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The name Rotary was chosen to
reflect the custom, in the early days of the first Rotary Club in Chicago, of
rotating the site of club meetings among the members' places of business. This
rotation, an integral part of the founder's original concept, was designed to
acquaint members with one another's vocations and to promote business, but the
club's rapid growth soon made the custom impractical.
Mottos
The enthusiasm with which Rotarians embraced the ideal of service is
evidenced by Rotary's principal motto,
"Service Above Self"
and its other official precept,
"He Profits Most Who Serves Best."
The roots of both of these adages, adopted as official mottos at the 1950 RI
Convention, can be traced back to the first decade of Rotary's existence, when
"He profits most who serves his fellows best and Service not self were both put
forth as slogans. In 1989, the RI Council on Legislation designated "Service
above Self" as the principal motto.
Rotary's first emblem was a simple wagon wheel (in motion with dust)
representing civilization and movement. It was designed in 1905 by Montague
Bear, a member of the Chicago club, who was an engraver, and many Rotary clubs
of the time adopted the wheel in one form or another.
In 1922, authority was given to create and preserve an official emblem, and
the following year the present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes was
adopted. A keyway was added to signify that the wheel was a "worker and not
an idler." At the RI Convention in 1929, royal blue and gold were chosen as
the official colors.
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