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Brief History & Purpose of Rotary
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On the evening of February 23, 1905, Paul Harris and three friends, Sylvester Schiele, Gustavus Loehr, and Hiram Shorey, met in Loehr's business office in Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago to discuss Paul's idea that businessmen should get together periodically for camaraderie and to enlarge their circle of business and professional acquaintances. From their a discussion came the idea for a men's club which would meet weekly and whose membership would be limited to one representative from each business and profession. After enlisting a fifth member, Harry Ruggles, the group was formally organized as the Rotary Club of Chicago. By the end of 1905, the club's roster showed a membership of 30.
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The Object of Rotary
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The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis for worthy 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 dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to service society;
Third: The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life;
Fourth: The advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of service.
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The Rotary Moto
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"Service Above Self"
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The Four-Way Test
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One of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is the Rotary 4-Way Test. It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy.
The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International in 1954-55.
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Rotary International
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Rotary International (Rl) is an association of more than 27, 260 local clubs worldwide with headquarters in Evanston, Illinois. Located in 150 countries.
Rotary's purpose: business and professional people united worldwide to provide:
Humanitarian Service
Encourage High Ethical Standards
Help Build Goodwill and Peace Among Nations
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