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Atlantic Rotary Begins
The following article appeared in the
Atlantic News-Telegraph on March 18, 1920
ROTARY CLUB HERE IS NOT FULL FLEDGED
Local Club Formally Inducted into Organization Last Evening by Dist. Gov. Strater of Lincoln
FIFTY-TWO AT BANQUET
Council Bluffs and Red Oak Men Make Merry with Local Club Big Time for Rotarians Last Nite
With everything, even the official insignia wheel of the organization, complete save the possession of a charter which will be forthcoming in a few days, The Rotary Club of Atlantic, which has been in process of organization several weeks, last nite formally became a part and parcel of the six hundred Rotary Clubs throughout this and other countries, and the members thereof part of the army of 60,000 men who make up its personnel. The formal induction of the club into the organization was made by Charles Strater of Lincoln, Nebraska, District Governor of the organization for the sixteenth district which comprises of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. A goodly representation of the Council Bluffs club was present at the meeting as were two members of the Red Oak club and there was mirth, song and good cheer galore at the Rotary room of the Merchant’s Cafe, which the management of that popular eating place has transformed into a beautiful home for the club.
The Atlantic Club’s total membership was present at the meeting. There were the usual Rotary songs, the feature address by District Governor Strater who told of the spirit and purposes of Rotary; and talks by M.F. Rohrer of Council Bluffs who told of the early days in Cass and Pottawattamie counties; Secretary Carl Pryor of Council Bluffs who told of the history of Rotary from the time it was organized in Chicago in 1905 by Paul Harris and three others, till the present time. J. Chris Jensen, vice-president of the Council Bluffs club and in charge of the delegation; Glendon Fisher, president of the Red Oak Club, and others. Mr. Fisher for the Red Oak Club presented the Atlantic Club with a beautiful Rotary insignia for permanent use in the club room and Theodore Laskowski presented each of the local charter members with a bill book, the compliments of his bank, the Council Bluffs Savings Bank.
The decorations for the banquet partook of St. Patrick’s Day, the favors being green ribbons and green predominating. Miss Louise Bragg, proprietress of the New Merchant’s has done herself proud in providing a room for the meeting of the club, and the banquet last evening left nothing to be asked for. The new room is done in blue and is most attractive in every way.
District Governor Strater, who made the chief address of the evening, emphasized the importance of the coming district convention in Des Moines on the 19th and 20th of April at which time Rotarians from the three states, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota will be present, about a thousand in number is expected. He urged Atlantic to send a delegation there. He also informed the local club of the right to send a delegate later to the international meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The banquet was delightful, the fellowship was sincere and all in all it was an evening long to be remembered by the Atlantic Club and its guests. In addition to the out of town guests, there were a number of guests from Council Bluffs as well.
Charles Beno and Julius Unger made the hit of the evening with their song and dance skit “Teaching McFadden to Waltz.” The John G. Woodward company of the Bluffs sent a gift of candy to each of the Atlantic members.
J.A. Saly and Mrs. A.E. Taylor furnished the instrumental music for the singing and during the banquet.
Fifty-two sat down to the banquet.
The Red Oak club, in addition to the Rotary insignia, presented the club with a picture of Bert Adams, head of the Rotary organization, which will occupy a prominent place in the club room.
The Council Bluffs men who were here, were taken on a trim about the city before the meeting last evening and expressed their pleasure of the kind of a city Atlantic is.
After the guests had left last evening, the local club held a business meeting.
Standing Committees were named as follows:
Club correspondent: Tom Bonham
Membership Committee: B.U. Wood, Claude Anderson, Ross Camblin
Entertainment Committee: Tony Gillett, Roscoe Brown, Earl G. Wilson
Fellowship Committee: Paul C. Otto, H.K. Williams, E.E. Herring
Public Affairs: E.P. Chase, D.E. Shrauger, U.S. Mullins
Educational Committee: W.S. Greenleaf, Ross Camblin, H.H. Egbert
Work Among Boys Committee: D.E. Schrauger, Roy Hedges, Ross Camblin
Relations with International Committee: C.L. Campbell, Tom Bonham, Jack Peacock