The Rotary Balita no. 795 (April 26, 1956)

Governor Pons, fellow Governors,
fellow Presidents and Secretaries-elect,
Rotary Anns, fellow Rotarians and friends:

You must have noticed that I addressed past Governor Pons simply as "Governor Pons," for it is my honest belief that all District Governors, no matter how past, are still governors. We distinguish them from our actual Governor, Danding Romualdez, by calling Danding as the "Incumbent Governor." If I had my way, I would always call our past District Governors simply as "Governors," unless after their term of office they forget their duties to Rotary in which case they are really "past."

There was a little misunderstanding when Governor Pons wrote me about this "important address" that I am delivering today. Governor Pons gave me several assignments, and, after I had accepted my assignments, a few days ago I received a program in which this particular address was omitted. Naturally, I took it for granted that I was no longer expected to deliver this address. Anyway, since I failed you this morning, I am delivering it to you now this afternoon.

You know that there are 8,935 Presidents and Secretaries-elect scattered in 96 countries and geographical regions of the world. You are lucky to be counted among these responsible officers and outstanding leaders of Rotary.

I am sure you realize the weight and importance of your duties and responsibilities. As the coming leaders of your respective Clubs, your first important duty is to furnish the much-needed LEADERSHIP. The President must be a leader. You can only show your leadership, if you take your duties seriously. This does not mean that you should act as a dictator. You need not be an orator. Nor do you need to be a good singer. But even if you are out of tune or you are a monotone, show your fellow Rotarians that you are a "good fellow" by joining in the singing. It is the spirit of service and fellowship that counts most in Rotary.

In the second place, you should give the necessary INSPIRATION to your individual Clubs. In order to be able to inspire, you yourselves must first be inspired. We have a latin maxim which says "nemo dat quod non habet" (he who does not have cannot give). Unless you are enthusiastic for Rotary, unless you are set aflame by Rotary's idea of service and its humanitarian objectives it is well-nigh impossible for you to inspire your fellow Rotarians and, for that matter, other people. A the leaders of your Clubs, therefore, you should first electrify and charge yourselves with the Rotary spirit, if you expect to be successful Rotary Club Administrators.

Your third important duty is to execute and implement the plans adopted by your Board of Dire tors. We should remember, however, that we a judged not by what we plan, not even by what w start, but by what we finish, by what we accompli Your Rotary year must advance the program of Rotary, it must produce good and positive results if you do not wish to be branded as mere " seekers," interested only in the honor and in th glamour of the position.

Your fourth important duty is to see to it that all the members of your club COOPERATE. Thomas B. Reed once said that "if human progress had been merely a matter of leadership, we shall be in Utopia today." We need leadership, but w also need the cooperation of all. Macaulay served: "It is evident that many great and used objects can be attained in this world only by operation." You should, therefore, train your fellow members of the Club to cooperate, because the Rotary beehive there are no drones; we are al supposed to be busy bees.

I take it that you are all familiar with the Fin Aims suggested during this current Rotary year 1955-56, for Developing Our Resources. The Five Aims, which we owe to our energetic and genial President AZ, enjoin us to develop our resources by: first, making more Rotarians; we ma more Rotarians by giving them Rotary information and through our extension program, both internal and external; second, putting Rotary to work when we work, that is practicing Rotary principles not only when we are in the Rotary meetings, but also when we are in our respective offices; third, living Rotary in our communities, remembering that teach more by example and not by precepts, and remembering further that unless we live Rotary. Rotary cannot live; fourth, helping to insure the future for youth, which is also a part of our com munity service; and, fifth, cultivating understanding among the peoples of the world.

We urge you that during the ensuing Rotary year, 1956-57, you should continue these Five Ai for Developing our Resources in addition to what our incoming International President may suggest in his Rotary program during his term.

I now wish to discuss with you briefly your working tools, I mean the materials that you will use during your Rotary year. In addition to your own experience and to your devotion to Rotary there will be placed in your hands plenty of Rotary materials. The most important of these is the folder entitled, "Mr. President: 1956-57 is Your Year." Many, if not all, of you must have already received this folder. But if you have not yet received your copy, have the incumbent Secretary of your Club report your name to the Secretariat at Evanston requesting for your own copy of this folder. All that I wish to tell you regarding this folder is that you should not take it lightly, be cause this year's folder "contains the accumulated experience of over fifty years in club administration, practice and procedure." As soon as you receive your folders, you should at once distribute the leaflets contained therein to the different committees of your Club. Pay attention especially to the President's calendar on the inside front and back covers.

In planning your Rotary year permit me to charge you to be specially careful in the choice of the various Chairmen of your four major committees under the Club, Vocational, Community and International Service. Of course, you are already informed that it is the recommendation of Headquarters that your Vice-President should be the Chairman of your Club Service Committee. But in choosing the three remaining Chairmen from your Board of Directors, you must exercise plenty of good judgment, and you should study the different qualifications, abilities and aptitudes of your various Committee Chairmen in order to insure the maximum possible success. What is true in the choice of the chairmen of the four major committees is likewise true with regard to the chairmen of the subcommittees.

The next matter I would like to draw your attention to is your Board of Directors. Remember that your Board of Directors is the governing body of your Club. Do not let your enthusiasm for Rotary cause you to ignore your Board of Directors. You should not make decisions and expect your Board of Directors to rubber stamp your plans and actuations. In this connection you should insist on regular stated meetings of your Board of Directors so that you, as the leaders of your individual Clubs, may be able to advise the members of your Board regarding their duties and responsibilities, and at the same time receive from them the necessary suggestions and counsel that you so badly need. Do not assume the attitude that you know everything about Rotary. As the leader of your own Club, you should be teachable, you should be courteous, and you should be prompt in the discharge of your Rotary duties.

There are other minor matters which I would like to touch hurriedly and these refer to the Constitution and By-laws of your Club. You should not only familiarize yourselves with your Constitution and By-laws, but you should relate them to the Manual of Procedure. Encourage the members of your Club to familiarize themselves with all these important documents. Advice your Club that we have the Secretariat of Rotary International which serves "as the clearing house" on Rotary programs and projects. Encourage your members to communicate with the Secretariat for any Rotary literature that they may need.

Make it a practice to hold periodic Club Assemblies. The first Club Assembly at the beginning of the Rotary year is a "must," because it is during this assembly that the general Rotary program for the year is discussed and formulated.

The Weekly Club meetings must be carefully planned just like the other evening meetings, such as forums and fireside meetings that you may decide to hold.

Finally, invite the attention of the members of your Club to the use of the Rotarian and urge them to avail themselves of the information contained in the Governor's monthly letters. Also enjoin them to have a Club bulletin wherein should be published the important activities of the Club and the latest information on the growth and even expanding the program of Rotary.

Let me conclude these extemporaneous remarks by repeating what I said in the beginning that, a the incoming Presidents of our Clubs in the district, each one of you should be a true leader While in a sense you are the pivotal center of Club, I beseech you do not make the sad mistake of believing that "you are the whole cheese." T are not. So, while you lead, you should also t to develop leaders in your Club. Do not allow you selves to be reelected and reelected or to belie that you are the only ones who can guide and in the Club. None of us are indispensable. So, y should not act in an autocratic or dictatorial manner. Inspire but do not impose. Plan all the activities of your Club and enlist the help of all the members in the implementation of your plans. Learn to cooperate, and encourage all your members to practice the art of cooperation, ever remembering that Rotary is not a one-man organization

In closing, I wish to share with you the beast full injunction of the great Apostle Paul in epistle to the Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 2, where he says, "bear ye one another's burdens and s fulfil the law of Christ." Notice that this injunction of bearing one another's burden is more exalted and is more sublime than merely cooperating with one another.

Mr. President, the Rotary year 1956-57 is your year. Make the best of it to the glory of Rotary.