The First Meeting of Rotary

The first Rotary meeting was held on February 23, 1905, in Room 711 of the Unity Building, Chicago. Paul Harris, with Silvester Schiele, Gus Loehr, and Hiram Shorey, founded the club to foster social friendships among business professionals from diverse trades. The club emphasized rotating meetings, leadership, and annual membership reelections, giving rise to the name “Rotary.” Silvester Schiele, the first president, was a German-descended coal dealer known for his lifelong community service. Gus Loehr, a passionate mining engineer, and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor from Maine, were early members though their involvement was brief. Harry Ruggles, a printer who joined soon after, introduced club singing, shaping Rotary’s culture. The founders prioritized generosity, friendship, and mutual support over business gain, establishing friendship as Rotary’s lasting spirit.

A primeira reunião do Rotary aconteceu em 23 de fevereiro de 1905, na Sala 711 do Edifício Unity, em Chicago. Paul Harris, junto com Silvester Schiele, Gus Loehr e Hiram Shorey, fundou o clube para promover amizades sociais entre profissionais de diferentes ramos comerciais. O clube enfatizava a rotatividade das reuniões, liderança e a reeleição anual dos membros, o que deu origem ao nome “Rotary”. Silvester Schiele, o primeiro presidente, era um comerciante de carvão de descendência alemã conhecido por seu serviço comunitário. Gus Loehr, engenheiro mineiro apaixonado, e Hiram Shorey, alfaiate comerciante do Maine, foram membros iniciais, embora sua participação tenha sido breve. Harry Ruggles, um impressor que entrou pouco depois, introduziu o canto no clube, influenciando sua cultura. Os fundadores priorizavam generosidade, amizade e suporte mútuo em vez de ganhos comerciais, estabelecendo a amizade como espírito duradouro do Rotary.

第一次扶轮社会议于1905年2月23日在芝加哥联合大厦711室举行。创始人保罗·哈里斯（Paul Harris）与西尔维斯特·施莱勒（Silvester Schiele）、格斯·洛厄尔（Gus Loehr）和海勒姆·肖里（Hiram Shorey）共同成立了该俱乐部，旨在促进来自不同行业商界人士之间的社交友谊。俱乐部强调会议、主席职位及会员资格的轮换和年度重新选举，因此得名“Rotary”（扶轮）。首任会长施莱勒为德裔煤炭商，以终身社区服务著称。洛厄尔是一位富有激情的矿业工程师，肖里则是缅因州的一名商用裁缝，两人皆为早期会员但参与时间较短。哈里·拉格尔斯（Harry Ruggles）是一位印刷工，稍后加入并引入了俱乐部合唱，影响了扶轮文化。创始人重视慷慨、友谊和相互支持，将友谊视为扶轮持久的精神。