Transcript 1920 - Christening the SS Rotarian 1923 – Tacoma Daily

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1912 - Gyroscope
1960 – TNT Article 50 years ago 15
1920 - Christening the SS Rotarian
Tacoma 8 Women Presidents
1923 - Tacoma Daily Ledger cartoon
Themes
1936 - Boy Scouts – Camp Kilworth
Soccer
1942 - Duration Dormitory
Support of Armed Forces
1953 - Daffodil Float
Scout Circus & Scout-o-Rama
1991 - Courage Classic
Group Study Exchange (GSE)
Early Tacoma #8 meetings
Annie Wright
Past Meeting Tidbits
District Governors
Women of Rotary
Book for 50th Year
Stadium
Fireside
In the Early Years
Fine Boxes
Art Wickens
Galleyside
June 1920: The most memorable event for the Rotary
Club of Tacoma #8 was the launching of the SS
ROTARIAN, a cargo ship measuring 396 feet long with a
beam of 52 feet and a draft of 29 feet. It was ordered for
the US Shipping Board. It may be the only ship to be
named for ROTARY. The vessel was built by the Todd
Dry-dock and Construction Company in Tacoma.
Shown here christening the ship is Elizabeth Whitacre,
first president of the newly formed Women of Rotary.
She was the wife of 1919-1920 Tacoma 8 President Dr.
Horace Whitacre. Elizabeth was also the mother of
1965-1966 President Horace Whitacre, grandmother of
1997-1998 President James Whitacre and the greatgrandmother of Tacoma 8 member Karyn Whitacre.
Both Tacoma #8 and the Boy Scouts came into being in 1910. It has
often been said that the Tacoma Rotary Club 'brought the Boy
Scouting program to Tacoma.' This is not literally true, but undeniably
Rotary has been an important partner in the BSA movement. Among
the many contributions reported has been:
May 1 ,1936 The Tacoma News Tribune
"Boy Scout hearts will swell Sunday, when the cornerstone of their
new summer camp on Puget Sound is laid by the Tacoma Rotary
club, sponsors of the project.
W.W. Kilworth, former Rotary President, (1927-1928) who donated
the site and for whom the camp is named, will lay the stone.
Kilworth bought the 40-acre site on the Marine Highway a mile
beyond Dash Point in 1934, when the park board ruled that park
property at Spanaway could no longer be used by outside
groups. Rotarians raised money for building the $4,400 lodge. The
ceremony, open to the public, begins at 2:30 p.m."
Rotary Lodge at Camp Kilworth
DURATION DORMITORY
During World War II, Tacoma played host to thousands of
servicemen.
In 1942-43 Tacoma Rotary #8 planned, financed and
obtained the use of a large hall. Members remodeled it,
obtained 400 beds, and supplied the linens for "a duration
dormitory for service men." The Rotarian wives made the
beds.
On opening night, a Saturday, 410 men arrived, a
testimonial to the success of the project. Every one of the
199 Rotary club members took his turn registering guests,
changing linen, sweeping the floor. It took three crews of
Rotarians to operate the facility. The Rotarians said "this
was an adventure in fellowship we won't soon forget."
Rotary's Float in First Daffodil Festival Parade
The Tacoma News Tribune: February 2, 1960
"A brand new fine car of the day completely misted with
fresh yellow daffodils, was the entry of Rotary Club of
Tacoma in the historic first Puyallup Valley Daffodil
Festival parade through city streets in the spring
1934. G.A. Allen and District Governor Art Wickens
were the proud riders.
Rotary has entered a float in every succeeding festival
parade, sometimes winning in its division, while the
creations have progressed from the above to massive
fairyland creations using hundreds of times as many
flowers as in the 1952 float in lower photo."
The Courage Classic
The event began in 1991 to create a financial endowment for the
Child Abuse and Assault Center at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
in Tacoma.
The program was originated by the Lakewood Rotary Club and
was intended to include all of the 13 clubs in The Greater Tacoma
Area.
Tacoma #8 joined the event in 1995. Club members have ridden
every year.
Members provided the refreshments at the first overnight stop at
Cle Elum during the early years. Since 2007 Tacoma #8 members
have organized the second day's ending with a popular Beer
Garden in Leavenworth.
The current Endowment Fund is over $5,000,000. In 1997 The
Courage Classic was honored by the Rotary International
President Glen Kinross and his wife Heather who spent two days
visiting, encouraging AND provided some Australian 'cheek' with
individual riders. ('Cheek' is 'joking' in Aussie Land.) Tacoma 8's
own District Governor Jim and Enid Harris served as aides to the
Kinross's during the visit.
One of the resolutions adopted by the club in its first year
(1910) was an appeal to stop the inter-city bickering
between Tacoma and Seattle. The matter came up many
times in the early years. Nevertheless, Tacoma #8
continued to push for "Mount Tacoma" until 1939, when
Rotary joined with the Chamber of Commerce in adopting
Norton Clapps' suggestion that the controversy be closed.
*1913-1917 Rotary meetings were held at the Tacoma
Hotel, where lunch at the time cost 40 cents.
*Dues in 1918 were raised to $7 per quarter; $28 per year
*1940 - Due to the depression dues were reduced to $24
per year
*Lunches were 60 cents from a high of $1
Past Meeting Tidbits
What could have been a blast fortunately wasn't when
visiting Rotarians were greeted at the April 23,1925 meeting
with sticks of dynamite to hang around their necks. In the
spirit of providing tokens of local enterprise, the Du Pont
Company provided the sticks ignoring the fact that Rotarian
fellowship involved the liberal use of smoking products.
At the last meeting in 1939, Bob Hager, Superintendent of
Physical Education in the Public Schools, donned an
imposing war bonnet of feathers and led members in Indian
dances complete with war whoops.
In 1969, members who chose not to eat lunch dubbed their
table "Ulcer's Gulch." This proved too much for the Board,
which established a policy of ensuring that non-eaters were
interspersed with those who partook of the $2.75 meal.
The Women of Rotary
The wives of Rotarians became active and organized The Women of Rotary.
The first meeting was held in February 1920, with 83 charter members.
Mrs. Horace (Elizabeth) Whitacre was elected President.
Her husband, Dr. Horace J. Whitacre was President of the Rotary Club that
year.
Objectives:
· To promote and assist in philanthropic work for girls according to the
constitution adopted
· To promote social and friendly relationships among its members
· To cultivate the code of ethics of all Rotarians
"Girls' work" during the first few years started a tradition of helping needy girls
with clothing, food, gifts, and of active support of agencies, such as YWCA,
Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, White Shield Home, the Children's Industrial
Home and the Poor Farm.
In 1970, the organization celebrated its 50th anniversary and was still going
strong.
Stadium
In 1911, the Tacoma #8 Rotary Club's second year, $789
was raised by a band concert and donated to the School
Board for lights at the Stadium.
The large sign which stood for many years on the hill below
the Tacoma Stadium (the word Stadium in letters about 20
feet high) was erected by Tacoma #8 Rotary in 1919.
In the Early Years
--In the early years of the Tacoma #8 Rotary Club, it was a
custom, following the meeting during Puyallup Fair week, for
all members plus any friends they could recruit, to attend the
Fair en masse. The 1914 caravan consisted of 102 cars.
--1971: The Club moved to the Top Of The Ocean
Restaurant on Ruston Way in Old Town. Members enjoyed
six years there before fire destroyed it in 1977.
Art Wickens
Arthur Wickens was a man who more than just loved Rotary...he
lived it!! He was an invaluable counselor to 51 Club Presidents.
Art achieved his 50th year as chapter secretary in 1973. The
occasion was marked by the establishment of the Rotary Club of
Tacoma #8 Community Service Award, bearing Art's likeness.
The Community Service Award is given annually to a non-Rotary
member living in Pierce County who has made a major contribution
to community service. In conjunction with the award, Tacoma 8
makes a financial donation to a project or charitable organization of
the award recipient's choice.
Also, since 1971, the club has administered the Tacoma Rotary
Foundation, the proceeds from which are awarded to worthy local
programs. Our long-time secretary is not forgotten in this process;
contributors who donate $1000 to the foundation are named Art
Wickens Fellows.
Women Presidents in Tacoma 8 Rotary
1905: RI was organized as an all male organization and had
functioned in that manner until 1977
1977: The Rotary Club of Duarte, California celebrated its 25th
Anniversary. Three women were introduced as members
1978: RI Board of Directors officially revoked the Charter of the
Duarte club after an appeals process was concluded
Years of court cases followed. Defiantly, clubs began to admit
women.
1987: The Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 welcomed the first woman
member, Judy Scheneck (Hosea)
1989: RI officially changed its constitution and bylaws admitting
women as members
2010: Women comprise 30% of the membership of Tacoma #8
Rotary
Tacoma #8 women presidents (pictured above):
1995-1996 Judith Hosea
2001-2002 Kathy Martin
2004-2005 Kathleen Olson
2005-2006 Nita Sell
2010-2011 Carolyn McDougal
2012-2013 Jennifer Durham (President Elect Nominee)
Phil Garland (member 1924 - 1967) donated a stuffed
bobcat head in 1941 to be used as a "fine box." (No
account regarding the significance of the animal has yet
been found.) This fine box was used for more than 35
years.
For a number of years, Tacoma #8 held its meetings at The
Top of the Ocean Restaurant on Ruston Way. When the
restaurant burned
in 1977 the fine box was also destroyed in the fire.
Past Presidents Bill Baxter and Larry Ghilarducci were in
office at the Top Of The Ocean and recall the 'cat.‘
Since then the fine boxes have been designed by the
presidents, representing their vocations.