Some Interesting Things about Rotary
Do you know 101 interesting things about Rotary?
Club Singing is #67 on the Eureka Club’s list.
Harry Ruggles was the fifth man to join Paul Harris in the conversations that led to the formation of the first Rotary club in Chicago in 1905.
Harry was a fellow who enjoyed singing, and this was a popular activity at the turn of the century. At an early meeting of the fledgling group, Harry jumped on a chair and urged everyone to join him in a song.
Group singing soon became a traditional part of their Rotary meeting. The custom spread to many of the clubs in the United States, and is still a popular fellowship activity in the Rotary meetings of such diverse countries as Australia, Japan, Nigeria, New Zealand and Canada.
Some clubs sing a national song as the formal opening of the meeting. Social singing, however, is seldom found in the Rotary clubs in Europe, South America and Asia.
The Rotary Club of Eureka has tried on at least two occasions to become a singing club – first under Past Pres. Harold Adams (1947/1948) and later under Edie Young (1997/1998). There are some members who have not given up and are promising to try once again.
Check some other interesting ones out here.