Rotary Global History Fellowship

The First Rotarian: Jean Remembers

Date
1950-02
Type
biography
Era
Postwar Growth, 1946-1969

The First Rotarian

Jean Remembers

From “The First Rotarian” by James P. Walsh, remembrances of Jean Thomson Harris of the man she met,
while on a hike in 1910 and whose companion, friend and wife she was for 37 years.

Research from The Rotarian in 1950

Scanned book page, Chapter 44 "As Jean Remembered Paul": Jean Harris's 1950 Rotarian account of meeting Paul on a 1910 Chicago Prairie Club hike, his torn jacket sleeve, and their marriage three months later

Paul encouraged Jean during their travels

The First Rotarian: Jean Remembers

Shortly after they were married, they began to give birth to little clubs

Scanned book page from "The First Rotarian" recounting Jean's memories of Paul, including his love of practical jokes, his habit of falling asleep while she read aloud, and her story of their first Rotary road trip to California, meeting early Rotarians and being introduced as "Jo from Little Women

From Africa to Peru, friends return to visit at

Scanned page of text from "As Jean Remembered Paul," recounting Jean's memories of Paul Harris and their travels, including stories about Kagawa in Japan, friends in South Africa, and visitors to Comely Bank

Jean had a deep commitment to the Rotary ideal

As Jean Remembered Paul: Jean recalls Rotary's high ideals, family and faith values, and Paul's belief that Rotary's greatness came from the collective efforts of thousands, always acknowledging a higher Eternal Power

Some insight into Rotary’s founder that only Jean would know

The First Rotarian: Jean Remembers