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AN EARLY MASTHEAD FROM 1931

Chaka which means Wheel is an appropriate name, you will agree, for a Rotary club bulletin.

Our weekly is one of the oldest in India. The earliest printed copy we have in our possession is Vol. 3 Number 25 dated 18-Jun-1927. It is thus safe to assume that the printed version started in 1924. Since our club was chartered in 1920, it is interesting to speculate that we  probably had cyclostyled copies between 1920-24.

HISTORY OF THE CHAKA EDITORS

Rtn. W. K. Battey suggested that the bulletin be printed from the earlier cyclostyled one. So the eight page printed The Chaka made its appearance for the first time in 1925 with Rtn. E. H. Doddrell (class: paint, additional) as the first editor of the printed Chaka which grew to 12 pages between leaf green covers.

It was decided that 'the aim of the Bulletin Committee is that the magazine should contain each week not only an account of the weekly meetings immediately preceding, but a record also of all matters in Calcutta, which can be justly considered to come under the category of service.'

As Doddrell had to relinquish editorship few weeks before the end of the year,
Rtn. O. Hearn (class: wine shipper) became the next editor.

Rtn. Hearn also resigned his post in 1926-27, so Rtn. Reverend T. H. Cashmore,
(class: clergy, Anglican) became the editor. He published caricatures of members with
bits of hysterical history' which was approved by all.

Next year 1927-28 Rtn. O. Hearn was again appointed editor but resigned because of his difference with the Club Secretary N. C. Laharry. He resigned on 12 January 1928 and
Rtn. D. A. Wylie (class: Jute broker) became the editor of the Chaka. Wylie continued to be the editor next year also. During his absence Rtn. A. G. P. Smith (class: Insurance, casualty) took over the charge but as he had to proceed home on leave
W. K.Battey himself, (class: Paper industry, distribution) took up the editorship. Soon however he was at loggerheads with the Secretary, who was none other than the redoubtable Rtn. N. C. Laharry (class: Recreation, Motion Picture Distribution) who soon took up the work of the editor, adding this task to his manifold duties.

In 1929-30 however Rtn. Laharry had to leave for Bombay. Rtn. D. C. Ghose became the Secretary and Rtn. W. P. Warren (class: paint, oil decoration) became the next editor of the Chaka.

Rtn. R. W. Brock became editor in 1930-31 (N. C. Laharry returned from Bombay to become the Treasurer of the Club) and was succeeded by Rtn. H. G. Franks (class: Printing, publishing, Newspaper publishing).

The Chaka once again became cyclostyled, later merging itself in the new publication called 'The Eastern Rotary Wheel.

THE EASTERN ROTARY WHEEL

Rtn. H. G. Franks was the first editor in 1932-33 being succeeded by
Rtn. McPherson in 1933-34.
Max. Cavanagh and later C. J. Delph were the editors in 1934-35 from whom
Rtn. J. Munro took over the editorship in -1936-37.

Soon however the Eastern Rotary Wheel died and the Chaka made its appearance again.

- From The Diamond Jubilee Book
 

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