Chapter VIII: Appendix: A Model Constitution, with Suggestions for Parliamentary Procedure8

CONSTITUTION

Article I. The name of this organization shall be the ____

(School, township, county, etc.)

Club.

Article II. The object of this club is to increase the agricultural, educational, and social advantages of ____

(Name of geographical unit)

through home projects, entertainments, lectures, fairs, exhibits, etc.

Article III. All boys and girls living in ____

(Geographical unit)

between the ages of 10 and 18 years shall be eligible for membership.

Article IV. Sec. 1. The officers of this club shall consist of a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer.

Sec. 2. A majority vote shall constitute an election.

Article V. Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern the meetings of the club.

Article VI. The order of business for all regular meetings shall be as follows.

1. Call to order.
2. Roll call.
3. Reading of minutes of last meeting.
4. Addition or corrections to the minutes.
5. Reports of committees.
6. Old business.
7. New business.
8. Considering new names for membership.
9. Literary program.
10. Recreation or refreshments.
11. Adjournment.

Article VII. Committees for special purposes may be appointed by the president at any time.

BY-LAWS

Article I. The club motto shall be “To make the BEST, BETTER,” and the club emblem shall be a four-leaf clover bearing an H on each leaf.

Article II. The officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual election in ____

(Month)

of each year.

Article III. The regular meeting of the club shall take place at ____

(Name of building)

on the ____.

(Day of the month)

Article IV. Sec. 1. A quorum shall consist of ____

(Usually two-thirds)

of the membership of the club.

Sec. 2. This constitution may be amended by a vote of ____

(Two-thirds)

of the members present at any regular meeting.

PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

_a._ Always address the president as Mr. or Miss President.

_b._ All remarks should be addressed to the president.

_c._ There should be no talking between members.

_d._ The president should recognize the person who seeks the floor by saying: “Mr. or Miss ____.”

_e._ This indicates that the person thus recognized has the privilege of speaking (of the floor) and must not be interrupted.

_f._ The only interruptions allowable are (1) a call for a point of order, or (2) a question.

_g._ A point of order applies to a member who has made a motion which is out of order because of another motion before the meeting, or to a member whose remarks are not on the subject under consideration, or to a person who is exceeding the time limit for discussion, etc. A point of order is executed as follows:

Member rising while another is speaking: “Mr. President, I rise to a point of order.”

The president will then recognize the speaker as follows: “Mr. ____, please state your point of order.”

Member who has interrupted speaker: “Mr. President, the speaker, Mr. ____

(Interrupted member’s name)

is out of order because his remarks are not on the subject under consideration (or is out of order because there is another motion before the meeting).”

President: “The chair decides that the point is (or is not) well taken.”

Whereupon the interrupted speaker takes his seat or makes an appeal from the decision of the chair as follows:

Interrupted speaker: “Mr. President, I appeal from the decision of the Chair.”

President: “Mr. ____ appeals from the decision of the chair. As many as are in favor of sustaining the decision of the chair will make manifest by saying ‘Aye;’ contrary-minded, ‘No.’”

The motion is (or is not) carried.

If the motion is carried, and the decision of the chair is thus sustained, the interrupted speaker has no further recourse and must take his seat. If, however, the motion is lost and the decision of the chair is not sustained, the speaker may continue to speak.

Question. The speaker may be interrupted by any member for the purpose of asking a question. This question may be one of personal privilege or may be for the purpose of gaining information about the subject under discussion. The execution of this motion may proceed as follows:

Member taking floor while another member is speaking: “Mr. President, I rise to a question of information.”

Presiding officer: “State your question.”

Member: “Do I understand the speaker to mean that ____ etc.?”

The speaker then proceeds to give the information desired, and the meeting proceeds.

In case of a question of personal privilege the process is as follows:

Member, rising and interrupting speaker: “Mr. President, I rise to a question of personal privilege.”

Presiding officer: “State your question.”

Member: “Mr. President, this room is too warm for comfort, and I therefore ask to have the windows opened.”

In either case the presiding officer may rule for or against the person asking the question.

_h._ Never offer a motion by saying, “I move you—,” but simply with “I move, etc.”

_i._ Never offer a motion while another motion is still before the meeting.

_j._ Before any matter is voted upon the presiding officer must state the motion fully and completely.

_k._ The ordinary form of voting upon regular motions is as follows: Presiding officer: “All in favor of this motion say ‘Aye’ (a short pause for the vote); contrary, ‘No.’” The presiding officer then announces the result by saying: “The motion is carried,” or “The motion is lost.”

_l._ Motions for question of privilege or point of order take precedence over all other motions.

_m._ Never attempt to place too many amendments to a motion. (Two are allowable; that is, an amendment to an amendment.) It is usually much better to offer a substitute motion.

_n._ A motion may not be put to a vote of the meeting until it has been seconded or supported by some member other than the one making the motion.

_o._ In case of tie votes the president or presiding officer decides the motion.

_p._ A motion to adjourn the meeting is in order at any time.

In addition to these simple rules which may serve for the beginning of the club’s activities, each club library should contain a modern work on parliamentary practice.

DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

The President

1. Calls the meetings to order.

2. Announces the order of business.

3. Puts all questions and motions.

4. Decides points of order.

5. Decides the votes.

6. Calls another member to the chair if he or she wishes to take part in the debate.

The Vice-President

1. Performs all the duties of the president in case he or she is absent.

The Secretary

1. Keeps the minutes of all meetings.

2. Handles all correspondence.

3. Sends or posts notices for meetings.

4. Reads the minutes of the previous meetings.

5. Acts as chairman in case both president and vice-president are absent.

The Treasurer

1. Collects all dues and moneys.

2. Keeps an account of all moneys collected and paid out.

3. Pays bills when ordered by the president or secretary.

SUGGESTIVE PROGRAMS FOR AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

The programs for club meetings will depend largely on the type of project, the time to be devoted to meetings, and the originality of the leader. There should be something for everyone to do; each individual should have some share in each club meeting.

The general program might divide itself into: (1) project; (2) business, literary, and demonstration; (3) social. No one of these three divisions can be carried on exclusive of the others. The projects will have their stories, the literary programs will sometimes include project demonstrations, while the social spirit should always be present.

It would be well to combine as much of a “do” program as possible with the literary work. Demonstrations, “stunts,” and contests always add interest. Do not forget that music is always a welcome addition to a club program. The following suggestions are given merely to assist the club in arranging for the year’s work. Further suggestions may be obtained by studying the programs of projects other than yours. Meetings should be held at least once a month, perhaps oftener at certain seasons of the year. They may be held in the schoolhouse Friday afternoon, and the young pupils and others, not members of the club, may be guests. Occasional evening meetings with social features and refreshments should be held.

In the conduct of club meetings a good club leader (or teacher) will remain in the background as much as possible, permitting the officers of the club to conduct the meeting. Parents, patrons, members of the advisory committee, and outside speakers should have a place on certain programs, but it should ever be borne in mind that the club is for boys and girls, and care should be exercised that the adults do not crowd them off the programs. A club will be far more successful if it succeeds in stimulating its own members to take part in club meetings, than if it merely fills up its programs with outside speakers.

In connection with the club meetings, visits should be made to places where actual club work can be observed. The corn plat, the pig pen, and the garden should be utilized in this connection. Observation trips and “hikes” should be taken to observe ideal conditions on farms or in homes.

GENERAL PROGRAM

ORGANIZATION

(1) Roll call.

Talks on:

Purpose of organization.
How we are connected with other organizations.
What others will do for us.
What we will do for ourselves.
What we will do for others.
How we are going to make our club a success.

Discussions of assignments for months.

Discussion of record books.

PIG CLUB PROGRAMS

(1) Roll call, answered by naming breeds or breed characteristics.

Talks on:

Origin of swine.
Characteristics of lard hog.
Characteristics of bacon hog.

Demonstration: Locating and naming parts of a hog from a drawing, picture, or chart

(2) Roll call, answered by names of prominent breeders.

Talks on:

History of Duroc-Jersey.
History of Poland China.
History of Chester White.
History of Berkshire.
History of Hampshire.

(3) Roll call, answered by naming essentials for a healthy herd.

Talks on:

Mineral matter in the ration.
Sanitary hog houses.
Individual hog houses vs. the colony hog house.
Dipping hogs.

Demonstration: Making an individual hog house, using blackboard or model.

(4) Roll call, answered by naming forage crops suitable for swine.

Talks on:

Alfalfa pasture.
Rape.
Other kinds of pasture.

(5) Roll call, answered by naming feeds suitable for swine.

Talks on:

Home grown feeds.
Feeds that must be purchased.

Demonstration: Blackboard explanation of nutritive ratio of a feed or a ration.

(6) Judging contest: Each member to place three hogs.

(Basis of award: placing, 50; reasons, 50.)

REFERENCES ON PIGS

(Books)

Productive Swine Husbandry—Day. No. 1.
Swine in America—Coburn. No. 2.
The Hog Book—Dawson. No. 3.
Manual of Farm Animals—Harper. No. 4.
Pigs for Profit—Walker. No. 5.
Swine—Dietrich. No. 6.
Feeds and Feeding—Henry and Morrison. No. 7.
Judging Farm Animals—Plumb. No. 8.
Principles and Practices of Judging Live Stock—Gay. No. 9.

(Bulletins)

Bul. 109. The Location, Construction, and Operation of Hog Houses. Agr.
Exp. Sta., Urbana, Ill. No. 10.
Bul. 147. Pork Production. Agr. Exp. Sta., Lincoln, Neb. No. 11.
Bul. 124. Fattening Hogs in Nebraska. Agr. Exp. Sta., Lincoln, Neb.
No. 12.
Bul. 136. Forage Crops for Swine. Agr. Exp. Sta., Ames, Ia. No. 13.
Bul. 143. Hogging Down Corn—A Successful Practice. Agr. Exp. Sta., Ames,
Ia. No. 14.
Bul. 110. Forage Crop Rotations for Pork Production. Agr. Exp. Sta.,
Columbia, Mo. No. 15.
Farmers’ Bul. 205. U. S. Dept. of Agr., Washington, D. C. No. 16.