Paul Harris first went to Glasgow in
May 1928 when he disembarked from a transatlantic liner to be met by members
of Jean Harris' family. It was not, however, until July 10 that he made his
first visit to the Glasgow Club where his address was heard by a gathering
of over one hundred including members from Falkirk, Hamilton, Paisley and
Stirling, while Kilmarnock and Dumfries sent their greetings by wire! His
speech on 'The Genesis of Rotary', was interrupted by the arrival of his old
friend, Sir Harry Lauder, a distinguished and enthusiastic Rotarian, who had
sung for the Chicago Club in 1914 and addressed them in 1919. As this
meeting ended, the Glasgow Rotarians, led by Sir Harry, rose and sang
Burns's 'Auld Lang Syne', followed by the poet's often-quoted plea 'Will ye
no' come back again?'
A few days later on July 14, Paul set sail for the States on
the White Star liner 'Regina', from Greenock. Jean stayed on with her
brother who lived close by, but she, together with the Glasgow Rotarians,
had gathered at the quayside to wish Paul bon voyage. At a pre-departure
dinner earlier that evening, Paul mentioned that of the many moving moments
during his long visit, perhaps the most memorable was of the Glasgow
Rotarians serenading him with 'Auld Lang Syne.' "Wouldn't it be wonderful",
Paul told one of the club's members standing near him, "if those words could
be sung to all Rotarians!" With a reproving and most stern look, the
Scotsman tersely replied, "We dinna sing songs like that for everyone!"
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Six years later, in 1934, the Harrises were back in the
Glasgow area. During his stay, Paul attended several club meetings, among
them Glasgow on Tuesday March 27 to which the ladies were also invited, and
Paisley on Wednesday March 28. On the Wednesday at the Paisley Club, Paul
Harris made a short speech in which he commented that, although often called
'The Founder of the Rotary Movement', he felt that he ought to make some
manner of apology. Rotary did not have its origin in any one individual like
Paul Harris. It was in the lives of hundreds of thousands of men who had
been giving themselves so nobly and generously in the interests of the
Movement. This theme was one he was to repeat on several occasions. Later in
the meeting, Jean was presented with a beautiful 100-year-old Paisley shawl,
representing one of the great periods of the life and industry of the town.
In 1937 Paul Harris made his last visit to the Glasgow Club.
En route to join members of Jean's family at a holiday home near Carnoustie,
Paul stopped for a club lunch on Tuesday July 20.
Basil Lewis
Also see
www.rotaryfirst100.org/women/jeanharris
for the life of Jean Harris
www.rotaryfirst100.org/ about our founder
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