General History 通 史

Rotary and Its Founder - The Story of a Man and a Movement

Rotary and Its Founder – The Story of a Man and a Movement

February 9, 2020

Rotary and Its Founder, The Story of a man and a movement An extract from The Rotarian June 1926 by Paul P. Harris. On the shore of Lake Michigan, the second largest of North America’s great inland seas, sixty miles north of Chicago and twenty-five miles south of Milwaukee, lies a small city called Racine. It …

1900

General History of Rotary International

General History of Rotary International

December 7, 2019

General History of Rotary International1 January 2017 In its early years, Rotary clubs served as a respite for their members from the rampant corruption and fraud of the day. After a few years of conducting business with their fellow club members, Rotarians understood that one of the organization’s great strengths was the unusually high …

1901

Some Famous Firsts in Rotary

Some Famous Firsts in Rotary

December 7, 2019

Some ‘Famous Firsts’ in Rotary by Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian) 1 January 2015 Was Paul Harris the first president of a Rotary Club? NO Was Paul Harris the first president of Rotary International? YES There is an easy explanation to this apparent contradiction. Although Paul Harris was the founder and organizer …

1905

Rotary Emblem - Turns The Wheel Has Taken

Rotary Emblem – Turns The Wheel Has Taken

January 14, 2020

February 1938.. It all happened in Chicago back in 1905. The young engraver was Montague M. Bear, you can meet him any Tuesday night at the Rotary Club of Chicago. The group of young businessmen in the hotel suite was the worlds first Rotary lub in one of its earlies sessions. The lean young …

1905

The First Meeting of Rotary in Room 711 - 扶輪的第一次會議

The First Meeting of Rotary in Room 711 – 扶輪的第一次會…

January 23, 2020

The First Meeting of Rotary The 23rd February each year marks the anniversary since the Thursday of 23 February 1905 when Paul Harris, his friend and client Silvester Schiele, friend Gus Loehr and acquantance Hiram Shorey met in Gus’s office in the Unity Building in Chicago, USA, in Room 711. Here is the account …

1905

The Evolution of the 'Object of Rotary'

The Evolution of the ‘Object of Rotary’

October 20, 2019

The Evolution of Object of Rotary by Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian) 1 January 2017 In some areas of the world, weekly Rotary club meetings begin with all members standing and reciting the《Object of Rotary》. This statement, which comes from the Rotary International Constitution, is frequently seen on a wall plaque in Rotarians’ offices or …

1906

First Men of Rotary 'Harry Ruggles' - He Taught Rotary to Sing

First Men of Rotary ‘Harry Ruggles’ – He Taught Rota…

January 14, 2020

Harry Ruggles: he taught Rotary to sing In early 1920, in a letter to Silvester Schiele, one of the original four members of the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary founder Paul Harris wrote: “As I look back over the field of early events, the work of Harry Ruggles so completely overshadows all others in connection with the …

1910

The Rotary Mottos - Created by Whom and When

The Rotary Mottos – Created by Whom and When

October 29, 2019

The Rotary Mottos Created by Whom and When 1 February, 2017 What is a motto? One dictionary definition reads: “a maxim adopted as a principle of behavior.” When Rotary was formed in 1905 on a firm principle of behavior, it had no motto. But the actions of its growing membership soon molded not one, but two …

1911

Planet Rotary - History  of the Rotarian Magazine since 1911

Planet Rotary – History of the Rotarian Magazine since 1911

March 13, 2023

It was in 1911 that Rotary decided it needed a magazine to inform club members. That magazine was called Th National Rotarian. It wasn’t very long before the Rotarians who were coming together around the world wanted a publication of their own as well. In 1915, the first regional magazine started up, serving club members in Great Britain …

1911

From "The Rotary Code of Ethics" to "Rotarians Code of Conduct"

From “The Rotary Code of Ethics” to “Rotarians Code …

October 29, 2019

From《The Rotary Code of Ethics》 to《Rotarian Code of Conduct》 1 January 2015 The earliest Rotarians really had no choice but to make business ethics a priority. They joined the Rotary clubs for two reasons: to make friends and to make business contacts. If their business practices left anything to be desired, they were not likely to …

1911a

Rotary Club Charter Number

Rotary Club Charter Number

October 14, 2019

Rotary Club Charter Number 1 July, 2014 Several thousand Rotary clubs state that they have the Club Number on their charters, while more than twenty thousand clubs claim that there is no such number shown. Which is the TRUTH? The Charter Number Yesterday Hanging on the wall in the office of The Rotary Club of Chicago, United States, is …

1913

The First 75 Years of Rotary in Asia - 扶輪在亞洲的最初七十五年

The First 75 Years of Rotary in Asia – 扶輪在亞洲的最初…

November 2, 2020

The First 75 Years of Rotary in Asia1 June 2019 “There is one fact that stands out clear and huge as Mount Olympus, or Fujiyama for that matter, and that is the fact that all countries need all other countries; not one of them can be spared. We need not be jealous of each …

1918

The History of District 3450

The History of District 3450

November 10, 2017

By Past District Governor Peter K. P. Hall From a lonely man’s hunger for friendship, Rotary has become the most influential international service organization today. For one club with only four members 103 years ago, Rotary today has more than 32,000 clubs with an estimated 1,200,000 Rotarians in 200 countries and regions.

1919

Rotary in China commenced with The Birth of the Shanghai Rotary Club in 1919

Rotary in China commenced with The Birth of the Shanghai Rotary Club i…

May 24, 2020

Rotary in China commenced withThe Birth of the Shanghai Rotary Club in 1919 1 July2014 The Rotary Club of Shanghai (上海扶輪社) was the “father” of Rotary in China, and was the first Rotary Club formed in The Republic of China (中華民國) in 1919(as well as the second Club formed in Asia). That was 95 …

1919

The Long Road Back To China

The Long Road Back To China

June 20, 2021

THE LAUNCH OF TWO PROVISIONAL CLUBS IN THIS ONCE ROTARY RICH NATION HERALDS A NEW ERA OF EXTENSION IN ASIA, BY WEN HUANG This month, RI President Richard “Rick” D. King leads a delegation of Rotary leaders to China and Southeast Asia on a mission with huge implications for Rotary growth through extension. The trip, which follows the …

1919

75 Years of Rotary in China - 扶輪在中國75年

75 Years of Rotary in China – 扶輪在中國75年

September 4, 2021

Extract from the Rotarian 1994 The establishment of Shanghai Rotary Club and its initial service plan When Rotary was founded in Shanghai in 1919, at that time, Shanghai, the largest port in the Yangtze River Estuary in China, and it is also the country’s largest port The main window for the opening of the world. In the chaotic …

1919

The First 25 Years (1905-1930) - Building the structure that made Rotary great

The First 25 Years (1905-1930) – Building the structure that mad…

March 13, 2023

FOR MANY YEARS, this quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson hung on the wall of the office of Paul P. Harris: “He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare.” It was in quest of friends- friendship-that Paul, at the turn of the twentieth century, began to think in terms of bringing business and professional men together for fellowship and for …

1929

The Original Purposes of Rotary

The Original Purposes of Rotary

September 26, 2019

The original purposes of Rotary By Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian) 23 February 2014. In 1930, the Rotary Club of Chicago —The Rotary Club Number One— has a committee at work in the endeavor to prepare a history of the Club.  An examination was made of all the available literature of the early days …

1930

Stories Behind The Four-Way Test

Stories Behind The Four-Way Test

May 8, 2021

Stories Behind The Four-Way Test 1January 2016 January is the Vocational Service Month of Rotary. It may be the right time for all of us to review and to observe one of the guiding principles of the Rotary Movement world-wide. These principles have been developed over the years to provide Rotarians with …

1930

The First Council on Legislation of Rotary International in 1934

The First Council on Legislation of Rotary International in 1934

November 9, 2019

The First Council on Legislation of Rotary International in 1934 Who was the first China’s representative attended this Council? 1 September 2014 The last Council on Legislation of Rotary International (RI) was met in 2013. The next will be held in spring of 2016, and would be followed by the next in 2019. But the first Council …

1934

Tributes to Paul P. Harris

Tributes to Paul P. Harris

October 13, 2024

Paul P. Harris visited Shanghai and Hong Kong in 1935 23 February 2015 Paul P. Harris greeted Dr. Fong Foo-Sec (鄺富灼博士) of Shanghai Rotary Club, China, at the 25th Rotary International Convention, 25-29 June 1934, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Fong was the Club President in 1931-1932. Though had not the chance to serve as a district governor, he was appointed …

1935

Early History of Vocational Service in Rotary

Early History of Vocational Service in Rotary

May 8, 2021

By Will R. Manier, Jr., Nashville Rotary Club, Tennessee, U.S.A.June 1936 (Rotary International President 1936-1937) Great as was his vision and fine as has been his contributions to our Rotary movement, Paul Harris never dreamed Rotary in a single dream, but Rotary has been an evolution, a composite, of many men’s thinking.Our conception of Vocational …

1936

The World in 1945 when Rotary 40 Years Old

The World in 1945 when Rotary 40 Years Old

January 23, 2020

The World in 1945 when Rotary 40 Years Old 23 February, 2015 The year 1945 was the 40th Anniversary of Rotary since its inception in 1905. Rotary Clubs in all parts of the world enthusiastically observed the 40thbirthday of the founding of Rotary on 23rd February. Anniversary highlight was an international broadcast, participated …

1945

Why and How was The Rotary Foundation Scholarships initiated in 1947

Why and How was The Rotary Foundation Scholarships initiated in 1947

February 5, 2020

Why and How was The Rotary Foundation scholarships initiated in 1947 1 November, 2016November 2016 is“The Rotary Foundation Month”. The year 2017 will be the 100thAnniversary of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, and will also be the 70thyear of the establishment of The Rotary Foundation scholarship program. Offering scholarships for overseas advanced …

1947

Early History of The Rotary Foundation before 1950

Early History of The Rotary Foundation before 1950

May 8, 2021

Early History of The Rotary Foundation before 1950 1 November 2016 In this Rotary Year 2016-2017, our Rotary Foundation of Rotary International turns 100. That is a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that is definitely something worth celebrating. November is Rotary Foundation Month of Rotary …

1950

The Rotary Districts and Governors in the Republic of China  1919-1951 - 中華民國的扶輪地區與歷任總監1919-1951

The Rotary Districts and Governors in the Republic of China 1919-1951…

November 30, 2021

中華民國的扶輪地區與歷任總監 1919-1951 The Rotary Districts and Governors in the Republic of China 1919–1951 by Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian) 1 July 2015 1919 年 10 月 1 日——1927 年 6 月 30 日 ( 1927 年 4 月 18 日中華民國定都南京) 3 家扶輪社:上海社、天津社、北京社未編列地區,由位於美國芝加哥的國際扶輪直接督導。 1927 年 7 月 1 日——1928 年 6 月 30 日(第一次國共内戰) 未編列地區 — 名譽專員:朱神恩 …

1951

Rotary Clubs with Charter Numbers in the Republic of China 1919-1952

Rotary Clubs with Charter Numbers in the Republic of China 1919-1952

November 30, 2021

Rotary Clubs with Charter Numbers in the Republic of China 1919-1952 1 July 2014 Club Name Charter No. Charter/Re-admitted Date Termination Date 1. Shanghai 上海扶輪社 …

1952

Golden Anniversary of Rotary International in 1955

Golden Anniversary of Rotary International in 1955

December 7, 2019

Golden Anniversary of Rotary International in 1955 23 February 2015 Today is the 110th Anniversary of Rotary International since its inception in 1905. Certainly, 60 years ago today, there was the Golden Anniversary. Commencing the year of 1954-1955, Golden Anniversary congratulatory messages from heads of State flew in Rotary International from all parts of …

1955

When and Where came the RYLA - 扶輪青年領袖獎勵計劃的緣起

When and Where came the RYLA – 扶輪青年領袖獎勵計劃的…

November 2, 1959

When and Where came the RYLABy Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) R. I. District 3450 RYLA Chair 1999-20004 May 2020Each year, thousands of young people are selected to attend Rotary-sponsored leadership camps or seminars held in districts throughout the world. In an informal atmosphere, groups of outstanding people ages 14-30 spend several days in a …

1959

Rotary in Asia - January 1959

Rotary in Asia – January 1959

March 13, 2023

There are 5,500 miles, as the jet flies, between the Straits of the Dardanelles and Tokyo Bay. Between is the world’s hugest continent, and over half the earth’s population. And here in Asia and Asian isles are 25,000 Rotarians- members of more than 620 Clubs in 26 lands. Since 1919, when Asia’s first Rotary Club was founded in Manila, The Philippines, Rotary has …

1959

ROTARY The View from Sixty - The 60th Anniversary in 1965

ROTARY The View from Sixty – The 60th Anniversary in 1965

March 17, 2022

ROTARY – The View from Sixty – The 60th Anniversary in 1965 Picture for a moment 550,000 men Gathering each week in meeting places in 11700 communities in 125 lands .. Speech by RI President Charles Pettengill

1965

Kowloon West Rotary Club Project Concern 1963 - Doctor Afloat: Hong Kong

Kowloon West Rotary Club Project Concern 1963 – Doctor Afloat: H…

March 13, 2023

We ARE AWAKENED each morning by the sprinkle of coins falling on the deck. But we don’t mind. It is a pleasant alarm.” Martha Turpin flashed a warm smile. “You see, out here we have been accepted and the awakening each morning indicates that the people want what we have to offer.” The offering is Project Concern, a unique health and medical …

1965

The Rotary Foundation Educational Programs Before 1970

The Rotary Foundation Educational Programs Before 1970

May 8, 2021

The Rotary Foundation Educational Programs Before 1970 1November 2016 In this Rotary Year 2016-2017, our Rotary Foundation of Rotary International turns 100. That is a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that is definitely something worth celebrating. The Rotary Foundation is recognized as one of the …

1970

The 30 Years of Women in Rotary

The 30 Years of Women in Rotary

December 21, 2019

The 30 Years of Women in RotaryBy Herbert K. Lau(劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian)1July 2019July 2019 marks the 100th year of Rotary in Shanghai, as well as in Greater China. In these 100 years, Md.Terri Lau (劉麗賢), a Hong Kong native Chinese, is the third woman to serve president of Shanghai Rotary Club (上海扶輪社)in 2019-2020. …

1987

Women Serving Rotary

Women Serving Rotary

December 21, 2019

Women Serving Rotary8 March, 2017 –International Women’s DaySome very significant programs of Rotary service are conducted not by Rotarians but by organizations of Rotarians’ wives and other female relatives associated with Rotary clubs around the world. Generally organized before Rotary clubs admitted women to membership since 1989, these groups served, and continue to …

1989

End Polio Now - The First National Immunization Days in China 1993-94

End Polio Now – The First National Immunization Days in China 19…

December 7, 2019

End Polio Now–The First National Immunization Days in China 1993-941 October 2016 October 24 is Rotary’s World Polio Day 2016. Twenty plus years ago, there were the first National Polio Immunization Days in China, which made China reached 100 million children in historic immunization campaign. On December 5, 1993, the People’s Republic of China launched …

1993

Rotary in Asia - Celebrating 80 Years of Exemplary Service  by Wen Huang

Rotary in Asia – Celebrating 80 Years of Exemplary Service by W…

August 9, 1999

In 1918, Leon Lambert, a leading businessman in philosophy of life because it teaches service and coop- the Philippines, heard from a friend about what was then called the “International Association Rotary Clubs (IARC).” He was attracted to the concept of Rotary’s spirit of fellowship and communi- ty service. A year later, Lambert wrote a letter to John History has …

1999

Rotary in China (2001) - 扶輪在中國 (2001

Rotary in China (2001) – 扶輪在中國 (2001

December 21, 2019

Rotary in China by Christopher Bo BramsenTuesday, 20 February 2001(Note by Editor: Christopher Bo Bramsen was a member of the Rotary Club of Copenhagen, Denmark, and is the RoyalDanish Ambassador to China, concurrently to Mongolia and North Korea. This article is the key-note speech delivered at the 70th Anniversary Meeting of The Rotary Club …

2001

Flag and Banner of Rotary International

Flag and Banner of Rotary International

December 7, 2019

Flag and Banner of Rotary International1 September2013The Old FashionAn official flag was formally adopted by Rotary International at the 1929 InternationalConvention in Dallas, Texas, United States. The Rotary flag consists of white field with the official wheel emblem emblazoned in gold in the center of the field. The four depressed spaces on the rim …

2013

扶輪一詞在中國並沒有特許專利

扶輪一詞在中國並沒有特許專利

April 19, 2023

`Fú lún’yī cí zài zhōngguó bìng méiyǒu tèxǔ zhuānlì zhōnghuá fú lún shǐ yánjiùyuán liújìnghéng 2013 nián 10 yuè 1 rì `fú lún yī cí zài zhōngguó bìng méiyǒu tèxǔ zhuānlì’, zhè shì zhǐ, gēnjù guójì fú lún de xìnxī, jiézhì běnwéndìnggǎo dāngrì, zài zhōnghuárénmín gònghéguójìngnèi (bù bāokuò xiānggǎng, àomén liǎng gè tèbié xíngzhèngqū) bìng wèi huòdé yǒuguān …

2013

The Rotary Call Name - First Name or Nickname

The Rotary Call Name – First Name or Nickname

January 23, 2020

The Rotary Call Name–First Name or Nickname 23 February, 2014It is very common, whenever you are going to fill in the registration form for convention or conference, you will be required to: “Enter your name as you wish it to appear on your convention badge. Please mark your Rotary call name (Nickname) in the …

2014

Peace and Conflict Prevention-Resolution Month

Peace and Conflict Prevention-Resolution Month

December 15, 2019

Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month Paul P. Harris planted a Tree of Friendship in Shanghai 1935 1 February 2018 “Imagine all the people living life in peace …” John Lennon. FEBRUARY is designated《Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month》on the Rotary calendar, since 2015, in lieu of the previous observation《World Understanding Month》. The month also includes …

2015

Why the Rotary Year begins on the First of July - 為什麼扶輪年度從 7 月 1 日開始

Why the Rotary Year begins on the First of July – 為什麼扶輪年度從 7 月 1…

February 9, 2020

Why the rotary year begins on the first of July by 1 july 2015 rotary’s first fiscal year began the day after the first convention ended. This is the group photo of the convention of the rotary clubs of America held in rotarys birthplace, Chicago, in 1910. 1910, ever wonder why the rotary year begins …

2015

Rotary International early policies paving Rotary’s Road back to China

Rotary International early policies paving Rotary’s Road back to Chi…

December 21, 2019

Rotary International early policies paving Rotary’s Road back to China 敬恒) By Herbert K. Lau (劉敬恒) (Rotary China Historian) (剖 1 December 2014 This article aims to give readers some historical facts on the Vision vision of our Rotary leaders about of thirty years ago, and how was their wisdom put through in contrast to the Rotary movement realized …

2016

Rotary International Presidential Themes

Rotary International Presidential Themes

November 3, 2019

Rotary International Presidential Themes 1 July 2017 Each January, as Rotary district governors-elect convene at the International Assembly for training and fellowship, they can be certain of two things: a lot of take-home reading and the announcement of a new presidential theme. The tradition of crafting a theme is credited to 1949-50 Rotary International President Percy C. …

2017

華文區域扶輪雜誌沿革

華文區域扶輪雜誌沿革

June 8, 2024

History of Chinese Regional Rotary Magazine Researcher on the history of Rotary in China Liu Jingheng Rotary Publishing Committee 1999-2003 3450 District Representative Member December 1, 2022 The Rotary magazine “Rotary” is to assist the Board of Rotary International (Rotary International), promote the purpose of Rotary and promote international An important publication of Rotary policy. In this way, through information …

2022

Rotary International supreme officers from the Republic of China - 來自中華民國的國際扶輪最高職員

Rotary International supreme officers from the Republic of China &#821…

October 20, 2024

來自中華民國的國際扶輪最高職員 劉敬恒 (中華扶輪史研究員) 2024年7月1日 Rotary International supreme officers from the Republic of China 國際扶輪在中華始於 1919 年 7 月,當時在中華民國成立的第一家扶輪社是位於上海 公共租界的上海扶輪社。到了 2024 年 7 月,扶輪運動在中華大地開展了一百多年。在這 百多年當中,多位中華民國的傑出國民出任了國際扶輪的最高職員。 Rotary in China began in July of 1919 when the first Rotary Club of Shanghai was established in the Shanghai International Settlement, The Republic of China. July in 2024 marks the Rotary movement in Greater China over a century. …

2024