Gov. Ben Legarda's monthly letter - The Rotary Balita no. 704 (September 11, 1952) 

 - page 26-31. 
<br/><br/> The Rotary Balita no. 704 (September 11, 1952) 
<br/><br/> Date of District Conference After consultation with the Board of Directors and the Manila club I am happy to announce that the District Conference will be held in Manila on February 19, 20 and 21, 1953. This arrangement is in agreement with the changed chronology of the District Conference and District Assembly as approved at the International Convention in Mexico. Please notify members early so that they may plan their program of activities to enable them to attend.  Attendance report A fairly good showing was made in July by the District as reflected in the following attendance report. It is regretted that nine (9) clubs have not sent in their reports yet. Please be punctual in sending subsequent reports. These should be in my hands not later than the 10th of each month.   New club  During the administration of my worthy predecessor, Gov. "Tingting" Faelnar, two (2) new clubs were organized; Calapan, Mindoro and Cavite, Cavite. The Calapan Club was duly inaugurated recently. The Cavite Club was admitted to Rotary International on June 27th and will receive its charter on September 13th from Past Governor "Ting-ting" Faelnar. Let us all be there, as many of us as can go. The Cavite Rotarians are very enthusiastic and have promised an interesting program.  Politics in Rotary I cannot over-emphasize the importance of recommending to our clubs to steer clear away from politics. Let me refer to Article IX, Section 1 and Section 2 of the Standard Rotary International Constitution. "Sec. 1.- The general welfare of the community is of concern to the members of this club and the merits of any public question involving such welfare may be fairly and intelligently studied and discussed before a club of its members meeting for the enlightenment in forming their individual opinion. However, this club shall not express an opinion on any pending controversial public discussion.  "Sec. 2. This club shall not endorse or recommend any candidate for public office and shall not discuss at any club meeting the merits or demerits of any such candidate." Accordingly, let us not allow ourselves or our club to be unwittingly the tools of scheming individuals who use Rotary clubs to promote their ideas or political programs.  Let us bear in mind that Rotary International does not interfere in any matter which is a subject of national or political controversy although as individuals Rotarians are urged, in exercising their right of citizenship and in their craft associations to bear in mind the proper consideration of the rights of the nationals of other countries and of promoting international understanding and goodwill through the practical application of the spirit of the golden rule, in all their relationships-economic as well as social-at home and abroad.  San Fernando meetings on Wednesday Please note that the Rotary Club of San Fernando, Pampanga, has passed a resolution approved on July 21st, changing the day of the regular weekly meetings from Monday to Wednesday. Please note this important change and circularize to the club membership.  Malolos practices community service An interesting letter has just been received from Frank Aniag, President of the Malolos Club, saying that a crippled child from Guiguinto, Bulacan will be operated on at the National Orthopedic Hospital and that the Rotary Club of Malolos has responded to the needs of 12-year old Zenaida Palad, crippled since birth, by sponsoring her hospitalization and operation at the National Orthopedic Hospital. The girl's illness is in a very advanced stage, but Malolos is encouraged and filled with optimism by the hopes of Dr. Tamesis of saving the polio-stricken child. Good work, Malolos!  District 48 not eligible this year At the Lake Placid assembly it was explained that each Rotary District would be assured to select a Rotary Foundation Fellow every other year. At this assembly, reasons were given as to why it had become necessary to develop a new procedure for the selection of Fellows in the future. By this “alternate year” plan each district becomes eligible to select a Rotary Fellow in accordance with a plan worked out beginning in 1953-1954. Our district, District 48 is NOT on the list of eligible districts to select a Rotary Foundation Fellow for this year (1953-1954 academic year). It is very important the each club be informed of this "alternate year" and I wish to emphasize the fact that the new assures that a Fellowship will be awarded to district for the academic year 1954-1955 and alternating years thereafter, provided the Fellow selected meets explicitly every required qualification and that the application papers are in proper order.  Rotary fellows from the Philippines Rotary Fellow Odette Madamba is coming home for a few weeks. When I met her in New York last June, she expressed her desire to address as many clubs in the Philippines as she could regarding her work and her studies. May I suggest to Clubs in District 48 to make arrangements for her transportation and other expenses to enable her to speak before them to obtain from her first hand information. During my visit to the United States I heard high praises about this Rotary Fellow's work in college. A Rotarian from Salt Lake City enthusiastically called her a "Straight A scholar and a "charming and interesting speaker." Equally successful in her studies is Dende Montilla, daughter of Rotarian Tony Montilla, whom I contacted in the United States and told me that she expected to graduate with a Master's degree in Journalism next October when she expects to return home.  Honorary membership Among the important decisions made at the first meeting of the new Board of Rotary International it was "agreed that clubs should be urged to guard the election to Honorary Membership as exclusively a distinction of meritorious service in furtherance of Rotary ideals; also that since honorary membership is the highest distinction that a Rotary club may bestow, it should be conferred only in exceptional cases." The Board further "requested the secretary to transmit to every Rotary club a clear statement of the basis for election to honorary membership in which it is emphasized that the club membership committee's tight rein on admission of new members is rendered futile if there is a broad highway of preference for admission of honorary memberships." Clubs of District 48, please note.