History of Npt Rotary Club

HISTORY of OUR CLUB

The Rotary Club of Newport was organized on July 17, 1923. Application for membership was submitted to Rotary International soon after and the application was approved on August 16, 1923 with the votes of three Rotary International Directors: Anthony M. Smith, Jr., John J. Gibson, and Frank H. Harfield. We were officially chartered on August 23, 1923 with twenty-four members and were required to pay a charter fee of $100.00 to Rotary International. Meetings were held on Thursdays at 1:00 P.M. at Newport Beach and later moved to various locations throughout the city of Newport. Including the Sheraton Islander on Goat Island (now know as the Doubletree Hotel), the Canfield House on Memorial Boulevard and the Marriott Hotel on America's Cup Avenue. In December of 1996, the Newport Rotary Club returned to its original location when the meetings were moved to the Atlantic Beach Club overlooking Newport Beach -- later research of the charter documents revealed Newport Beach as the site of the original meetings!

The original charter listed twenty-four members:

President	*Dr. Norman MacLeod*	*Physician*
*Vice President*	*Robert S. Hayes*	*Coal Dealer, Manager, Newport Coal Company*
*Secretary*	*Edwin O. Andrews*	*Executive Secretary, Social Services, Army and Navy Y.M.C.A.*
*Treasurer*	*Edward A. Sherman*	*Local Newspaper, President, T.T. Pitman Corporation (Newport Daily News)*
*Sergeant-At-Arms*	*George Rodda*	*Retail Shoes, Partner, George G. Popple Company*
*Directors:*	*Avard L. Marshall*	*Wholesale Provisions, Superintendent, Swift Company*
	*Captain Franck T. Evans*	*Naval Training Station, In Command of U.S.N. Coasters Harbor Island*
	*Warren T. Berry*	*Marine Construction, Superintendent, New England Steamship Company*
	*Rev. John H. Deming*	*Rector, St. George's Episcopal Church*
*Members:*	*Fred E. Bagley*	*Manufacturer Jewelry & Silverware Cases, Superintendent, Raukert Manufacturing Co.*
	*Packer Braman*	*Real Estate and Insurance Broker, Proprietor*
	*Walter C. Campbell*	*Secretary, Newport Chamber of Commerce*
	*David Caesar*	*Retail Dry Goods Manager, Boston Store*
	*Dr. Francis Corbett*	*Dentist, Proprietor*
	*Arthur B. Comerford*	*Local Manager, New York Life Insurance Company*
	*Charles A. Hambly*	*Undertaker, Proprietor*
	*William R. Harvey*	*Law Practice, Sheffield and Harvey*
	*James T. Kaull*	*Secretary, Newport Co-operative Association*
	*James T. O'Connell*	*Ship's Chandler, Proprietor*
	*Thomas F. Reagan*	*Retail Men's Clothing, Manager J.P. Taylor Company*
	*Admiral William S. Sims*	*Writer and Lecturer, Admiral U.S.N*
	*Robert A. Smith*	*Builder and Contractor, Proprietor*
	*Charles Tisdall*	*Retail Meats, President, Charles Tisdall Company*
	*Harry A. Titus*	*Retail Furniture, Manager and Treasurer, A. C. Titus Company*

The Newport Club was sponsored by the Fall River Rotary Club. The Newport Rotary Club subsequently sponsored clubs in Bristol (1929), Jamestown (1941), and Middletown (1953). Bristol later sponsored Warren (1940) and Middletown subsequently sponsored Portsmouth (1962).

Dr. Norman M. MacLeod served as Club President for the first two years (1923 -24 and 1924-25). Newport Rotarians were active at the onset and participated in many charitable, community and social events in this small city. There are several instances of father/son members and several members have seen their sons or daughters married to the children of other members. As in most small towns, service clubs played an important part in the social fabric of the community.

Women were first admitted to membership by Rotary International in 1986. The Newport Club installed its first woman president, Pamela Kopplin (1991-92). Cora Lee Gibbs was the second (1994-95) and Donna S. Maytum the third (1996-97). Maytum was immediately followed by Terri Marcucci Fitch, the club's 75th president, thus marking the first time two women had consecutively held the office of president in this club. Women members generally represent between 15% and 20% of the Newport club's total membership. Rotary International reports a worldwide female representation of approximately 8%.

Total membership in the club has varied widely over the years. Records from 1975 to the present day show a range of 53 to 107 members.

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