Wanderlino
Arruda
Now
that
we
are
approaching
the
completion
and
commemoration
of
eighty
portentous
years
of
Rotary
in
Brazil,
Rotary
being
founded
at
Rio
de
Janeiro,
in
1923,
it
now
seems
opportune
to
expound
upon
the
creation
of
the
first
Rotary
founded
at
Montes
Claros
in
1926.
This
was
the
same
year
that
Antonio
Augusto
Teixeira,
a
Montes
Claros
pharmacist,
excitedly
returned
from
a
Rotary
Club
reunion
in
New
York.
Enthusiastically
contaminated
by
the
ideas
and
prestige
of
Paul
Harris,
who
was
he?
he
immediately
embraced
the
Rotarian
philosophy
of
brotherhood.
Whenever
he
would
talk
about
his
trips,
he
would
always
tell
of
how
he
was
greatly
impressed
by
the
protcol
and
other
virtues
that
he
had
witnessed
and
observed
during
the
Rotary
meeting,
which
had
completely
enthralled
him.
In
other
words,
it
was
love
at
first
sight.
Being
a
traveler
by
vocation,
Antonio
Augusto
-
better
known
as
Niquinho
Teixeira
-
knew
many
people
and
had
innumerous
acquaintances,
and
among
them
was
Robert
Shalders,
diplomat
of
the
American
Embassy
as
well
as
secretary
of
the
Rotary
Club
at
Rio
de
Janeiro.
At
the
time,
he
was
really
interested
in
visiting
Montes
Claros,
to
see
and
taste
the
best
of
what
the
little
city
had
to
offer:
sun-dried
beef
and
a
native
tropical
fruit,
the
pequi,
which
is
a
staple
food
rather
than
succulent
and
sweet.
Antonio
Augusto
Teixeira
was
in
Rio
and
didn't
want
to
return
to
Montes
Claros
without
first
visiting
his
friend,
and
so
he
did,
as
soon
as
he
got
off
the
ship.
He
told
of
his
many
adventures
in
these
last
two
months
of
travel,
highlighting
what
he
had
seen
at
the
Rotary
meeting.
Shalders,
upon
witnessing
his
friend's
enthusiasm,
smiled
and
made
his
friend
a
challenge.
He
challenged
Antonio
Augusto
to
found
a
Rotary
Club
in
Montes
Claros
and,
if
he
had
the
courage
and
perserverance
to
do
this,
Shalders
himself
would
be
there,
traveling
the
thousand
miles
from
Rio,
to
preside
at
the
first
directory's
inauguration.
Intense
discussion
there
followed
and
soon
the
details
were
decided
and
the
day
set
for
the
inagurational
party.
Honoring
his
agreement
with
his
friend
Shalders,
that
is,
to
found
a
Rotary
Club
in
Montes
Claros,
was
his
immediate
mission
on
Niquinho's
arrival
in
Montes
Claros.
Once
the
principal
leaders
of
the
city
were
brought
together
-
a
city
of
little
more
than
five
thousand
inhabitants
-
the
Rotarian
philosophy
was
presented
along
with
the
advantages
of
having
Rotary
international
representation
in
Montes
Claros.
Adhesion
was
enthusiastic
and
immediate.
"If
the
Rotary
was
good
for
Rio
de
Janeiro
and
Sao
Paulo,
it
would
be
even
better
for
Montes
Claros",
exclaimed
the
lawyer
Alfredo
Coutinho,
immediately
applauded
by
all
present.
A
distant
city,
Interior
and
isolated,
always
eager
for
news
from
the
outside
world,
Montes
Claros
would
never
dream
of
letting
a
chance
like
that
slip
through
their
fingers.
A
dream
more
than
a
dream
that
fell
out
of
the
clear
blue
sky,
the
first
act
of
proceedings
of
the
foundation
was
pronouncedly
recorded
in
the
noble
penmenship
of
professor
Cicero
Pereira.
The
first
board
of
directors
was
of
the
most
representative
and
underlined
the
social
importance
of
the
new
institution.
It
could
even
have
been
enhanced
by
the
presence
of
Cyro
dos
Anjos
e
Darcy
Ribeiro,
if
they
hadn't
been
so
young
and
penniless
at
the
time.
The
elected
were:
President
-
Jose
Correia
Machado;
Vice-president
-
Antonio
Augusto
Teixeira;
Secretaria
-
Alfredo
Coutinho;
Subsecretario
-
Jose
Proenca
Costa;
Treasurer
-
Cicereo
Perreira;
Director
of
Protocol
-
Rubens
dos
Reis
Teixeira;
Directors
-
Jose
Tomaz
de
Oliveira,
marciano
Alves
Mauricio
and
Mario
Versiani
Veloso;
Substitutes
-
Artur
Vale,
Froes
Neto
and
A.
Ferreira
de
Oliveira.
Doctors,
pharmacists,
laywers,
judges,
journalists,
teachers,
store
keepers,
farmers
and
bank
managers.
Without
a
doubt,
citizens
of
great
prestige,
today
represented
as
names
of
streets
ans
squares
throughout
our
and
other
cities.
At
the
inauguration
party
of
the
club,
and
the
installation
of
the
first
Director,
the
event
was
immortalized
by
the
Rotarian
Robert
Shalders
representing
the
Rotary
Club
of
Rio
de
Janeiro,
who
photographed
the
first
board
of
directors
meeting
next
door
to
the
Hotel
Sao
Luiz,
on
Doctor
Carlos
square.
The
daring
of
the
brave
people
of
Montes
Claros
of
1926
continues.In
the
newspaper
Gazeta
do
Norte,
in
its
edition
of
July
fourteenth
of
that
year
registered:
"steeped
in
great
solemnity
was
last
Sunday's
meeting
of
the
Rotary
Club
of
Montes
Claros,
created
to
motivate
development
of
the
city.
The
goal
of
the
session
was
to
elect
the
definite
board
of
directors,
which
was
realized
with
the
presence
of
twenty-one
members,
including
those
admitted
on
that
same
day
by
unanimous
vote."
"The
election,
which
was
done
by
means
of
secret
vote,
and
majority
of
two
thirds,
had
second
and
third
votes
for
some
positions.
On
the
agenda
was
programmed
a
luncheon
for
the
refreshment
of
the
members
after
the
voting.
The
voting,
having
terminated
at
five
p.m.,
obliged
the
luncheon
to
be
postponed
until
nine
that
night.
This
circumstance
gave
the
new
club
a
fortunate
opportunity
to
receive
in
its
seat,
the
illustrious
engineer,
Alvaro
da
Silveira
who
was
passing
through
our
city
on
his
way
to
the
north
of
the
state.
Many
topics
were
brought
to
discussion
that
night
and
not
lacking
in
importance
was
the
toast
proffered
by
president
Correio
Machado,
who
vigorously
responded
in
turn,
followed
by
a
speech
from
co-members
Antonio
Augusto
Teixeira,
Alfredo
Coutinho,
Jose
Maria
Fernandes
and
A.
Ferreira
de
Oliveira."
Continues,
the
Gazeta
do
Norte:
