Rotary International – Founded in Chicago in 1905

Rotary International, destined to become one of the world’s largest service clubs, with 31,561 clubs in 529 districts and 1,227,545 members in 166 countries, was founded in Chicago, February 23, 1905.

On that date, at the invitation of Paul P. Harris, an attorney, four men met in an office in the Unity Building (now the 127 North Dearborn Building) in downtown Chicago – Paul Harris; Silvester Schiele, a coal dealer; Gustavus E. Loehr, a mining engineer; and Hiram E. Shorey, a merchant tailor. That evening, it was agreed that these men would organize a club which would be based on the idea that Harris had been developing for the past five years - that men in business could and should be personal friends.

The following day, Harris interested Harry Ruggles, a printer, in the proposed club. He in turn, contacted William Jenson, a real estate dealer. Within a short time, the Rotary Club organization was completed at the meeting in Schiele’s office, with the election of Schiele as President, Jenson, as Corresponding Secretary, Shorey, as Recording Secretary, and Ruggles as Treasurer.

Paul Harris modestly declined any office in the new Club and did not become its President until two years later.

It is significant that each of the first members of this first Rotary Club were comparative strangers in a large city who had come from a small town to Chicago to go into business, and each undoubtedly felt the need of personal friendships to replace those that had been severed by removal from his former home. The aim of the first Rotary Club was the encouragement of friendship, fel-lowship and mutual assistance.

At one of the early meetings, several names were suggested for the new organization. Adopted was Paul Harris’ suggestion, “Rotary”, which was prompted by the original plan of the Club members to meet in rotation at their various places of business.

Papers on business topics were read at these early meetings; Harry Ruggles developed the idea of community singing in the Club, an idea that was to be adopted by many other types of organizations; and Paul Harris frequently suggested original stunts to enliven-en the meetings.

The membership of the new Club grew rapidly. Its novelty was attractive and those who joined the Club found its friendship and fellowship a tonic that stimulated them to better endeavors in their business, social and community relationships.

As the Club’s membership increased, it became inconvenient to meet in the offices of members. As a result, the Club began to hold dinner meetings, which later gave way to weekly noonday luncheons.

About three years later, one of the Chicago Rotarians told the story of the organization to some of his friends in San Francisco and thereupon, the second Rotary Club was organized in November, 1908. By 1910, 16 clubs had been formed. Delegates from these clubs met at the first Rotary convention in Chicago, in August of that year. They formed a national organization, adopted a constitution and elected general officers.

The first Rotary club outside the United States was organized in Winnipeg, Canada, in November 1910; the first club in Europe, in Dublin, Ireland, in March 1911.

In order that charters could be issued to clubs outside the United States, the name, International Association of Rotary Clubs was adopted at the convention held in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1912. The name, Rotary International, was adopted at the Los Angeles convention in June, 1922.

Rotary’s International headquarters is in Evanston, Illinois. Branch offices are located in Zurich, Switzerland; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Republic of Korea; Delhi, India; Manila, Philippines; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Warwickshire, England and Parramatta, N.S.W. Australia.