Rotary Club of Oberlin Records, 1938-2006, n.d.
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Administrative/Biographical History
The Rotary Club of Oberlin was chartered on May 7, 1938 as a community service organization of local business and professional leaders. Its stated purposes are to promote fellowship among members of the community involved in a variety of occupations, to promote the ideal of community service and of viewing one's profession as an opportunity to serve, and to advance "international understanding, good will, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional [individuals] united in the ideal of service."
Members in good standing of the Rotary Club of Oberlin nominate citizens of the community for membership, which is granted in such a way that all sectors of the local business and professional community are represented. Areas of service for Oberlin Rotarians over the years have included sponsoring Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, supporting sports and recreation activities for children and youth, offering scholarships, and funding exchange students at the high school and college level. Rotary Club of Oberlin works in tandem with Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation in worldwide efforts to support education and eradicate diseases such as polio in the Third World.
The Rotary Club of Oberlin is governed by a twelve-member elected Board of Directors that serve for one-year renewable terms. The Board elects a president from among its members, with the retiring president serving as vice-president for one year and exofficio member of the Board. The Board also appoints a secretary-treasurer who mayor may not be an elected member of the board; if not, he serves ex-officio as well.
Sources Consulted: Rotary Club of Oberlin Records (RG 31/16).
Author: Lisa Pruitt Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
Records of the Rotary Club of Oberlin document the community service activities of that group from 1938-2006, including its involvement in scouting, educational scholarships, and exchange programs, and its participation in worldwide service activities of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. The collection is organized in eleven series: 1. Constitution and Bylaws; 2. Minutes; 3. Correspondence; 4. Financial Records; 5. Membership; 6. Service Activities; 7. Programs; 8. Publications; 9. Reports; 10. Historical File; 11. Photographs.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Constitution and Bylaws, 1948, 1958, 1984-85, 1994,2005, n.d. (2f)
Consists of one printed copy of the constitution as passed by Rotary International in 1922 and several undated, typescript versions of the bylaws and amendments to the bylaws. Arranged chronologically, with the constitution filed first.
Series 2. Minutes, 1939-40, 1943-44, 1948-50, 1954, 1963, 1965, 1967-68,
1972-73, 1989-90,1993-98, n.d. (4f)
Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, regular club meetings, joint meetings with other organizations, and district-wide Rotary meetings. Attendance records (see Series 5) for 1940 are glued to the directors’ meetings minutes for 1939 and so are filed here. Subjects covered include use of club funds, service activities, membership proposals, and cooperative efforts with other organizations. Arranged chronologically within each type of meeting.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1941-42,1947-48,1952-68,1975,1978-79,1982,1989,
1998-99, n.d. (2f)
Correspondence with Rotary Club members, other Rotary Clubs, and other service organizations regarding service activities and membership status. Arranged chronologically.
Series 4. Financial Records, 1947-49, 1951-2001, n.d. (4f)
Club financial documents include budgets, auditing committee statements, letters documenting gifts received and given, and annual financial statements. Arranged chronologically.
Series 5. Membership, 1949-2006 [span], n.d. (4f and 1 box index cards)
Records of attendance at meetings. The 1940 record was glued to the 1939 directors’ meetings minutes and is filed in Series 2. Also includes rosters of members, directories, and proposals (nominations) for new members. Arranged chronologically. The series continues in Box 4 where membership cards, alphabetized A-Z, are housed.
Series 6. Service Activities, 1955-56, 1960-62, 1967, 1978-79,1981,1993-98, n.d.
(9f)
Correspondence and reports relating to service activities of the Rotary Club of Oberlin, including Boy Scouts, crippled children's programs, educational exchange and scholarships, a music therapy project, and a joint project with the Oberlin Historical and Improvement Organization. Arranged alphabetically by project.
Series 7. Programs, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1979-81, 1988, 1993-95, 1997-98, 2001
(4f)
Programs for a variety of conferences and meetings and for the Rotary Club of Oberlin's Golden Anniversary celebration. This series also contains a general pamphlet and brochure folder. Arranged chronologically.
Series 8. Publications, 1938, 1952, 1956-61, 1964-65, 1973-90, 1993-2003, n.d.
(9f)
Calendars, newsletters, and "Pictorial Memories of Oberlin," published by the Rotary Club of Oberlin, as well as miscellaneous pamphlets, brochures, and reports published by the Rotary Foundation and Rotary International.
Series 9. Reports, 1985-2001
Reports made by the Rotary Club of Oberlin to Rotary International between 1985 and 2001.
Series 10. Historical File, 1938, 1960, 1974-85, 1988, n.d. (3f)
Miscellaneous clippings and memorabilia relating to the Rotary Club of Oberlin, including one guest book. Two items were removed to RG 45/2 (Miscellaneous Manuscripts - Oversized): "Objects of Rotary" and a "Resolution by the Ohio State Senate to Recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Oberlin Rotary Club." Arranged chronologically within each document type.
Series 11. Photographs, ca. 1950s-80s, 2002-03 (2f)
Black and white and some color photographs of various sizes depicting Rotary Club of Oberlin events and individuals. Many are not dated or identified. No particular arrangement.