Rotary 100 — Charles H. Tuttle
This is the first in an occasional series of posts leading up to the centennial of the Glens Falls Rotary Club in April 2022.
On Aug. 13, 1970, about five-and-a-half months before his death, Charles H. Tuttle of New York and Lake George, spoke to the Glens Falls Rotary Club about ecumenicalism.
“Of course, it’s a long way ahead, but it was a long way ahead in the days of the caveman. We’ve started to build,” he said.
Tuttle, an honorary member of the club, was continuing a tradition of speaking to club every summer since 1946.
“His annual address has grown to be a highlight of the Rotary year,” The Post-Star reported.
His topics were varied, representing Tuttle’s wide-ranging expertise in law, education, environmentalism, religion and politics.
In 1969 his topic was “The Year of the Miracles,” — the opening of Prospect Mountain Memorial Highway, restoration of the old Warren County Courthouse, landing Americans in the moon, and launching of the new Lake George Steamboat Co. vessel the Minne-Ha-Ha.
“Night Is Far Spent,” was his topic in 1968, as he spoke about the increase in crime and decline of public morality.
In 1967 he called for establishing an “academy,” or museum, at the top of Prospect Mountain to foster a “re-creation” of spirit, not just physical recreation.
In 1966 he spoke about ecumenicalism.
In 1965, he said understanding history and heritage is crucial to charting a path for the future.
“I take optimism in believing what our contribution can be in fashioning the man of the future,” he said.
Similarly, the “Invisible World” of the future was his topic in 1964.
In 1963 it was reported just that he spoke.
In 1962, he urged Rotary Club members to push for a four-year college in the area, rather than settle for a two-year community college.
“I don’t know of any region more truly nature’s school than here. Lessons, and faculty, so to speak, are all provided by nature.”
The newly established Lake George Park Commission and its mission to protect the lake’s beauty was his topic in 1961.
“Unless the people rise to the challenge there can be no success to the project,” he said.
In 1960, Tuttle spoke about the Constitution and about the recent discovery of French and Indian War period boats at the bottom of Lake George.
In 1959, he reflected on the 350th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s visit to the region.
In 1958, he called for a think tank of national experts to develop a plan for the future.
“The choice between darkness and light goes by. The only way to meet it is with a plan, a national and universal plan to meet the future now unveiling before our eyes,” he said.
In 1957 he spoke about the upcoming state referendum on whether to hold a state Constitutional Convention.
Tuttle was on a 15-member state commission that had studied the potential.
In 1956, he spoke about following the Golden Rule of treating others as you would have them treat you.
In 1955, he protested a proposed state law that would weaken water quality protections for Lake George.
“The Highway of Freedom” was the topic of his 1954 speech tracing the history and development of state routes 9, 9-L and 9-N.
In 1953, he spoke about using spiritual and moral strength, not just physical strength, to keep the world free from Communism.
His 1952 speech about renewing spiritual strength was recorded for broadcast on WWSC radio of Glens Falls.
The Glens Falls Kiwanis Club joined with the Rotary Club for a joint meeting in 1951 to hear Tuttle speak about patriotism.
In 1950, he spoke about the North Korean attack on South Korea.
In 1949, he spoke about equality.
The foundation of democracy Is the ballot box, the jury box, the campaign box and the ecclesiastical box, he said in 1948.
“That quadrilateral should be the capstone of our education,” he said.
“Some Random Thoughts About America” was the topic of his 1947 speech about the United States Constitution.
“Why, amidst the wreckage of constitutions the world over, has this Constitution survived?” he asked, answering his own question. “It is an act of faith.”
A report of his 1946 speech could not be found.
Sources: The Lake George Mirror, Aug. 16, 1956; Aug. 25, 1961; Aug. 27, 1965; Aug. 27, 1969; The Post-Star, Aug. 29, 1947; Aug. 5, 1948; July 2, 1951; Aug 13, 1954; Aug. 26, 1955; Aug. 23, 1962; Aug. 28, 1963; Aug. 12, 14, 1970; Glens Falls Times, Aug. 18, 1949; Aug. 3, 1950; July 31, 1952; Aug. 13, 1953; Aug. 29, 1957; Aug. 14, 1958; July 30, 1959; Aug. 18, 1960; Aug. 27, 1964; Aug. 4, 1966; Aug. 3, 1967; Aug. 15, 1968