As a result of the meeting of member Manual Munoz, of the Rotary Club of Chicago, with Homer Wood, a young attorney of San Francisco, the second club -- the Rotary Club of San Francisco -- was organized in November, 19080. Before July, 1909 Rotarian Wood had been instrumental in starting three more clubs in Oakland (3), Los Angeles (5) and Seattle (4).

Fred Tweed, one of the early members of the Chicago club, carried the idea to the east coast of the United States when he organized the Rotary Club of New York City (6) in August 1909. Four months later the Rotary Club of Boston (7) began.

In August, 1910, the first Rotary convention was held in Chicago, to which 29 delegates, representing 14 of 16 existing clubs, attended. "The National Association of Rotary Clubs" was organized at this convention with 16 member clubs and approximately 1,500 Rotarians.

Also at this first convention, and again at the second convention (held the next year in Portland (15), Oregon) Chicago Rotarian Arthur Frederick Sheldon used the words, "He profits most who serves his fellow best." The Minneapolis (9), Minnesota, delegation pecked this up and proposed a motto, "Service above Self," out of which evolved, without official sanction, the proud motto -- "Service above Self -- He profits Most Who Serves Best."

Before that year was over eight more clubs were organized, including one in Winnipeg (35), Manitoba, Canada. Rotary had truly became international!

In 1911 Rotary Spanned the Atlantic with clubs in *Dublin (65) and Belfast (67), Ireland, and in London (50), England. (In 1911 The Rotary Clubs of Des Moines (27) was founded.) The next year, 1912, with 50 clubs and 5,000 members, saw another name change. This time to "The International Association of Rotary Clubs." shortened in 1922 to the familiar "Rotary International."

The great Rotary wheel continued rolling strongly and picked up speed. In 1906 the first of many varieties of wheel emblems" came into use. In 1912 a geared wheel was adopted to be followed, in 1924, by authorization of the present official emblem, a wheel of six spokes, 23 cogs and a "keyway."

 

The Question concerning the spectacular growth of Rotary International can be answered quickly by an examination of its ideals and objectives.

The more aware Rotarians became of their potential power for good within their own communities and beyond, the more rapidly the movement grew. In 1906 with its constitution already given prime observance to, "The promotion of the business interests of it's members," the club added, "The advancement of the best interests of Chicago and the spreading of the spirit of civic pride and loyalty among its citizens.

Here is, perhaps, the first indications Rotary was destined to evolve into an organization in which the members were developing an idealism that would extend their efforts into wider and wider fields of service. Here was the very beginning of the "service" club as we know it today.

At the first truly international convention of Rotary, in Duluth (25), Minnesota, in 1912, that original first object, the one which emphasized the promotion of each others' business interests, was removed from the objectives of Rotary. Personal, selfish gain as a moving force was thus officially eliminated from the Rotarian doctrine. In 1921, at Edinburgh (62), Scotland, a new object, "To emphasize the international influence of Rotary," was adopted.

But it was not until 1935, in convention assembled in Mexico City, the four objects as we know them today were set out. Lofty in sentiment, perhaps but certainly within reach of the member who could earnestly strive to make them an effective force in his personal, business and civic life.

Source "...always on Thursday... "A Story of the Rotary Club of Des Moines, Iowa" by George F. Rutledge (#714) copyright RC of Des Moines 1978

*Also see the rotaryfirst100.org/fellowship section on the history of clubs in Ireland and the UK