Summary Information
Superior Rotary Club Records
1912-1987
- Superior Rotary Club (Superior, Wis.)
Superior Mss AG
2.4 c.f. (6 archives boxes)
UW-Superior Jim Dan Hill Library / Superior Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Records of the Superior Rotary Club, Wisconsin's first Rotary organization, illustrating the activities of local businessmen in Superior promoting ethical practices in business, increased civic development, and improved public welfare. The records consist of the club's constitution and bylaws, membership rosters, meeting minutes, and newsletters. The records also document the group's community activities and their involvement in issues of local, national and international importance. The club's correspondence and committee reports illustrate the promotion of local agriculture and support of work programs for boys, the Boy Scouts, and student exchange programs among other projects.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-sup00ag ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Superior Rotary Club, an affiliate of the International Association of Rotary Clubs, was chartered in 1912. It was the 40th club of its kind in the United States and the first Rotary Club in Wisconsin. The club was founded by local businessmen, with the sponsorship of the Duluth Rotary Club, and has worked to promote the Rotary principles of ethical business practices. To this end, the Superior Rotarians have been involved with work programs for boys, the Boy Scouts, the Y.M.C.A., student exchange programs, veterans' affairs, and many other local, national and international concerns. Because of its location, the Superior club has always had stronger ties to the clubs of Minnesota, the Dakotas and Ontario than with clubs in Wisconsin. This has been the case since the Superior Club left the 9th District in 1924, which included Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in favor of the 10th District, presently International District 5580, which includes Duluth, Minneapolis and Thunder Bay. The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1962 and continues to this day.
Scope and Content Note
The Superior Rotary Club collection documents both the club's administration and activities since its creation in 1912 through the mid-1980s. The records are divided into five series including Organizational Records, Club Activities, Administrative Records, Correspondence, and Club Publications. The collection is most complete for the early years of the club's history.
The Organizational Records are arranged chronologically and include documents pertaining to the founding of the club in 1912 such as the club charter, by-laws, and the club constitution as well as later amendments made to these documents.
The Club Activities records consist mainly of committee reports submitted to the club for approval. Arranged chronologically, these reports describe the various projects the club engaged in and illustrate the many ways the club attempted to improve Superior and the surrounding area. Also included in these records are reports from national and district Rotary meetings as well as a few speeches given by club presidents outlining plans and goals for the club's future.
The Administrative Records document the workings of the club and include an incomplete set of membership rosters from 1928-1973 including a list of the original members of the club from 1912 and which indicate the professions of club members. The director's and regular meeting minutes document the club's weekly meetings and the special meetings of the club's leadership illustrating the shifts in the club's interests and the ways in which they addressed different local and national concerns.
General Correspondence is largely from the early period of the organization, spanning the years 1912-1933. The correspondence is primarily to and from other Rotary clubs around the country relating to club business and Rotary events. There are also letters to and from federal, state and local government agencies and offices as well as letters from local businesses and other community groups in Superior. The letters highlight the interaction the Superior club had with the community and what stance it took on different issues facing the Rotary organization, the city, the state and the nation.
The Club Publications consist solely of the newsletters, 1923-1977, created by the club to keep the members informed on the weekly meeting agenda, club events and announcements. The club newsletter, called the Cog from 1928 to 1963, was printed weekly until 1972 and bi-weekly thereafter. There are gaps in this series.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the Superior Rotary Club, Superior, Wis., 2001. Accession Number: M2002-009
Processed by Jacob Esselstrom, May, 2002.
Contents List
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Organizational Records, 1912-1957
: Includes the Constitution, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Amendments.
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Club Activities
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Box
1
Folder
2-5
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Committee Reports, 1912-1933
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Rotary Fellowship program, 1937-1987
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Rural Urban Committee calf program, 1954-1974
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Conferences, anniversaries and reports, 1956-1967
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Administrative Records
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Membership records, 1912-1973
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Minutes of meetings and attendance records
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Box
2
Folder
5
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1921-1931
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Box
3
Folder
1-2
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1931-1961, 1963
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Box
4
Folder
1-13
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General Correspondence, 1913-1933
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Club Publications
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Weekly Newsletter
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Box
5
Folder
1-16
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1922, 1923-1933, 1934, 1947, 1948-1949
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Box
6
Folder
1-11
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1950-1971
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Box
6
Folder
12-17
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Bi-Weekly Newsletter, 1972-1977
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