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Paul P. Harris
Founder of Rotary
Paul P. Harris (1868 - 1947), a lawyer was the founder of Rotary, the world's first & foremost International service club. Rotary is an organization of Business & Professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, promote high ethical standards and help guide goodwill and peace in the world. Born in Racine, Wisconsin, USA on April 19, 1868, Paul was the second of the six children to George and Conelia Harris. At the age of3 he moved to Wallingford, Vermont where he grew up in the care of his paternal grandparents. Marries to Jean Thompson Harris (1881 - 1963), they had no children. He received a LL.B. from University of Law and received Honorary LL.D. from the University of Vermont.
Paul Harris worked as a news paper reporter, a business teacher, and cowboy and travelled extensively in the USA and Europe selling marble and granite. In 1896 he went to Chicago to practice Law. One evening, after dinner, as Paul and his friend strolled through the neighborhood, he was introduced to various tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his New England village and it occurred to him "Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without restrictions of politics and religions?" On 23 February 1905, Paul Harris formed the first club with three other businessmen. Paul Harris named the new club "ROTARY" because members met by rotation at their various places of business. Club membership grew rapidly. Many members were from small towns. In the Rotary Club, they found the opportunity for camaraderie. When Paul Harris became the President of the club in its third year, convinced of its role, he strove to extend Rotary to other cities.
The second Rotary Club was founded in San Francisco in 1908. When there were 16 clubs; the National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized. When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain in 1912 the name was changed to International Associations of Rotary Clubs, and in 1922 shortened to Rotary International. Paul Harris was the first President of the National Association and the International Association. Two world wars changed the face of Rotary. Eastern Europe was closed to Rotary until 1989, when clubs were re-established in Poland and Hungary, In 1990, the first club was opened in the Soviet Union. When Paul Harris passed away on 27 January 1947, his dream had grown from an informal meeting of four to some 6000 clubs brought together through the service and fellowship of Rotary .
