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Volume 66, Number 2
Sept-Oct , 2009
Topeka Rotary Meets Every Thursday12 NoonDowntown Ramada Inn
Women in Rotary
In 1989, the Rotary Council on Legislationvoted to admit women into Rotary
find it hard to believe that only twenty yearsago, women were not allowed to join Rotary.Just look at that Four
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Way Test coin for a mo-ment. Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build GoodWill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to allconcerned. Somehow though, even with thesewords, women were not allowed to become mem-bers of Rotary.This month, the Rotopeka takes a look back at the
history of women in Rotary (page 3) and we’ve
gone pink to recognize Breast Cancer AwarenessMonth.As a side note, Iwant to also thank you for the opportu-nity to present a pro-gram to our club.
Whether it’s Twitter,
Facebook or thenext big thing, communications has taken a much more importantrole in all that we do. What I hope you also took away from theprogram was that there are millions more people now driving thetechnological advancements that are changing the world aroundus. These advancements are not solely being made by the tradi-tional corporations, but by individuals who take the initiative to cre-ate applications based on source codes, by small filmmakers whocan now produce a blockbuster movie for very little money, or bya Rotary club that is embracing technology and playing a smallpart in the sharing of Rotary to the world.
It’s fast moving and it’s complicated. Which is why it is so impor-
tant that we try to understand what is happing in the way in whichwe now communicate and to seek out ways in which we can har-ness that power for our own business and lives.So join in the social networking world and see how you can shareRotary with the world.Greg Hill,Editor, Rotopeka
Rotary on the Web
Rotary InternationalWebsite
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Rotary District 5710Website
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Rotary Club Website
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Rotary InternationalFoundation
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Twitter
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www.twitter.com/topekarotary
The Editor’s Blog
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The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwideremains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary."My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very differ-ent to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to achanging world," said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in2000-01.The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over theRotary world to allow for the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and severalclose votes at previous Council meetings.The response to the decision was overwhelming: By 1990, the number of female Ro-tarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000.Twenty years after the Council on Legislation's vote, Rotary has nearly 188,000 fe-male Rotarians. Women have served in leadership positions as high as the RI Boardof Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees.Twenty years after the Council on Legislation's vote, Rotary has nearly 188,000 fe-male Rotarians. Women have served in leadership positions as high as the RI Boardof Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees
Timeline of women in Rotary
1950
An enactment to delete the word
male
from the Standard Rotary Club Constitutionis proposed by a Rotary club in India for the Council on Legislation meeting at the1950 RI Convention.
1964
The Council on Legislation agenda contains an enactment proposed by a Rotaryclub in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to permit the admission of women into Rotary clubs.Delegates vote that it be withdrawn. Two other proposals to allow women to beeligible for honorary membership are also withdrawn.
1972
As more women begin reaching higher positions in their professions, more clubs be-gin lobbying for female members. A U.S. Rotary club proposes admitting womeninto Rotary at the 1972 Council on Legislation.
(Continued on page 8)
The Brief History of Women in Rotary
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