EXHIBITS
A Century of Service: Logan Rotary at 100: A Difficult Past, but a Bright Future: Addressing Uncomfortable History
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A Difficult Past, but a Bright Future: Addressing Uncomfortable History
Logan Rotary experienced and adapted to a changing social landscape over the past century. As a result, the Rotary clubs of yesterday were much different than those of today. Past club culture often featured instances of sexism and racism. However, as the United States became more inclusive, Rotary also followed that trend. The reason to include descriptions of events that may make a modern reader uncomfortable is not to disparage Rotary in any way. Rather, this segment highlights Rotary’s evolution through the years as it has become a more open and respectful organization for all people.
For most of the first seventy-five years, the Club’s historical records display an overall absence of women except for a general mention of the female auxiliary, “Rotary Anns.” One woman, Betty T. Daines (wife of Merrill C. Daines), enthusiastically supported the Logan club even though Rotary excluded her from membership for most of her life. Betty eventually joined Rotary in the early 1990s, and before passing away in 2012, requested that her status as a Rotarian be listed in her obituary.[1] This story suggests that women were present, as wives and auxiliaries, despite an absence of records. Any information regarding a Logan Rotary Ann’s auxiliary club, or detailed accounts of members’ wives’ association with the club, has been lost to history.
Perusing the historical Logan Rotary papers reveals a former club culture that probably makes most current members cringe. Some examples include the Rotator (Logan Rotary’s newsletter) which often featured a joke at the bottom of the publication—frequently at the expense of women.[2] Also, the club’s records feature a few wild images from a ‘49ers Party in the 1950s. The ‘49ers Party became an annual tradition where Rotarians gathered to celebrate the Spirit of the West. These images demonstrate Logan Rotary’s former “party” reputation. Rotarians shed all their inhibitions and dressed up as cowboys and Indians, gambled, smoked cigars, and consumed that iconic beverage of the West, whiskey. A few of the images play into the culture of sexism prevalent in the 1950s, where one cross-dressed member appears to be handed around the room in a rather inappropriate manner.[3] These parties have now been replaced with much more family-friendly social events.
