History of Our Club, 1917-1961
The Ardmore Rotary Club was the first civic club in Ardmore and was organized by Earl Q. Gray, Joe W. Krueger, C. E. Ringer, and H. G. Spaulding. The official installation ceremony was May 8, 1917, at the Dornick Hills Country Club and the charter (Charter No. 313) from Rotary International was issued June 17, 1917. The charter members were: Rev. J. W. Burns, John R. Dexter, Paul C. Ekern, N. B. Feagln, Frank S. Gates, Earl Q. Gray, Roy M. Johnson, J. W. Krueger, Dr. Robert B. Keith, Mark Kirkpatrick, M. G. Reid, Charles W. Richards, C. E. Ringen, Helim G. Spaulding (president), and Charles Von Weise.
District Conferences were held in Ardmore in 1923, 1929,1954, and three members of the local club have been District Governors: John R. Dexter in 1925-26, Earl Q. Gray in 1953-54, and R. Rhys Evans in 1959-60.
The name "Rotary Ann" for wives of Rotarians was originated by the Ardmore Rotary Club in 1918. Ann Thompson, pianist for the Club at that time, composed a song that she sang at the Rotary District Conference in Oklahoma City. It ended with the suggestion, "Although I--cannot be a Rotarian, I could be a Rotary Ann." Later, the Oklahoma City Club invited the Ardmore Club to a special meeting and the invitation said, "Bring Rotary Ann". (In 1989 the Rotary International constitution was changed to eliminate the requirement that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men and in 2001 the Ardmore Rotary Club elected its first female president, Teresa Brown.)
Some of the early club projects were a Scout troop for under-privileged boys, rural acquaintance and farmer guest meetings during the County Fair, and the organization of the Ardmore Ryonis Club by Rotarian John F. Easley on May 2, 1921. Through the efforts of Rotarians Allen Desahong and Charles Von Weise, a Carter County Crippled Children's Clinic was sponsored by the Club in cooperation with local doctors in 1924. This clinic later became a state-wide project called the Oklahoma Crippled Children's Society.
The Junior Rotarian program was initiated in 1933 and since 1943 the Club sponsored two or more high school boys to Boys State each year for many years. The Boys State program, held at The University of Oklahoma, was designed to teach students more about local and state government. Rotarian George Hann was active in the development of this program in Oklahoma.
Some of the later projects of the Ardmore Rotary Club were to pay the expenses of two high school boys for a three-day trip to Oklahoma City to participate in the youth and government program at the State Capitol (A program sponsored by the YMCA). The Club, also,participated in the scholarship fund for a Hungarian student attending Oklahoma College for Women at Chickasha. In the year 1961 the Club instituted a scholarship award to be given annually to the Valedictorian of the Senior Class of the Ardmore High School. Also, the Club participated in the expenses of entrants in the District Science Fair. Rotary Park, located at Fifth and L Streets Southwest, was developed in 1950 and a summer playground program was sponsored by the Club until 1952 when the YMCA assumed the responsibility for this.
Rotary Foundation Fellowships were made available on a competitive basis for college graduates in 1953-54 and William R. Martin of Ardmore, who was recommended by the local club, was awarded one of the fellowships for advanced study in a European University in 1957-58. Then for the year 1961 William Chapman, son of Rotarian Fred Chapman, was selected to study in Australia and attended school there.
Ardmore Rotarians should be proud that they are members of the world fellowship of business and professional men who are bound together with two guiding principles--"Service Above Self" and "He Profits Most Who Serves Best'!.
District Conferences were held in Ardmore in 1923, 1929,1954, and three members of the local club have been District Governors: John R. Dexter in 1925-26, Earl Q. Gray in 1953-54, and R. Rhys Evans in 1959-60.
The name "Rotary Ann" for wives of Rotarians was originated by the Ardmore Rotary Club in 1918. Ann Thompson, pianist for the Club at that time, composed a song that she sang at the Rotary District Conference in Oklahoma City. It ended with the suggestion, "Although I--cannot be a Rotarian, I could be a Rotary Ann." Later, the Oklahoma City Club invited the Ardmore Club to a special meeting and the invitation said, "Bring Rotary Ann". (In 1989 the Rotary International constitution was changed to eliminate the requirement that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men and in 2001 the Ardmore Rotary Club elected its first female president, Teresa Brown.)
Some of the early club projects were a Scout troop for under-privileged boys, rural acquaintance and farmer guest meetings during the County Fair, and the organization of the Ardmore Ryonis Club by Rotarian John F. Easley on May 2, 1921. Through the efforts of Rotarians Allen Desahong and Charles Von Weise, a Carter County Crippled Children's Clinic was sponsored by the Club in cooperation with local doctors in 1924. This clinic later became a state-wide project called the Oklahoma Crippled Children's Society.
The Junior Rotarian program was initiated in 1933 and since 1943 the Club sponsored two or more high school boys to Boys State each year for many years. The Boys State program, held at The University of Oklahoma, was designed to teach students more about local and state government. Rotarian George Hann was active in the development of this program in Oklahoma.
Some of the later projects of the Ardmore Rotary Club were to pay the expenses of two high school boys for a three-day trip to Oklahoma City to participate in the youth and government program at the State Capitol (A program sponsored by the YMCA). The Club, also,participated in the scholarship fund for a Hungarian student attending Oklahoma College for Women at Chickasha. In the year 1961 the Club instituted a scholarship award to be given annually to the Valedictorian of the Senior Class of the Ardmore High School. Also, the Club participated in the expenses of entrants in the District Science Fair. Rotary Park, located at Fifth and L Streets Southwest, was developed in 1950 and a summer playground program was sponsored by the Club until 1952 when the YMCA assumed the responsibility for this.
Rotary Foundation Fellowships were made available on a competitive basis for college graduates in 1953-54 and William R. Martin of Ardmore, who was recommended by the local club, was awarded one of the fellowships for advanced study in a European University in 1957-58. Then for the year 1961 William Chapman, son of Rotarian Fred Chapman, was selected to study in Australia and attended school there.
Ardmore Rotarians should be proud that they are members of the world fellowship of business and professional men who are bound together with two guiding principles--"Service Above Self" and "He Profits Most Who Serves Best'!.