Rotary Club

“ There are more Bankers in Ossining than any Town of its size in the United States.
[Pg 263]
A two year residence is necessary to be able to join the Rotary. Can you imagine them questioning members of Sing Sing, “Have you been a resident of this Town for two years?” and the answer would be, “Yes Sir, constantly.”
So, as I say, it was not the things Mr. Vanderlip said that attracted the unusual attention. It was the distinguished audience that he delivered it to. Just to show you the difference: Appearing before the Rotary Club of Sing Sing he caused a commotion by his Speech. ”

“ Shakespeare tells us that some are born great and some have greatness thrust upon them. The Rotary Club seems to have greatness thrust upon it. In an evil moment, one of our members suggested giving a trip to the Yellowstone Park as a reward for the best scout good turn performed in this county during the past summer. Through the press scout troops were invited to elect members eligible, by reason of their deeds, to compete for this award. ”

“ Listen, you have to be sure to come to scout meeting to-night—they’re going to have refreshments, but that isn’t the reason, but anyway you have to be sure to come and I’ll tell you why—listen. You know good turns? Listen! The Rotary Club—my father’s a member of it—listen!—they offered a prize to the scout that did the biggest good turn involving resources and powers—I mean prowess, that’s what it said, during this summer. Only the scout has to be in a troop in this county, that’s the only rule. ”

“ Jaycees, 468 U. S., at 612–613. Likewise, Rotary International expressed its preference for male-only membership: It proclaimed that it was "'an organization of business and professional men '" and its membership policy expressly excluded women. Rotary Club, 481 U.S., at 539, 541 (emphasis added) .↑ . Scoutmaster Handbook (1990) (reprinted in App. 273) ("Scouts and Scouters are encouraged to take active part in political matters as individuals" (emphasis added) ) .↑ . Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America, Art. ”

“ Only a few weeks ago an executive edict outlawing all parties, groups and associations all the way down through Rotary Clubs was issued in a country where the government is largely in the hands of a single man. ”

“ ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT OF WALKING CLUBS
Those who live reasonably near the home or field of existing clubs are urged to relate themselves to them. Don’t organize hastily. Be sure, first, of two things: that a fair-sized continuing membership is to be expected, to be advantaged by a club; and, second, that, in the multiplicity of already existing societies, there is place for another. Remember that the persons who will be interested and whose interest and support are desired, will in large part be persons already giving much time to altruistic activity. ”

“ When the volunteer has somewhat learned the character of each individual, his special enjoyments and needs, he is recommended to what seems appropriate for him. He must join the Home, become a member for fifteen cents a year, and wear the club button. Then he has waiting for him many clubs and classes: the night schools, the manual training school, the cooking school, military drill, debating club, fife and drum corps, and last, but in many cases undoubtedly best for persuading him to system and discipline, music, which he can take in the form of singing, piano, guitar, and banjo. ”

“ This will be found better than studying alone even though the leader is a novice. It allows of constant drills, each one being performed several times, so that every member of the club may have an opportunity to preside. Such a club is not limited to a few lessons, but may exist for a year, or even for several years. The author knows personally of one in which the members are unwilling to disband even though they have been working together for a long period. This club mow has no necessity for a planned drill but allows members to introduce questions at their pleasure. ”

“ The greater clubs go to the opposite extreme, and members of them may meet day after day for many years in perfect unconsciousness of the existence of each other; yet, even in these, the association of those who know each other outside the club, but without its opportunities would rarely meet, though they have similar interests and pursuits, is a very desirable and useful thing. Many an excellent measure, originating in the mind of one member, has been matured by conversation with others, to the general good. So may the Clubs of London continue to prosper and flourish. ”

“ In the first place, it should contain two or three well-known men to act as figureheads, their names being a guarantee for the social standing of the club. In the second, one or two members ought to be thoroughly conversant with business matters, and well fitted to deal with the details of club finance. And, lastly, a certain proportion of its members ought to be men well in touch with the life of the club, and therefore thoroughly acquainted with its needs. ”

“ Their friendship spread until they found themselves reading, studying, planning, as one body. The influence in the story energizes the community. It is, perhaps, quite possible that in a real club we might meet with more discouragements, but it is impossible that we fail entirely.
Town and country need more improving, enthusiastic work to redeem them from barrenness and indolence. Our girls need a chance to do independent work, to study practical business, to fill their minds with other thoughts than the petty doings of neighbors. A What-to-do Club is one step toward higher village life. ”

“ A president, above all her other duties, should see to it that the atmosphere of [Pg 5] the club is warm and friendly. If in other ways it is successful, if the study gives intellectual stimulus, and practical work is carried on effectively, still it is a failure if the members are either snobbish or unsympathetic. All the members of a club must be in harmony and work together in a spirit of comradeship if it is ever to reach its highest possibilities.
Last of all, should not a club extend its membership to as many as possible, rather than have a waiting list? ”

“ As regards the recreation of workingmen, I have only further to say that institutions on the model of workingmen's clubs deserve to be encouraged in every possible way. Wealthy and benevolent persons could not do better with their means than to found such clubs where most required, and to endow them with a small annuity which would serve as a nucleus to club subscriptions, a greater number of subscribers being insured by the smaller amount of the fees. The Volunteer movement also deserves every encouragement, as supplying exercise and recreation to all classes at a very moderate cost. ”

“ The good that these clubs have already accomplished is a sure indication of the great benefits that will come to each member if he remains loyal to his organization and does all within his power to promote the interests of the whole. I have attended meetings of many of these clubs, upon many occasions, and I know whereof I speak when I say that "in union there is strength." Is there any better place to discuss the subject of supply and demand, the subject of prices, the merits of plants and cut flowers, than a florists' club? ”

“ The United encourages the formation of local literary or press clubs in cities or towns containing several members. These clubs generally publish papers, and hold meetings wherein the pleasures of literature are enlivened by those of the society. The most desirable form of club activity is that in which a high-school instructor forms a literary society of the more enthusiastic members of his class. ”

“ Of late years, however, a less severe tone has prevailed amongst its members, many of whom are distinguished men.
144Sixty years ago the fact of club membership implied some social position or distinction on the part of the individual. White’s, Brooks’s, Boodle’s, Arthur’s, and a few other establishments, constituted really exclusive clubland, and to be elected to them was a matter of no little difficulty. A man of obscure birth, or one unknown to the committee, would have been sure of being blackballed. ”

“ The great and rich society clubs are composed of men who are not apt to take much interest in politics anyhow, and never act as a body. The great effect produced by a social organization [Pg 121] for political purposes is shown by the career of the Union League Club; and equally striking proof can be seen by every man who attends a ward meeting. There is thus, however much to be regretted it may be, a constant tendency towards the concentration of political power in the hands of those men who by taste and education are fitted to enjoy the social side of the various political organizations. ”

“ In the case of clubs whose membership does not comprise more than six members, it does not seem desirable to have more than one officer, namely, a director, who might perform the duties of a president, treasurer and secretary until the club has reached a larger membership. In this way the members are enabled to concentrate upon the construction and flying of models and to engage in such other activities as to carry out the purpose for which the club was organized. ”

“ This club has a real reason for its existence, a purpose, and we must make it worth while. It always seems to me as if girls could do so much better if they would hold hands, and work in unison—”
“Co-operate,” suggested Ruth.
“Yes, that’s just the right word,” Polly agreed, earnestly. “Boys always co-operate in their clubs. They seem to have the real feeling of fellowship. You know what I mean, Kate? Where all work together for the honor and glory of the whole, not just for yourself as a member.”
“Fraulein called it the esprit de corps,” said Ruth. ”

“ Membership in many athletic associations may be had by walking in and paying dues; also many country golf-clubs are as free to the public as country inns; but joining a purely social club of rank and exclusiveness is a very different matter. A man to be eligible for membership in such a club must not only be completely a gentleman, but he must have friends among the members who like him enough to be willing to propose him and second him and write letters for him ”

“ Often clubs can invite a speaker from outside to take up most of the hour; a traveller, a settlement worker, a college professor, an actor, a journalist, a judge of a Children's Court, a student of bird life, all have something worth while to contribute. Perhaps a writer will read from his books; or a musician will sing or play, or an artist will tell of life in the ateliers of Paris or Rome. Even in a small town one can find some one who has a friend who will come and help in such ways, and there is no better way to rouse [Pg 310] interest in a club than to offer such meetings occasionally. ”

“ The Tory patrician belonged to White’s; the Whig politician of old family was a member of Brooks’s; the country gentleman put his name down at Boodle’s or Arthur’s; the distinguished lawyer, divine, or man of letters, became a member of the Athenæum; and the soldier, who was a field officer, of the United Service. The membership of such clubs constituted an exclusive circle.
A club was a place in which men wrote letters and met their friends. ”

“ In many clubs, where the membership is not large and the dues are small, it is customary to meet from house to house. This should always be considered only a provisional method. It is much better to have a club home than to wander about from place to place. Papers and other properties accumulate in the life of a club, and it is advisable to have some [345] permanent place for the bestowal of them. The sense of getting acquainted with a new place each time interferes with ease of manner and freedom of discussion, while familiarity with one’s surroundings begets both these happy qualities. ”

“ He cares little for society, and, with the exception of running down for an occasional visit to some country-house (where he is certain of the cook) , or going to the Riviera for a fortnight, seldom leaves 142town. The club is his home, and at heart he dislikes leaving its walls. Unlike the old-fashioned club-man, however, he is not unaffable to new members or strangers, and is fully alive to the increased comfort to be obtained from any modern improvement. ”

“ This spirit of enlargement beckons us and leads us to the formation of the Federated Union of Clubs, and we cannot do better than follow its guidance. We all need, clubs as well as individuals, encouragement and counsel; we need to enlarge our knowledge of what other clubs are doing, of their extent, of their objects, of their ambitions. Above all, we need to enlarge our sympathies, to cultivate sympathy by knowledge; for our prejudices are born of ignorance, and we rarely dislike what we intimately know. ”

“ In most large modern clubs quite a number of members are totally unknown to their fellows, and there is no reason why a member should speak to anyone at all unless he wishes to do so. The majority of the larger modern clubs are in reality merely comfortable caravanserais—hotels receiving a certain number of selected visitors who recognize no social obligations within the club walls except such as regulate ordinary civilized behaviour. ”

“ When modern improvements were first suggested in clubs, most of the old-fashioned members fought strenuously against them. The introduction of the electric light, for instance, was bitterly opposed; whilst the telephone seemed to not a few of the older generation an attempt to introduce mercantile outposts into the very heart of clubland. The old club-men at first hated, and afterwards feared, the encroachments of business methods into their kingdom. ”