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JAMES H. F. ROTH IN BRAZIL
SELECTED HISTORIES OF BRAZILIAN ROTARY CLUBS
5). The Rotary Club of Campinas
The extraordinary progress of the city Sao Paulo, in its process of
industrialization, of course reached the federal capital, drawing the attention of many, including the Rotary Club of Rio de
Janeiro, the first Rotary Club in Brazil in founded 15 December 1922.
A letter from Roberto James Shalders, dedicated Rotarian of that club, dated
September 5 1928, was referred to John Estevam de Siqueira, Branch Manager of the Bank of Commerce and Industry of Campinas,
asking him to found the Rotary Club in this city.
The letter reminded him of Mario and Horacio Costa, engineers of Mogiana Cia de Estradas de Ferro, Augusto and Fernando Nogueira
Filho, manager of the Banco Noroeste.
This invitation did not create the same success as an identical request by Joaquim Gabriel Penteado and John Monteiro.
After some time, Roberto Shalders comes to Campinas himself for two days and it serves him to guide Hermas Braga, to visit
every corner of the city, without any discussions about his goals.
But the Rotarians did not tell him that H James Roth, Special Commissioner of Rotary International, had already made his
debut as founder of clubs, to create the RC Campos (RJ), on 5 October 1928.
Jim, was known as the "Friends of the Brazilian Rotary", and the mayor of the city Orozimbo Maia, knew that Roth was
sure to accept the command for the foundation of the club.
Resulting from this command to attend Campinas, Miguel Arrojado Lisbon (Director of Rotary International 1931-32), and
Samuel Leon de Moura, Governor of District 72, (the only district in the country) and Leon de Moura from the RC of Santos, the
third Governor of Rotary in Brazil, then starting the work of organizing new Rotary Club in what was known as the cultural
capital of the state of Sao Paulo.
Collaborating well in guiding the new Rotarian club were Ismael Coelho de Souza, a founding partner and first President of
Rotary Club of Santos, and Eduardo de Oliveira Cruz, a member of the Rotary Club of Sao Paulo.
On October 4,1931, from 2pm in the Campineiro Club, the entire afternoon is spent on instruction, debates and
questions with Arrojado Lisbon and Leon de Moura.
Finally the Rotary Club of Campinas was created, being the sixteenth club in Brazil and the third in the State of São Paulo,
godson of the Rotary Club of Santos (which was founded with 25 members) on 26 February 1927 - the most social framework so far -
after RC of Sao Paulo.
The club was bigger than that of Santos, with 26 members, and the first reunion dinner took place at Hotel Pinheiro, on 8
October 1931, at 7pm, when it took its first Board of Directors, chaired by Maia, the most experienced of the group.
Those who attended this first meeting were:
Mario Estevam de Siqueira - Manager Bank of Commerce and Industry; Theodureto de Camargo - Director of Agronomic Institute;
Joao da Silva Monteiro Jnr - Director of Cia Traction Light and Power; Jose Alves Teixeira Nogueira - Manager of Bank Northwest;
João Penido Burnier - Director of the Institute Penido Burnier; Antonio de Oliveira Bernardes - Director of the Hospital Vera Cruz;
and Adalberto de Oliveira Maia - Trader.
The founding members of the club, as historical records latershow, will add up to 27 members, which are:
Adalberto Maia, José Alves Teixeira Nogueira, Bernardes Wilson, Coelho de Souza, Jose Antonio de Oliveira,
Armando Rocha Brito Lino de Moraes Leme, Artur Canguçu da Cunha Azael, Álvares de Castro Sierra Lobo Leonidas,
Benedito Cunha Campos Manoel Galvão, Carlos Penteado Stevenson Mário Estevam de Siqueira, Cleso de Castro Mendes Orozimbo Maia,
Clóvis Peixoto Raymundo Bittencourt Prado, Horácio Antonio da Costa Roberto Bergalo, Hermas de Carvalho Braga Sylvino de Godoy,
João Penido Burnier Sylvio Moraes Sales, João da Silva Monteiro Filho Theoldureto de Camargo, Joaquim Gabriel Penteado.
It was observed that the club was born great, as highlighted above, the height of the importance of the city, then with a
population of 50,000 souls, and quickly won the admiration, sympathy and respect for the Campineira community, bringing together
people of greater expression among members of Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Campinas was admitted in Rotary International on February 11, 1932.
Acknowledgement to the
webmaster and members of the RC Campinas
6). Rotary Club of
Florianopolis
An official of the Brazilian Army northern RS, was transferred to
Florianopolis and brought with him the idea of Rotary.
"I wanted to
look for friends to found Rotary in Florianopolis in 1938".
He found
acceptance and began working in that direction.
He made a list
of potential Rotarians which included Nereu Ramos who was governor at
the time.
The representative of Rotary International in South America, James Roth
(Jimmy), was sent to Florianopolis, with the objective of assisting the
development of the first Rotary club on the island of Santa Catarina.
When they
reached the island, they were surprised not to find the name of John
Moritz Eduardo in the list of potential Rotarians.
Roth had met
Moritz on board the ship from Hamburg to San Francisco in 1932, where
Moritz had earned his master's degree in Germany.
For
Conversions between he, James Roth (who returned to Italy) and
another Rotarian from the city of Santos, Samuel Leon de Moura, Governor
of the Province of Brazil at the time.
These three became friends and discussed the foundation of new Rotary
Clubs in Brazil.
At that time
many Brazilians had left Europe, fearful of Hitler's intentions.
In the meantime,
John Moritz was along with his father, in the process of founding of the
Rotary Club of Florianopolis.
The first
meetings occurred once a week, in the library of the former headquarters
of the Club, commencing on August 12, at Rua Joao Pinto, in September
1939.
In 1939, the
south of Brazil, including Santa Catarina, belonged to District 29.
After these initial meetings the Club changed its
headquarters many times beginning at the Avenida Hercílio Luz, the Lira
Tennis Club in Lt. Silveira, the German Shooting Club (linked to the
Army) and several restaurants, until they eventually returned to the
Lira Tennis Club.
Official
admission to Rotary International occurred two or three months after the
date of formation, on September 17, 1939.
The first
president of the Rotary Club of Florianopolis, Guilherme Abry originated
from RC Joinville and was involved in our club's creation.
The first major
achievement of the Rotary Club of Florianopolis was the National
District Conference in 1942.
They hosted
other conferences over the years which brought the benefits of meeting
Rotarians from different places.
Two highlights for
President Eduardo John Moritz, who was honored several times for having
100% attendance, had participated in many world events and had met many
great Rotarians and personalities and some RI presidents including Paul Harris, was
his appointment as District Governor and being one of the founders of the Rotary Club Florianopolis-Centre.
Acknowledgement to the
webmaster and members of the RC Florianopolis
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