Paul HARRIS’ desire for expansion

Transcript :

In 1908, Paul HARRIS spoke of his desire to see Rotary clubs set up in each of the major cities of the USA.

He was then President of the Rotary Club of Chicago, a position he held until the
fall of 1908.

He resigned from this position on this date, asked Harry RUGGLES to complete the mandate and decided to devote himself to the expansion of Rotary with the help of Chesley PERRY who was to become in 1910 the first general secretary of the movement.

He thus wrote to business relations, to his former friends from the faculty living in other towns large enough to see the creation of a Rotary club in their turn.

He is met with rejection.

He then turns to his club to propose this expansion, but finds himself facing opposition.

This did not prevent him from developing his point of view with new members and obtaining, in November 1908, the creation of the second Club in San Francisco.