The 1915 Convention at San Francisco was held between July 19th and
23rd. The climate was clearly affected by the Great War that had erupted
in Europe. The Rotary Marching Song (sung to the tune of Onward
Christian Soldiers) appeared at San Francisco.
["Music
History"]
Paul Harris again was
absent due to ill health but sent
his customary
message. "It's a grand thing in this period of the world's history, when
great nations are at war, to see two such standards raised aloft as have
been raised by two of the world's great
organizations. 'Truth' and 'Service' herald the dawn of a new day."
President
Mulholland, in his Official capacity began the ritual of visiting the
whole of the Rotary World. Incoming President Allen D. Albert, a former
war correspondent and journalist, was well versed in the horrors of war
and recognised the challenges that war can place on Rotarians.It is interesting to note that though the organization was still known
as the International Association of Rotary Clubs, the wheel emblem had
the more succinct words of 'Rotary International' emblazoned on the
badge.
This was still a time of defining exactly what Rotary was. Along with
the Golden Wheel came the Rotary flag and (another) Code of Ethics.
Calum Thomson
The
"districts" were also started at this convention.
HISTORY OF ROTARY’S WEST COAST
DISTRICT: 5150
Organizations of all kinds flourish and grow in proportion to the
dedication and strength of their membership and their leaders. The
growth and strength of Rotary International reflects the service given
by its members within their districts over the years.
Our West Coast District 5150 has been given different numbers over the
years. But its record of achievement within the geographical area
designated by Rotary International has been matched by only a handful of
Rotary districts over the years. |
From the beginning of the first Rotary Club in Chicago, until 1915,
there were no Rotary Districts. Clubs acted independently and came
together in exchanges between clubs that were geographically close in
proximity, and at national meetings organized by Paul Harris and Ches
Perry of the Chicago club.
H. J. “Bru” Brunnier
was President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco in 1914. He is
recognized as the originator of the district idea in Rotary. His
idea came about during a regional fellowship gathering at a six-city
meeting in Tacoma, Washington. Returning by train from Seattle following
the conference, Bru awakened in the middle of the night with his idea.
He summoned a porter to bring him a railroad schedule of the United
States, which also included a map of the USA. Bru’s involvement in
Rotary provided him with knowledge of the location of most of the
100
clubs in Rotary at that time. He placed them on the railroad schedule
map with dots to show their location. He then combined the clubs on the
basis of rail transportation and arrived at 13 groupings. His map and
his idea formed the basis upon which Rotary leaders adopted the district
plan at the Rotary Convention of 1915 in San Francisco.
In 1918, due to the tremendous growth of clubs in Rotary, Bru was again
asked to assist in placing Rotary clubs in new districts. Called upon
for a third time in 1923, Bru worked with a redistricting committee to
redistribute clubs within districts. The committee needed to consider
the explosive growth that was continuing in Rotary due to the chartering
of new clubs all over the country and the world. Following 1923, Bru
excused himself from further involvement in redistricting clubs, since
there was much “trauma” in moving clubs to new districts because of
geographical necessities.
Even today, redistricting becomes necessary as Rotary’s growth
throughout the world continues to add new clubs to its rolls.
Redistricting is also inevitable when certain areas in Rotary continue
to grow rapidly and others lose clubs and members. Redistricting is an
unhappy event in Rotary, as personal friendships, made over years of
district gatherings, are interrupted when clubs are assigned to new
districts. |
