HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF NEWTOWN SQUARE

             The West Chester Pike Rotary Club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wayne and was chartered on April 21, 1947, with 26 members. The initial dinner meeting was held on March 24, 1949 at the Newtown Square Hotel, and was the first service club to be established in the township. The Club consisted of members from the Marple, Newtown and Edgemont areas. The first official meeting was held at the Aronomink Country Club. It was at this meeting that the charter was presented to our first president, Dr. James Wheeler of Newtown Square. Subsequently the meetings were held at the Wilds Tea Room on Sproul Road and finally to the Newtown Squire, where the club presently meets.

                In 1954 the West Chester Pike Rotary Club and its president, DeForest Emmert, sponsored the Rotary Club of Manoa, now known as the Rotary Club of Havertown, which was chartered February 25, 1954.

                On August 19, 1954 the club voted to change its name to The Rotary Club of Newtown Square (NSRC). This action was taken in order to identify the club with a specific community instead of the highway that stretched from Upper Darby to West Chester. The name change was authorized by Rotary International on September 23, 1954.

                In 1960 under president Kieth Sharp, the Newtown Square Rotary Club" sponsored and help form the Broomall Rotary Club.

                The Interact Club of Marple-Newtown High School was sponsored by the Newtown Square Rotary Club in 1986. The Interact Club consists of over 100 students that carry the principles and goals of Rotary - Service above Self - and are involved in community projects.

                 The club bulletin is called Rotonotes which keeps all the members up to date regarding activities, membership achievements and illnesses, as well as listing all committees, chairmen and committee members. The Rotonotes are distributed weekly to all members in attendance and mailed to all those absent from the meeting.

                  In 1991 our first female member, Dr. Nancy Hykel-Malone, was inducted on October 17th.

                  Our members have engaged in may projects large and small with both interest and enthusiasm. We the members of the Newtown Square Rotary Club hope that in some small way our efforts have made our community a better place to live. If this purpose has been achieved, then we in Rotary feel that all the time, effort and money that we have contributed has been worthwild, and that we have upheld the principle of Rotary - SERVICE ABOVE SELF.