The First Year

Read portions of the “Marshall Rotary Club: The First Year” by Jeff Greene:

1905

Rotary Clubs had come into being in Chicago and had been met with great success throughout the United States and internationally

1915

Lansing, Battle Creek and Jackson clubs were founded

1921

The Coldwater club was founded and, with a population of just over 7,000 residents, had received its charter in the final days of 1921.

1923

In December of 1923 two local businessmen, Ellsworth B. More and Robert Cox, accompanied by their wives, attended a dinner-dance in Coldwater which was being sponsored by the Rotary Club. Events proceeded quickly from that night; by the end of 1923 there were more than 1500 Rotary Clubs with over 100,000 Rotarians. In Michigan there were 41 existing clubs

Jan. 1, 1924

Prohibition was now in its fourth year of troubled existence. Calvin Coolidge was serving as President, Warren Harding having died in office the previous August. The economic times were favorable for most Americans during this period; the national income was rising and wages were high.

Jan. 9, 1924

It was reported in the Chronicle that Marshall was soon to have its own Rotary Club. The charter roll was completed and the application had been sent to the Chicago headquarters. The requirement at that time was for a minimum of 15 members, but the Marshall club had a roster of 25.

Feb. 1, 1924

February of 1924 opened with the news that former President Woodrow Wilson was near death at his home in Washington, DC. He had suffered a stroke in 1919 during his second term of office and had been an invalid since that time.

Politically, the Teapot Dome scandal was brewing and the Democrats were itching to take advantage of the situation. There was talk of promoting the world’s richest man, Michigan’s own Henry Ford, as a Democratic presidential candidate for the 1928 election. And William Jennings Bryan was denouncing America’s universities of higher learning for causing the “degradation of youth” by teaching evolution in the classroom.

Local events at that time focused on the high anticipation over the upcoming opening of the new Brooks Memorial Methodist Church, across the street from the Dibble home on Mansion Street. Deputy Sherriff Al Schuler was in the process of purchasing the Royal Hotel on S. Jefferson St., and Miss Virginia Cronin was home from the University of Michigan for a weekend visit.

The pages of the Marshall Daily Chronicle were replete with ads for potions, pills and salves to treat every medical disorder imaginable. Our reputation as the “Patent Medicine Town” was well-deserved and Harold Brooks had emerged as the town’s richest man. He would soon become Marshall’s Mayor for the ensuing five years.

The businessmen of Marshall were interested in forming a civic-minded organization which would pool their talents and resources in order to promote the general welfare of their proud city. Efforts in the past to form an Exchange Club and a Kiwanis Club had failed here, but interest now shifted toward the idea of a Rotary Club.

Feb. 13, 1924

A meeting was held at the Trinity Church Parish House. 30 of the 36 members of the Coldwater Club were present as the sponsoring club. After a banquet, members of the Coldwater club gave short talks and there were speeches made by several Marshall men. It was reported that the new Marshall Rotary Club would be officially organized at the next meeting which was scheduled for Tuesday evening, the 19th of February, and officers would be elected at that time.

Feb. 19, 1924

The Marshall Rotary Club was established.

Feb. 20, 1924

The Chronicle reported in great detail that the permanent organization of the new Marshall Rotary Club had been completed and that 60 men were present for the occasion, including twelve from the Battle Creek club, twelve from Jackson and four from Coldwater. It was noted that bad weather had prevented members from Hillsdale and Charlotte from attending. Officers were elected and a regular meeting day of Tuesdays at the parish house was agreed on. The meetings were to run from 12:15 to 1:30 with a lunch provided. The first president elected that evening was E. B. More, age 32. He had run unsuccessfully for Mayor against Louis Brooks in the 1920 election but was very active in Marshall and Calhoun County affairs throughout his life. Most recently he had passed his exam and been granted his license to act as an embalmer and funeral director and was employed by H. G. Kelser & Co. downtown.

Other officers elected that night were:
Vice President – R. F. Grant, Mgr. of the Peerless Fixture Co.
Secretary – B. B. Adams, County Agricultural Agent
Treasurer – C. H. Billings, Cashier at the First National Bank
Sgt. at Arms – Robert Cox, County Road Engineer

Feb. 27, 1924

It was reported in the local paper that Rotary had held a meeting the day before at the parish. No business was conducted and it was announced that they expected their charter to arrive in 2-3 weeks.

March 7, 1924

Chronicle on March 7th reported that Rotary Charter No. 1648 would be presented to the local group by a national officer at a ceremonial banquet and that special music would be engaged for the occasion. The date reported for this event was to be the 18th of March.

March 25, 1924

The next mention in the paper refers to the meeting of Tuesday the 25th and only states that all 26 members attended, so they must have already added one. But no mention of the new charter.

April 1924

The officers attended their first Sate Convention in Grand Rapids.

May 6, 1924

This same slate of officers was re-elected at a meeting on May 6 for the 1924-25 Rotary year.

June 1924

President More attended his first (Rotary’s 19th) International Convention in Toronto.

July 1924

By July, the club was partnering with the Battle Creek club in a program to provide aid to the crippled children of Calhoun Co. There was also a fathers and sons picnic held at Lyon Lake and Marshall Rotarians hosted 26 boys from Starr Commonwealth for the day.

September 1924

In early September the club made a public declaration to endorse the efforts of the Brown Hospital Association and pledged Rotary support for their project to acquire the Dibble mansion for a hospital. This community effort was a success.

On November 11th Mr. E.B. More spoke on the occasion of the presentation of the deed to the Ella M. Brown Charitable Circle by Charles and Louise Dibble.

Built by Sidney Ketchum in 1837 and acquired by Charles Dibble’s grandfather in 1859, this would be the future home of Oaklawn Hospital.