RGHF Rotary Global History Fellowship

 

"Slowly, we seek to serve others, believing that history will encourage membership retention and increase contributions to The Rotary Foundation."

GLOBAL●Clubs●Districts●Missing●Library●New?●Harris●Peace●TRF●Philosophy●Presidents●Conventions●Join●Contact●Forum●Search●RGHF FELLOWSHIP
ROTARY GLOBAL HISTORY SECTION HOME First Clubs of Ireland & the UK (First 100 & RIBI History) HISTORY OUTLINE SEARCH
1911 BARC BURNS RI ARCHIVES CHARTERING FIRST CLUBS HISTORY
PRESIDENTS HUNTLEY PASCALL DISTRICTING WARREN YOUNGEST RIBI
RIBI 100 SINGING MAGAZINE BRITISH STAGE STARS MORROW    
Section Chair - RGHF senior historian Basil Lewis, UK FIRST IN EACH REGION WHAT'S NEW? COMMITTEE UPDATES


Most non American Rotarians visiting American clubs generally notice one salient difference. Rotary Clubs elsewhere and especially in Britain do not sing before, during or even after meals. However, there was one notable exception in Britain. In 1921 at the Edinburgh International Convention, the first to be held in the British Isles, a report in the London 'Times' said that, "after the educational business had been disposed of, the Convention indulged in an interlude. It was suggested that after all the 'high-brow' music they had heard, the members should have a song on their own, and so the assembly joined in an American ditty called 'Old Macdonald's Farm'. The song had a loud chorus, the gathering obeying to the full the President's injunction to 'loosen up and sing'.

Basil Lewis
 


Robert Burns was Harris' favorite poet. He is probably best remembered throughout the world for version of the song Auld Lang Syne. This particular song was performed for Paul Harris at The Rotary Club of Glasgow(#60) in 1928 led by the famous comedian/ singer and Glasgow Rotarian Sir Harry Lauder. (left)

Lauder, a personal friend of the founder, coined the phrase "Rotary is the golden strand in the cable of international friendship" which is the basis for the title of Oren Arnold's analysis of Club #1.

Paul was clearly moved in this musical tribute and remarked to the President of Glasgow Rotary Club that it would be a lovely gesture for the Club to sing "Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot..." to all visiting Rotarians.1 The President replied with a frosty disdain "We dinna sing songs like that for everyone".!!

Calum Thomson

1Possibly Paul's request got more attention than he realized. Rotary International's annual convention traditionally closes with the singing of "Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot..."

For more on Sir Harry Lauder, visit Glasgow #60
 
An Early Rotary song book from the Wolfgang Ziegler collection

 		 The Index, note that there are songs in many languages
Home SECTION HOME History of Music in Rotary SEARCH
RUGGLES 1ST RUGGLES MEM RUGGLES/HARRIS BURNS PATRIOTIC SINGING?
LAUDER GLASGOW GLASGOW JOURNAL SONG FOR DG 1915 CONVENTION PEACE ON EARTH
'50 SONGBOOK EDINBURGH 21

BRITISH STAGE STARS

 WORLD PEACE    
DISCUSSION  COORDINATOR NEEDED COMMITTEE WHAT'S NEW? UPDATES
 

Become a member of Rotary Global History Fellowship for only $30 USD. Dues support internet, membership services, and convention costs. Click here to join!

RGHF Disclaimer  Privacy Policy  Usage Agreement

The contents of this website, our electronic features and newsletters have been researched, collected, compiled, and written by Rotarians.

RGHF Mission: As an effort to serve others, RGHF accumulates and preserves the complete history, values and philosophy of the Rotary movement, as well as encourages others to do the same at every level of the Rotary movement, and publishes those histories, values and philosophies on the internet, as well as other forms of media as expedient. 17 March 2003, amended 20 December 2007, Rotary Global History Fellowship Board of Directors.

This fellowship is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International, but is affiliated with individual Rotary districts, clubs, other Rotary organizations and enjoys the support of Rotarians, clubs, districts, and zones world-wide. The views and opinions expressed on this website are not necessarily the collective views and opinions of Rotary International or all Rotarians. Rotary International is not responsible for any content and accepts no liability therefore. © 2000-2008 RGHF (Rotary Global History Fellowship)