The Springfield Rotary Club was established on June 24, 1913. The Rotary International motto is “Service above self.” The organization’s goals are to promote service and ethics and advance international understanding. The Wheel Club at Springfield High School was chartered in 1959. It became the Interact in 1962. Rotary members Frank Schwarz and Clifton Tozer helped with the high school club. Rotaract was a college level Rotary club. The Rotary District 646 held some of their annual conferences in Springfield.
This collection includes the 1940 Rotary Club of Springfield Constitution and bylaws, event programs, rosters/directories, newspaper clippings, photos, District Conference materials, Rotary Foundation Club and Rotaract materials, and Wheel Club/Interact Scrapbook pages. Also, the only copy known to exist of the “Programme” of what was probably the first Rotary Club of Springfield, Ill annual party. It was held at the Illini Country Club, Tuesday, May 26, 1914.