February 23, 1905.
The airplane had yet to stay aloft more than a few minutes. The
first motion picture theater had not yet opened. Norway and Sweden
were peacefully terminating their union. On this particular day, a
Chicago lawyer, Paul P. Harris, called three friends to a meeting.
What he had been thinking and talking about for some time was a club
that would kindle fellowship among members of the business
community. It was an idea that grew from his desire to find respect
for individuals and well being within a group of like minded men. A
walk after dinner, watching how a friend
was admired by his neighbors made a profound
impression on Paul. He wanted to find out if such a condition might
happen to a "group" of people. For Five Years Paul thought about
this vision, often discussion it with his dear from Silvester
Schiele. Then on a cold Thursday night, in February, after one of
many pleasant dinners together Paul and Silvester walked across a
windy Chicago Street and crossed the river to their mutual friend
Gus Loehr's office.
Presided over the
first Rotary Convention (1910)
First secretary of
Rotary International (1910-42)
Arthur F. SheldonOriginator
of the Motto, �He Profits Most
Who Serves Best.
In 1908, under an act of the General Assembly of the
State of Illinois, Paul. P. Harris, David D. Kagy and John W. Marshall
signed the Charter Application for the Corporation known as the Rotary
Club. Limited to a Board of five directors, the three objects for which
the Corporation was formed were:
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First
Second
Third
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The promotion of the business
interests of its members.
The promotion of good
fellowship and other desiderata ordinarily incident to Social
Clubs.
To advance the best
interests of Rotary, and spread the spirit of loyalty among its
citizens.
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 By
the end of 1905, there were 30 members of the Rotary Club. In
1908, the second Rotary Club was formed in San
Francisco, California, shortly followed byOakland. Other
clubs that were established soon after were Seattle, Los
Angeles, New
York City and Boston.
(Read how Paul Harris himself numbered
the first four.)
1910 saw the first Rotary Convention
presided over by Chesley R. Perry, the originator of the Name
Badge. At this first Rotary Convention, Perry became the
First Secretary of Rotary International, serving from 1910 to 1942. (The
ROTARY/One Foundation hosts a Chesley R. Perry Fellowship for members
and friends who donate $1,000.00 to the Rotary/One Foundation.)
Chicago
Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor formulated the Four
Way Test in 1932, and in 1989, the Council on
Legislation opened Rotary to women. On January 17, 1989, the Rotary Club
of Chicago Board of Directors decreed
certified copies of the reproduced Charter
Application be presented to individuals and/or Rotary Clubs for
distinguished service perpetuating Rotary and its ideal, �Service
Above Self.� A copy of this charter may be viewed in the
ROTARY/One offices.Sources:
Rotary International & The Golden Thread - Rotary Club of Chicago
Who were the
first four men of Rotary? Little was generally known of Schiele, Loehr,
Shorey, or Ruggles until Rotary Global History began to find all of the
sources and bring them together in one place.
Now read what Rotary's founder Paul Harris wrote about
each of them in "This
Rotarian Age," in 1935.
ROTARY/One members
honored in 1933 for 25 years of service (from The
Rotarian)The "Class of 1908"
photo (The Rotarian)Harry
Ruggles at 84 with his son Kenneth, incoming president of ROTARY/One
  
Chicago Past Presidents
1905-1920
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