100 Years of Service: A History of the Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. (1919-2019)
The Greenville Rotary Club's Beginnings
The Greenville Rotary Club has been a mainstay of Greenville's culture and history for over 100 years. What started as a small idea blossomed into a place where business and social functions could be openly enjoyed and is now a true landmark in the city of Greenville, NC.
The club is one of the oldest civic organizations in Pitt County and is a branch of Rotary International, an international service organization formed in 1905. Rotary International was founded to bring business and professional leaders together, to provide humanitarian services, promote high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary's primary motto is "Service above Self."
The Greenville Rotary Club came about following a baseball game in Ayden, NC attended by four Greenville businessmen. They were J.B. Kittrell (broker), Dave Clark (lawyer), Alex Blow (insurance agent) and Paul Clodfelter (banker). On the way back to Greenville they acknowledged that there was a need in their city for an organization where ideas for improvement in the community could be openly voiced. Mr. Clodfelter, a previous resident of Wilson, NC, knew they had a Rotary Club already. From the trip to Wilson, Clodfelter met up with local Rotarian Tom Pettus. After recruitment of a few more Wilson Rotarians, the group now totaled six and they went to work to start a charter organization in Greenville.
The group's initial organizational meeting was held on August 18, 1919 in the Farmer's Bank on Dickinson Avenue. The organization's official charter night was held on December 18, 1919 in the showroom of Haywood Dail's automobile dealership at Fifth and Reade streets. At this momentous meeting, the Greenville Rotary Club was given the charter number 565 in Rotary International.
Kittrell-Spain Memorandum, October 5, 1976.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62303
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Handwritten history of the Greenville Rotary Club that covers 1919 to the 1950s. This history was written by J. B. Kittrell recollecting his time as a charter member and President of the Greenville Rotary Club. October 12, 1976.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62303
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Symbol of the Rotary International Club, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62311
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records; (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
The First Rotary Club Building ever Owned
The Rotary Club in Greenville proved to be very popular from its earliest days. At the 1920 District Conference in Greenville, SC, the club won the attendance prize with sixteen members present. Back in Greenville, NC, the club begin to meet every two weeks for dinner, to discuss business and social fellowship. They met at various locations, but all decided that a new permanent location was very much needed.
The construction for the Rotary Club building began in the fall of 1920 and was completed at a cost of $20,000. The official dedication took place on March 14, 1921. According to sources, Greenville, NC, was the first Rotary Club in the world to own a Rotary Club building. The structure featured approximately four thousand square feet of floor space and included a dining room, kitchen, serving room, storage space and a modern gymnasium. Club members built the structure by generously donating money for the cause. They each purchased four shares of Building and Loan stock and collaborated in the selling of bonds to raise enough funds. In 1979 the building was renovated in a way that it kept the original sense of design. The outside brickwork was painted, and a new roof was added. Paneling of the interior was also accomplished, and the grounds were given a new design that would allow for parking. The building was designated an historic property by the city of Greenville, NC, in 1987.
The following items are records of the contruction of the Rotary Club Building.
The Cover of the Deed to the Rotary Club Building located in Greenville, N.C., May 1920. This building, which was built in 1920, was the first Rotary Club building in the United States.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62302
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Page 1 of the Pitt County Deed to the Greenville Rotary Club Building, May 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62302
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Page 2 of the Pitt County Deed to the Greenville Rotary Club Building, May 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62302
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Page 3 of the Pitt County Deed to the Greenville Rotary Club Building, May 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62302
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Water and Light Commission Receipt dated June 22,1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Receipt from the W.P. Rose Company, June 30, 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscrpt Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
W.P. Rose Letter dated August 7, 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
W.P. Rose Letter, August 1931.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
J. E. Winslow Letter, September 22, 1920.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Receipt from R.L. Humber Machine Works, December 1, 1920. One of the receipts from the Greenville Rotary Club Building Project.
http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62299
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Greenville Rotary Club's Connection with East Carolina University
The club has had a great connection with East Carolina University from its earliest beginnings. In 1931, twelve children of Rotary members attended a club dinner, and all twelve were students at the East Carolina Teachers College. Another important collaboration was the student loan fund program started by the club. Documents from this program are displayed. This program assisted those students who were lacking funds to continue their education at the college. In the coming years, the Rotary Club and East Carolina University would collaborate to create programs, charity events and many other causes in the local area. In fact, one such collaboration led to the formation of The Rotaract Club which is a joint Greenville Rotary Club-ECU organization.
Application for a Loan from the Greenville Rotary Club, January 24, 1961.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Approval of Loan from the Greenville Rotary Club, January 23, 1961.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Loan Fund Note, 1961.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
List of Goals for the Rotary Club Scholarship Loan, 1968-1969.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Wyatt Brown Letter, 1968.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Community Service
One of the main missions of the Greenville Rotary Club has always been to perform community service. This mission has taken the form of giving monetary contributions, hosting events and other charitable acts. In 1929, the club began contributing money towards community work carried out by the Boy Scouts. They have also supported the Girl Scouts as well. In 1933, the club put together a plan for a municipal swimming pool to be built.
The items displayed below concern a play that members of the Greenville Rotary Club performed to benefit the Girl Scouts and a event that was held to benefit Teachers.
Rotary Program of Play, "Womanless Wedding," April 14, 1953.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62312
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Cast of Characters from the play, "Womanless Wedding," undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62312
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records; East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Out of Town Guest List, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62312
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Rotary Club members performing roles in the play, "Womanless Wedding"; a play which was a Rotary Club event in 1955.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina USA; http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Photo of Womanless Wedding Cast with Writing, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Cast Member of the play, "Womanless Wedding", with writing, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Photo with Writing of Two Cast Members of the play, "Womanless Wedding", undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Womanless Wedding Play Photo, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Photo of Womanless Wedding actors, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62314
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina USA
Program promoting Teachers' Night; a event produced by the Greenville Rotary Club, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62310
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Membership
The Greenville Rotary Club was popular in the Greenville community and, since its inception, has enrolled a variety of people as members with some being both prominent in the community and in their occupations. The following items shown below are membership documents that lists the members and their areas of occupation, referred to as classifications.
Rotary Club Membership Card with Member Information and Classification, December 31, 1953.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62306
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Rotary Club Membership Card (Front Side), September 30, 1960.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62306
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Rotary Club Membership Card (Reverse Side), September 30, 1960.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62306
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Semi-Annual Membership Report from the Greenville Rotary Club for July 1, 1923 (Front Page).
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62307
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Semi-Annual Membership Report from the Greenville Rotary Club for July 1923 (Reverse Side).
https//digital.lib.ecu.edu/62307
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Register of Greenville Rotary Club members, June 5, 1923.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62308
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
List of Rotary Club Members' Classifications, October 4, 1926.[Classifications pertain to the members' professions.]
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62308
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
The Greenville Rotary Club as a Organization
Like any organization, the Greenville Rotary Club had its own procedures. There were members who were officers and directors within the club and committees. One list from their newsletter shows a list of officers, directors and their committees The club had regular club meetings and participated in meetings with other Rotary Clubs in other towns. Among the items in this exhibit is a program/agenda from one such meeting held in 1939. The club produced an monthly newsletter titled, "The Lubricator" and distributed printed Rotary material with songs about the Rotary Club. Correspondence was also generated by the club. One such letter, dated March 7, 1962, was written by Wendell W. Smiley on the matter of an overdue Rotary Club scholarship loan. Wendell W. Smiley served as Librarian in Joyner Library for East Carolina University from 1943-1973.
Front page of the June 10, 1968 issue, "The Lubicator," the Greenville Rotary Club's newsletter.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62309
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Listing of Greenville Rotary Club Officers, Directors and Committees found in the June 30, 1968 issue of the "The Lubricator", Greenville Rotary Club's newsletter.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62309
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Page from the brochure entitled, "Greenville Rotary Songs," undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62313
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Page 2 of brochure entitled, "Greenville Rotary Songs," containing lyrics to three Rotary songs as well as lyrics to non-rotary songs, undated.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62313
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Front Cover of Menu/Program from the Inter-Meeting of Rotary Clubs, March 27, 1939.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62311
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Menu/Program from the Inter-City Meeting of Rotary Clubs, March 27, 1939.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62311
Rotary Club of Greenville, N. C. Records, (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Wendell Smiley Letter, March 7, 1962.
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62301
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334); East Carolina Manuscript Collection; J. Y. Joyner Library; East Carolina University; Greenville, North Carolina USA.
Sources
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334) Collection Guide.
Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C. Records (#334), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Credits
Images and Text by Nanette Hardison and Dale Sauter, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Special Collections Division, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Special Thanks to Alston Cobourn, Martha Elmore and Kelly Spring for their assistance with this exhibit.
Additional Resources
C. Sylvester Green Papers (#238), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
McGinnis, Howard J. The Greenville Rotary Club of Greenville, N.C.: A Brief History, North Carolina, 1955.
Proctor-Kittrell Family Papers (#839), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
C.B. West Collection (#1166), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Sam T. White II Photographs (LL02.38), The William E. Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.