The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, August 25, 1927, Image 11
1
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1927
THE CLINTON CHRONICLE, CLINTON, S. C.
v. «
PAGE ELEVEN
THE EVOLUTION OF KIWANIS
By 0. SAMUEL CUMMINGS, International Secretary
All organisations must have a be- ceptance of any definite objective—
ginning and Kiwanis is no exception
to the rule. How it began and why it
began is of small significance as com
pared with the outstanding fact that it
did begin. The first group of men as
sembled under the name of Kiwanis
met in Detroit, Michigan, in January,
1915.
Evolution—A Law of Organization
Life
Few organizations, if any, enter up
on their career with a scheme of or
ganization so complete that subse
quent growth will not require that co
pious revisions be made. Even the
without any statement of details, aims
and purposes whatever. When a cer
tain officer of the international or
ganization entered upon his duties, he
found every Kiwanis club seeking to
find some definite expression for tl\£
Kiwanis idea. For three and a half
years the Kiwahis movement had been
growing—growing in spite of its lack
of a definite objective understood and
accepted by the entire membership.
“But how do you reconcile the fact
of the growth of Kiwanis and your
Constitution of the United States, a statement that it had no accepted
ideals, with the statement that the suc
cess of any organizatoin depends up
on its ability to convey some aspect
of Truth to mankind?”—you will ask.
The, officer before mentioned was con
fident that the success was due to the
fact that Kiwanis clubs were uncon
sciously expressing some fundamental
truths; that Kiwanis clubs were filling
a great need in the live* of Kiwanians,
in the lives of cities in which Kiwanis
clubs were established and in the lives
of the two nations in which Kiwanis
clubs existed. This Kiwanian decided
there was only one way to find out
what ideals Kiwanis clubs held and
that was to visit a large number of
clubs in all sections of the country and
try to catch the spirit of each one, ex
amine its activities and, if possible, to
“discover unto it” its own ideals, aims
and purposes.
The Ideals of Kiwanis
Kiwanis ideals are the product of
the collective idealism of those busy,
practical men who are Kiwanians. Ki
wanis' ideals are an expression of the
inner hopes, ambitions and desires of
average business men. These hidden,
unexpressed but fundamental reac
tions of the human soul are the very
fabric of life itself. They are the pro
duct of the moral and spiritual evolu
tion of mankind. Those reactions are
the hidden signs of that struggle in
which every man engages, seeking to
apply his philosophy of life to his du
ties and privileges as a member of so
ciety.
The last twenty-five years have
witnessed a wonderful development of
the social consciousness. The average
man of today has an infinitely greater
appreciation of his fellow-men, a more
adequate understanding of his obliga
tions as a citizen and a more vivid
realization gf his responsibility to so
ciety than had his father before him.
Kiwanis, first brought to the busi
ness man as only bl, luncheon club,
proved the means by which he might
satisfy his hunger for fellowship and
invest his Kfe in practical service. Ki->
wanis acquired the aspects of a move
ment only when Kiwanians, without
any suggestion or direction whatever,
document of marvelous flexibility and
the product of uncanny foresight on
the part of its framers, has been
amended eighteen times.
No evidence exists to show that any
national or international organization
of Kiwanis c.ubs was contemplated by
those associated with the establish
ment and leadership of the first club.
In other words, the present Kiwanis
scheme of organization is a product of
evolution. Our international constitu
tion, the by-laws of the district organ
izations and the standard by-laws of
our local clubs are the products of the
experience of the three units of our
organization plan.
An Example of Kiwanis
Development
As a typical example of how each
element in our Kiwanis plan is the
product of experience,' consider our
unique and successful method of es
tablishing new clubs. By a series of
beneficial changes, at times, attended
by most bitter opposition, we find that
our extension work is today one of the
most remarkable applications of fun
damental organization science ever
evolved. The combination ^of volun
teer and professional assistance in the
establishment of new Kiwanis clubs
has been developed on an entirely new
basis and because of the unusual suc
cess achieved has caused much favor
able comment not only within pur own
organization, but in the general field
of organization science. To have de
veloped a plan as complete as the one
in use today before the first club was
established, would have been utterly
impossible.
Failure and Success
A man’s success depends upon the
use to which he puts his successes
and failures. The fact of failure is of
ten the very basis for success. The
big question is not, “Did you ever
fail,” but “Did you use your failure
to help you succeed?”
As Jesus of Nazareth hung upon the
cross of Calvary His life appeared a
failure to the folk of His day. Yet in
that “failure” lay the most colossal
success of history,—the foundation of
a new philosophy of life; a philosophy
of love and service and immortality.
KIWANIS
(Song)
Come all good fellows ana w.uk lay
aside, >
Come where good' ctieer and Kiwanis
abide,
Come now and sip of the good fellow
ship that is waiting there.
Come where the spirit fills all heart’s
desire,
Come where good fellowship to heights
all aspire,
Come now and hear in a sqng ringing
clear on the blithesome air-^-
Chorus:
Kiwanis! Kiwanis!
Good fellows meet today.
Kiwanis! Kiwanis!
Drive all our cares away.
Kiwanis! Kiwanis!
Yours is the spirit free.
Kiwanis! Kiwanis!
Drown all our glooms in the deep blue
sea.
Kiwanis Thoughts
When a maj makes an unusual ef
fort on behalf of the Kiwanis objec
tives he finds that he has personally
gained something for himself. He has
been useful and the consciousness of
that fact broadens >his perspective for
other duties, the performance of which
becomes delightful. He grows in val
ue to his community and to himself.
■—Phar, Texas.
Kiwanis is a common ground on
which men can meet to more effec
tively exercise that ever increasing
desire to do good. The desire has al
ways existed in men to help others.
Individually they could do little; unit
ed in Kiwanis they have accomplished
much. Kiwanis success depends tm
unity. Unity of thought, unity of pur
pose and ability to cooperate has
brought achievement. — Santa Maria,
California. >
L. BOSS LYNN
Vice-President Clinton Kiwanis Club
FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE
Members cf Kiwanis Contribute Some of Their
Favorite Stories
Various Kiwanians have contributed anxiety, he called:
these as their favorite stories:
“The population of China," announc
ed the school teacher impressively, “is
“Mulcahy, Mulcahy! Have ye had a
hemorrhage ?”
so vast that two Chinamen die at ev
ery breath we take.”
The small boy was very patriotic,
and father had pronounced views on
the question of alien immigration, so
this piece of news impressed him huge
ly-
Shortly afterwards, he was observ
ed to be turning purple in the face, and
puffing like an over-buriered stea.n
engine.
“What’s the matter? What are you
doing?” asked the instructor of the
youth, anxiously.
“Killin’ Chinamen,” granted the pa
triot.
Kiwanis was well-night crucified more ul ? CO " 8Cl L OU8ly US * 6 lt as a V f hlcle by
than once in its early history, but the i wblch th ^ could e , x P ress tl l el /„ real
supreme fact is that those whose God-i s «! ve? * unu " ual s P mt f for
given privilege it has been to lead Ki- shl P and th e qu^ty of manhood rep-
— - 1 resented m Kiwanis rendered the or-
wams have made every failure the;
foundation for success.
Ancient scientists spent years of
their lives seeking a method by-which
lead might be turned into gold. The |
ancient alchemists were unsuccessful.! finding his own soul; He finds in Ki-
ganization a fitting emissary of a
great idea.
Kiwanis is leading a spiritual ren
aissance in which the business man is
The alchemist of today is able by in
telligent effort to turn the lead of
failure into the gold of success.
Kiwanis Ideals Products of
Evolution
Just as the machinery of the local,
district and international units of the
Kiwanis organization scheme are the
products of evolution, so also are the
ideals of Kiwanis.
The success and permanency of any
organization depends upon its funda
mental ideals, aims and purposes. On
ly those organizations endure which
are the vehicles for introducing, de
veloping or maintaining some aspect
of Truth.
No Definite Objective
Strange to say the Kiwanis move
ment grew without any conscious ac-
The best man thought he'd take a
look around and see that everything
was running as a fastidious bride
would wish it, and up in the room,
where the presents were displayed,
alone and unhappy-looking, he came
upon a youth, seemingly readiy, like
the wedding guest of the English poet,
to “beat his breast.”
He was wandering about, looking at
silver and cut glass without seeing,
them, and the best man hardly knew i * ac r e -
how to approach him. I 1 h
“Er—have you kissed the bride?”
A teacher in one of the primary
grades of the public school had noticed
a striking platonic friendship that ex
isted between Tommy and little Mary,
two of her pupils.
Tommy was a bright enough
ycungsti r. but he wasn’t disposed to
prosecute his studies with much of a
vengeance, and his teacher saw that
unless be»gct a hustle on him before
tho end of the year he wouldn’t be pro
moted.
“You must study harder,” she told
him, “or else you won’t pass. How
would you like to stay back in this
grade another year and have little
Mary go ahead of you?”
“Aw,” says Tommy in a blase tone,
“I guess there’ll be other little Marys..”
Harry Lauder, the noted Scottish
comedian and golfer, was describing
at a recent dinner a great golf pro
fessional.
“But he is ugly,” Mr. Lauder said.
“Dear me, he is ugly! He is as ugly
as that sultan who had all mirrors re
moved from his palace so that he
might avoid the pain of seeing his own
he asked at last. And the answer told
wanis an organization in which he can \ far more than its two meagre words
might have been expected to.
“Not lately!” he replied.
make application of principles which
before seemed so theoretical and im
practical as to be apart from the real
ities of human experience.
The Kiwanian accept^ a new motive
Said the editor to the new reporter:
“You must learn never to state a fact
for life—service to his fellow-men. The j has been proved a fact. ’V ou
Golden Rule takes on a new signifi-1 are a P^ us * n ^° su ’‘ s - Do
cance when translated into terms of i no ^ sa y ; tas bicr stole the funds’;
daily experience. To the true Kiwan- | sa y <The cashier who is alleged to have
ian his business or profession provides lS t°l en the funds.’ That’s all. Oh. get
not only a means for earning a liveli
hood but also a means by which he
may serve society.
There is nothing new about the Ki
wanis idea—it is as old as the soul of
man, but Kiwanis has put thg breath
of life into old ideals by translating
them into terms which the average
man may appreciate.
Here to Serve You
We are serving hundreds of satis
fied customers every day. It is our
aim always to give the lowest prices
possible, prompt, efficient service al
ways. —
Everything to eat and wear.
YOUR BUSINESS INVITED.
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Mercantile Co.
something about that First Ward so
cial tonight.”
And this is the report turned in by
the young man who heeded the editor’s
warning:
“It is rumored that a card party
was given last evening to a number of
reputed ladies of the First Ward. Mrs.
Smith, gossip says, was the hostess,
and festivities are reported to have
continued until 11:30 In the evening.
The sultan called on his grand viz
ier one day and by accident happened
to catch sight of his reflection. His
hideousness overpowered him and he
broke into violent sobbing. In his out
burst the vizier joined. Finally the
sultan calmed down, wiped his eyes,
got ready to smoke and talk. But not
so the vizier. He sobbed on an on. His
master, tapping his slippper impati
ently on the cushions, waited for him
to cease. At last the sultan got angry
and exclaimed:
“Why do you weep longer than I,
vizier?”
“Alas!” the grand vizier exclaimed.
“You wept, O commander of the faith
ful, because you saw your face but for
an instant, but 1 see it all day and
every day.”
A teacher in a certain school has
several Jewish pupils. The other day
she was explaining a sum in subtrac
tion which these little ones found dif-
The alleged hostess is believed to - be!^* cu ^ un derstand.
the wife of John Smith the so-called j “ Now .*.” sail] shc> * to exemplify the
grocer.” I * suppose I had ten dol
lars and went into a store to spend it.
A lad went into a large post office ^ ou ^_ m a ^ or f’* dollars,
and asked for a penny stomp.
“Next counter,” said the , T¥ , ,
briskly; “can’t you read ? Look at the < .' L ! v ’ r „ tbin8 ' S ' ** ow rnuc ^
labels.” ^
Then I spent two dollars for gloves,
clerk ant ^ a dQllar and fifty cents for some
did I have
left?
For a mcment there was dead si
lence. Then a boy’s hand went up.
“Well, Isaac, how much did I have
left?”
“Vy didn’t you count your change?”
/
/
Kiwanian Jack Pinson
j The lad dicLnoJ; answer. He went
! to the counter indicated, on which was
i the legent “postage stomps,” and
thought one. Then he affixed it to the
1 letter and went back to the clerk he . , .
had at first addressed. That irdivid- said > aa r a disgusted tone,
j ual was checking postal orders. When
he had reached the end of the bundle
he looked up quickly.
“Well?” he asked.
KTWANIF ryjEALS
(Song)
i
Fhe h'ghc.
“If I post this. letter tonight.” in
quired the lad, “will it ’ tJ'G.een- 1
ville tomorrow’ morning?”
“Certainly it will.”
“Well then,” replied the lad. “you’re
a liar, it won’t, for it’s going to Spar- Come join hands and shout the chorus,
tanburg.” | B-irne from sea to sea,
1 Rising to the heavens o’er us.
This story was told at a club the Where e ’ er nien ma - v be -
in brotherhood
s u iit f r in Kiwanis.
Our nation’s oest with none epprea’d
We’d strive for in Kiwanis
Chorus:
Shout it, breathe it, live it, do it.
For Kiwanis men have will’d
Shame that any man should rue it!
other day:
An Irishman was hard at work
painting the top of a telegraph pole a ,
brittht green, when suddenly the pot of I ' or , - od -"d man WE BUlLD,
I paint slipped and splashed on the side- business clean, no tricking mean
’walk. Not more than a few seconds We teach it in Kiwanis.
1 later another Irishman, also an em- ^'° scrv ® our best, meet ev’ry test,
i ployee of the telephone company, came We learn it in Kiwanis.
along. / To serve, to love, where e’er men move,
He looked at the paint, then at his We seek this in Kiwanis.
countryman oh the ladder coming To honor God and live his Word,
down the pole. Then, with infected The purpose of Kiwanis.
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Kiwanian Homer Henry
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