R. I. DIRECTORS FROM CANADA

[By Joseph A. Caulder]

Canada has sent many good men to Rotary's International Board. In the early days, area Vice-Presidents were not always Board Members. W. J. Clubb of Winnipeg, F. J. C. Menlove, Winnipeg and Wm. A Peace of Toronto were Canada's first area Vice-Presidents. Clubb came first in 1912-13 following the Duluth convention. Bill Peace of Toronto was the first in Eastern Canada, 1913-14 also 1914-15. In 1914-15 the West had W. S. Archibald of Winnipeg and Frank Higgins of Victoria. I never knew these men. Chas. Butcher of Halifax was also a Vice-President in 1914-15, so in that year, with Peace of Toronto, Canada had four Vice-Presidents. Rev. E. Leslie Pidgeon of Vancouver (later Winnipeg and then Montreal) appears as a 3rd Vice-President and of course a Board Member in 1915-16 following the San Francisco convention. The next year again he was 3rd Vice-President; then in 1917-18 President and 1918-19 immediate Past President. This gave him 4 consecutive years on the Board. In 1919-20, however, Canada had no one on the Board and that is the only year from 1912-1.3 this occurred. Now, of course, Canada elects a member each year, who now serves a two year tern and with .3 zones it means each zone chooses a man every 6 years. In 1920-21 Dr. Crawford McCullough appears as 1st Vice-President and the following year as President. Then R. Jeffery Lydiatt in 1922-23 (Calgary). He contributed much to Rotary in Western Canada. John J. Gibson of Toronto followed in 1922-23. He was one of the few who made the Board without having served as District Governor. Then Vancouver's old "war horse" Alex R. McFarlane, who is still going strong. C. J. Burchell (now Hon. C. J. Burchell) the Halifax lawyer and diplomat was 3rd Vice-President in 1925-26. His partner Layton Ralston (later the Rt. Hon. J. L. Ralston, Minister of National Defense) had founded Rotary in Australia and New Zealand in 1921 along with Jim Davidson of Calgary. Jim Davidson of Calgary followed as 3rd Vice-President in 1926-27 and the following year started on his 2 years and 8 months. tour of the world organizing Rotary at his own expense. Joe S. Royer of Quebec (the milkman) followed in 1927-28. The writer in 1928-29 followed by David M. Wright of Stratford in 1929-30; T. A. Torgeson (Torge) the nurseryman of Estevan, Sask. in 1930-31. John Nelson of Montreal (Sun Life) became 3rd Vice-President in 1931-32 and President in 1933-34; Jim Beatty of Victoria in 1932-33; Ottawa contributed ex-Mayor J. J. Allen in 1933-34; Chas. E. Hunt, Newfoundland's outstanding citizen in 1934-35; W. W. Emmerson, publisher, Winnipeg in 1935-36; then W. J. Cairns, Bell Telephone Co., Toronto in 1936-37; Percy B. Scurrah of Victoria in 1937-38; and W. R. Allen of Montreal in 1938-39; Geo. Spencer, a "bluenose" from Moncton in 1939-40; Albert Oulton, educationalist from Saskatoon 1940-41; followed by Arthur S. FitzGerald, chartered accountant of Windsor as 3rd Vice-President in 1941-42; Ottawa again in 1942-43 by Norman G. Foster then Harold W. McKiel of that noted town of Sackville, N.B. in 1943-44. Harold also was 3rd Vice-President which seems almost to have been a Canadian reserved spot. Oliver C. McIntyre, box manufacturer of Edmonton followed, then Dr. Geoffrey A. Wheable of London, Onto educationalist in 1945-46; Wm. R. Dowrey of Vancouver in 1946-47 and Arthur Lagueux, that beloved French bond dealer from Quebec followed in 1947-48 and later, in 1950-51 was drafted as President of R. I. Gordon E. Perdue of Oakville (fruit basket manufacturer) was next in 1948-49 followed by a R. R. man, Thos. C. McNabb of St. John, N. B. in 1949-50; next Wm. R. Macarthur an oil co. executive from Winnipeg 1950-51, followed by Gordon A. Beaton, an undertaker from Markdale, Ont. in 1951-52; next was Percy Turner from Charlottetown, P.E.I. 1952-53. This was the first official from that grand little province. H. E. (Hec) Carrier of Saskatoon, once more from the field of education, was the man in 1953-54 and then a young lawyer from Pt. Credit, Ont., Ken Partridge, was chosen in 1954 for the first two year term covering the period July 1, 1954 to June 30, 1956. Canada has provided four International Presidents: Rev. E. Leslie Pidgeon, Dr. Crawford C. McCullough, John Nelson and Arthur Lagueux. We are proud of them all and of their fine record of Rotary service.