Paul Harris the Founder of Rotary was born at Racine, Wisconsin, USA. on April 19, 1868. When he was three years

old, he was taken to Willingford, Vermont, to live with his paternal grandparents. The Black River Academy at

Ludlow. Vermont and Vermont Academy Saxtons River, prepared him for his studies at the University of

Vermount, Princeton University of Lowa. Following his graduation from the law School of the University of

Lowa in 1891. He decided to spend the next 􀃶ve years in seeing the world and coming to know his fellow men

before settling down to practice law in Chicago.

He worked as a newspaper reporter, a business college teacher, a stock company actor, a cow settled down as a

lawyer in 1896.

For the next several years, he devoted a great deal of time on re􀃸ecting on conditions of life and business and by

1905 he had formulated a de􀃶nite philosophy of business relations.

Talking it over with three of his clients – Silvester

Schiele, a coal merchant, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor, he conceived

the idea of organizing a club which came into being on 23rd of February, 1905. This was the nucleus for the

thousands of Rotary Clubs which were later organized throughout the world.

While Paul Harris devoted much of his time to Rotary, he was also prominent in civic and professional work. He

was Honourary Vice President of the International Society for Crippled Children, a member of the Board of

Managers of the Chicago Bar Association and member of the International Committee of the American Bar

Association.

During his life time, he received many recognitions and awards from different countries, including the coveted

Legion of Honour Award by France.

He was elected President Emeritus of Rotary International in 1912 and was active in Rotary until his death on

January 27, 1947.