Virtually all of the material provided in the below annual summaries were taken from the “Canton Rotary Club History – 1955-1980” prepared and edited by Past President (1975-1976) and Past District Governor (1982-1983), Jack Maxwell, one of the most articulate members in the history of the Rotary Club of Canton. Jack was president when I became a member in 1975 and I was always impressed with his polish, presence and poise at the podium.
Thank you, Jack for being such a great example!
Dan Matthews
Thorolf E. (Pete) With, (What a great name!) President, 1955-1956
About 2,340 students from four Canton high schools participated in our club’s expanded Vocational Information Program (Career Day) under the direction of Robert Herrington. The “Four Way Test” Speech Competition presented 256 recognition plaques to participants.
In Youth Service, nine boys were sponsored in attending leadership Camp Miniwanca in Shelby Michigan. The annual camp for handicapped children was held at Camp Inawendewin at Turkeyfoot Lake with 89 children attending, 46 from the Canton club’s area.
Seventy five spouses of Canton Rotarians, led by Renee Firestone, participated in a year-round project of supplying needy handicapped children with clothing, assisting them in sewing, cooking and personal care, and also transporting them as necessary.
Our club also provided funds for new playground equipment at the Salvation Army, new medical room equipment for the new Boys’ Detention Home, and replacing and adding equipment for training of handicapped workers at Goodwill Industries. The District Governor’s Cup was captured by rival Youngstown in close competition.
Gervis S. Brady, President, 1956-1957
Our club continued its ongoing strong commitment to and involvement with Camp Miniwanca, Handicapped Children’s Camp, Salvation Army Camp, Stark County 4-H Clubs, YWCA and YMCA, underprivileged children, Boys Village, Vocational Guidance, Junior Achievement, World Affairs Institute, Speech & Hearing Clinic, Handicapped Children’s Christmas party, plus Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
The annual club picnic at Center Lake was a big event and the annual golf outing was at Brookside.
Notable speakers this year included: William E. Umstattd, Timken Company President; Harry Stuhldreher, U.S. Steel, the famed quarterback of Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen Football team; then Ohio Auditor James A. Rhodes; and then Navarre attorney, Ralph Regula.
The Vocational Service Committee worked with more than 1,700 students from McKinley, Timken, Lincoln, Lehman and Glenwood High Schools.
William L. Juergens, President, 1957-1958
Canton Rotary captured the Governor’s Cup among large clubs in the district.
Several “South Carolina” programs were enjoyed by our members. One hundred forty-four Rotarians enjoyed the golf outing at Brookside organized by William Belden. Our club bowling league was also reactivated by Frank Dannemiller.
Eighty seven Canton children and thirty two from other clubs attended the 10 day camp at the YMCA Turkeyfoot Lake Camp. Ten outstanding young men were sponsored to Leadership Camp Miniwanca and 8 Stark County 4-H members were sent to the state 4-H Congress in Columbus. Five high school students attended the World Affairs Institute in Cincinnati.
The Handicapped Children’s Christmas Party at Ohio Power Company was attended by 151 needy children.
Paul B. Syler, President, 1958-1959
Canton Rotary repeated as top large club in the district winning another Governor’s Cup for excellence in service. Canton’s Gervis Brady served as District Governor.
A “Rotary International Table” was instituted at our weekly meetings in 1959. There were about 125 foreign nationals working and studying in Canton at our hospitals and in our industries. Each week, two foreign visitors were invited to attend club meetings as special guests.
John Werren was our club’s unanimous choice to receive a Rotary Foundation fellowship Award for study overseas.. The District 665 Committee however selected Jerry Footlick of Wooster with Werren named as an alternate.
Harry C. White, President, 1959-1960
For reasons unknown to this writer, there is no report known to exist for this year in Canton Rotary Club history. Perhaps a devoted reader and long-time member of our club can help shed some light on this mystery.
Dr. John R. Seesholtz, President, 1960-1961
Canton captured its fourth consecutive Governor’s Cup edging out Wooster. There were 247 active members and 12 honorary members.
Our club continued its support of and involvement with all its traditional activities, especially our sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 49, Girl Scout Troop 37 and Cub Pack 49.
Dean Roy Kottman of The Ohio State University College of Agriculture was the speaker for Rural-Urban Day.
Eight hundred thirty eight speech therapy treatments were provide through Mercy Hospital with funding from Canton Rotary. An International Night Dinner was held in February with sixty international guests and 200 Rotarians attending.
Lew Marshall designed and built a Rotary wheel on a pedestal to store banners from throughout the Rotary world and they were displayed during weekly meetings in the Onesto Hotel Ballroom.
The annual club picnic, (in my opinion, a tradition worthy of reactivating) was held at the home of Dr. Clarence and Mary Smith with 173 Rotarians, spouses and children attending. There was also a Fall outing at Brookside and a Spring get-together at Congress Lake CC.
The new Stark County Historical Society to be built in Monument Park was announced and Canton Rotary contributed $1,000 to the effort.
237 members contributed $5,227 to the Community Service Fund and 14 new members were added to our club.
Robert L. Herrington, President, 1961-1962
Another highly active and successful year of service culminated in winning the Governor’s Cup for excellence for a fifth consecutive year. Long-time club Secretary Joe Markley’s “Rotogram” was once again awarded first place in district competition.
George Burton ‘Bert” Young, an honorary member since 1938 and the club’s pianist throughout that period died in June 1962.
Ray Bederman, for twenty years scoutmaster of Troop 49, Boy Scouts of America, the troop of handicapped scouts sponsored by our club, was elected to honorary membership in the club in recognition of his long and outstanding service.
The Canton Rotary Club’s “International Golf Team” composed of Bill Belden, Norm Gaynor, Mark Moots, Ed Jackson and Don Stein, won an unofficial worldwide tournament with a combined aggregate score of 23 over par. No travel was involved – the competing teams played on their home courses and then compared score cards. (And all this before the internet!)
Nine hundred (900) high school students participated in ‘Occupational Information Day”, founded by Rotarian Bob Herrington.
Joe Markley, in his 42nd year as club secretary, and his wife, Katherine, were in an automobile accident in Cleveland, Tennessee. Both recovered and Joe soon returned to his duties as club secretary. Canton Rotary contributed funds to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Capital Campaign.
Henry G. Schrake, President, 1962-1963
A sixth straight Governors Cup was won this year. Attendance averaged 85%.
This year’s programs included several outstanding speakers: U.S. Representative and future U.S. President, Gerald R. Ford; Robert Manchester of Youngstown, later to become President of Rotary International; and Rev. George Parkinson, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, later named Christ United Presbyterian Church.
Gales A. Craig, (Another really great name!) President 1963-1965
A seventh straight year to win the Governor’s Cup!
The club was especially active in International Service activities this year. 136 attended the International Night Dinner at Mergus including 50 guests from foreign lands.
International guests were invited to virtually every weekly luncheon and we enjoyed meeting visitors from Australia, Bolivia, Chile, Israel and India.
Herbert J. Taylor, past president of Rotary International and author of the “Four Way Test”, addressed a club meeting that was favored with an overflow crowd.
Canton Rotary again supported the speech and hearing clinic at Mercy Hospital for a 16th consecutive year, donating $4,000 to this community service project.
An indoctrination and Rotary Information meeting, chaired by Henry Schrake, was held for all new members at the Canton Club.
Donald M. Stein, President, 1964-1965
Canton Rotary celebrated its 50th anniversary with many visitors and guests, including Rotary International President Charles Pettingill, in attendance.
After 45 years of service as club secretary, Joe Markley retired and Naomi Wiskofski became the club’s first executive secretary.
An eighth consecutive Governor’s Cup was captured. Our club again supported handicapped Scouts, Big Brothers, Speech & Hearing Clinic, 4-H, Camp Miniwanca and an Interact Club at Malone College.
Other key projects and programs included Vocational Information day, International Night Dinner, Four Way Test billboards, Employer/Employee Relations and Buyer/Seller Relations.
The commitment, cooperation, and involvement of members was exemplified throughout the year as only one out of 133 requests for committee assignments was declined and that, only because the member was concerned about being transferred out of Canton. Now, that’s impressive!
And so ends the 5th decade of excellent service to Community, Vocational and International programs by the members of the Rotary Club of Canton, “The Finest Rotary Club in the World!”
Dan Matthews, (with all credit going to PDG Jack Maxwell)
Elected to the Stark County Commissioner Board for a second time in 2012, Richard Regula has a history of service work and involvement in local government.