Windsor Rotary Club (1918)
Getting Acquainted with Rotary Page
Our Club is Located in Windsor Ontario Canada
Welcome to the Rotary Getting Acquainted with Rotary Page.
The documents below provide information about Rotary, its aims and its
operating credo.
ABOUT ROTARY
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Rotary Basics booklet
THE OBJECT OF ROTARY
The basic principle upon which Rotary International performs its work
is known as the Object of Rotary.
There were six Objects, or goals, until 1935, when the Mexico City
convention of RI adopted four.
In 1951, at the convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.A.,
the stated purpose of the organization was streamlined by adopting
a single Object with four parts.
Rotary's Object is: "To encourage and foster the Ideal of Service
as a basis of worthy enterprise."
In particular, Rotarians are asked to encourage and foster:
FIRST: the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: high ethical standards in business and professions,
the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations,
and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity
to serve society;
THIRD: the application of the Ideal of Service in each Rotarian's
personal, business and community life;
FOURTH: the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and
peace through a world fellowship of business and professional
persons united in the Ideal of Service.
THE AVENUES OF SERVICE
There are four basic approaches through which Rotarians express the
Object of Rotary. Developed by two English Rotarians, the "channels"
of service were adopted at RI's 1927 Convention in Oostende, Belgium.
Known today as the Avenues of Service, they are:
- Club service--providing service to the Rotary club to enable it to
run efficiently in the spirit of fellowship, thus ensuring the success
and effectiveness of the other three Avenues;
- Vocational service--putting high standards of conduct into practice
in Rotarians' business and professional lives;
Declaration
of Rotarians in Business and Professions
- Community service--identifying needs in the Rotary club's community
and then acting upon them, often in cooperation with local agencies;
- International service--helping to fulfil educational and
humanitarian needs beyond the boundaries of their own countries,
usually by participating in the many international programs of Rotary
International and The Rotary Foundation.
Thus,
Rotary has but one general goal--one Object--which is
the acceptance by all its members of the Ideal of Service.
THE ROTARY MOTTOES
At Rotary's first convention in 1910--five years after the organization's
founding--a Rotarian and teacher of salesmanship proposed that,
"He Profits Most Who Serves His Fellows Best."
should serve as the Rotary Motto
During the following year, another Rotary leader advanced the idea that
a club should be organized on the principle,
"Service, Not Self."
The two sayings were modified to
"He Profits Most Who Serves Best" and
"Service Above Self,"
and were quickly embraced by all Rotarians.
Yet, 40 years passed before they were officially designated as Rotary
mottoes--at the 1950 convention in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
In recent years,
"Service Above Self"
has enjoyed wider usage and is considered by many to be the prevailing motto.
THE 4-WAY TEST
As stated in the Object of Rotary, Rotarians urge and support
"high ethical standards in business and the professions,
the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and
the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve."
In addition to developing codes for trade associations and sponsoring
conferences on business relations and ethics, many Rotarians believe
that one way to implement the Object in their daily working lives is to
apply the 4-Way Test. It was conceived in 1932 by Herbert J. Taylor
(who became RI president in 1954-1955), and it was adopted by RI in
1943.
The
4-Way Test is a simple but profound statement of 25 words:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Return to the 4 Way Test Committee Page
THE ANNUAL ROTARY INTERNATIONAL THEME
Each year, the president of Rotary International selects a theme to guide
the thoughts and activities of Rotarians worldwide. For example, 1968-1969
President Kyoshi Togasaki, of Japan, called Rotarians to action with a
single-word theme, "Participate!"; and in the RI theme of
1996-1997 President Luis Vicente Giay of Arrecifes, Argentina, who asks
Rotarians to "Build the Future with Action and Vision."
The president promotes the RI theme throughout the year during his official
visits to Rotary districts and clubs and to heads of state around the
world. And Rotarians often initiate new service projects locally and
internationally that exemplify the theme.
PR52 (7/96)
"Getting Acquainted With Rotary, Rotary Fact Sheet"
Rotary International libraries
1996 Rotary International. All Rights Reserved.
Last Revised: August 3, 2008
Rotary Committee Page