The Elizabeth City Rotary Club of North Carolina In the winter of 1921, several Norfolk, Virginia Rotarians came to Elizabeth City, North Carolina and interviewed local businessmen to determine whether or not they would be interested in starting a club in Elizabeth City. Local businessmen were indeed interested and plans were initiated to organize a club, with the Norfolk club as its sponsor.
November 29, 1921: President James A. Blainey, C. Fred Bonney, and Secretary Will Hermance went to Elizabeth City to assist in the organization of a Rotary club.January 26, 1922: Secretary Will Hermance reported on the status of the Elizabeth City club.January 31, 1922: With report that Elizabeth City would appreciate a visit from Norfolk Rotarians at an early date, the following men volunteered: Frank Ford; Alex Grice; John Montague; Horace Cook; A. O. Long; Mr. Shultice; E. L. Myers; and Walter Edmonds.March 28, 1922: Letter presented from Elizabeth City regarding the delivery of a charter. President Blainey appointed a committee to provide a large crowd to attend this function.April 4, 1922: The request made by the chair for an extension of time and three dates were briefly considered. About 50 members felt it probable they might go to Elizabeth City on the 21st.April 10, 1922: Board unanimously authorized the securing of a special train for the trip to Elizabeth City on the 21st.April 11, 1922: Request was made for a rising vote of those expecting to go to Elizabeth City. Motion made and carried not to invite the ladies.April 18, 1922: The Club notified the secretary that 45 members were ready to go to Elizabeth City.Charter No. 116 was granted by Rotary International on April 1, 1922. On Friday, April 21, a chartered train brought 125 Rotarians from Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth and Suffolk, Virginia for Elizabeth City's official induction into Rotary International. One slight mishap occurred, however. Somehow one of the coaches became unhooked from the remainder of the train. Yet, with the singing and fellowship, under the direction Frank Len of Newport News, the engine traveled several miles before the problem was discovered and resolved. Our charter was formally presented at a banquet in the Southern Hotel by Jim Blainey, President of the Norfolk Rotary Club. The gavel was turned over to Blucher Eringhaus, our first club president, who then introduced his slate of officers: A. B. (Fred) Houtz, vice president; Richard Job, secretary-treasurer; and Howard Smith, sergeant-at-arms. The presentation night was a gala occasion, with numerous speeches and responses by members Leigh Sheep, Walter Sawyer, Will Gaither and Oliver Gilbert. A double quartet of singers from the local State Normal School entertained the group with folk songs, spirituals, and melodies. the twenty-two (22) charter members welcomed at this charter banquet were:
April 25, 1922: Approximately 100 copies of THE INDEPENDENT, a weekly newspaper, were distributed to the members. The secretary was instructed to send a note of thanks to Mr. W. O. Saunders, Editor, for the copies.
Welcome Rotarians. November 1, 1922: Motion made to invite the Rotarians from Elizabeth City to join in the inter-city meet on November 28th.November 28, 1922: Regular luncheon of the Norfolk Rotary Club was held at Cape Henry Tuesday, November 28, 1922, as the occasion being the inter-city meet, comprising the Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, Elizabeth City and Portsmouth clubs.September 11, 1923: Tidewater Rotary Clubs Inter-City Meet, Lynnhaven Hotel included two Rotarians from Elizabeth City serving on the committee: Miles Clark and Walter Sawyer. The club's second meeting, without the sponsoring club's help, found its members studying the ways and ideas of Rotary. the first man inducted into the club, after receiving the official charter, was an optometrist, Julian Selig. At this very early stage programs unfortunately became a "hit and miss" situation, consisting of spelling bees and guessing contests. Consequently, it wasn't long before the reputation of a "knife and fork club" was attached to this group of men. As time went on, however, the members realized the serious side of Rotary and began to enter the field of community service. For the benefit of the hospital ambulance fund, local Rotarians challenged a newly-formed civic organization (Kiwanis) to a baseball game. Before 300 paying spectators, the game proved to be a profitable and glorious event -- except for the final score. One of the club's first projects was inspired during a hunting trip on the Outer Banks by members Oliver Gilbert, Leigh Sheep and Sam Parker. On this trip they met a deaf-mute boy who was the son of an underprivileged family. In addition to the basic food and clothing necessities, the club arranged both transportation and medical treatment at a special school where the lad received formal training. The Hooper family showed their appreciation by giving the child the full name of "Mott Rotary Hooper." Even though he lived only a few years, the membership was drawn together in this common cause and our club was deeply enriched by this experience of service. Within the first few years of organization our club hosted the "tobacco-chewing" Governor of North Carolina, Cam Morrison, and rewarded him for his exceptional remarks and encouragement with a fishing trip to Duck Island. Since a locally famous musical group, "Flats Orchestra," provided entertainment at the Southern Hotel, it was only natural that this group (fiddle, two-hand bone shakers, and mandolin) would soon represent the Elizabeth City Rotary Club at a district conference. So, to Raleigh they went and literally took the place by storm. In the early 1930's, when the depression hit, civic clubs experienced a very rough time and many of them became non-existent. To Rotary's gain and Lions' loss, several of their members joined our club, thus providing viability with the addition of these fine young men. On the 25th Anniversary of the Elizabeth City Rotary Club in 1947, former Governor of North Carolina, Blucher Ehringhaus, our club's first president, spoke and complimented the club on its progress through many avenues of service. He included in his praise the club's support and/or sponsorship of:
Not mentioned by Governor Eringhaus, but also noteworthy, was the club's participation in:
Also highlighting its first quarter century, the Elizabeth City Rotary Club hosted the 1938 district conference, a project which found every member fully involved. Rotarians from both eastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina enjoyed the hometown hospitality, which included river cruises, hotel banquets, and outstanding musical entertainment, along with the regular business meetings held in the Carolina Theater.
The Elizabeth City Club has been active in its participation with all aspects of worthwhile projects and the second 25 year period found Rotarians involved with the following community projects:
District conferences were held in Elizabeth City at the Virginia Dare Hotel in 1953 and 1957. The Elizabeth City club also hosted the 1981 district conference which was held in Williamsburg, Virginia. B. C. West of our club served as district governor that year. Needless to say, our spouses have been an important part of our club life, and we publicly began to thank them with both a Christmas program and February Valentine party.
With the passage of the years, club members have enjoyed the fellowship and inspiration from the weekly meetings. Even though the faces have changed, the ideals of Rotary remain steadfast. Since 1972, our club has continued not only to participate in the projects previously mentioned but also to involve itself vigorously with the following:
Half a century has passed, and "Service Above Self" still challenges and inspires us. Obviously, during that Chicago meeting in 1902, when four men met - an attorney (Paul Harris), a tailor, a merchant, and a mining engineer - a spark was ignited which spread into a flame that encompassed not only Elizabeth City, but also the entire free world. |