Paul Harris and the Birth of Rotary

In 1905, Paul Harris started a movement that today is one of the world s premiere service organizations. His creation, Rotary International has quite literally touched the lives of hundreds of millions of people in its global quest to make a difference. Yet few people, both inside and outside of Rotary know much about Paul Harris or how his ground-breaking club developed. This number includes a majority of current Rotarians who have little knowledge or understanding about the man who started it all. For over a century, the relevant facts about his life and motivations have been clouded by myths and misconceptions. Now, with the discovery of hundreds of never before published letters, documents and exclusive archival sources, a better comprehension of the man and his times has emerged. This latest material gives new insight to who Paul Harris was. It provides answers to questions like: How did his early life in rural Wallingford, Vermont help forge his thoughts about Rotary? What role did his parents and grandparents play in developing his later actions? What happened during his college years that affected him for the rest of his life? Who were the men and women that influenced his ideals? When did Rotary and Paul Harris change directions and become more humanitarian? This book offers an in-depth look at how Paul Harris and early Rotary came into existence. It s the story of one man s struggle to find his inner self and how his philosophy changed the world.