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5 |
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Heart ‘n Pillars |
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PAST PRESIDENT’S CORNER - Asst. Ed Dindo Astom |
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Vocational
Service:”High Ethical Standards In
Business and Professions” BY PDS Marcos “Marc” V. Prieto |
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basis of all professions and trades.” These words were spoken by Rotary’s
founder, Paul P. Harris, in St. Louis, Mo., at Rotary’s 1923 Convention. He
was speaking of Rotary’s very foundation: Vocational Service. The concern Paul Harris had with the
dignity of occupations is expressed in a paragraph from the book Service is my Business: “Jealous for the honor of his profession, he took an
active part in the work of legal associations-local, state, national, and
international. In those days of 1905, there was the gulf of a long tradition
between members of the learned professions and those engaged in trade. Paul
Harris felt deeply a need to bridge that gulf-to rescue the professional man
from an isolation that was alternately lonesome and irritating-to dignify the
occupation of tradesmen with a zeal for its honor.” This chapter of this volume points out that |
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PDS Marcos V. Prieto President RCSFU Rotary Year 1973-1974 Theme: “A
Time For Action” |
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“Let us turn now for a moment to Rotary’s distinctive opportunity; the
opportunity which is peculiar representative form of structure presents; the
opportunity to urge upon business world the importance of adopting service as
the |
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men of different vocations,
trades, and professions formed the first Rotary Club. Vocation was the first
basis of membership at the beginning and has remained a distinguishing aspect of Rotary ever since. Vocational Service is something that no
one else-no leader, speaker, or committee-can do for you. It expresses the
prime function of your Club as proclaimed in The Object of Rotary: “To
encourage and foster the ideal of service as the basis of all worthy
enterprise…” That means in particular your
”enterprise”-your daily work-the business or profession described in the
classification entails the obligation-“to put Rotary to work where you
work”-to make service rather than self the basis of every principle, policy,
and procedure in your job. Vocational service implies that
Rotarians are putting The Object of Rotary to work in their business and
professions. You do not neet and should not want to ask anyone else how to do
this. However, you should study your business and your relation to it.
Perhaps you have a partner or a business associate with whom you can discuss
any questions you may have. Paul Harris spoke words of wisdom when
he told Rotarians assembled for the
1923 Convention: “The possession of wealth no longer constitutes the only
barometer of success; the service ideal is gradually gaining ground. The time
when rich men are the big men is passing. Greatness in the future, will
depend not upon what one has been able to get, but rather on what has been
able and willing to give.” Adapted. |
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April 9, 2002 * vol. 1 (34) |
