|
Ostende, first Rotary Club on the European continent. |
|
The 18th Convention
Ostende, Belgium, June 5-10, with 6,412 in
attendance |
|
 Harry
Rogers,
San Antonio, Texas
President Roger's home page
Read about Harry Rogers' major role in
The Rotary Foundation
“May we all, Christian, Jew, Mohammedan,
Buddhist, Confucian, Agnostic and Infidel stand for once, shoulder to
shoulder and humbly, reverently, hopefully repeat the words: On earth peace,
goodwill toward men.” PH |
|
Ostende was the first convention to be held on the continent of Europe.
Continental European countries with Rotary Clubs were by July 1927 (number
of clubs): Spain (13), France (12), Denmark (3), Norway (5), Holland (6),
Belgium (8), Italy (17), Switzerland (10), Czecho-Slovakia (7),
Austria (3), Hungary (1), Portugal (1), Sweden (1) and Finland (1). The
outstanding event of Rotary in Europe was the admission of Germany into the
Rotary family of nations. |
T. C. Thomsen from the Rotary Club of Aarhus, Denmark and
member of the extension committee was responsible for the foundation of
Rotary Clubs in Germany (pers. communication of Rotarian Wedemeyer, RC
Sylt-Westerland, author of the book “75 Years of Rotary in Germany”). The
first German Rotary Club, Hamburg, was
chartered on October 8, 1927.
Wolfgang Ziegler |
|
King
Albert I of the Belgians opens the first Rotary International Convention
on the continent of Europe, held in
Ostende in 1927.
From
David Shelley Nicholl
"The Golden Wheel."
Doug Rudman |
|
At the convention, King
Albert, a Rotarian, said during his remarks, "A
Rotarian myself, as your president has kindly remembered - and I think I am
alone in the classification to which I belong". Also see "Famous
Rotarians" |
|
Harry H. Rogers, RI President 1926-1927, San Antonio, Texas |
Rogers finished his
address with the following words:
“There is a destiny that makes us
brothers
None can live to himself alone.
All that we send into the lives of
others,
Comes back into our own.” |
"This little gavel, as I have said, is
made out of the wood of the mantel in that home where Paul Harris spent his
boyhood days. There is an inlaid piece of Charter Oak of Connecticut, and
perhaps that may signify the sturdiness of the Rotary movement. This gavel
has a silver plate which says:" |
Albert, King of Belgium, Rotary’s Royal Host, distinguished the
Ostende
convention by his presence. |
 |
After the President’s address, Immediate
Past President Don Adams presented President Rogers with a gavel: |
To
President Harry Rogers
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Ostende, Belgium, 1927
Made of wood from
Paul Harris’ boyhood home
by Junior Achievement
Club Members of U.S.A.
|
 |
Address by His Majesty, Albert, King of the Belgian
His Majesty, Albert, King of the Belgians, arrived at the Kursaal,
accompanied by his royal escort and delivered an address of welcome |
The Crown Prince of Belgium presented RI secretary Ches Perry with the... |
.... Officers
Cross of the Order of the Crown of Belgium |
Message from Paul Harris - Thereafter, Vivian Carter, Secretary of
R.I.B.I. read the
message from Paul Harris:
“On earth peace, goodwill toward men” |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
“The three generals in command of the
destructive forces are: Suspicion Jealousy and Fear
Let us stimulate and encourage the
constructive forces and place in their command, the three greatest generals
the world has ever known: Faith Love and Courage.”
|
“May we all, Christian, Jew, Mohammedan,
Buddhist, Confucian, Agnostic and Infidel stand for once, shoulder to
shoulder and humbly, reverently, hopefully repeat the words: On earth peace,
goodwill toward men.” |
With the exception of the House of Friendship, the entire
Convention Organization was located in the Kursaal and the auditorium was
used for all Convention Meetings |
In Memoriam
Secretary Chesley R. Perry spoke in
memoriam:
“Representative of all our comrades who have gone from
this life during the past year, I mention one by name –
Albert S. Adams –
who once held the highest office in Rotary.” |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Preliminary Convention Activities
|
The New York City Club provided lounging rooms for the
parting Rotarians, and on the day of embarkation a farewell luncheon was
given in the magnificent ballroom of the Waldorf –Astoria. |
Sunday, June 5th,
was a day of various activities for visiting Rotarians. Many of them
attended church in Ostend. Others took trips to Bruges, the battlefields
of Ypres and Nieport, and short trips around the city. |
|
Speech by
Raymond J. Knoeppel |
|
In
his speech about “Historical Evolution of Rotary Ideas”
Raymond J. Knoeppel from the Rotary Club of
New York City and Director of Rotary
International 1927-28, said the following:
“Many men have wondered whether Paul Harris ever visioned a pro-gress a
great as we have today. At on time, I wondered myself, but after several
years of closer contact with Paul and reading some of his early remarks,
I am convinced that he saw in the simple beginning something almost as
great as what has transpired, for he said at the same first convention
in 1910:
“I would not dare to tell you, gentlemen, right now what I think about
the future of this organization, or you would think me visionary.”
At
the banquet following the same Convention, Mr.
A. F. Sheldon, speaking,
said:
“As
a man comes into light of wisdom, he comes to see that only the science
of right conduct towards others pays. He comes to see that the science
of business is the science of human service. He comes to see that he
profits most who serves his fellows best.”
Resolutions
The resolutions
adopted or rejected by the Ostend convention dealt mostly with some
petty bureaucratic details or wild ideas like the introduction of
Esperando as the Official International Auxiliary Language of Rotary
(withdrawn). However, attendance was a major concern as can be concluded
from the first resolution (adopted): |
“To
extend the period of time during which a Rotarian may make up attendance
at the meeting of another Rotary Club”.
Epilogue
From the Weekly Letter of Rotary International Monday 11 July 1927:
At
a luncheon in Brussels, the Crown Prince of Belgium, representing the
Kind and the Council of State, presented the following decorations as an
expression of the Belgian Government’s appreciation of the Rotary
movement and its establishment in Belgium:
Harry H. Rogers – Commander of the Order of the Crown
Chesley R. Perry – Officer of the Order of the Crown
Picture Chesley R. Perry shown above and Officers Cross
Walter D. Cline (Committee Chairman, Rotary Club Wichita falls, Texas) –
Commander of the Order of Leopold II
Gaston Danthine ( Member of the 1927 Convention Administrative
Committee, from Brussels) – Chevalier of the Order of the Crown
Edouard Willems
(Governor of Distrikt 61, Belgium, 1927-28) – Officer of the Order of
Leopold II
Wolfgang Ziegler |
|
