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Rotary PhilosophyRotary CriticsKnowing what we know about Rotary and its achievements over the past century, you might think that an organization with such a noble agenda would be universally praised. It wasn’t! In fact, it had many early critics, some of whom were highly regarded academics and writers, who seemed to believe that high moral principles and objectives must be a front for less noble goals. Yet, despite their criticism, some of it vicious, Paul tried to be fair and to understand their perspective. “It would not be fair to the critics of Rotary, who include some
of the most brilliant of the British and American writers, to charge
them with prejudice.” His conclusion was that their cynicism prevented them from believing that anyone could aspire to the principle of Service above Self. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). ToleranceIf you read Paul Harris’s second book (Paul Harris, This Rotarian Age), you may find the introductory pages confusing and apparently unrelated to Rotary. He talks at length about intolerance and the curious phenomenon that the most intolerant were often victims of intolerance themselves. It is only later that Harris makes it clear that the history of intolerance created the condition for the development of an organization that was dedicated to understanding and tolerance of other cultures, faiths, and nationalities. “… it is the writer’s purpose to relate the story of the
rise of Rotary, and in order that the spirit of the movement may be
better understood, he has drawn attention to antecedent circumstances
which he thinks, in a measure responsible, for the state of mind in
America which made the birth of Rotary possible during the early part of
the twentieth century.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). OptimismHis critics often accused Paul Harris of being unreasonably optimistic. Perhaps he was. In his book This Rotarian Age, Harris wrote “There can be no doubt that the sentiment in all countries favors peaceful settlement of international differences” (page 18). The list of brutal dictators over the past century, some of whom used war to achieve their ends, suggests that there are at least a few people who do not favor peaceful solutions. Maybe it takes an optimistic attitude to believe that world peace is achievable. It is clear that Paul Harris believed that peace was a worthwhile goal and an achievable one. “Rotary hopes that it may find a way to help promote
international understanding and good to the end that resort to arms may
be less frequent in the future.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Selfless PeopleEarly critics of Rotary found it hard to believe that ambitious business people and professionals would actually be interested in a concept like Service above Self. Indeed, Paul Harris recognized that there were selfish reasons to join Rotary, such as making business contacts. Some people joined Rotary for that reason and that reason alone, even in the early years. We all know people who join Rotary today for that reason; most don’t stay long, or if they do stay, they gradually change their focus. The fact that there may be personal benefits to Rotary membership, and that some people join primarily for those benefits, does not detract from the overall mission of Rotary. “The purposes of early Rotary have been frequently described as
selfish, and so indeed they may seem to have been. There are, however,
those who have designated their days as members of the Chicago club in
1905 as the sweetest and most selfless of their lives. Whether a member
was selfish or unselfish depended, of course, upon where he found his
happiness. If he found it primarily in gaining advantage for himself, he
was selfish. If he found it in helping his friends, he was unselfish.
Naturally both types of mind were represented in the early days of club
number one, as is true everywhere.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Contentious IssuesYou can often get a glimpse into the mindset of an era by looking at how people conducted themselves. The original members of the first Rotary Club felt that fellowship and goodwill was so important that they informally resolved to take steps to avoid any risk to their friendships, banning the discussion of topics that might have created controversy and hurt feelings. “The 1905 members of the Rotary Club of Chicago, so valued the
friendship of their fellow-members that they put a ban upon religious
and political discussions, fearing that they might become disturbing
factors, and they were richly rewarded for their foresight. There was
plenty of dynamite in questions which might have been raised; but they
were not raised. The formula was very simple; it read, ‘GO about your
common tasks together, avoid discussions of dissentious subjects, and
your reward will be friendship.’ The formula was worthy of adoption in
much wider circles.” Modern Rotary clubs still are careful about including politics in their programs, although political discussions among members are common. In some countries, politics or religion may still present such intense controversies that their discussion may well threaten the friendships of members. Paul Harris and the members of the original Rotary club clearly felt that fellowship was important enough to voluntarily limit conversation to non-controversial topics. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Simple PrinciplesThe brilliance of Rotary is its simplicity. The 4-Way Test only takes 25 words. Paul Harris summarized the equivalent principles in just 17 words. “The best way to win the esteem of others is by observing the
simple rules of decency. If they won’t accomplish the desired result,
nothing will.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Accepting DiversityThe principle that holds together diverse groups of people, like those found in Rotary, is an acceptance of that diversity. Those who are so sure that their way is the only correct way may make fine missionaries, but they are likely to strain valuable friendships with their missionary zeal. “Obviously, the only possible means of holding together the
little group of Rotarians of 1905, consisting as it did of men of
variant racial origins and religious faiths, was through the exercise of
tolerance. Proselytism had no place; it would have wrecked the movement
in its inception. Sir Wilfred Grenfell says that it is the height of
impertinence for anyone to criticize the manner in which another keeps
in touch with God.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Prohibition and SobrietyYou might be surprised that Paul Harris had something to say about sobriety. In his book, This Rotarian Age (1935), Harris chose to comment about sobriety and prohibition. This book was published just two years after prohibition was repealed; it probably went into press about the time of the repeal and these paragraphs were likely written during the last days of prohibition. Rotary was an international organization by then, so when Rotarians met outside the United States, drinking was legal and accepted. Although in the following paragraphs Harris chose not to share his own feelings about prohibition, one might surmise from his other statements about tolerance that he believed the efforts by prohibitionists to force their moral values on an entire country was ill conceived at best, and possibly even destructive. “So Rotary continued in its own sweet, self-centered way. Winds blew and storms raged without, but within, all was well. Could the Bard of Ayr have visited the group, he would have wondered how so much happiness and merriment could be possible without the use of the friendly cup. It would have been necessary to explain that the cup had fallen into bad hands in the U.S.A. Rotary has never taken sides on the prohibition question, but Rotary gatherings have been characterized in all countries for sobriety.” “Drunkenness has been practically unknown in Rotary circles.
International conventions and district conferences where large numbers
of Rotarians are gathered together, constitute striking contrasts with
meetings of many other organizations whose members view such occasions
primarily as opportunities to celebrate their temporary release from
restrictions which hamper them in their home towns where they have
reputations to maintain.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Rotary and ReligionRotary was a secular organization from its inception, largely because Paul Harris and the other early Rotarians felt it important to represent all faiths in their organization. However, being secular does not imply hostility to religion. Many clubs routinely include an invocation at the beginning of their meetings, and clubs routinely collaborate with churches to achieve common goals. “Religious organizations work in complete harmony with Rotary
and many clubs in the smaller communities, where the facilities offered
by hotels and restaurants are inadequate, have their luncheons or
dinners in church parlors, where they are served the best of meals by
the ladies of the church to whom the opportunity of earning money with
which to support church activities, is welcome.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). The Destiny of RotaryMaybe anyone could have created Rotary, but it took the conviction of Paul Harris to make it happen. He had a dream of harmony among people and among nations, and he believed that Rotary could be the mechanism to achieve that dream. “Perhaps in the birth and development of Rotary to its present
vantage point, there has been an ever-present, unalterable, irresistible
destiny, to which all members have been and still are subject, in the
face of which man is impotent and personalities fade.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). The Ideal of Service“What a privilege it is to be linked with one hundred and fifty
thousand other men of more than eighty nations, differing in languages,
customs, and historical back’ grounds; and yet alike in one
respect—all businessmen, held together by a common ideal applicable to
all phases of life, the ideal which is popularly known as the ideal of
service.” In the more than 70 years since Paul Harris wrote these words, some things have changed, while others have remained the same. Rotary membership has grown by 800% in those 70+ years, and now both men and women share that common ideal. But the ideal of service, which is the core of Rotary, has not changed. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Becoming a Service OrganizationPaul Harris was very proud of the fact that the first Rotary club was the Chicago Club, but he was even more proud of the fact that it was the Chicago Club that moved Rotary into the “Service to the Community” role. “If there are still remaining any who continue to think that
Rotary’s turn to public service occurred outside Chicago, they are
mistaken. Rotary’s first introduction to that form of activity
occurred in the city of its origin.” Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Service as the Core PrinciplePaul Harris settled in his 1935 book the age-old question of “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Did Rotary service follow from Rotary values or did rotary values simply reflect the service that was already a part of Rotary? Deeds preceded the written word. After service had been rendered
in manifold forms, the word “Service,” with all its varied meanings
and implications, was written in the Rotary plan. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). An Interesting ControversyOne of the more interesting things about Rotary history is to follow the thinking of Rotary leaders as they work to balance guiding principles that do not always agree. Rotary was originally conceived as a service organization that brought business people and professionals together to improve their community through club actions and through a shared commitment to ethical conduct in all aspects of their lives. All community leaders who adhered to these values were welcome, regardless of their religion. To create a harmonious environment for the fellowship that held clubs together, Rotary discouraged religious and political positions. However, the commitment to ethical conduct is essentially a commitment to the golden rule, which is a nearly universal religious principle. Consequently, in 1935, Paul Harris worried that the golden rule probably needed to be abandoned by Rotary to avoid religious overtones, but doing so would deny a core value of Rotary. The solution was the Four-Way Test, which is nothing more than a more detailed articulation of how to follow the golden rule. The retention of the Golden Rule as a summation of the hopes and
ambitions of Rotary has recently met with serious opposition from
different quarters. It is not that any appreciable number lack faith in
the Golden Rule as a guide in the affairs of men. The objection most
frequently heard is that it has so long been identified with religious
movements that its adoption by Rotary affords reasonable grounds for the
assumption by the uninitiated that Rotary is in fact a religion. It
being the case that Rotarians do not consider Rotary a religion, it is
probable that the use of the Golden Rule in Rotary literature will be
abandoned. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Evolution of Service IdealAlthough service was always a core ideal in Rotary, its focus changed over time as the concept of Rotary evolved and the organization of Rotary grew. The idea of mutual helpfulness had given way to the idea of
general helpfulness, epitomized in the term “service.” International
service, which looms so large at present, then ranked as a byproduct. It
was expected that international understanding and goodwill would be the
natural consequence of working together at common task. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Sheldon and ServicePaul Harris left no doubt about the importance of Arthur Sheldon, one of the earliest Rotarians, in shaping Rotary philosophy. Sheldon rebelled against the business practices common in early twentieth century Chicago. He was an evangelist for the concept that business success should be built on service to the customer. His ideas, his attitudes, and his energy fueled the early development of Rotary. It is clear from the following passage that Paul Harris admired and loved this fellow Rotarian and friend. What some saw vaguely, Sheldon saw clearly. Success did not depend
upon ruthless aggressiveness and selfishness; it was the inevitable
result of the application of the law of service, which was to him a
natural law, as natural and as unerring as the law of gravity. He became
an evangelist in the realm of business, as Dwight L. Moody had been in
the world of religion. There was, in fact, much in common between these
two Chicagoans. Both were fired with the crusader’s passion and with
indomitable purpose. Both had captained characteristic Chicago revolts
against unrighteousness. Both had roused the dormant powers of
resistance. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Vocational Versus Community ServiceRotary has four Avenues of Service, but even today, community service dominates in many clubs. Although this state of affairs was distressing to many early Rotarians, who believed that vocational service was a natural for Rotary philosophy, the community projects that blossomed transformed many smaller towns. In many locales, Rotary members became the visionaries in the community—the people who believed that improvements were possible and proved it with their actions. Two antagonistic schools of thought developed in the course of time. To the proponents of vocational service, the work seemed so important and so eminently adapted to Rotary, that they viewed with jealousy the ease with which community service monopolized the interest of many of the clubs, particularly in the smaller cities. Hundreds of small towns and cities, all but dead so far as civic
consciousness was concerned, took on new life and strove to make
themselves the best and most progressive in the country. Boys’ bands
sprung up wherever it was possible to take root. Boys’ camps were
inaugurated. Languishing Chambers of Commerce revived, and new Chambers
of Commerce organized where there had been none before. Rotarians were
more than propagandists; they frequently constituted the entire working
force. Those who could not contribute money, contributed labor. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from
the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). Sparking Community ActionCommunity projects by local Rotary Clubs did much more than provide playgrounds, parks, or places to meet. They changed the attitudes of the people who made up the communities. Who knew that the spirit of Rotary would be so contagious? Rotarians started the process; the community kept it going. There never had been such doings since barn-raising days. Not the
least in importance, was the change in demeanor of the citizens. Years
seemed to have been shaken off; they were boys again. Old grouches began
to smile, and ancient feuds languished for want of sufficient animosity
to keep the fires burning. Community service proved its worth. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). The Case for a Community FocusMany of the earliest Rotarians believed that the optimal focus for Rotary was on stimulating ethical conduct in businesses and professions. There was always a community focus as well, but that focus gained momentum when Rotary began expanding into smaller cities and towns, which often did not have the social and political structure for community action. Rotarians were the leaders of these communities, not just the leaders of their professions. Their leadership and vision changed their communities and cemented the role of Rotary in community service. It took decades for Rotary to settle on the current structure of multiple avenues of service rather than a single primary goal. Community service had proven its worth and therefore will always be a central part of Rotary. In the smaller towns and cities, the need of community service was manifested in every quarter. There was nothing abstruse about it; it called for action rather than study or the exercise of the imagination. To one who employed few, if any clerks or helpers, the employer-employee relationship seemed not a serious matter. Certain leaders who were not adverse to community service, were
nevertheless of the opinion that clubs should not participate as clubs;
that they should go no further than to encourage their members to take
part in community activities sponsored by other organizations, except in
rare instances where there were no other organizations qualified to act;
in which cases, Rotary clubs might take up the work until other agencies
could be organized for the purpose. Reprinted by permission of the Rotary Global History Fellowship from the Newsletter Nuggets Section of “What Paul Harris Wrote” (www.whatpaulharriswrote.org). |
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