Paul Harris 1868-1947

Paul P Harris, a lawyer, was the founder of Rotary, the world's first and most international service Club.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, on 19 April 1868. Paul was the second of six children to George and Comelia Harris. At age 3 he moved to Wallingford, Vermont where he grew up in the care of his paternal grandparents. Married to Jean Thompson Harris (1881-1963), they had no children. He received an LLB from the University of Iowa, and received and honorary LLD from the University of Vermont.

Paul Harris worked as a Newspaper reporter, a business teacher, stock company actor, cowboy, and travelled extensively in the USA and Europe selling marble and Granite. In 1896, he went to Chicago to practice law. One evening Paul visited the suburban home of a professional friend. After dinner as they strolled through the neighbourhood, Paul's friend introduced him to various tradesman in their stores. It was here Paul conceived the idea of a club that could recapture some of the friendly spirit among the businessmen in small communities.

On 23 February 1905, Paul Harris formed the first club with three other businessmen, Silvester Schiele, a coal merchant, Gustavas Loehr, a mining engineer, and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Paul Harris named the new club "Rotary', because the members met in rotation at their various pjaces of business. Club membership grew rapidly. Soon Paul became convinced that they could develop the Rotary Club into an important service movement, and strove to extend Rotary to other cities.

Paul was also prominent in other civic and professional work. He served as the first chairman of the Board of the Easter Seal Society of the Crippled Children's and Adults in the USA, and of the International Society for Crippled Children. He was a member of the Board of the Chicago Law Association, and its representative at the International Congress of Law at The Hague, and a committee member of the American Bar Association. He received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boys Scouts of America for distinguished service to youth and was decorated by the Government of Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Equador, France and Peru.

Paul maintained his law practice for most of his life. He spent much time travelling and was invited to speak to Rotarians at annual conventions, district and regional meetings and other functions. When President emeritus Paul Harris passed away on 27 January 1947, his dream had grown from an informal meeting of four to some 6,000 clubs. In the past five decades the organisation has grown to 1, 193,376 Rotarians in 28, 531 clubs in 158 countries through Paul Harris' vision of service and fellowship.