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Rotary Centennial
THE FORGOTTEN AVENUE OF SERVICE
To commemorate the Rotary Centennial in 2004-2005, Rotary International commissioned author David C. Forward, a member of the Rotary Club of Marlton , N.J. , USA , to write a book on the first 100 years of Rotary. A Century of Service: The Story of Rotary International describes the evolution of RI, The Rotary Foundation, and their programs. To give you a sneak preview, we will periodically feature excerpts from the book. In a tribute to Vocational Service Month this month, we present a selection from chapter 13, "Serving through Their Vocations."





THE FOUR-WAY TEST
When the Great Depression hit in 1930, many Rotarians faced the greatest challenge if their lives. There was no better time to test for ethical conduct than during such a dire economic crisis and the scramble to survive.

Herbert J. Taylor, a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago, was asked to take over the near-bankrupt Club Aluminum Company in 1932. It was a last-ditch effort to save the company, which had no money, low employee morale, and ruthless competition from other firms in similar straits. Taylor used his Rotary background to draft a 24-word code of conduct that he used to guide all his daily decisions. He found this ethical compass so helpful that he called all the department heads together and asked them to do the same. The code had four points, so Taylor called it "The Four-Way Test":

	Is it the TRUTH?
	Is it FAIR to all concerned?
	Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
	Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Club Aluminum applied The Four-Way Test to its dealings with employees, customers, dealers, and suppliers. It deliberately walked away from business that, while profitable, would have failed one or more of its standards.

The company's fortunes turned around; it eliminated its debt and over the next 15 years paid our $1 million in dividends while building a net worth of $2 million. Herb Taylor credited The Four-Way Test for this reversal in fortune. The RI Board voted to officially adopt The Four-Way Test in 1943, and when Herb Taylor became RI president in 1954, he donated the copyright of the test to the association. The test has been translated into languages of more than 100 countries.

A Japanese Rotary club printed The Four-Way Test on loan umbrellas for railway passengers at the railway station. The Rotary Club of Bayswater, Vic. , Australia , sponsored an essay and poster contest among the town's 11-to-14 year olds using as its theme "A man's struggle with his conscience." Astronaut Buzz Aldrin planted a Four-Way Test pin on the Moon's surface. In Meerut , India , the Rotary club erected a stone pillar along the highway, inscribed with The Four-Way Test, and similar monuments were built in public parks by Rotary clubs in Brazil , the Philippines , and Japan . It has appeared in gymnasia, courtrooms, and labor contracts. Today, the test is found on highway billboards, in schoolrooms and halls of government, and on the walls of businesses the world over.

Vocational Service remains at the heart of Rotary. In 1987-88, RI President Charles C. Keller reinvigorated the Avenue by appointing the first Vocational Service Committee in 50 years, chaired by William Sergeant of Tennessee . The committee drafted the new and influential Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions, testimony to Rotarians' enduring dedication to Vocational Service.

A Century of Service will be officially released at the International Assembly in early 2004, in English. It will be available in the other five major Rotary languages (French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish) by 1 July 2004. To preorder a copy (pub. No. 913), contact RI's Publications Order Services, tel.: (847) 866-4600; fax: (847) 866-3276. Those who preorder by 31 March will receive a free CD version as a bonus.



PRESIDENT-NOMINEE CHOICE NAMED
Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, of the Rotary Club of Goteborg, Sweden, is the choice of the nominating Committee for President of RI in 2005-06, which met on 8 September. He will become the official nominee on 1 December if there are no challenging candidates.

Stenhammar, a food broker for international products, is the former owner of Gust. F. Bratt AB. In addition, he has been a member of the boards of several companies and served as chairman of the board of a local private school.

A Rotarian since 1974, Stenhammar served on the RI Board of Directors in 1996-98. He has also served RI as district governor, committee member and chairman, and task force general coordinator. Currently, Stenhammar chairs the Permanent Fund Committee for Europe and RIBI and its general coordinator of Literacy and Education Task Force. He is a member of the Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force and a PolioPlus national advocacy adviser and chaired the Presidential Celebration Committee - Peace and Tolerance for the Presidential Celebration held in Sweden in August.

The nominating committee members are Gustaaf A. Annokkee, The Netherlands; Lennart Arfwidsson, Sweden; Jacques Berthet, France; Robert O. Brickman, USA; Francisco Creo, Mexico; Gerson Goncalves, Brazil; Lynn A. Hammond, USA; W. John Hockin, England; Brian H. Knowles, Australia; Ryuichi Kotani, Japan; David M. Michaux III, USA; Denny J. Purkey, USA; Carl S. Rosenbaum, USA; In Sang Song, Korea; Ryoichi Takeyama, Japan; and O.P. Vaish, India.


RI PURCHASES RIGHT TO NEW ADMINISTRATION SOFTWARE
Rotary International announced in August that it has purchased the rights to Clubmate software to facilitate club and district administration. RI had previously indicated that stand-alone club and district software would be available by June 2004. This purchase accelerated the deployment schedule, which was slated for completion by early September 2003.

The software is available through two options: an online download via www.rotary.org or a CD-ROM that can be ordered through the Online Publications Catalog. In August, RI e-mailed existing Clubmate customers with instructions on how to receive product support. For more information, send an e-mail to cda.info@rotaryintl.org and provide your full name, the name of your Rotary club, your address, and your Clubmate registration code.



MEMBER ID NUMBER NEEDED FOR CLUB BUSINESS
The member Access area of the RI Web site (formerly known as the Rotary Business Portal) is a useful tool for club members and officers to conduct business online. From making contributions to The Rotary Foundation to allowing club officers to update membership details, Rotarians can handle club business at their convenience.

To take advantage of this feature, Rotarians must register using their district, club and member ID numbers. Club presidents or secretaries can provide information, which is available in the semiannual report. Club members can also request their ID numbers by contacting RI at data@rotaryintl.org. In addition, subscribers to The Rotarian or Rotary World can find their member ID on the mailing label (the first eight digits directly above the name).

Visitors to the Member Access area can also check the Frequently Asked Questions link to learn more about registration, access issues, and updating club and membership data.