Ruritan

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Ruritan National is a service club located in small towns and rural areas in the United States. It aims to achieve "Fellowship, Goodwill and Community Service". The local clubs are autonomous from the national organization. Many Ruritan clubs sponsor local clubs or chapters of 4-H, the National FFA Organization, or a Boy Scouts of America troop.

History

The first Ruritan Club, the Holland Ruritan Club, was founded on April 16, 1928 at the Hollland Hotel in Holland, Virginia, now part of Suffolk, Virginia.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":4">Template:Cite news</ref> Its founders, Thomas V. Downing and Jack Gwaltney, wanted to establish a civic organization for rural communities.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> Its purpose was "to make the rural community a better place in which to live by bringing together farmers and business and professional men in a community in the interest of community service, fellowship, and goodwill."<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref>

Ruritan was chartered on May 21, 1928; this is recognized by the group as its founding date.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="about" /> Along with Downing and Gwaltney, some of the charter members were W. E Beale, L. H. Gardner, J. D. Rawles, Hugh V. White, and H. L. Worrell Sr.<ref name=":4" />

Almost immediately, the club added chapters in nearby counties.<ref name=":2" /> It was known as the National Order of Ruritans by 1930.<ref name=":0" /> Dr. J. M. Bland of Boykins, Virginia was its first national president.<ref name=":4" /> It held its first annual convention on January 15, 1932, in Suffolk, Virginia.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref> Ten clubs and 200 delegates attended the convention.<ref name=":1" /> In 1935, the club spread outside of Virginia with the founding of a chapter in Sunbury, North Carolina.<ref name=":4" />

On May 25, 1958, a nine-foot-tall granite monument was dedicated in Holland, Virginia to commemorate the founding of Ruritan National.<ref name=":4" /> By 1958, Ruritan National had more than 700 clubs in seventeen states, with more than 24,000 members who were a mixture of farmers and businessmen.<ref name=":2" /> Its diverse areas of service were reflected by its standing committees of the era:<ref name=":2" />

  • Welfare, Health, and Sanitation
  • Recreation and Community Goodwill
  • Agriculture and Farm Income
  • Rural Church
  • Rural Utilties
  • Public Highways, Streets, and Buildings
  • Education
  • Industry and Business Methods
  • Home and Home Beautification
  • Conservation and Forestry
  • Youth
  • Safety

On January 17, 1965, the Ruritan held its 35th national convention in Philadelphia with World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker as the keynote speaker.<ref name=":3" /> That year, it was the sixth largest civic club in the United States with more than 1,000 clubs in nineteen states.<ref name=":3" />

In 2024, Ruritan National has over 23,000 members in more than 900 local clubs.<ref name=":6" /> Its national headquarters is located in Dublin, Virginia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its publication is the Ruritan Magazine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Symbols

The club's name was suggested by Daisy Nurney, a reporter for The Virginian-Pilot.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /> The name Ruritan was created from the Latin words for country (run) and small town (tan).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":6" /> Its motto is "Fellowship, Community Service, and Goodwill".<ref name=":2" />

In 1930, the club selected its official insignia, a round gold pin with the words Ruritan and National in black, surrounding a black circle with the words Rus and Urbs that encircle the letter "R" in gold.<ref name=":0" />

Activities

Ruritan Clubs meet monthly.<ref name=":2" /> Unlike most community service organizations, Ruritan rarely has national programs, instead setting priorities based on the needs of its local communities.<ref name=":6" /> Many clubs provide and supervise community recreational centers, sponsor Little League and other athletic programs, build community parks and sports pitches, sponsor anti-litter campaigns, help the sick and needy, and provide a wide range of other activities to help improve their communities.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref> Many Ruritan clubs sponsor local clubs or chapters of 4-H, the National FFA Organization, or a troop of the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the USA.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5" />

Organization

The Ruritan organization is made up of Ruritan Clubs. Club officers consist of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, and 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-year directors.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite book</ref> Clubs are organized into zones, overseen by a zone governor, and zones are organized into districts.<ref name=":7" />

Notable members

Following is a list of some notable Ruritans.

References

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