Another opening; another show. Newly minted Club President, Sue Klock started our meeting promptly at 12 p.m. today from somewhere in Washington, D.C. She improvised the opening bell and welcomed the group. We stood for the Pledge and moved to the Invocation. PDG Marc Glass implored us to give thanks for having the opportunity to be a Rotarian.
President Sue’s opening remarks ruminated on the Four Way Test and its origin story:
In the early 1930s, Herbert J. Taylor set out to save the Club Aluminum Products distribution company from bankruptcy. He believed himself to be the only person in the company with 250 employees who had hope. His recovery plan started with changing the ethical climate of the company. He explained:
“The first job was to set policies for the company that would reflect the high ethics and morals God would want in any business. If the people who worked for Club Aluminum were to think right, I knew they would do right. What we needed was a simple, easily remembered guide to right conduct - a sort of ethical yardstick- which all of us in the company could memorize and apply to what we thought, said, and did.
I searched through many books for the answer to our need, but the right phrases eluded me, so I did what I often do when I have a problem I can't answer myself: I turn to the One who has all the answers. I leaned over my desk, rested my head in my hands and prayed. After a few moments, I looked up and reached for a white paper card. Then I wrote down the twenty-four words that had come to me:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
I called it "The Four-Way Test of the things we think, say or do."[3]
First testing it out on himself, he realized that the first question, "Is it the truth?" was barely applied in his business' day-to-day operations. After 60 days, Herbert J. Taylor decided to share those principles with the four department directors of his company (each had a different religious faith). Those four directors validated his principles, and rolled it out company-wide.[4]
When studying his advertising statements, he realized how very little could be stated as "truth," so a lot of copywriting adjustments were made to realign the company's messages with a sense of genuine truth. The aggressiveness towards competition was also scrutinized and eliminated.[4]
In 1932, Taylor's company was on the edge of bankruptcy. 20 years later, by applying the Four-Way Test, the company repaid its debts, generously paid its shareholders, and had a healthy financial balance.[4]
In the 1940s, when Taylor was an international director of Rotary, he offered the Four Way Test to the organization, and it was adopted by Rotary for its internal and promotional use. Never changed, the twenty-four-word test remains today a central part of the permanent Rotary structure throughout the world and is held as the standard by which all behavior should be measured. The test has been promoted around the world and is used in myriad forms to encourage personal and business ethical practices.[3] Taylor gave Rotary International the right to use the test in the 1940s and the copyright in 1954. He retained the rights to use the test for himself, his Club Aluminum Company, and the Christian Workers Foundation. [5]
Over forty years in Rotary, and this writer had never heard this origin story before. Makes one wonder what other pieces of Rotary history are waiting to be described and would be beneficial for all concerned.
President Sue announced that Diedre Stolte has attended her Rotary Information session with flying colors and was now an official member of the Club. Welcome, Diedre. (Photo to follow.)
Thankfully, a light day in the Caring Moments section:
Ruth Sheehan had a minor follow up procedure described as “no biggie.”
Peggy Schoen is having a procedure done soon. Keep her in your thoughts.
Bob Wood has begun rehab work in Glastonbury, facility unmentioned.
On the Announcements side:
- Volunteers are needed to provide the weekly meeting invocation. Contact Sue by email if so inclined.
- Anwar is busy working on upcoming programs and is open to suggestions. He is taking a break from formal programs for July and August but will resume in September.
- The Golf Committee is meeting on July 20 at noon at Evergreen Crossing in a lunch meeting. It is the time to begin turning in sponsorships, sign up for foursomes, and contribute raffle gifts. All members are expected to participate in our major fundraiser.
- The Yard Goats game on July 31st will feature 150 Rotarians holding the massive flag on the ball field pre-game. Contact Marc if you want to be part of it. Sixteen and up required.
We concluded the meeting by breaking into three breakout room sessions to evaluate the Zoom technology. We had brief sessions devoted to service projects, public relations, and membership. All seems to navigate to the rooms successfully so you can expect we will use this practice in future meetings as needed.
That was it. We concluded the meeting at 12:38 p.m. and returned each to our other worldly pursuits.
Until next week,
Doug Willett