Constitution and By-Laws 1913

Publications of Y. M. H. and Kindred Associations
Constitutions and By-Laws, 1913

A Publication of the Council of Young Men's Hebrew and Kindred Associations entitled Constitution and By-Laws August 17, 1913
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M79.13.1.4	4	1913_const001	The Young Men's Hebrew Association Constitution and By-Laws As Amended August 17, 1913 Price 5 c Richmond, Virginia
	4	1913_const002	The Young Men's Hebrew Association Constitution and By-Laws As Amended August 17, 1913 Price 5 c Richmond, Virginia
	4	1913_const003	CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE. In order to improve the mental, moral, social and physical condition of young men, the following Constitution is hereby adopted: ARTICLE I, Name and Object. SECTION 1. The name of the Association shall be "The Young Men's Hebrew Association of Richmond, Va ." SEC 2. The object of the Association shall be the improvement of the mental, moral, social and physical condition of its members.
	4	1913_const004	ARTICLE II. Members. SECTION 1. The membership of the Association shall consist of five classes, to wit: Life, Patrons, Active, Associate, and Honorary. SEC. 2. Any Israelite of the age of twenty-one and upward, may become and hereafter continue an active member by the payment of six dollars ($6), annually. None but active members having the qualifications named in this section shall have the right to vote or hold office. SEC. 3. Any person over the age of fourteen years may become an associate member by the payment of three dollars ($3.00), annually, but no - person eligible to active membership can become or continue to be an associate member. SEC. 4. Any person may become a life member by the payment of one hundred dollars ($100.00). Life members having qualifications expressed in Section 2, of this article, shall be entitled to all the privileges of active membership.
	4	1913_const005	SEC. 5. Any person having the qualifications mentioned in Sec. 2. of this article, may become a Patron of the Association by the payment in advance of ten dollars ($10.00), annually. SEC. 6. The Board of Directors shall have the power to elect honorary members, and in their discretion vary the requirements of admission of associate members other than the age limit of fourteen years. SEC. 7. All applications for membership shall be presented to the Secretary, who shall refer . them to the Committee, on Membership, whose duty it shall be to report as to the character and qualifications of the applicants to the Board, at any of its regular or special meetings, when an ejection shall be held and two-thirds of the number of votes cast shall be necessary to elect a candidate. SEC. 8. Any member who shall willfully infringe upon or violate any of the provisions of the Constitution or By-Laws, or any of the rules or regulations of the Association, may, after due notice by the Board of Directors,
	4	1913_const006	and a hearing before the same, be suspended or expelled from the Association. SEC. 9.. Any member who shall be convicted of any felony shall be deemed to have forfeited his membership, and shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Association. ARTICLE III. Officers, and Mode of Election. SEC. 1. The Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of twenty members, to be elected by ballot by the Association at the first meeting after Rosh-Hashono, or on such day as the Board of Directors may designate. SEC. 2. The following Officers of the Association shall be annually elected by the Board of Directors at their next meeting after the annual election from among the members of the Board held as provided for in Section 1. of this article, viz: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Treasurer, and Recording Secretary.
	4	1913_const007	SEC. 3. The term of Office of the Directors of the Association, to be hereafter elected, shall commence on the day succeeding the holding of the annual meeting herein provided for. SEC. 4. No person shall be eligible for election as a Director unless he be over twenty-one years of age. SEC. 5. Nominations of members for election to the Board of Directors shall be made by a majority vote of the Nominating Committee of five, to be appointed by the President at the meeting preceding the meeting of election. ARTICLE IV. Meetings. SEC. 1. The Association shall meet quarterly, as follows: First Sunday after Rosh Hashono, First Sunday in January, First Sunday in April, and First Sunday in July. SEC. 2. Special meetings of the Association
	4	1913_const008	may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, or upon written request-of twenty members, setting forth the object of such special meeting. SEC. 3. At least three days' notice shall be given to the members of the special meeting called under the foregoing section. SEC. 4. Twenty members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business for all general and special meetings. ARTICLE V. Amendments SEC. 1. This Constitution may be altered or amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any meeting of the Association, provided that such alteration or amendment shall have been first proposed at a meeting of the Association or Directors, held -at least one month previously, and that a notice of such meeting shall have duly set forth said proposed alteration or amendment, always excepting that this section and Section 2 of Article II. and Section 2 of Article III. shall not be amended
	4	1913_const009	but by a vote of two-thirds of all active members of this Association, the said two-thirds of the whole body must vote in person as no proxy can be accepted.
	4	1913_const010	BY-LAWS ARTICLE I. Duties and Powers of the Officers. SEC. 1. It shall be the duty of the President or in his absence either of the Vice Presidents, to preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors, and preserve order, and act under the rules prescribed by parliamentary laws and usage. SEC. 2. The Recording Secretary shall, under the instruction of the President or Board of Directors, be the medium of the Association in its communication with other societies and with the public. He shall keep copies of all letters written by him, and files of those received by him, relating to the affairs of the Association. He shall also keep a proper record of the proceedings of the Association, the minutes of its meetings and those of the Directors, and shall notify members of general and special meetings, and shall have charge of all the records of the Association.
	4	1913_const011	SEC. 3. The Treasurer shall receive all monies of the Association and disperse the same, under the direction of the Board of Directors. He shall keep a full and correct account of his transactions, and report to the Board in writing at the first regular meeting in each month, and to the Association at its Quarterly Meetings, and shall give a bond in a sum not less than one thousand dollars, ($1000.00) to be fixed by the Board, for the faithful performance of his duties, such bond to be approved by said Committee. It shall be his duty to take charge of all securities and valuable papers of the Association, and deposit the same in the name of the Association in a Safe-deposit Company, access to which shall be had only by the Treasurer, Chairman of the Finance Committee, the President and either of the Vice Presidents, in the presence of any two of them. He shall register in the name of the Association all bonds that may be purchased by the Association or acquired by gift or bequest. SEC. 4. The Board of Directors shall have power to appoint and employ such assistants as may be found necessary for the proper conduct
	4	1913_const012	of affairs of the Association, and shall regulate the period of service, the duties and remuneration of such assistants. SEC. 5. The Board of Directors shall hold a regular meeting at least once in each month; ten shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings of the Directors may be called at any time by the President or at the written request of five directors. SEC. 6. The Board of Directors shall have the power from time to time to make and adopt such rules and by-laws for their government and the government of the Association, not inconsistent with the Constitution, as they may deem expedient. SEC. 7. Should any Director absent himself from three successive meetings of the Board without reasonable excuse, his seat may be declared vacant. SEC. 8. In case of any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors, it shall have power to fill the same until the next annual election.
	4	1913_const013	SEC. 9. A member shall not be in good standing who shall be in arrears for dues not less than six months. ARTICLE II. Standing Committees SEC. 1. The following Standing Committees shall annually be appointed by the President, to consist of at least three members of the Board of Directors, the appointment to be made at the first meeting of the Board after the annual election: First, Committee on Membership. Second, Committee on Finance. Third, Committee on Social Work. Fourth, House Committee. Fifth, Library Committee. Sixth, Educational Committee. Seventh, Committee on Athletics. Eighth, Committee on Bulletin. SEC. 2. Additional Committees may be appointed at any time in the discretion of the Board.
	4	1913_const014	SEC. 3. The several Committees shall meet at least once a month, and keep records of their proceedings, and present an abstract of the same in writing, to the Board at each regular meeting. SEC. 4. No Committee shall contract any indebtedness, or incur any liabilities, unless duly authorized by the Board of Directors, and all Committees shall act subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. ARTICLE III. Duties of Committees. SEC. 1. The Committee on Membership shall examine into all applications, and report their recommendations at any regular or special meeting of the Beard. SEC. 2. All bills must be approved before payment by the Board of Directors. When so approved, checks shall be drawn and together with the bills shall be submitted to the Chairman of the Finance Committee, and then to the Treasurer, both of whom shall sign the Checks-In the absence of either the Treasurer or Chair, man of the Finance Committee, the President
	4	1913_const015	or either of the Vice Presidents shall be authorized to sign instead. SEC. 3. The Finance Committee shall supervise all the financial affairs of the Association, and shall keep a full and correct account of all appropriations made by the Board. They shall keep the properties of the Association properly insured. They shall have full charge of renting any property of the Association, but shall not execute any leases. SEC. 4. The Committee on Social Work shall conduct all outside social Affairs, such as Dances, Balls, Picnics and Excursions or any other Social Functions they may deem advisable to arrange. They shall obtain the sanction of the Board of Directors before announcing any Social Affair. The Committee shall have charge of the Reception Rooms, Pool Rooms, and all other rooms set aside for the social pastime of the members. SEC. 5. The House Committee shall have charge of the Association Building or Buildings, and shall establish rules and regulations for the
	4	1913_const016	government thereof, providing said rules and regulations meet the approval of the Board of Directors. SEC. 6. The Educational Committee shall organize and have charge of all the classes of the Association, and shall employ all teachers for the same. They shall also organize and have charge of the Societies and Clubs of the building and shall engage all necessary employees. The Committee shall also provide for the delivery of Lectures, Debates and General Literary Entertainments. SEC. 7. The Committee on Athletics shall have full charge of our Gymnasium and Baths. They shall also arrange for Games and Sports, indoors and outdoors, and shall employ all instructors for same. Their work must be approved by the Board of Directors. SEC. 9. The Bulletin Committee shall have charge of the "Pioneer," appoint the Editor and Business Manager, and engage all necessary assistants. It shall have the power to enter into contracts with advertisers and
	4	1913_const017	fix the compensation of its solicitors.- It shall keep a record of its work and have- same open for inspection at all times. ARTICLE VI. Order of Business for the Board of Directors. SEC. 1. First, Roll Call. Second, Reading of the Minutes, Third Communications from the Chairs. Fourth, Reports of Standing Committees : 1 Finance Committee 2 Social Work Committee 3 House Committee 4 Library Committee 5 Educational Committee 6 Bulletin Committee 7 Athletic Committee 8 Membership Committee Fifth, Election of Members. Sixth, Reports by Special Committees. Seventh, Old Business. Eighth, New and Miscellaneous Business. SEC. 2. Cushing's Manuel of Parliamentary
	4	1913_const018	Law and Practice shall be the standard of authority controlling parliamentary actions of the Board and of the Association. Amendments to By-laws. SEC. 3. These By-laws nay be altered or amended by a vote of three-fourths of the members present at any meeting of the Association, or by a majority of the Board of Directors at any of their meetings. Order of Business for General and Special Meetings of the Association. SEC. 4. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, whether regular or special. Reading of Reports by Standing Committees. Communications from Special Committees. Election of Members. Unfinished Business. New and Miscellaneous Business. Resolution. SEC. 5. Be it resolved that the above Constitution and By-Laws shall be printed immediately and distributed to the Members at cost.