10 changes in Rotary in 100 years
Rebecca Hanlon
A lot can happen in 100 years. While the Rotary Club of York has gone through many changes, it has held firm to its belief that "service above self" is the greatest gift someone can give.
Here's a look at some of the biggest changes Rotary has seen:
Fred Minnich, 82, of York Township remembers a Rotary made up of older, white males who "wore suits and ties and smoked cigarettes, cigars and pipes." Smoking often broke out during meetings or after meals. New laws and awareness of tobacco's harm has changed that practice, and it no longer continues.
When Minnich joined, members were required to attend 70 percent of all meetings, most of which took place weekly. Today, there is no requirement, although members are asked to try to make 60 percent of meetings. If you couldn't make the downtown meeting, Minnich said, you were given a list of meetings in Red Lion, Columbia, West York or even Florida, where you could catch up on attendance.
Minnich lost his perfect attendance in May 1969 while traveling behind the Iron Curtain for three weeks. He visited five countries, none of which had Rotary clubs he could attend. He has since been to Rotary meetings in 25 countries.
Two members per job class
John Schmidt of Spring Garden Township remembers when job classifications kept membership tight.
Now 84 and a member since 1963, Schmidt said no more than two members were allowed in each classification, such as banking, insurance of advertising, so people might have to wait until an opening came available. The limitation on classifications no longer exists.
Meetings were usually taken very seriously, with classification talks focusing on the career duties of whomever was chosen to speak that day, Schmidt said. Meetings also included singing from the Rotary songbook, as well as guest singers or a piano player who would play patriotic tunes. Meetings are less formal today, although there usually is a special speaker.
The addition of committees
While some committees have been around since Rotary was founded, many have been added over the years to meet the changing needs of the community. Schmidt can recall less than 10 committees at one time. Today, there are 34 committees.
The acceptance of women
It was 1987 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Rotary International could not deny women membership into local clubs. While most people remember the idea being widely accepted, there were a few members who didn't agree with the change. Wives of the male members were known as "Rotary Anns" up until that time.
Golfing as fundraiser
The Rotary Club of York's annual golf outing was initially just an event that allowed members to get together outside of meetings and have fun, Schmidt said. Today, it is a large event that raises money for the organization and its many ventures.
Yorktowne Hotel transformation
The Yorktowne Hotel has been the meeting place and mailing address of the Rotary Club of York.
Schmidt remembers meals served by waiters. These lunches often involved several courses. As the meetings were very structured, so were the meals, he said.
The head waiter, known as Frank, would stand at the doorway of the dining room at 12:30 p.m. and clap twice. It was the signal for all the servers to stop what they were doing and leave the room. The meal was complete.
Today, the meal is buffet style and servers only clear place settings, he said.
Seriousness of membership, meetings
George Trout of Springettsbury Township still recalls the day 48 years ago when he got a phone call from a business acquaintance to meet. Thinking it would be a good business opportunity, Trout was caught off guard when he was asked to join Rotary.
"It was a serious piece of business because not everyone got asked to join," he said.
Events also were considered very formal, with members wearing suits and ties, dressing up like they were going off to impress someone, he said. There was never a lot of "ruckus" or humor from the podium.
Today, things are still serious, but there are moments of relaxed humor and the focus is more on relationships, he said.
No political campaigning
When Trout ran for county commissioners in 1988, he took a petition to one of the weekly meetings and asked fellow Rotarians to sign for him to be put on the ballot. But he wasn't the only one to ask for political support through members, and the whole thing "became tiresome," Trout said. Today, the only political noise made during meetings is when members running for significant positions are invited, all during one event, to give a presentation.