The Rotary Balita no. 737 (January 14, 1954).

We are presenting here a historical outline of the evolution of the object of Rotary since it was first instituted in 1906, in the constitution of the Rotary Club of Chicago founded in 1905. We believe it will be of interest to Rotarians to quote the different changes by which the object of Rotary has been interpreted during the years until the last enactment in 1951 in which, although no change was introduced in the actual text of the purposes of our organization, it was nevertheless considered to reduce the former objects of the Club to only one "object."

1906 — The first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago, February, 1906. In its printed constitution dated January, 1906, the objects were stated as follows:

1st: The promotion of the business interests of its members.

2nd: The promotion of good fellowship and other desiderata ordinarily incident to social clubs.

During 1906 a third object was adopted:

3rd: The advancement of the best interests of Chicago and the spreading of the spirit of civic pride and loyalty among its citizens.

(Practically the same objects were adopted by all other clubs which were organized between 1908 and August, 1910.)

1910 — The following objects were adopted by the National Association of Rotary Clubs in August, 1910:

1st: To extend and develop Rotary principles by the organization of affiliating Rotary clubs throughout America.

2nd: To unify the work and principles of the affiliating Rotary clubs throughout America.

3rd: To arouse and encourage civic pride and loyalty.

4th: To promote progressive and honorable business methods.

5th: To advance the business interests of the individual members of the affiliating Rotary clubs.

1912 — At the convention held in Duluth in August, 1912, the name of the organization was changed to International Association of Rotary Clubs and the objects revised as follows:

1st: To standardize Rotary principles and to urge their adoption by all Rotary clubs in so far as they may be applicable to local conditions.

2nd: To encourage and promote the organization of Rotary clubs in all commercial centers of the world.

3rd: To study the work of existing Rotary clubs and their value to their respective members and communities and to clear the information thus acquired for the benefit of all Rotary clubs.

4th: To promote a broad spirit of fraternity and unity of interest among Rotarian business and professional men of different estates and countries, and among the affiliated clubs.

At this time a model Constitution and By-Laws for a Rotary Club was approved which contained as its objects the following:

1st: To promote the recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations, and to dignify each member's occupation as affording him an opportunity to serve society.

2nd: To encourage high ethical standards in business and professions.

3rd: To increase the efficiency of each member by the exchange of ideas and business methods.

4th: To promote the scientific of acquaintance as an opportunity for service and an aid to success.

5th: To quicken the interest of each member in the public welfare and to cooperate with others in live development.

1915 — At the convention held in San Francisco in 1915, the objects of the international association were revised to read as follows:

1st: To standardize and disseminate Rotary principles and practices.

2nd: To encourage, promote and supervise the organization of Rotary clubs in all commercial centers of the world.

3rd: To study the work of existing Rotary clubs and their value to their respective members and communities and to clear the information, thus ae quired for the benefit of all Rotary clubs.

4th: To promote the broad spirit of good fellowship among Rotarians and among Rotary clubs.

At this same convention (San Francisco, 1915) sixth object was added to the objects for a Rotary Club and the fifth object amplified. The objects for a Rotary Club as they appeared in 1915 were as follows:

1st: To promote the recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations, and to dignity each member's occupation as affording him an opportunity to serve society.

2nd: To encourage high ethical standards in business and professions.

3rd: To increase the efficiency of each member by the exchange of ideas and business methods.

4th: To promote the scientific of acquaintance as an opportunity for service and an aid to success.

5th: To quicken the interest of each member in the public welfare of his community and to cooperate with others in civic, social, commercial and industrial development.

6th: To stimulate the desire of each member to be of service to his fellow men and society in general.

1918 — At the convention held in Kansas City in 1918, the objects of the international association were rewritten to read as follows:

1st: To encourage, promote and supervise the organization of Rotary clubs in all commercial centers throughout the world.

2nd: To coordinate, standardize and generally direct the work and activities, other than local activities, of all affiliating Rotary clubs.

3rd: To encourage and foster through its own activities and through the medium of affiliating Rotary clubs:

a) High ethical standards in business and professions.
b) The ideal of SERVICE as the basis of all worthy enterprise.
c) The active interest of every Rotarian in the civic, commercial, social and moral welfare of his community.
d) The development of a broad acquaintanceship as an opportunity for service as well as an aid to success.
e) The interchange of ideas and of business methods as a means of increasing the efficiency and usefulness of Rotarians.
f) The recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations and the dignifying of the
occupation of each Itotarian as affording him an opportunity to serve society.

4th: To create, adopt and preserve an emblem, badge, or other insignia of International Rotary for the exclusive use and benefit of all Rotarians.

(No change was made in the objects for a Rotary Club.)

1919 — At the convention held in Salt Lake City In 1919, no change was made in the objects of the International Association but the second article of the standard constitution for a Rotary Club was amended to read as follows:

OBJECTS

To encourage and foster:

a) High ethical standards in business and professions.
b) The ideal of SERVICE as the basis of all worthy enterprises.
c) The active interest of every Rotarian in the civic, commercial, social and moral welfare of his community.
d) The development of a broad acquaintanceship as an opportunity for service as well as an aid to success.
e) The interchange of ideas and of business methods as a means of increasing the efficiency and usefulness of Rotarians.
f) The recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations and the dignifying of the occupation of each Rotarian as affording him an opportunity to serve society.

(Note: It will be observed that these objects for a Rotary Club consist of the third paragraph of the objects of the international association as adopted in 1918)

1921 — At the convention held in Edinburgh, in 1921, the fourth object of the international association was renumbered as the fifth object and a new fourth object was adopted, so that the objects were as follows:

1st: To encourage, promote, and supervise the organization of Rotary clubs in all commercial centers throughout the world.

2nd: To coordinate, standardize and generally direct the work and activities, other than local activities, of all affiliating Rotary clubs.

3rd: To encourage and foster through its own activities and through the medium of affiliating Rotary clubs:

a) High ethical standards in business and professions.
b) The ident of SERVICE as the basis of all worthy enterprise.
c) The active interest of every Rotarian in the civic, commercial, social and moral welfare of his community.
d) The development of a broad acquaintanceship as an opportunity for service as well as an aid to success.
e) The interchange of ideas and of business methods as a means of increasing the efficiency and usefulness of Rotarians.
f) The recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations and the dignifying of the occupation of each Rotarian as affording him an opportunity to serve society.

4th: To aid in the advancement of international peace and good will through a fellowship of busi
news and professional men of all nations united in the Rotary Ideal of Service.

5th: To create, adopt and preserve an emblem, badge, or other insignia of International Rotary for the exclusive use and benefit of all Rotarians.

1922 — At the convention held in Los Angeles in 1922, the name of the organization was changed to Rotary International and the objects were revised to read as follows: The objects of Rotary are to encourage and faster:

1. The ideal of SERVICE as the basis of all worthy enterprise.
2. High ethical standards in business and professions.
3. The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life. 4. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
5. The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity. to serve society.
6. The advancement of understanding, good will, and international peace through a world united in the Rotary ideal of service.

(At this convention Los Angeles, 1922 the same objects were adopted for a Rotary Club as for the international organization, the introductory phrase reading: "To encourage and foster.")

1927 — At the convention held in Ostend, the word "Rotary" was deleted from the 6th Object, making it to read as follows:

6. The advancement of understanding, will, and international peace through a world fellowship of business and professional me united in the ideal of service.

1936 — At the 1935 convention held in Mexico City, Mexico, the six objects of Rotary were restated as four objects, thus showing the direct relationship between the objects of Rotary and the Aims and Objects Plan.

Practically the same text appearing in the ar mer six objects now appears in the Four Objects.

The new preamble statement is the former amble and object one with the substitution of the word "a" for "the" before "basis" and the deletion of the word "all" before "worthy."

Former object four becomes object one. Obt two and five were combined into object two. Object three remains as object three and the forever sixth object with the relocation of the word international becomes object four.

The restatement is as follows:

The subjects of Rotary are to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
2. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupations as an opportunity to serve society;
3. The application of the ideal of service every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life;
4. The advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace through world fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of service.

1951 — The 1961 convention held in Atlan City, New Jersey, U.S.A., amended Section of Article II of the Constitution of Rotary International and Section 1 of Article II of the Standard Club Constitution, changing the object of Rotary to a single object, the title and first paragraph of which now read as follows:

The Object of Rotary

"The object of Rotary in to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:"

The balance of the text remains unchanged and as usual we are reproducing again the same the next page in its official English text and its translations to Tagalog and Spanish.