ACRC From the Beginning

Charter Members 

President Joseph A. McNamee

Vice President Edward A. Wilson

Secretary James E. Logue

George H. Berke

Ernest Beyer

David Braunstein

Underwood Cochran

I.S. Cohen

H.A. Coulomb

Harvey Eaton

H.D. Edwards

Lester Farrell

F.H. Golding

Edward Guion

Samuel H. Headley

H.W. Hemphill

Theodore J. Lapres

Joseph I. Levy

William Lewis

John Lloyd

Ernest W. Lord

James S. Murphy

H.A. Nelson

Sigmund Ojserkis

William S. Patrick

William Riddle

William B. Riebenack

Elias Rosenbaum

Joseph W. Salus

Charles E. Schroeder

.Harry Schwartz

C.B. Smith

Ernest F. Smith

Spurned Luncheon Date Led to Founding of Atlantic City

Atlantic City Rotary not only is the second oldest club behind Camden in what today is District 764 - 75 years

old this year - it historically has been one of the largest and unquestionably among the most active in terms of its civic

commitment.

Dr. James S. Logue is credited with organizing the Atlantic City club after a reunion with an old college

classmate from Seattle, Wash. in Philadelphia during a professional seminar in August, 1914.

Logue asked his friend to join him at lunch that day. His friend apologized, saying he had been invited to attend

a Philadelphia Rotary Club meeting and, since he was a Seattle Rotarian, would be obligated to go.

It was the first time Logue had heard of Rotary. But when his friend described to him of the lofty ideals of the

service organization and the close friendships that developed, Logue enthusiastically returned to Atlantic City and made

some inquiries about starting a Rotary club in resort community.

Logue then contacted International Vice President Jack

Berlet, a Philadelphia. Berlet discouraged Logue at their

first meeting, noting that prior attempts to organize in

Atlantic City had been defeated, but through their

contact the foundation was laid for the birth of the new

club.

Logue recruited Joseph A. McNamee and

Edward A. Wilson as prospective members and they, in

turn, came up with the names of about 10 others. Logue

sent the list to Berlet, and within a few weeks Logue

received a letter of approval from R.I.

Eight men attended the first official meeting,

Dec. 23, 1914, with McNamee named president, Wilson

vice president, and Logue secretary.

And when the club was chartered Feb. 1, 1915, there were 44 on the original roster.

The club struggled during its early days, during War I, but has survived two,,,world wars and a near catastrophic

depression to be one of the most successful in the district for three quarters of a century.

In fact, membership topped 100 during World War II even though six were on leave of absence and nine others

serving in the armed forces.

Atlantic City has proudly supported four district governors: C. Edgar Dreher (1932-33), Arthur S. Chenoweth

(1940-41), Francis J. Quigley (1954-55) and Ruben R. Blane (1986-87). Quigley went on to serve as a Director of Rotary

International in 1976-78, the first in the District since Vineland's Charles Ackley in 1929.

The city, now the No. 1 tourist designation in the United States, also has hosted five International Conventions:

1920, 1936, 1946, 1951, and 196S.

Among the club's meeting sites through the years were the President, the Seaside, and Hackney's Restaurant. The

club switched from the Seaside to the President in 1941 when all major beachfront hotels were appropriated by the Army

Air Force. Atlantic City Rotarians spent many memorable years at Hackney's until the 1963 fire which destroyed all club

records and other Rotary property and memorabilia.

Atlantic City has been a leader in community endeavors throughout the club's existence.

In the early days, the club helped create Camp Edge for the Boy Scouts; the new Union Railway Station;

established the Student Loan Fund; and in 1919-20 presented an X-ray machine to the hospital. Thirty years later, the

Rotarians proved they hadn't forgotten: They replaced the old X-ray machine.

Atlantic City continues to be a pacesetter. During Michael J. DeRogatis' year as president in 1987-88, for

example, the club not only welcomed 16 new members but also added 13 new names to the club's long lineup of Paul

Harris Fellows. That same year, Atlantic City's scholarship fund reached an all-time high of $10,000 for the year,

equating to five $2,000 grants for area students.

And the club was able to provide assistance to more than a dozen local organizations such as the Atlantic City

Education Foundation, the Police Athletic Club, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, and the Boy and Girl Scouts.

Atlantic City club members with the District Governor at their 75th

Anniversary Celebration on November 26, 1989 at Harrah's Marina Hotel.

(Left to Right), Frank Quigley, PRID, Herb Budd, DG 89-90, Charles

Carlino, President 89-90, Mary Dessner, and Ruben Blane, PDG 86-87.

But that's been true of every year. If there has been a worthwhile project to support, Atlantic City Rotary has

been there.

Other examples:

Atlantic City has been a strong proponent of the fight against alcohol and substance abuse through an alliance

with the Institute for Human Development and the Atlantic City School Age Substance Abuse Committee. Rotary

underwrote the expense of this program at a cost of $2,500, and as a result "Natural High" clubs were started in 10

junior high schools in Atlantic County - first of their kind and still in existence.

An art show fund-raiser netted $5,000 for charity.

During Blane's year as district governor in 1986-87, Atlantic City hosted the district conference for 800

people at the Concord in New York

1914-17 Joseph A. McNamee                                              1953-54 Robert Nesbitt, Jr.

1917-18 Edward A. Wilson                                                    1954-55 Paul L. Schaeffer

1918-19 James E. Logue                                                       1955-56 Thomas J. Humphreys

1919-20 Leonard D. Algar                                                       1956-57 Alex J. Bolduc

1920-21 Charles E. Godfrey                                                     1957-58 Edward O.G. Doughty

1921-22 George W. Meredith                                                   1958-59 Bertram M. Balch

1922-23 Arthur J. Purinton                                                        1959-60 Vernon F. Stanton

1923-24 Albert J. Feyl                                                               1960-61 Victor Newmark

1924-25 William E. Darnell                                                       1961-62 Edward J. McNellis

1925-26 Harry E. Smith                                                             1962-63 Frank A. Giordano

1926-27 C. Edgar Dreher, PDG                                                 1963-64 George E. Fieldhouse

1927-28 Luther L. Jones                                                           1964-65 Bernard H. Strouse

1928-29 Paul J. O'Neill                                                            1965-66 James P. Hayward

1929-30 Edwin H. Harvey                                                         1966-67 Harry C. Moore, Jr.

1930-31 J. Howard Buzby                                                         1967-68 Robert W. Ivens

1931-32 Arch G. Rohr                                                                1968-69 Raymond L. O'Keefe

1932-33 Constantine M. Koury                                                   1969-70 Warren F. Taylor

1933-34 Walter Molineux                                                            1970-71 Samuel M. Diskan

1934-35 Arthur S. Chenoweth, PDG                                            1971-72 Morgan Raughley

1935-36 William J. Wilson                                                            1972-73 Paul C. Grant

1936-37 E. A. Lewis                                                                      1973-74 Thomas P. O'Neill

1937-38 Harry C. Moore, Sr.                                                          1974-75 Fred G. Rishel

1938-39 Frank Flower                                                                    1975-76 Ruben R. Blane, PDG

1939-40 Charles Harp                                                                    1976-77 Rodney S. Kreischer

1940-41 Park W. Haverstick                                                             1977-78 John C. Rowe

1941-42 James N. Butler                                                                 1978-79 William R. Israel

1942-43 Frank J. Shaner                                                                  1979-80 Joseph H. Readeau

1943-44 Arthur G. Broil                                                                    1980-81 H. Paxson Keates

1944-45 Lentz D. Gold                                                                     1981-82 Herbert B. Stern

1945-46 Walter E. Beyer                                                                   1982-83 William R. Ebensperger

1946-47 George W. Lawrence                                                           1983-84 William C. Lowenstein

1947-48 William Swinton                                                                   1984-85 Daniel Modiano

1948-49 William Schneider                                                                1985-86 Oscar P. Ernst, Jr.

1949-50 Charles E. Rupp                                                                    1986-87 Marvin Dessner

1950-51 Bruce Riddle                                                                          1987-88 Michael DeRogatis

1951-52 Frank J. Quigley, PRID                                                          1988-89 H. Steve Norton

1952-53 Charles M. Hagen                                                                  1989-90 Charles Canino