1891-1896 Paul Harris,
who was raised by his New England grandparents with values of tolerance toward all, gained his law degree in 1891.
1In his
senior year, a former graduate told his class that they should “Go to a
small town for five years make a fool of themselves, then go to the big
city!” Paul decided to hit
the road for the entire world. He worked as a reporter for the San
Francisco Chronicle, 1891; manual laborer on a fruit ranch, then raisin
packing plant, teacher at the L.A. Business College in 1892.
Denver, Colorado, 1892: Actor in a stock company, reporter for the Rocky
Mountain News, cowboy, reporter for The Republican. Jacksonville, Florida:
St. James Hotel night clerk, traveling granite/marble salesman 1892/93,
reporter on the Washington Star, cattleman on a ship 1893, haymaker and
cannery worker 1893, sub-foreman of the gang of cattlemen 1893, (where he
wrote that, on his first voyage, he experienced sub-human conditions);
orange picker in Florida 1893, back to Jacksonville selling marble granite.
His territory included the southern states, Cuba, the Bahamas and Europe.
When he announced that he was going to Chicago to practice law his employer
said, "Whatever the advantages of settling in Chicago may be, I am satisfied
you will make more money if you remain with me." To which Paul replied: "I am
sure you are right but I am not going to Chicago for the purpose of making
money; I am going for the purpose of living a life."
1896-1905
In 1896, he did go to Chicago to practice
law. One evening, in 1900, Paul went with a professional
friend to his suburban home. After dinner, as they strolled through
the neighborhood, Paul’s friend introduced him to tradesmen in their stores.
This reminded Paul of his grandparent’s home in New England. “Why not have
a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without
restrictions of politics or religion?” he thought.
1905-1908 2On February
23, 1905, Paul Harris had dinner with his closest friend, Chicago coal
dealer
Silvester Schiele.
Afterwards they walked over the river to
Room 711 of the Unity Building
where they met their host, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and
another friend, Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Harris proposed
that they form a club. No name was chosen for the group. The second
meeting was March 9th. Three other men,
Harry Ruggles,
William Jenson, and A. L. White joined them. Ruggles was a printer, and
created the “name badge” version of the Rotary “wheel” and also started
singing in Rotary. In fact his singing kept the group from disbanding
more than once. Paul Harris later wrote: "The significant occurrence of
the second meeting was the introduction of
Harry Ruggles, the printer. Harry was
destined to play an important part in the life of the Chicago club, for
through his suggestion of club singing his influence has been made felt
by the entire movement." Paul P. Harris, page 95 "The Founder of Rotary
1928. Two weeks later the group gathered at the office of Silvester
Schiele, in his coal yard at Twelfth and State Streets. Six of the
previous seven were present along with Charles Newton and Arthur B.
Irwin.
1908-1910 1Paul
was very interested in starting Rotary in other cities. The second
Rotary club was founded by
Homer Wood in
San Francisco in 1908. 7Wood then quickly organized
Oakland #3
(When
did weekly meetings begin? 6According to the
general secretary in 1948,
it was
Oakland #3 in 1909.)
Seattle #4 and
Los Angeles #5. In fact, before the
end of 1909, there were seven clubs, including New York City #6 and
Boston #7. That's right, in 1908 and 1909, Homer Wood started four
clubs. In the rest of the United States there were two, and the San
Francisco club is credited,
by some, with starting
New York.
GROWTH OF
ROTARY AROUND THE WORLD Paul Harris had a vision of “Around
the World Rotary” which was also opposed by many of his fellow
Rotarians. It was not until he won the loyalty of the man who was to be
Rotary’s secretary from 1910 – 1942 that Rotary became organized and
international. That man was
Chesley Perry, whom Paul called the “Builder of Rotary.”
From
www.onepagehistory.info by RGHF senior historian
Basil Lewis, UK and Jack M. B. Selway, USA
See also Histories of the
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U.S.A.
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