History-Sam Dickson
Posted by Russ Mann
The Edmontarian takes a look at S.A. (Sam) Dickson, a charter member of the Rotary Club of Edmonton and it's second President. Sam came from Seaforth, Ontario. With a B.A from the University of Toronto, he graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1902 and in the same year came to Fort Saskatchewan. He was a member of the Bar of the North West Territories and was the last surviving one of those who later practiced in Alberta. Coming to Edmonton in 1909 he practiced law from his office in the Tegler Building until shortly before his death in 1971 at the age of 95.
He was the founder of the Rotary Club of Edmonton. Calgary had been formed in 1914. PP.A.C. MacIntyre of Winnipeg encouraged Sam to try to organize a club in Edmonton. He succeeded in exciting a number of professionals and businessmen and the Club came into existence in 1916. Sam was the second President in 1917-1918. His interest never waned. He was prominent at District Conferences and attended a number of conferences of Rotary International. Working quietly in the background he had much to do with shaping the original club by-laws and their alignment from time to time. He retained the classification "General Law" until he chose senior active membership after World War II. He was replaced in the classification by his son A. H. Dickson, Q.C.