A tall, four-sided clock post has an accompanying plaque that reads:
"CITY HALL SQUARE CLOCK
E. HOWARD & CO., CIRCA 1855
ERECTED BY THE CITY IN 1976
ORIGINAL CLOCKWORKS RESTORED BY
ROTARY CLUB of NEW BEDFORD
ON THE OCCASION OF ITS CENTENARY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
CITY OF NEW BEDFORD
2005"
The organization's website (
visit link) adds:
"Rotary International was founded in 1905 by a Chicago lawyer named Paul Harris.
The New Bedford Rotary Club was sponsored by the Fall River Club in October 1921.
At one time we had a membership between 120 and 125 men. Our first meeting was in the (now defunct) New Bedford Hotel, just north of the downtown Post Office. It now houses senior citizens.
For many years the “milk bottle” was passed around for funds. This went for children from poor families to get milk.
This year marks 60 years for Kim White, now an Honorary Life Member.
About forty years ago the club sponsored an automobile show. At our weekly meetings song books with Rotary lyrics were passed out to the members. One or two songs were sung each week. Also at our meetings a brief news summary was presented by one of our designated members who went to The Standard-Times and came back with the latest report.
(Before I continue with remarks about our Club’s past, allow me to tell you that I searched the deep recesses of my mind for some of the historical facts and trivia. Furthermore, these are not necessarily in chronological order.)
We ran a radio auction on WNBH.
The 4-Way Test, which we recite each week, has great significance for its philosophy. It was copyrighted by Rotary International in 1946. A past Rotary International president whose name was Herbert Taylor, authorized this test. Incidentally, he spoke to a gathering of members from the Fall River and New Bedford Clubs at Lincoln Park in 1996.
Our Club sponsored three new clubs: Dartmouth, Nantucket and Fairhaven.
Some of our members learned a lesson in animal husbandry. We got involved in what was known as the Heifer Project. Members of the club would help raise sheep at a temporary farm set-up. This was on land belonging to the Interchurch Council in Dartmouth. Teams of two of our members would feed the animals early in the morning and late afternoons. After a week or so the sheep would then be sent to some poor South American country and there would be given to indigent people. This would give them a start in raising a herd..."