Webster Groves Rotary preserves a 1933 address by Rotary founder Paul Harris as part of the club’s historical record. At that point, Rotary had grown far beyond the first Chicago gathering of 1905, and the movement was learning how fellowship across occupations and communities could support service.
Friendship with a purpose
The address reflects themes Harris returned to throughout his life: acquaintanceship, understanding among people with different experiences, and the responsibility to put friendship to work for others. Those ideas helped shape clubs such as Webster Groves, chartered less than a decade before the speech.
Watch the 1933 Paul Harris speech on YouTube
Some expressions from that period naturally belong to their time. The enduring message is simpler: people who know and respect one another can work together on needs larger than themselves. That remains recognizable in the club’s scholarships, youth exchanges, community projects, and international partnerships today.