Carl P. Miller,

(Honolulu, Hawaii, USA)

See all Canadian Conventions

The Toronto Convention 1964

(Trends for Tomorrow)                

The 55th annual convention of Rotary International held in Toronto drew 14,661 Rotarians and their guests, plus 1,295 young people under 16 years, most of them Interactors. It was the sixth largest convention in Rotary’s history, and the second largest held outside the United States. They came from 72 countries.                                       

            As in 1942, the plenary sessions were held in Maple Leaf Gardens, and the House of Friendship and convention offices were housed in the Royal York Hotel. Other activity locales were the Automotive Building at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, and Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto and the O’Keefe Centre. Delegates and their guests travelled around the city and to and from the convention sites by the subway, which provided Rotarians with passes, and shuttle buses which were also free.

            Convention Chair Halsey B. Knapp, past vice-president of Rotary International from Farmingdale, New York, got the convention underway on Sunday evening. In a welcome address, W. Earl Rowe, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario paid Rotary a fine tribute. “I believe,” he said, “that your organization and kindred societies have done much more than people realize to eliminate racial distinctions, class prejudices, and religious differences. The fact that you represent different countries and have been able to get together those of different classes, colour, and language has contributed much to the understanding, the generous tolerance, and all that is so essential in a troubled and excited world.”

(photo: "President Carl. P. Miller and Mrs. Miller being piped into Maple Leaf Gardens, the site of the 1964 Convention")

         In a brief welcome R. I. President Carl P. Miller, a newspaper publisher in   California, reminded the delegates that, “This had been a year of doing - a year in which Rotarians found specific ways to advance international understanding.” Next, the presentation of the flags of the 72 countries in the Rotary family of nations thrilled the assembly. Then the curtains opened on a “Canadian Musicalette, West by North,” produced and directed by Toronto orchestra leader Howard Cable. The audience enjoyed a bright and lively evening of entertainment.

            Taking a clue from President Miller’s international theme “Meeting Rotary’s Challenge in the Space Age,” the organizing committee chose “Trends for Tomorrow” as the theme of the 1964 Convention. A number of prestigious speakers developed the theme.

            At the first plenary session on Monday morning, welcoming speakers included Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Wilfred Spooner, Toronto Metropolitan Council Chair William R. Allen, Toronto Mayor Phillip Givens, and Toronto Rotary Club President Clare D. Carruthers. The keynote speaker at this session was Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson who spoke about Canada’s international relations, especially with the United States.  He informed the audience that Canada intended to build a separate Canadian nation on the continent with a separate Canadian identity.

            U.S. Senator Clinton D. Anderson, Past President of Rotary International, titled his talk Together to the Stars. He predicted that space travel would bind together all earth men and nations that together they may explore the stars.

            Carlos P. Romulo, President of the University of the Philippines and Past President of the United Nations General Assembly related some inspiring reasons for Why I am a Rotarian.

            Canadian newspaper entrepreneur British Lord Thompson of Fleet talked about Making Peace with the Soviets. He was convinced “that if we are to contemplate a peaceful, happy existence for our children and our children’s children we must develop friendship and agreement with the Soviet Union.” He made headlines by suggesting that the time was ripe for a Rotary Club in Moscow.

            Special features, designed among other things to promote and achieve international understanding and fellowship included the following: 

·        fifty-four craft assemblies at which Rotarians displayed their hobby crafts;

·        Interact “Buzz Sessions” sought new and better ways for the 400 Interact Clubs in 32 countries to serve their constituencies;

·        twelve international friendship meetings;

·        international fellowship dinners;

·        reunion lunches;

·        more than 3,500 Rotarians, their wives and children participated in home hospitality dinners in 375 homes;

·        reports by 12 participants in President Carl P. Miller’s  great matched district  exchange program and, of course, informal meetings in the House of Friendship.

One plenary session was spent discussing and voting on 39 enactments and eight proposed resolutions recommended by the Council on Legislation whose 253 members representing districts and regions from all over the world met all day Saturday and half of Sunday debating. All the Council’s recommendation were approved.

             Activities for the ladies and young people consisted of square dancing at band leader Mart Kenney’s ranch, an all-day trip to Niagara Falls, a fashion show at the O’Keefe Centre, a demonstration of training techniques by the students at the National School of Ballet, sight-seeing tours of old Fort York, Casa Loma, museums and art galleries, teas, and shopping.

            As was the case in 1942, the 1964 Convention wound up with a spectacular “Ice Revue” in Maple Leaf Gardens featuring Canadian and world pairs figure-skating champions Otto and  Maria Jelinek and 200 other skaters.

Prepared by PDG Jim Angus, with considerable assistance from Rotary International Archivist Francine Keyes