It’s easier to fool people
than to convince them
that they have been fooled
Mark Twain
Lions membership has been fooled from the very beginning when Melvin Jones made it his quest to promote himself as the founder of the organization. As stated earlier, Dr. William Perry Woods of Evansville, Indiana, founder of the ‘International Associations of Lions Clubs,’ failed to suppress the falsified declarations of Jones. Woods was simply too involved with his growing medical practice to spare the time to take issue. The ongoing bragging by Jones to present himself as founder and the lack of denial by Woods seemed to cement the claim by Jones that he was the founder, and ultimately Lions Club International bought into it and made it official in 1958.
Nevertheless, evidence to prove otherwise has been presented from a variety of sources that unquestionably reveal Dr. Woods being the legitimate founder and not Jones. It should be pointed out that Melvin Jones, for his many years at the helm as Secretary-General of LCI, should be recognized as the “driving force” that was instrumental in propelling Lionism forward. But it seems that the powers to be cannot distinguish between the concepts of “founder” and “driving force.” As a result, LCI continues to stay the course and let the deception continue.
Lions officials who elect to climb the ladder to the next rung know only too well that promoting Melvin Jones as founder is the only avenue of choice if they are to succeed in attaining their coveted titles.