching. It is the process of osmosis, not what you say but what they see, that they too will carry the respect, value, ethics and integrity in their learned DNA. It will become as natural as breathing. To really live with honour in the world we need to be in reality what we appear to be. Res Firma Mitescere Nescit.

At 11:06AM on 22 February 2010, R.V..RAGHAVAN. wrote: On this anniversary, al Rotarians should take a pledge that they would practise Ethical standards in their professional dealings. this would be the fitting homage to the founder, Paul Harris-RC Mysore West.

At 10:11AM on 18 February 2010, Raelene Monkley wrote: To be a part of the world's oldest service club is special but hearing, reading and seeing what Rotarians do for communities throughout the world is inspiring. Happy Birthday Rotary.

At 9:57AM on 15 February 2010, Rtn.PP.PHF.R.Ganapathy Subramanian wrote: At this juncture of 105th year of our rotary year ,we should take an oath to eradicate polio completely world wide. Certainly this mission will be succeeded.Thanks

At 10:55AM on 11 February 2010, Ayoub Mahmoud Ayoub wrote: Paul Harris 'radiated' humanity, service and peace world wide 105 years ago. That is why we have now a 1.2 million Paul Harris task force, ending polio and celebrating with RC Heliopolis, beaming END POLIO NOW on Pyramids, Giza, Egypt-Feb23,2010

At 12:47PM on 10 February 2010, Laura Thompson wrote: As the first Rotary Peace Community in the U.S., the Rotary Club of Milledgeville, GA will hold our annual Peace Day celebration at the Peace Monument located at Baldwin County's courthouse. Rotarians, their families, veterans, and citizens are invited to join in the celebration in which we will welcome our District 6920 Governor Clyde Taylor in attendence, local college GMC President, General Peter Boylan as our speaker, and musical entertainment.

At 9:31AM on 10 February 2010, Rtn.Vinod Rishi(Charter President) wrote: From:-R.C.New Kanpur(Distt.3110) Jai Rotary.Sky is no limit for we rotarians of R.C.New Kanpur a bunch of enargatic members.On 5th Feb we were with blind school children,donate sticks,enjoyed cultural programme,eat meals with them.7thFeb family Picnic.10feb sucessful catracts operations-eye check up,Distributed biscuits-snacks-fruits etc.0n 14th a Rally for to protect enviorments.23rd feb we pledge to END POLIONOW-HugeRally of school childern & members.We will give T-Shirts-having Rotary Wheel&slogan End Polio Now.Benners Showing Rotary's Message.PHF.Rtn.Vinod Rishi(Charter President)

At 9:50AM on 8 February 2010, Subbiah Muthukumaraswamy wrote: What I am seeing Rotary as on date, I hope must be the dream of our great four Leaders Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, and Paul Harris. Long live Rotary! Long live Rotarians! - RC of Madras Cosmos, Subbiah Muthukumaraswamy

At 9:57AM on 8 February 2010, Leif Hagen wrote: I'm looking forward to using this information at our upcoming Eagan Rotary Club lunch meeting later in February!

At 9:56AM on 8 February 2010, Peter Gleichman wrote: Our club, the Rotary Club of Canton, GA, USA, has a regular weekly meeting on the day of Rotary's 105th anniversary. We will have a large anniversary sheet cake with large 1-0-5 candles. We will sing "Happy Birthday" to Rotary. We will be donating $105 to Polio Plus and challenge all Rotary clubs worldwide to make a $105 donation in honor of the occasion.

At 9:29AM on 8 February 2010, jamil sewanyana wrote: Great history, Great idea, Great Fellowship. Let us live and share the dream that was shared by Paul Harris in Room 711. Aluta Continua

At 9:28AM on 8 February 2010, PP.Anthonysamy Francis wrote: This is good info.It is informative and inspring.Hope all clubs do have some record of their beginning.How and who of the first meeting of their club. Anthony

At 9:25AM on 8 February 2010, Sam L. Ruteikara (PP, PHF) wrote: As Centennial President of the Rotary Club of Kampala East in Uganda, I gave a talk on World Understanding and Peace Day to kick start the 105th Rotary Anniversary celebrations and members were challenged and raised US D 700 and pledged more. Congs Rotary!

At 9:24AM on 8 February 2010, PDG Aswini Kar wrote: What a great journey of Humanity in Motion. Rotary has done well for last century and will continue for centuries to come and will exist and continue to provide humanitarian services till the human race exist in this world. Every Rotarian should be proud and should celebrate.

At 9:24AM on 8 February 2010, Peter Gleichman wrote: Let's Give 105% to Polio Plus to Celebrate 105 Years of Rotary February 23 is the 105th anniversary of Rotary International. With the eradication of polio within our reach, what if every Rotary club around the world gave $105 to Polio Plus in honor of Rotary's 105th birthday? I will commit the Rotary Club of Canton, GA, of which I am honored to be President this Rotary year, to giving $105 to Polio Plus. Will your club join us?

At 9:23AM on 8 February 2010, Keith Van Vliet wrote: This is inspiring and interesting information, and I have used it in our club newsletter for 02/10/10.

At 9:23AM on 8 February 2010, Joe Schon wrote: We at Scottsbluff-Gering Rotary Club #1126 of District 5440 will help to celebrate RI's 105th Anniversary with a 90th Anniversary Celebration of our own Club Charter on March 27, 2010 in concert with our Annual Fundraiser. The beneficiary of this years fundraiser is the Scottsbluff Library Expansion Fund.

At 9:16AM on 4 February 2010, C.Padmakumar wrote: The material is useful and I plan to use it to commemorate the anniversary appropriately.It's important to remind ourselves about our roots. RC Trivandrum

At 9:27AM on 3 February 2010, dammy wrote: This is amazing, from one room to mansion.that is why it,s good to be consistence in what ever we do. we should stop following the majority to do things.we need to work our tails off.and also be creative in anything.we should not come to this world and return without a good foot print in the sound of time.

Add a comment

Your name * Your email * (non-public) Your comment * * indicates a required field

Rotary Global Peace Forums
Register today to attend

End Polio Now
Help Rotary meet the challenge

2013 RI Convention
Register early and save