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On 23 February 1905, the world's first service club was founded when lawyer Paul Harris and three colleagues met in a small office at the Unity Building In Chicago. These men wanted to rekindle the spirit of friendliness they had known in their home towns in the bustling metropolis of Chicago, the windy city, early in the 20the Century. This first meeting grew into Rotary International, the world's largest service organisation with in excess of 1.2 million members. Paul Harris started Rotary with a vision: that businessmen with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. The other three people who joined Harris at that initial meeting were clients of his law practice - Gustavus Loehr (a mining engineer), Silvester Schiele (a coal dealer) and Hiram E Shorey (a merchant tailor). Paul Percy Harris was born in Wisconsin on 19 April 1868. He was the second child of George & Cornilia Harris. When he was three years hold the family fell on hard times and Paul Harris was sent to Vermont with his sister to live with his grandparents. While living in Vermont he attended the Black River Academy in Ludlow, however he was expelled shortly after enrolling. At his secondary school in Rutland he was known as a prankster. Eventually he attended the University of Vermont but was expelled from there as well after "an incident involving a secret society". The following year he went to Princeton University where he successfully commenced studies in law. Following the death of his grandfather in 1888, Harris moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he was apprenticed at a local law firm. He completed his legal training by obtaining a Bachelor of Laws in June 1892 from the University of Iowa. After spending some five years working as a journalist, a salesman, an actor, a cowboy and a fruit picker, in 1896 he moved to Chicago where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. Beginning his law practice in Chicago in 1896, Harris achieved great success over the next forty years. Following the first Rotary meeting, rapid growth took place. Realising that Rotary needed a greater purpose than just friendship and ideas exchange Harris, who served as the third president of the Chicago Rotary Club in 1907, had the Club undertake its first public service project - the construction of public toilets in Chicago. Over the next few years Paul Harris had great ambition for Rotary's growth and new clubs were quickly established, first on the West Coast of the United States, then all over America and across to Europe. By the time of Harris' death at the age of 78 on 27 January 1947, Rotary International had grown to more than 200,000 members in 78 countries. Revered as the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris' name continues to be recognised as persons who provide outstanding service to their communities can be recognised and become as Paul Harris Fellows. When a contribution of US$1000 is made to the Rotary Foundation, a request can be made for an individual to be recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow; that person can be a Rotarian or a member of the community who is not a Rotarian. During his long active life Paul Harris married Jean Thompson on 2 July 1910. Jean travelled the world with Harris in support of Rotary. She helped make women an important part of Rotary, eventually leading to all Rotary Clubs admitting women as full members. As long as Rotary continues to provide great service across the globe the name of Paul Harris will be remembered.
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