members enjoy each other’s company
during the luncheon or dinner. Ar-
rangements for serving the meal should
be such that it will be neither hurried
nor delayed and that the service is un-
obtrusive. During this period (25 or 30
minutes) no business or entertainment
should interfere with friendly inter-
course between members and guests
around the table.

The second period is “the president's
time,” and will be discussed more fully
later.

The third period consists of the ad-
dress or other feature which makes up
the day’s program. From 20 to 30 min-
utes without interruption should be
allowed for this period. It is not con-
siderate to ask any speaker to prepare
an address and then not provide ade-
quate and uninterrupted time for its
presentation. In his introduction of the
speaker the president should not talk
long, but he should say enough to let
the club know who the speaker is, to
make the speaker feel he is welcome, to
state the topic, and to indicate how it
harmonizes with some part of the Ro-

tary program. A brief acknowledgment |

by the president or some club member
at the conclusion of the address is a
deserved courtesy which also results in
an orderly adjournment.

The “President’s Time”’

The president’s responsibilities in con-
nection with the first and_ third
periods will be relatively simple at the
time of the meeting if the program com-
mittee and others responsible have func-
tioned properly. But the second period,
the “president's time,”” requires careful
planning in advance and undivided at-
tention during the ten or twenty min-
utes it may take. The skillful use of
this period will give a sparkle to club
meetings which will help to maintain
good attendance and tend to solve other
problems of administration.

Club singing is an important feature
of this period. (There may be also a
song to open or close the program.)
While the song leader will choose the
songs, the president may make sugges-

tions and will decide what time can be
devoted to singing in view of other
items on the program.

Club presidents should devote five min-
utes of each club meeting as frequently
as possible to some form of Rotary in-
formation based upon material avail-
able at the central office.

The introduction of visiting Rotarians
and of guests may be done in various
ways, but as the person best qualified to
speak for the whole club, the president
should express a welcome after the in-
troductions have been made. Instead of
a routine formula for this welcome
something should be said which is ap-
propriate to the season or to the day’s
program or to the visitors themselves.
Variety will add interest to club mem-
bers and will be a courtesy appreciated
by the visitors. Whatever is said should
express cordiality.

Occasionally it may be necessary to
present some item of business. Also
there will be certain desirable announce-
ments. These come during the “presi-
dent’s time,” and he should either
present the business and make the an-
nouncements or select those who are to
do so and make certain that they keep
within the time allotted for this item.

Newly elected members should be in-
troduced during the “president's time.”
The introduction by the sponsor should
be brief and friendly. The president is
the logical person to welcome the new
member to the fellowship of the club.
This is not the time for the new mem-
ber to be informed about Rotary. How-
ever, new members should be helped to
obtain Rotary information early in their
club experience by attending club com-
mittee meetings, board meetings, club
assemblies, and special meetings planned
for the particular purpose of dissemi-
nating Rotary information.

During this period the president should
extend congratulations on_ birthdays
and on honors that have come to
members. He should also express sym-
pathy for those who are ill or in sorrow.
Through these personal references the
president may contribute greatly to the
atmosphere of the meeting and to
friendliness among members.

[12]