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The 32nd Convention -
Denver, CO, June 15-20, with 8,942 in
attendance Also in Denver in
1926 and 1966 |
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 Armando
de Arruda Pereira,
Sao Paulo, Brazil
ARMANDO AND TOM
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When, at midnight on
June 30, 1941 Rotary leadership fell upon new shoulders throughout the
world, Rotary's highest office, the international Presidency, passed between
these Rotarians—from
Armando de Arruda Pereira, of Sáo
Paulo, Brazil, to Attorney
Tom J. Davis, of Butte, Montana. A year
ago, in his inaugural address and guest editorial, President Pereira called
for "More Clubs . . . More Friends!" Rotarians responded, despite world
upheaval, with 137 new Clubs, 56 of them in his own hemisphere, and quickly
came to regard this smiling engineer as their symbol of growing
inter-American understanding. This photograph was taken during the
International Assembly at
Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the week
preceding Rotary's 1941 Convention at Denver.
Picture and caption
were found on page 6 of the July 1941 issue of the Rotarian.
Doug Rudman
Wolfgang Ziegler |
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Jean and Paul Harris presented at the Denver Convention |
Rotary Sundial dedicated on 14,000
foot peak.
Rotary memorial on top of Mt. Evans
(a 14,000 foot peak) placed there by the Rotarians of District 113 (Now
D5450) in l941 in honor of the Rotary International convention that was
hosted by Denver Rotary in June of that year. |
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RI Archives
Pereira Bio
Wolfgang Ziegler |
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It was to be dedicated by the then RI President Armando de Arruda
Pereira of Sao Paulo, Brazil in June of that year. Because of the weather
it could not be dedicated until August. The succeeding RI
President Tom J. Davis of Butte, Montana was able to return to Colorado for
the dedication.
From the Ziegler Collection
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Courtesy of PDG Norris Hermsmeyer D5450 and PDG Eddie Blender D5470 |
 The "Objects of
Rotary"
on Mt. Evans
The Re-dedication... |
The 1941
Convention in Denver was held between June 15th and 20th with a
registration of 8,956. Of these, 8,738 were American - the rest
traveling from the relative safety of Mexico, Canada or Cuba.
 The number of clubs fell in this unhappy period from 5,066 in 1940 to
5,058 in 1941. Japan's 44 clubs became non-existent and the figures
would have been much worse if not for the rapid acceleration of clubs in
South America, perhaps inspired by Brazilian President of RI Pereira.
Again, the dilemma of a world where some Rotarians were at war and
others not dominated events. President Pereira made clear that he
believed that Rotary Clubs "in a country not at war cannot be used for
war purposes. Rotary Clubs in a country at war will do their part to
serve their country, but in doing so should not attempt to use their
friendship with Rotary Clubs in other countries not at war to promote
war purposes in such countries".
Sadly, this dilemma did not concern countries such as the USA by the end
of the year. |
Both Paul
and Jean Harris attended the Convention where Paul both reminisced
and looked to the future: "If an impracticable League of Nations
was the offspring of the World War, perhaps a practicable League of
Nations will be the child of the present war". Rotary would,
indeed, played its part in setting up such a practicable League of Nations
- the United Nations.
Harris ended by quoting: "Watchman, what of the night?"
"The
morning Cometh"
He ended hoping -"Let the morning come soon".
RIBI's Tom Warren spoke to the Convention via a link from London and the
gathering told him at the end of his emotional speech that they were
with him.
The new President,
Tom J Davis proclaimed that "Rotary was born in time
of peace, but its program of service is even more necessary in a period
of world conflict".
Calum Thomson |
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