 The 4-way Test-Of the things we think, say or do 1. Is it the TRUTH? | 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? | 4.Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? |
"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." -- Mohammed Ali
The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.
Rotary's popularity spread throughout the United States in the decade that followed; clubs were chartered from San Francisco to New York. By 1921, Rotary clubs had been formed on six continents, and the organization adopted the name Rotary International a year later.
As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving the professional and social interests of club members. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. The organization's dedication to this ideal is best expressed in its principal motto: Service Above Self. Rotary also later embraced a code of ethics, called The 4-Way Test, that has been translated into hundreds of languages.
During and after World War II, Rotarians became increasingly involved in promoting international understanding. A Rotary conference held in London in 1942 planted the seeds for the development of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and numerous Rotarians have served as consultants to the United Nations.
An endowment fund, set up by Rotarians in 1917 "for doing good in the world," became a not-for-profit corporation known as The Rotary Foundation in 1928. Upon the death of Paul Harris in 1947, an outpouring of Rotarian donations made in his honor, totaling US$2 million, launched the Foundation's first program — graduate fellowships, now called Ambassadorial Scholarships. Today, contributions to The Rotary Foundation total more than US$80 million annually and support a wide range of humanitarian grants and educational programs that enable Rotarians to bring hope and promote international understanding throughout the world.
In 1985, Rotary made a historic commitment to immunize all of the world's children against polio. Working in partnership with nongovernmental organizations and national governments thorough its PolioPlus program, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. Rotarians have mobilized hundreds of thousands of PolioPlus volunteers and have immunized more than one billion children worldwide. By the 2005 target date for certification of a polio-free world, Rotary will have contributed half a billion dollars to the cause.
As it approached the dawn of the 21st century, Rotary worked to meet the changing needs of society, expanding its service effort to address such pressing issues as environmental degradation, illiteracy, world hunger, and children at risk. The organization admitted women for the first time in 1989 and claims more than 90,000 women in its ranks today. Following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Rotary clubs were formed or re-established throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Today, 1.2 million Rotarians belong to some 30,000 Rotary clubs in more than 160 countries.
For a more complete history got to: http://www.rotary.com/aboutrotary/history/index.html
Two Rivers Rotary Club History and Projects
The Rotary Club of Two Rivers was founded Feb. 8, 1923. It was the first service club in the city. The club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manitowoc and is the 1341st club chartered by Rotary International.
The original Rotary Club of Two Rivers had 31 members and for its first 35 years met in the Hamilton Hotel until that building was demolished. The club has met at the Elks Club, M&M Lunch for a short time and now meet at the Lighthouse Inn.
See also list of Two Rivers Rotary members who served as District Governors and Past Presidents.
The Rotary Club of Two Rivers has been involved in service projects which have had major positive impact on the area. Among the early Rotary projects in the community were:
A Boys Work Program which evolved into the Two Rivers Recreation Department,
Support for the city manager form of government for the city of Two Rivers,
Promotion of the Two Rivers Municipal Hospital,
Junior baseball programs,
Father/son and father/daughter banquets,
Promotion of the Hamilton Swimming Pool at Washington High School, one of the first swimming pools in a high school in the State.
Members were instrumental in working to win the state approval for the Point Beach State Forest.
Members were instrumental in naming the George O’Brien Phy Ed Unit.
Members worked for the founding of the Manitowoc County Health Care Center.
The Rotary Club of Two Rivers was a major contributor to recent projects:
Rogers Street Fishing Village Museum
Provided leadership for the construction of restroom facilities at Neshotah Park.
Funded a platform / dance stand for the stage in Central Park.
Boat launch ramp dock at 27 th. Street.
A Rotarian has always chaired the Joint Community Service Club Committee (A comm
ittee representing all the service clubs in the city of Two Rivers) which resulted in the
Entertainment pavilion in Central Memorial Park
Lighting for the Little League Baseball Park at Case Elementary School.
Rotary has also been a key player in the Two Rivers Mishicot Area United Way until the two Manitowoc County United Ways merged in 1997. Members of the Rotary Club of Two Rivers had been general chairmen of 13 successful campaigns.
Sponsors the annual Two Rivers Senior Center Volunteer Dinner
Operate the food stand at the Two Rivers Ethnic Festival in September
Share a refreshment stand at the Green Bay Packers games with other clubs
Youth Leadership annual award
Student Rotarian at our weekly meetings
Delivering Meals on Wheels
Relay for Life sponsor and contributor
Salvation Army Christmas bell ringing
Big Brothers/Sisters Bowlathon
Rose sale
Annual Fun(d) Raising Dinner and Auction
$25,000 for a rest area on the Mariner's Bike Trail
Annually, the club is active in providing scholarships to two students planning to attend Lakeshore Technical College and has sponsored youth to attend Business World, Badger Boys State and the World Affairs Seminar.
$18,000 was contributed to Polioplus to eradicate polio and other child hood diseases worldwide. In 1992, our club members contributed approximately $ 20,000 and the Rotary Foundation granted an additional $20,000 to provide solar powered ovens to Haiti because the Hatians were cutting down their last remaining trees for fuel. The ovens were used by families to cook their meal, bakeries, and hospitals to sanitize equipment. In 2000 our club members contributed $3675 for the Jaipur Foot project which provided an artificial foot to land mine victims which cost $100 each. $25,000 has been pledged (over 5 years) to support the Bike/walking Trail along The LakeMichigan shoreline.
Since 1976, the Rotary Club of Two Rivers has been active in the Rotary International Student Exchange Program. As a participate in the program, we have sent at least one local student to study and live in a foreign country for a year under the cultural exchange program. We have also had the privilege of hosting one foreign student a year. Our students have gone to New Zealand, India, Japan, Zimbabwe, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, England, The Netherlands, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezualia while students have come to Two Rivers from some of those and other countries.
As part of our involvement with youth programs, we sponsor the Interact Club at Washington High School. The club provides an opportunity for high school students to get in the habit of service to others while in high school and to learn leadership and responsible citizenship that promotes international understanding and peace. The club was started in approximately 1970. The club typically has approximately fifteen members. Jerry Scriver has been the advisor since it started and was honored by the club with a Paul Harris Fellow award. Projects are sponsoring a child in the Philippines by contributing $340 annually to the Christian Children's Fund, scholarships for local Seniors and co-sponsoring a blood drive. In the past they have contributed to health organizations. Funds are raised by selling candy bars.
Our current members of longest service include who joined Rotary Earl Martin in1949 ; Wes Drumm, 1961; William Webster, 1963; and James Lester, 1965.
Many individuals have an inner drive, need or desire to provide service to others. Rotary is an organization to help them fulfill that basic human need. The primary purpose of Rotary is service to others and not fellowship or a luncheon club, although those are secondary purposes. Rotary is giving of yourself as a way of life.
SERVICE ABOVE SELF: is the primary motto of Rotary International. Rotary is a fellowship of those who believe in SERVICE ABOVE SELF. He profits most who serves best is the other motto.
Prospective members should ask themselves if they want to commit more time and/or money to service projects because this is the primary purpose of Rotary.
Service to others is the price we pay to occupy space on the planet. Author unknown.
The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and in particular, to encourage and foster service through the four avenues of service:
1) Club Service ( friendship and acquaintance ): Before anyone can serve, they must first know other people; so this avenue emphasizes the importance of the club, its weekly meetings, and the friendships developed within the club.
2) Vocational Service: Each Rotarian is encouraged to foster high ethical standards in his business or profession and to recognize the worthiness and dignity in all useful occupations. By serving in his vocation a member also serves society.
3) Community Service: Each Rotarian and Rotary club can apply the ideal of service to improve the quality of life in his community and nation. The avenue of service takes many forms such as youth activities, community betterment programs, aid to the needy and hundreds of other projects.
4)International Service: This avenue emphasizes the importance of advancing international understanding, goodwill, and peace throughout the worldwide fellowship of Rotary. Here one will see world community projects, Rotary Foundation awards, International Youth Exchanges and many other projects of an international character.
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of
worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
The Four-Way Test of the things we think, say or do as follows:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
It is a guide to RIGHT thinking. If memorized and constantly applied to relations with others, it will make a definite contribution towards more effective and friendlier relationships with others. The experience of others has shown that if you get into the habit of checking your thoughts, words, and deeds against the Four-way Test it will definitely help you become happier and more successful throughout your life.
It has been used throughout the world in schools and businesses to emphasize a wholesome attitude for personal relationships. Many Rotarians hang it on their office wall as a reminder to themselves and others.
History of the Four-way Test
The Four Way Test was conceived by Herbert J. Taylor, a Chicago Rotarian, who became president of Rotary International in 1954-55. He applied The Four-Way Test to the operation of his company with remarkable results and consequently shared it with others. The story is best told by Herbert J. Taylor himself. Here is his description of how the Test came into existence and what effect it had.
Back in 1932 I was assigned, by the creditors of the Club Aluminum Products Co., the task of saving the company from being closed out as a bankrupt organization. The company was a distributor of cookware and other household items. We found that the company owed its creditors more than $400,000 in excess of its total assets. It was bankrupt but still alive. At that time we borrowed $6,100 from a Chicago bank to give us a little cash on which to operate. Back to top Down to services
With tremendous obstacles and handicaps facing us, we felt that we must develop in our organization something which our competitors would not have in equal amount. We decided that it should be the character, dependability and service mindedness of our personnel. We determined, first, to be very careful in the selection of our personnel and, second, to help them become better men and women as they progressed with our company. We believed that ‘In right there is might’ and we determined to do our best to always be right. Our industry, as was true of scores of other industries, had a code of ethics--but the code was long, almost impossible to memorize and therefore impractical.
We felt that we needed a simple measuring stick of ethics which everyone in the company could quickly memorize. We also believed that the proposed test should not tell our people what they must do, ~ ask them questions which would make it possible for them to find out whether their proposed plans, policies, statements or actions were right or wrong.
We had looked in available literature for such a short measuring stick of ethics but could not find a satisfactory one. One day in July, 1932, I decided to pray about the matter. That morning I leaned over my desk and asked God to give us a simple guide to help us think, speak and do that which was right. I immediately picked up a white card and wrote out The Four-Way Test of the things we think, say or do as follows:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
I placed the little test under the glass of my desk and determined to try it out for a few days before talking to anyone else in the company about it. I had a very discouraging experience. Back to top Down to services
I almost threw it into the wastepaper basket the first day when I checked everything that passed over my desk with the first question, Is it the truth? I never realized before how far I often was from the truth and how many untruths appeared in our company's literature, letters and advertising. After about 60 days of faithful, constant effort on my part to live up to The Four-Way Test I was thoroughly sold on its great worth and at the same time greatly humiliated, and at times discouraged, with my own performance as president of the company. I had, however, made sufficient progress in living up to The Four-Way Test to feel qualified to talk to some of my associates about it.
I discussed it with my 4 department heads. One was a Roman Catholic, the second a Christian Scientist, the third an Orthodox Jew and the fourth a Presbyterian. I asked each man whether or not there was anything in The Four-Way Test which was contrary to the doctrines and ideals of his particular faith. They all four agreed that truth, justice, friendliness and helpfulness not only coincided with their religious ideals, but that if constantly applied in business they should result in greater success aria progress. These 4 men agreed to use The Four-Way Test in checking proposed plans, policies, statements and advertising of the company. Later, all employees were asked to memorize and use The Four-Way Test in their relations with others
The application of The Four-Way Test to our relations with our own personnel and that of our suppliers and customers helped us to win their friendship and goodwill. We have learned that the friendship and confidence of those with whom we associate is essential to permanent success in business.
Through over 20 years of sincere effort on the part of our personnel, we have been making progress toward reaching the ideals expressed in The Four-Way Test. We have been rewarded with a steady increase in sales, profits and earnings of our personnel. From a bankrupt condition in 1932 our company within a period of some 20 years had paid its debts in full, had paid its stockholders over one million dollars in dividends and had a value of over two million dollars. All these rewards have come from a cash investment of only $6,100, the Four-Way Test and some good hard-working people who have faith in God and high ideals.
Intangible dividends from the use of The Four-Way Test have been even greater than the financial ones. We have enjoyed a constant increase in the goodwill, friendship and confidence of our customers, our competitors and the public--and what is even more valuable, a great improvement in the moral character of our own personnel.
We have found that you cannot constantly apply The Four-Way Test to all your relations with others eight hours each day in business without getting into the habit of doing it in your home, social and community life. You thus become a better person, a better friend and a better citizen.
From Applying The Four-Way Test Rotary International
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Two Rivers Rotary Club • P.O. Box 272 • Two Rivers WI 54241-0272
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