ROTARY/One - Rotary Club of Chicago

It's not certain exactly when ROTARY/One began. 23 Feb 1905? Or a few weeks later when Paul Harris suggested several names, "Rotary" being one of them. There is also a notation in the proceedings of the 1910 convention, as follows: "Whereas, on February 25, 1904, there was founded Rotary Club of Chicago" What we do know, from the writings of Paul Harris, is that he got an idea in 1900 after having dinner with a fellow Chicago attorney. We know, again from his writing, that his idea was for an organization and that he already had some friends in mind.

However, it was five years before anything formal occurred! Did he discuss it with anyone. He says he talked to his good friend Silvester Schiele, who became the first president of the club and Harry Ruggles, whom you'll meet if you spend time here. Then, he writes, in "The Founder of Rotary" on page 95, just this brief description:

"On the night of February 23, 1905, the first meeting took place at Gus’ office in the Unity Building.

Silvester and Paul had dined together at an Italian restaurant on Chicago’s near north side. Gus, by prearrangement, had invited a personal friend, Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor, a native of the village of Litchfield, in the State of Maine, to whom he had previously introduced Paul.

The meeting was enlivened by the relation of personal experiences, after which Paul unfolded the general purposes of his plan."

The "Rest of the Story" as Chicago's Paul Harvey would say, "is history," and there's nowhere on earth to explore it like where you are right now.

Jack M. B. Selway, Webmaster and Editor for the ROTARY/One History Section & Rotary Global History Founder

Also see Rotary Global History Day: June 2009 award

Rotary Global History Fellowship celebrates 10 years, in Chicago, www.RGHF101010.org