HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB

OF PLAINFIELD-NORTH PLAINFIELD

The Rotary Club of Plainfield was first conceived by two prominent city business men—William L. Smalley and William N. Runyon—during the early days of 1921.

Following several visits to the Rotary Club of New York, plans for the organization of the club were formulated with the help of James G. Orr of the Elizabeth Rotary Club.

On December 1, 1921 Charter Number 1034 was issued by the International Association of Rotary Clubs to the Rotary Club of Plainfield.  This was club number 5656 of what has become 32,000 clubs as of January, 2007.

The club's charter night celebration took place at the Park Club on January 10, 1922.  William L. Smalley acted as Toastmaster.  The first officers of the club were as follows:

          President                          William L. Smalley

          Vice President                  Walter L. Hetfield, Jr.

          Secretary                           John J. McLaughlin

          Treasurer                           Morris C. VanArsdale

          Sgt.-at-Arms                      Arthur L. Seidler

Over the years, the Rotary Club of Plainfield was served by community leaders, their sons and grandsons.  During the club's fiftieth year, membership included Ralph J. Smalley, Jr., the grandson of the first president, and three other members who were also grandsons of charter members, and three father-and-son teams.

Rotary's early membership reflected a veritable "Who's Who" of Plainfield, with names easily recognized by those familiar with Plainfield’s legacy.  Hetfield, VanArsdale, Seidler, Loizeaux, Runyon, Smalley, Blatz, Higgins, Hubbard, Warlaw, Cook, Fort, Lathrop, and of course Mathewson are names known and remembered for their many contributions to the City of Plainfield.

The Rotary Club flourished with the growth of Plainfield as the "Queen City".  The club supported the needs of the community through the committee structure of Rotary International.  Some of the club's projects and contributions to community service are listed:

>    Medical care, hospitalization and therapy for a high school athlete injured in a Plainfield High School football game in 1923.  Following his partial recovery, the club even set the young man up in business.

>    Annual track and field meet for high school and later junior high school athletes.  This project is the longest running, continuous service project of its kind in New Jersey, if not the nation.

>    Provided not only financial support but also guidance and sweat equity for the Boy Scouts, YMCA, United Fund, Salvation Army, Recreation Commission, American Red Cross, Girl Scouts, Red Bird teen center, Kings Daughters Day Nursery, Neighborhood House, Camp Endeavor, Muhlenberg Hospital and other charities.

>    Supported the Rahway Reformatory, Jamesburg School for Boys, Save-A-Life Campaign, Clothes for Needy Children, local defense council, sale of war bonds and stamps, Fort Dix recreation centers, cancer drives, nurse recruiting, Grinnell Youth Conference, juvenile jury work, juvenile delinquency, and the Elks crippled children program.

>    The Club constructed a wading pool at the Kings Daughters Day Care, installed a drinking fountain and landscaped the corner to create the "Rotary Mini-Park" in front of City Hall, erected flag poles at the Plainfield and North Plainfield athletic fields, and purchased a complete camping outfit for use by local boy scouts attending one of their World Jamborees.

>    Planted trees along Somerset Street in North Plainfield; participated in Main Street Clean-up Program; support the Adult Literacy Program at the Plainfield Public Library; sponsor youth Interact Clubs at Plainfield and North Plainfield high schools; collected used bicycles for distribution to central American countries; donated used clothing to a Sioux Native American reservation; sent used wheelchairs to a hospital in Buenos Aires; contributed to World Health Organization's eradication of polio

>    Presented hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship aid to graduating seniors from Plainfield High School and North Plainfield High School.

Over the years, the Rotary Club of Plainfield reflected the businesses and communities that it represents, both in Plainfield and North Plainfield.  As the economic base of Plainfield declined in the 1970’s and 1980’s, membership in the Club declined as well.  However, the Club’s strong identity with both Plainfield and North Plainfield has continued, and is reflected in its current membership.

In 1985, Rotary International finally changed its constitution to allow women members.  The Board of Directors of the Plainfield club quickly amended its own Constitution and By-Laws to eliminate any restrictions on women’s membership.  The Club then inducted the first of many women members, with current membership almost evenly split between men and women.

Early in 1999, the club petitioned Rotary International to change the chartered name of the club to the Rotary Club of Plainfield-North Plainfield.  This designation more accurately reflects the balance of membership between both communities.

The members of the Rotary Club of Plainfield-North Plainfield have gathered for meetings almost every week since January, 1922.  In all, the Club has served the communities of Plainfield and North Plainfield with pride and distinction for over eighty-five years, a tradition reflected in Rotary International's motto - Service Above Self