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History of
the Rotary Club of Jenkintown
(chartered March 15, 1924)
How Rotary Started
The first rotary club in the world was formed in Chicago on
February 23, 1905 by Paul P. Harris, a lawyer, who suggested the form of
organization to a few friends and with them institute the club. Three
years later the second Rotary club was organized in San Francisco and by 1910
there were sixteen clubs whose representatives met in Chicago that year for the
first Rotary convention. At that convention the National Association of
Rotary Clubs was formed. Two years later, to provide charter for Rotary
clubs in Canada, Ireland and England, the International Association of Rotary
Clubs was formed, and in 1922 this name was shortened to Rotary International.
There are now over 1,220,000 Rotarians in 31,000 clubs in 165
countries around the world.
Charter of the Rotary Club of Jenkintown
Sponsored by the Philadelphia Rotary Club, the Jenkintown
Rotary Club received its charter number 1672, dated March 15, 1924, from the
hands of District Governor Harry S. Fish, M.D. of the then Thirty-fifth District
of Rotary International on April 1, 1924. Charles F. Puff, Jr., was
elected the first President.
The growth of Rotary frequently has made redistricting of
Rotary clubs necessary. The Jenkintown Club began in the Thirty-fifth
District, which in 1925 became the Fiftieth District, and in 1937 became
District 179. In 1949 this became, in turn, District 265. The club
is currently part of District 7450.
Meeting Locations
With the exception of a short period during World War II,
when a more central meeting place was chosen in order to cooperate with the
government's gas rationing program of the time, the Club met consistently at the
Old York Road Country Club. More recently the club has met at a series of
locations, with it's most recent home being at the Grace Presbyterian Church in
Jenkintown.
Anniversary Celebrations
The Rotary Club of Jenkintown celebrated its twenty-firth
anniversary on Tuesday evening, April 5, 1949, at which time Dr. Fish was the
honored guest and principal speaker.
The club's Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Banquet was held on May
17, 1999 at the Abington Club in Jenkintown.
An Honorable Record of Service
The Club has had an honorable record of service in the
communities represented by its membership, the local region, and in selected
countries around the world. The club promotes fellowship and friendship
among its members and imbues them with the spirit of Rotary by which they might
be led to raise the standards of ethical practice in their individual
occupations and by which they have been animated to assume responsibility and
leadership in community service and through which they have caught the
vision of a world of good will, international understanding and peace.
Club history Information on this page
provided by John Rice, club president 1974-1975. John Rice has been a
committed, active member of our club since September 1954.)
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Dedicated
to
"Service Above Self"
since 1924
"They Profit Most
Who Serve Best"