|
台北扶輪俱樂部（Rotary club of Taihoku）係由當時擔任國際扶輪第70地區總監之東京扶輪俱樂部創始會長米山梅吉（Yoneyama Umekichi）所一手推動策劃而成立的。
|
The Rotary Club of Taihoku in Taiwan was formed due to the efforts of the Charter President Umekichi Yoneyama of the Rotary Club of Tokyo, who was then District Governor or RI District 70.
|
|
米山梅吉，1868年生於江戶，原姓和田，後因出嗣米山家並與米山春子成婚，而入藉靜岡。於東京和英英語學校（現青山學院前身）畢業後赴美留學八年，先後就讀加州佛蒙特學院、俄州衛思理安大學及紐約希拉裘斯大學專攻法律獲碩士學位。
 < 青山學院
|
Umekichi Yoneyama was born in Edo in 1968. His original surname was Wada, and was changed to Yoneyama due to his marriage into the Yoneyama family. He attended 和英 English School in Tokyo and went to USA for 8 years studying in Freemont College in California, 衛思理安大學 in Ohio and obtained his Master degree in Law at希拉裘斯大學 in New York.
 < 三井銀行大廈
|
|
歸國後師事幕府舊臣勝海舟先生及福澤諭吉，之後進入三井銀行服務，任職期間遠赴歐美諸國,考察金融及經濟數次，後來升任常務取締役。
 <勝海舟  <福澤諭吉
1917年以政府特派財政經濟委員身份，隨委員長目賀田種太郎男爵赴美考察。於1918年1月抵達德州達拉斯城並與當時之三井物產達拉斯支店長福島喜三次見面。福島係以三井駐美代表的身份成為達拉斯扶輪社社員，也是日本人的第一位扶輪社員，米山從福島處，得知有關扶輪之旨趣後，甚為感動並興起在日本創立扶輪社的意念。
|
When he returned to Japan, he worked under former Shogun officials Kaishu Katsu and Yukichi Fukuzawa, and then joined Mitsui Bank. He travelled many times to Europe and USA for inspecting the finance and economic issues, and later on promoted to be Managing Director of the Bank.
 < 帝國大飯店
In 1917, as member of the Finance and Economics Department of Japan, he visited USA together with the Department Chair Baron Tanetaro Tagata. They arrived in January in 1918 and met with Kimitsugu Fukushima, the Branch Manager of Mitsui Properties in Dallas, Texas. Fukushima was a Rotarian with his job classification as Representative of Mitsui in USA. He is also the first Japanese Rotarian. Yoneyama learned about Rotary from Fukushima, and started the idea of establishing Rotary Clubs in Japan.
|
|
|
註：福島喜三次為日本佐賀縣人，當地扶輪社員為紀念他的功績，成立了福島紀念獎學會，迄今已屆35年.
|
* Fukushima was from Saga Prefecture of Japan. To commemorate his contributions, the local Rotarians in Saga established a Fukushima Memorial Award Society since 35 years ago.
|
|
1920年初福島喜三次返日，並奉國際扶輪委任，於日本推動扶輪組織，渠乃邀請米山梅吉出面籌備,邀集以金融界之領導人士為主之24名（另有4名準會員）社會賢達為創始會員，於是年10月20日成立了「東京扶輪俱樂部」，1921年認證，登記番號為855號，米山梅吉任初代會長，連任三年.
|
In 1920, Fukushima returned to Japan and was appointed by Rotary International to expand Rotary in his country. He therefore invited Yoneyama to charter a new club and invited 24 members, mostly from the finance field, to be charter members. On 20 October that year, the Rotary Club of Tokyo was formed, and later chartered in 1921. The club number was 855 and Yoneyama acted as Charter President for three years.
|
|
1922年大阪扶輪俱樂部成立.
|
In 1922, Rotary Club of Osaka was chartered.
|
|
1924年國際扶輪於日本設特別行政專員（Special Commissioner），由米山梅吉擔任。同年成立神戶及名古屋扶輪俱樂部。1925年京都扶輪俱樂部成立。
|
In 1924, Rotary International created a Special Commissioner position in Japan and appointed Yoneyama. In the same year, the Rotary Clubs of Kobe and Nagoya were formed. In 1925, the Rotary Club of Kyoto was also chartered.
|
|
1926年米山梅吉獲選為國際扶輪理事，井阪孝（東京社）接任特別行政專員。當時之大阪社鑒於台灣確實有發展扶輪運動的空間，乃向台灣總督伊澤多喜男陳述扶輪之宗旨及理念，並強調扶輪社員，不論職業種族，一律平等，有助於政府以扶輪之精神，如車輪迴轉般圓滿地治理台灣，當即獲得伊澤總督的讚賞並鼓勵組團來台考察。
 <井阪孝 <上山滿之進總督
|
In 1926, Yoneyama was elected to serve as Board Director of Rotary International, and Takashi Isaka became Special Commissioner. The Rotary Club of Osaka, at that time, saw the potential of introducing Rotary to Taiwan. They therefore presented the goals of Rotary to the Taiwan Governor Izawa and explained that the values of the organization which promoted fairness would help the Japan government to rule Taiwan. Governor Izawa considered this proposal favorably and invited the Rotary Club of Osaka to visit Taiwan for inspection.
|
|
大阪社原定於7月4日來台，不巧此時伊澤總督奉調回國，改派上山滿之進繼任為第11任總督，因此行程乃告暫停。此時台灣電力會社社長高木友枝（註一）正代表台灣民間赴日本往迎新任總督來台履任，大阪社考察成員大阪商船專務取締役村田省藏、東京海上保險專務取締役平生˙三郎（註二）、阪急電鐵專務取締役小林一三、關西信託專務取締役加藤小太郎、大阪圖書館長今井貫一等五人認為此乃難得契機，乃攜同隨員日本生命保險重役瀧野多三郎、津田商店社長津田勝五郎、山崎六郎、小林米三及鳥谷三郎等於8 月7日與上山總督等同搭「扶桑丸」渡台。村田省藏等人以促進日台融合，鼓勵台電社長高木友枝參與扶輪之籌組，但高木表示，目前由於官方人士入會尚有相當限制，因此認為設立時機未臻成熟。
|
The Club then planned to visit Taiwan on July 4, but was postponed as Izawa as was transferred back to Japan. He was replaced by Mitsuyuki Kamiyama as the 11th Governor to Taiwan. At that time, the President of Taiwan Power, Tomoe Takagi, on behalf of the Taiwan people, traveled to Japan to welcome the new Governor. Members of the Rotary Club of Osaka including Shozo Murata, Managing Director of Osaka Shipping, Hachisaburo Hirao of Tokyo Marine Insurance, Hankyu Rail Ichizo Kobayashi, Kansai Trust Executive Managing Director Kotaro Kato, and Director of Osaka Public Library Kanichi Imai, made use of this opportunity and followed Governor Kamiyama to Taiwan on SS Fuso Maru on 7 August. They also brought with them other members including Nihon Life Insurance
|
|
|
|
|
一行於抵達台北後，由村田省藏發表新聞稿,閘述扶輪創始之緣起，並說明由於其宗旨與目標深受各地共鳴，因此於短期內推廣至紐約及舊金山等城市，甚至一向不喜美國作風之英人也在倫敦創會，目前紐西蘭、挪威、瑞典、希臘及日本之五大城市均有扶輪俱樂部之設置。全世界之扶輪社員已有13萬餘人，大阪有60名會員，每一行業邀請一位代表為會員，每星期舉行例會一次，會長任期為一年，不再連任，會員彼此交流，促進友誼，並透過個人之行業，服務社會，為國家以及全世界人類之福祉盡心盡力。
|
Upon arrival in Taipei, Shozo Murata issued a press release regarding the history of Rotary. Rotary not only existed in the US, but also in London, and cities in New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Greece. The total number of Rotary members reached 130,000 and there were around 60 in Osaka. Each member represented an industry and they were meeting once a week. Club presidency was for a year only and each member endeavored to serve the communities through their businesses and professions.
|
|
|
|
8月13日於台北鐵道飯店舉行午餐會，招待本地官紳，並由高木友枝等諸氏各做簡短的致辭。14日中午接受上山總督之午宴招待。14日晚間七時由台灣日日新報協辦，於台日社講堂舉行演講會，包括下列講題;
|
A luncheon was held on 13 August at the Taipei Railway Hotel for the local business leaders. Takagi Tomoe and a few others made some short remarks during the function. On 14 August, a luncheon was hosted by Governor Kamiyama. In the evening, they attended a seminar at the Taiwan Japan Club Hall which was co-organized by the Taiwan Daily Shin Newspaper. The topics of the presentations included:
|
|
一、 現代學校教育的革新 —平生˙三郎
|
1. Modernization of contemporary school education – Hirau Saburo
|
|
二、 我國是否具有明確的海洋政策 —村田省藏
|
2. Does our country have specific marine policies? – Murata Shozo
|
|
三、 國民劇之創成—小林一三
|
3. The creation of Local Drama – Kobayashi Ichizo
|
|
四、 圖書就是力量—今井貫一
|
4. Books are Power – Imai Kanichi
|
|
五、 有關信託事業—加藤小太郎
|
5. Trust Business – Kato Kotaro
|
|
8月15日於梅屋敷（現國父史蹟紀念館）設宴答謝台灣官紳後，於16日搭乘蓬萊丸離台返日。此次大阪扶輪社員於20萬人口之台北市的扶輪開拓之旅，雖未竟全功，但已將扶輪之理念播種於台灣島。
|
On 15 August, a reception was held at Umeyashiki ( The present Memorial Hall of Sun Yat Sen’s history) and the group left on 16 August on SS Hourai Maru to Japan. Even though nothing was achieved on this trip at the 200,000 population Taiwan, the seeds of Rotary were also planted on this island.
|
|
（註一）：高木友枝博士，1858年生，係應後藤新平之邀請，主持「台灣防疫大計」而有衛生總督之譽，1902年擔任台北醫學校第二任校長兼台北醫院院長，1915年任總督府中央研究所所長，1919年卸任後擔任第一任台灣電力會社社長，1929年返日，1943年逝世，杜聰明博士曾譽其為「台灣醫學衛生之父」備受早期醫藥界人士之尊崇。
（註二）：平生釟三郎曾任日本文部大臣
|
 高木友枝雕像，係名家北村四海之作品
|
|
*2 Minister of Education.
|
