The Relationship of the Rotary Club to R.I.

As in the case of the club and its in-
dividual members, so between R.I. and
its member clubs, there are a few gen-
eral principles for the guidance of all
clubs, and a large measure of auton-
omy in applying the principles. The
president will naturally want his club
to be a worthy member of Rotary In-
ternational. He will, therefore, need
to know the relationships involved and
the principles his club is expected to
observe. The constitution and by-laws
of R.I. as well as those of the club
should be on his “reading list.” These
and other matters of policy may be
found in “The Manual of Procedure”
(No. 35) which is already in the hands
of the club secretary.

Semiannual reports to R.I. on club
membership; semiannual payments of
the per capita tax; monthly attendance
reports to the district governor; attend-
ance by the president at the district
conference and the district assembly;
making the club strong both in its lo-
cality and as a unit of R.L; assistance
to the governor in organizing new Ro-
tary clubs—these are some of the obli-
gations resting on the club in its rela-
tionship with R.I.

Throughout the year Rotary Interna-
tional is concerned with helping the
club to grow in effectiveness, that is,
to improve its program of service in
its community. In this relationship the
club is autonomous as to method, a
condition which accomplishes much
larger results than would be possible
under a fixed and uniform program. At
the same time it places on the club
president a responsibility for leader-
ship which is more exacting, and also
more challenging than he would have
under a uniform program.

Through the district governor and the
secretariat, Rotary International is
ready to help the president as he per-
forms this important function of
leadership.

How the Secretariat Helps

The secretariat is the central service
station of the organization, with offices
in Chicago, Zurich, Bombay and
London.

From it the club president and other
officers and committees may obtain in-
formation as to how other Rotary clubs
have solved problems of administration
and program. Papers and pamphlets
prepared by the secretariat present the
experience of clubs of all sizes as re-
corded in a great volume of reports and
other information which the secretariat
gathers and analyzes. The president is
urged to make use of this service.

Rotary’s Magazines

In Rotary’s official periodicals, ““The
Rotarian” (English) and “Revista Ro-
taria’” (Spanish), and in the R. I. News
Letter, the governor’s monthly letter
and (in some regions) regional publi-
cations, the club president will find
information about what is going on in
the Rotary world. Some of this will be
appropriate for use in meetings of the
board of directors, some in committee
meetings, some as announcements in
weekly meetings of the club or in the
club publication.

With Other Rotary Clubs

Participating in occasional intercity
meetings, sometimes as host club, con-
tributes to a club’s strength and vision.
Presidents will find it desirable to en-
courage this participation by attending
themselves, and by encouraging others
to do so. Sometimes clubs exchange
programs, a form of intercity coopera-
tion that may be very acceptable if
carefully planned.

Attendance by members at meetings of
other Rotary clubs when that is possi-
ble is an activity worth stimulating.
Cordially receiving visiting Rotarians
who come to one’s own club, tends
further to emphasize the interclub fel-
lowship which characterizes Rotary.
Taking Rotary to a new community is
a favor to that town and the men who
join the new club. It is a fine example
of cooperation with Rotary Interna-
tional. Moreover, it strengthens the
sponsoring club, for it involves un-
selfish effort, and such giving invari-
ably produces a return in understand-
ing, appreciation and satisfaction.

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