THE HISTORY OF
THE ROTARY CLUB OF MILWAUKEE -
CELEBRATING OVER 90 YEARS OF
FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Milwaukee Rotary was described by a
non-Rotarian as "the greatest concentration of civic and executive talent in
the State of Wisconsin." One can visualize the impact of this influential
group at the economic and professional level on a city the size of Milwaukee
and a state the size of Wisconsin. So how did it begin?
Milwaukee Rotary was born on January 29,
1913 at the Milwaukee Athletic Club (then the Wells Building) and was
officially accepted two months later as Club Number 57 of the Rotary
International movement.
The first meeting listed the following
charter members, twelve in all:
E.D. Haven Adding Machine
Paul J. Stern Wholesale Baker
W. J. Zimmers Attorney
A. C. McDonald Business College
M.C. Rotier Printing
G. C. DeHeus Tags, Paper Goods and
Jewelers’ Supplies
Hugo Borchert Hot Water Heaters
B. W. Fueger Rubber Stamp and
Seals
John LeFeber Dairy
H. P. Andrae Electrical Supplies
A. C. Downing Boxes - Paper
Caesar D. Marks Surety Bonds
In its early years the club met on
Wednesdays at Ray Smith’s Pfister Hotel and the usual fare was an excellent
sit-down 6-course meal for $0.75.
Although in those days, undisguised business
reciprocity was inherent in the Rotary movement, Milwaukee Rotary at the
outset decreed a set of ideals and objectives which were several cuts above
the norm of the day.
In fact, the small starting nucleus of
members was so insistent upon this ethical approach to the whole movement
that Rotary International ultimately adopted a higher set of standards. The
first International Convention in 1913 was attended by two Milwaukeeans,
Caesar Marks and Bill Zimmers. The latter led the fight from the floor of
the convention "to abandon the principle of reciprocal relations for each
member" to substitute the slogan "Service Above Self". This, of course, has
been the primary reason for its universal success throughout its history.
Thus, Milwaukee Rotary was very closely associated with the idealistic
foundations of Rotary International.
The location of the weekly Milwaukee
meetings was changed through the years to the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the
Astor Hotel, and finally in 1957 to the War Memorial Building.
RCM MILESTONES
CELEBRATING OVER 90 YEARS OF
FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
December 10, 1912
- Organizational meeting to establish
Milwaukee Rotary Club, A.C. Downing, Paul J. Stern, H. P. Andrae, A. C.
McDonald, W. J. Zimmers, Edgar D. Haven, B. W. Fueger, M.C. Rotier, Hugo
Brochert, John LeFeber, G. C. DeHeus and Caesar D. Marks were the chartered
members.
January 29, 1913
- First official meeting, Milwaukee Rotary
Club. Edgar D. Haven, president; G. C. DeHeus, vice president; Paul J.
Stern, treasurer; Caesar D. Marks, secretary; A. C. McDonald, . . . .
Sgt.-at-arms. Among the goals expounded: 1) to promote progressive and
honorable business methods; 2) to encourage civic pride and loyalty; and 3)
to promote civic, commercial and industrial development of Milwaukee.
December 20, 1914
- First Christmas dinner for impoverished
Milwaukee boys. A Milwaukee tradition that continued for 14 years.
1916
- President M. C. Potter proclaimed that,
henceforth, members were to use first names in addressing one another.
1917
- U. S. entered World War I. Milwaukee
Rotarians were active. May 11, 1917 - Milwaukee Rotarian presided at
installation of new Rotary Club in Racine.
1919
- Moved meeting place to new Milwaukee
Athletic Club.
1920
- Established Rotary Fund for Educating
Worthy Boys. Rotarian Oscar Stotzer urged Rotary Club to participate in
formation of Civic Alliance.
1921
- Milwaukee sponsored formation of new
Rotary Club in Waukesha.
1927
- Established College Educational Fund.
1931
- Past President Laflin reviewed
accomplishments of Club during past 18 years. "In every community
undertaking, Rotarians were in preponderance." Rotarians were leaders and
workers in Community Fund campaigns; members served on Boards of Directors
of Boy Scouts, Y.M.C.A. and Association of Commerce.
1936
- Past President’s Club formed.
1939
- Better Business Bureau of Milwaukee
established by Milwaukee Rotary and headed up by Rotarian Richard Jordan.
1941
- Rotarians Oscar Stotzer, Richard Jordan,
Charles L. Wirth, Jr., Otto R. Kuehn, Frank W. Greusel, Clifford A. Randall
and Walter G. Mayer approved a resolution supporting a sports stadium in
Milwaukee, with the intent of obtaining a major league baseball team
franchise. When the U.S. entered World War II, Club members actively
supported troops stationed at General Billy Mitchell Field and in aiding
victims of bombing raids on Britain.
1945
- Milwaukee Rotarians assumed major
responsibility for the
post-war development and modernization of
Milwaukee. The 1948
Corporation was formed in 1945 to organize
activities celebrating
Wisconsin’s centennial as a state.
Subsequently, the focus of the
Corporation was expanded to include the
promotion of projects such
as an expressway system, a sports arena, a
new museum, city
administration building and Union Terminal.
1948
- The 1948 Corporation changed its name to
the Greater Milwaukee Committee. Rotarians were deeply involved in the
origins of this community-focused organization. Rotarians Clifford A.
Randall, William Pollock, Irwin Maier, Joe Heil, Don Abert, Otto Kuehn,
Howard Stark, Ed Gerhardy, R. C. Zimmerman, Bob Baird, Ralph Friedman, Ted
Friedlander were its leaders.
1953
- Efforts of Clifford A. Randall and the
Greater Milwaukee Committee resulted in the transfer of the Braves baseball
team from Boston to Milwaukee.
1957
- Milwaukee Rotary Club provided funds
($12,000) to construct a winter cabin for Boy Scouts of Indian Mound camp.
The new West Milwaukee Club was sponsored and Chartered by the Milwaukee
Rotary Club. On October 22, 1957 the Milwaukee Rotary held its first meeting
at the new War Memorial Center. Rotarian Will Ross was a leader in the
development and building of this major GMC project on the lakefront.
1958
- Clifford A. Randall elected
president of Rotary International, Rotary’s highest office. (RI President 1958-59)
The Club assisted businessmen in Cudahy and
South Milwaukee in forming the Mitchell Field Rotary Club, the 10,000th
club in Rotary International, during Cliff Randall’s term as president of
Rotary International. Rotarian Richard Teschner advocated the development of
a major music center culminating in the building of the Performing Arts
Center.
1960
- Milwaukee Rotary developed and supported
the Music for Youth program in Milwaukee.
1962
- Milwaukee Rotary Club continued to
facilitate formation of additional Rotary Clubs in the area, including
Brookfield. Members volunteer as Bell Ringers for Salvation Army Christmas
Appeal.
1963
- Funded and established Low Vision Clinic
at Curative workshop. More than 100 patients were treated during the first
year.
1965
- International Student Center established
by Rotary.
1968
- Charitable Trust established to support
local projects.
1969
- After more than a decade of effort,
Milwaukee’s Performing Arts Center opened on September 17. Richard Teschner,
chairman of the War Memorial Development Committee, with fellow Rotarians
Irwin Maier, Dr. J. Martin Klotsche, Stanley Glen, A. D. Robertson, Cliff
Randall, Ed Gerhardy, Ralph Friedmann and William Menehan made this
magnificent building a reality for Milwaukee.
1974
- Rotarian Jack Lindsay implemented the
Reading Is Fundamental program.
1975
- Camp Enterprise established. Proposed and
advocated by Rotarian John Roethle to provide means to educate high school
students in the role and operation of our free enterprise system. First camp
was held in May, 1976. In 1980, the Club was recipient of a Freedom
Foundation Award for this program.
1976
- Implemented Golden Buy Pass Program, a
discount program for senior citizens.
1978
- Established the RIF (Reading Is
Fundamental) program for
sister club in Patna, India. Also provided
funds for cardiovascular
pacemaker for the Medical College Hospital
in Patna.
1979
- 7,000 books shipped to Patna for the RIF
program.
1980
- DISEC (District International Student
Exchange). Through
this program, high school students in
Milwaukee interchange with
students from foreign countries.
1982
- Second Harvesters, a community food bank,
is established by Milwaukee Rotary.
1987
- Jean McKey, daughter of Past President and
Past District Governor, is welcomed as the Club’s first female member.
1988
- Milwaukee pledges $96,503.00 to Rotary
International’s Polio-Plus campaign to eradicate the disease throughout the
world. Milwaukee Rotary Club celebrates the 75th anniversary of community
leadership and service in Milwaukee.
1989
- Rotary’s continued cooperation with
Milwaukee Public Schools results in the "Milwaukee Youth Survey" and the
Greater Milwaukee Education Trust. Board of Directors increased to 15
members – to serve 3-year terms.
1990
- Health Education Center is approved by the
membership as a joint project of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Junior League
of Milwaukee and Rotary Clubs of Wisconsin. Members pledged $500,000 to kick
off the fund raising phase. An Executive Director is hired for the Center
and a Board of Directors established.
1991
- One-On-One Mentoring Program established
with Webster Middle School. School Partnerships developed with Riverside
University High School and Webster Middle School.
1992
- The "Valentine’s Gala" raises $10,000 for
the Rotary Club of Milwaukee Community Trust. Past President Rick Luedke
serves as District 6270 Governor and Milwaukee Rotary hosts the District
Conference at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee.
1993
- The River Revitalization Foundation formed
as a joint project of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee and the Kiwanis Club of
Milwaukee.
1994
- Milwaukee Rotary Club joins a partnership
with the City of Milwaukee Health Department and Children’s Hospital of
Wisconsin in an "All Kids Count" Immunization Project.
1995 -
Construction of the Health Education Center
neared completion, and students begin attending summer classes in July.
1996
- More than 22,000 school-age children from
this area have passed through the doors of the Health Education Center and
been empowered with the knowledge to make healthy lifestyle decisions.
1997
- After 10 years of the "Fair Share" giving
plan and other generous donations, the RCM Foundation achieved its initial
objective of $1,000,000. While the Foundation will continue to grow, the
Club can now provide more financial support to Club projects and other
community and international efforts.
1999
- Launched our commitment to Wisconsin Lake
Schooner Education Association and Great Lakes Future; sponsored new Rotary
Club; donated two sun ovens to Honduras; drilled water wells in India;
sponsored Future Milwaukee Gateways mentoring; continued support for the
Children’s Health Education Center, Reading is Fundamental and Second
Harvest; began review of membership policies.
2000
- Task Force established to insure
maintenance of 400 members emphasizing greater diversity of membership.
Increased size of Tuesday lunch attendance. Sponsored a two-day public
display of Denis Sullivan and three other tall ships.
2002
- The Rotary Club endorses the creation of
Pier Wisconsin and purchases the naming rights to the Rotary Club of
Milwaukee Amphitheater. The Club continues strong membership growth and
increased attendance. Media coverage of Rotary programs grows and the Club
is recognized as THE forum for discussion of important issues of the
day. America’s Second Harvest honors the Club with their ‘Hunger
Humanitarian Award’ for their years of support and service.
2003
- Club celebrates its 90th anniversary.
Membership returns to more than 400. Successful Polio Eradication Campaign
raises over $30,000. New head table banners enhance club’s professional
image.
2004
– Club reinvigorates committee
participation. After an extensive review of community needs and Rotary
resources, the Club initiates a new partnership with the Milwaukee Village,
the middle school at North Division High School.
(provided by
RGHF member Ray MacFarlane)
