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Paul Harris comments |
| In his 1935 book, a text on
Rotary, "This Rotarian Age," Harris devoted two pages to the subject of women in business as well women and Rotary and their attempt to form women's clubs. |
| It was in the Chapter "The
Challenge," which is also covered in three issues of "What Paul Harris
Said" for September 22, 29 and October 6 2002 that Harris wrote the
following. “It is heartening also to know that the wives, daughters and mothers of Rotarians in many cities, impressed with the value of Rotary have organized clubs of their own and are doing effective service in charitable enterprises. The women’s movement has gained greatest momentum in Great Britain where their clubs, nearly one hundred in number, have already established a national unit which is doing extension work in British dominions. The writer is convinced that women who can spare the time from family affairs, need contacts with other women more than men need increased opportunities to meet their fellows. Business provides men with contacts and also with a form of discipline of which women, by reason of their sheltered lives, are deprived. If women are more critical then men, it is because they have had less experience with their kind. Inexperienced men are suspicious and difficult to deal with, while women whom circumstances have compelled to enter the field of business generally become less suspicious, broader in their outlook and more understanding. Considerable effort has been made by business and professional women to have the doors of Rotary opened to them. Lady Astor, appearing before a Rotary conference in Great Britain in their behalf, made her usual strong appeal. While the business and professional women have been unsuccessful in their efforts to gain admission to Rotary, they have not been unsuccessful in their efforts to embrace Rotary principles. They now have several strong and growing organizations of their own. The writer hopes that the organizations of the Rotary type now in existence will increase until the time arrives when there will be clubs for all business and professional men and women and youths who are imbued with the ideal of service.” Paul P. Harris, Pages 133-134 from “This Rotarian Age” In this section, Harris also discussed the importance of the exclusive nature of our classification system, his support of multiple clubs in larger communities (still a subject of controversy,) other clubs (Kiwanis, Lions) and youth organizations. His discussion of women was a logical continuation of that line of thinking and is very supportive of their position given the time. |
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