A PRACTICAL TRAININC GUIDE FOR YOUTH COUNCIL OFFICERS YOUTH SERIES N0.6. PRICE 154 OFFICERS MANUAL A Practical Training Guide for Youth Council Officers In presenting this adaptation of a compilation originally made by them two years ago, I wish to express our gratitude to the Milwaukee CYO for its gracious permission to reprint. The material is not new or spectacular, but does have the not inconsid- erable recommendation of proven effectiveness. Paul Tanner Youth Department, N.C.W.C. LIST OF YOUTH DEPT. PUBLICATIONS Youth Series No. 1 — What is the National Catholic Youth Coun- cil—Gratis. 2 — The National Federation of Catholic College Students—15c. 3 — What is the Parish Youth Council— 10c. 4 — What is the Diocesan Youth Council—10c. OFFICERS MANUAL Youth Series No. 6 Price 15c Published by The Youth Department N. C. W. C. Introduction Purpose The success of any organization depends largely upon the worthwhileness of its objectives, the appeal of its activities and the quality of its administration. The Catholic Youth Council has, indeed, a noble purpose, namely the formation of a genuine youth apostolate. Its activities can be comprehen- sive and varied so that in them every youth will find something of a special appeal. Administration is still in an experimental stage since in a majority of instances the youth officers of the Catholic Youth Council have had no previous administrative experi- ence and the traditions and policies of many of the organizations are still in a formative stage. It has been decided, therefore, to issue an Officers Manual so that methods of management and procedures adaptable to the several organizations might be developed and discussed, and officers and committee chairmen trained, who understand that procedure and the duties which it imposes upon them. The impossibility of devising a plan which will be universally applicable to the diverse situations prevailing in the 114 dioceses of the United States is apparent, but it is possible to lay down a general plan which can be adjusted to the needs and con- ditions found in the individual organizations. Hard Work—Willingness to Learn—Enthusiasm The mechanics of an organization are indeed important. Sound and adequate technique predis- 4 OFFICERS MANUAL pose to successful operation, but no technique will work automatically. A plan must be worked. Merely to have a plan for an organization is not sufficient. That plan must be worked by the officers and to execute it successfully, they must have: 1. The willingness to apply Hard Work, 2. The desire to acquire more complete Know- ledge of their individual assignments; 3. The ability to instill Enthusiasm into each other and the membership. Officers who manifest these qualities in the highest degree will attain the most successful re- sults when their term of office ends. An organiza- tion with a perfect plan but whose officers do not possess these characteristics will fail; an organiza- tion with a less perfect plan but whose leaders have these three qualities will succeed. Nothing worth- while was ever achieved without hard work, the willingness to learn, and enthusiasm. Elements of a Successful Plan The general plan of every successful organiza- tion embodies five elements, namely : 1. A definite organizational structure or gov- ernment, sometimes called the centraliza- tion of executive responsibility. 2. Specific assignment of duties or the delega- tion of authority and responsibility. 3. Facility for cooperation, coordination, and integration of results. 4. A definite order of business, policies, and practices. 5. A well devised method for selecting proper- ly qualified individuals for the several of- OFFICERS MANUAL 5 fleers, or providing for the continuity of successful operation. The Officers and Their Work The officers constitute the organizational struc- ture or government of an organization. Elective Officers—It is traditional that every Catholic Youth Council have a president, vice-presi- dent, secretary, and treasurer. A society with a large membership may have two vice-presidents, each with some specific duty to perform. Committees or the Delegation of Authority A successful organization delegates responsi- bility and authority through the use of committees. A committee is a small group of members who are appointed to perform some special work. Very little work could be accomplished by an organization if nothing were done at its meetings except by the action of the organization as a whole. Investigation as to facts, preparation of resolu- tions expressing the views of the organization on certain matters, securing participation in activities and making arrangements for the same can be done better by a few persons known as a committee acting for the society than directly by the whole society. All committees are composed of a chairman, secretary, and some members. The number of mem- bers depends upon the nature of the work to be done and the size of the organization. A committee functions like a society, having its own meetings and the like. In the performance of its special work, it is an organization within an organization but al- ways responsible to and acting within the limits of its authority, for the parent group. 6 OFFICERS MANUAL There are two kinds of committees, standing and special. A standing committee is provided for in the Constitution and it is concerned with a rather per- manent work of the society. Standing committees are always appointed for the same tenure as is held by the elective officers. The chairmen of the stand- ing committees are members of a society’s official family. A special committee is appointed to do some special work. Its life is co-extensive with the work for which it was appointed. Cooperation—Coordination—Integration Unless the various officers of an organization work harmoniously together, each performing his own special work but at the same time knowing and assisting his fellow officers; and unless there is co- ordination of the several activities of the society and an integration of results obtained, there can be no genuine progress or success. Executive Board—An Executive Board offers an excellent medium for coordinating and integrat- ing the activities and results. This Board consists of all the elective and appointive officers. They meet once a month, a week or ten days preceding the meeting. At this time, all arrangements and re- ports for the meeting are discussed and reviewed. Minutes of the business transacted are kept by the secretary. The president presides. These meetings inform each officer in detail of his part in the pro- gram of the coming meeting, develop his enthusiasm, insure his cooperation, and impress upon him the OFFICERS MANUAL 7 fact that he is an important member of the Presi- dent’s Official Family. When some officer or chair- man is failing in his duty, the Board has an oppor- tunity of correcting this weakness or securing a competent substitute. Thus, in addition to coordin- ating, it helps to sustain interest and develop enthus- iasm. Policies, Practices, and Order of Business Policies—A successful organization has certain policies, traditions, and practices which govern it as well as a definite order of business according to which its meetings and business are conducted. The major policies are usually concerned with the discussion permitted at the several meetings, the financial policy of the organization, and other matters which affect the welfare of the organization. Practices—Here are listed some of the practices followed by successful organizations. TIME SCHEDULE—The entire meeting is re- hearsed at the Board Meeting. It must click. Every officer presents his report which is checked for errors and omissions. The Time Schedule or Order of Business prepared by the president is read and needed changes made. NOTICES—The secretary sends notices for the meetings to all members. He also requests pulpit or bulletin announcements from the Reverend Pastor. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The order of business is the program that a society follows at all its meetings. The Executive Board and the regular society meetings each have their own order of business. 8 OFFICERS MANUAL Suggested Order of Business for Board Meetings Prayer Roll Call of officers Reading of minutes of the previous meeting Unfinished business Review of last meeting Reports of committees, (progress achieved — present status—problems encountered). New business Discussion of schedule for next regular meeting of society. Outline for General Meeting of an Organization 1. Call to Order by the chairman or prefect 2. Opening Prayer 3. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting 4. Reports of the committees 5. Reports of the Directors or Sponsors—cul- tural, hobby, vocational guidance, athletic, scouting, etc. 6. Unfinished business 7. Reading of correspondence 8. New business 9. Introduction of speakers. A proper intro- duction of the guest speaker is important. 10. Address by speaker 11. Expression of thanks by Group 12. Presentation of the Spiritual Director. Selecting Qualified Officers or Providing for the Continuity of Successful Operation. The establishment of the proper governmental setup, the assignment of specific duties to the vari- ous officers, and the adoption of definite procedures OFFICERS MANUAL 9 and practices as well as an order of business are in- dispensable to a successful Catholic Youth Council. Selecting a successful method for securing the prop- er men to fill the various offices is the most import- ant element in a society’s plan. An organization sometimes finds that, despite an excellent constitution, it fails to accomplish the work it was created to do. Such lack of vitality can generally be traced to inefficient officers, for the officers are the directors of the organization, and naturally, poor directors cannot lead an organiza- tion to great achievement. To exercise care in the organization of a society, to adopt for it an ideal constitution, and then to elect weak officers, is analogous to purchasing an expensive piece of mach- inery and hiring an apprentice to run it. If the out- put be below standard, it could reasonably be attrib- uted to the carelessness of the owner in selecting his operator. The officers of the organization should be youth who are capable of directing, for there is a carefully balanced ratio between the qualifications of the officers and the results attained by the organi- zation. Associated with the necessity of securing effic- ient officers is the policy of limiting their tenure of office. Allowing officers to serve only one year is a very excellent policy. It has the practical ad- vantage of limiting the influence of unqualified officers as well as stimulating successful officials. A successful officer is usually a busy person. If he or she knows in advance that his or her work is limited to one year, he or she will be inclined to make the sacrifice which an office in the Catholic Youth Coun- cil imposes. Frequently officers do not put forth their best efforts because they realize that additional 10 OFFICERS MANUAL years in office, years of sacrifice and hard work will be the penalty of success. A limited tenure of office also has its psychologi- cal advantage. An officer, if he realizes that his contribution to the organization will depend upon what he does immediately, namely during one year, will be more inclined to extend himself and actually accomplish something than if he felt that he had years in which to leave his mark upon the organiza- tion. This is merely a practical application of the saying, “A thing delayed is never done.” This regular turnover in officers, while intensely desirable makes the adoption of an adequate and correct procedure for the selection of officers more important. A nominating committee, carefully selected, seems to be the most efficient way. Former presi- dents of the society, who know the membership as well as the requirements for the several offices, make the best committee. If there are no past presidents, the most active members of the organization should be named to this important committee. A good nominating committee always works in close har- mony with the Spiritual Director. The work of this committee cannot be done in a day. This committee is appointed at least one month prior to the election. It is advisable that the candidates who are proposed for the several offices be interviewed by the com- mittee and their acceptances secured before they are actually proposed to the society. The nominating committee has done its work. You are selected. Who are you? What is expected of you? We shall try to give the answers to these ques- tions in the clinics and discussions which follow. Chapter I Mr. and Madam President The president of the parish Catholic Youth Council, under the Spiritual Director, is the chief executive of this organization. To simplify the discussion, the singular form will be adopted, name- ly, THE PRESIDENT and the masculine personal pronoun will be used. It is understood, however, that whatever is predicated about the president ap- plies equally to young men or young women. A “recipe” for an ideal chairman attributed to a witty old member of the English Parliament runs as follows: “Two cups of common sense well mix- ed with three pounds of tact and fairness, stirred and plentifully sprinkled with a knowledge of par- liamentary law. Bake this mixture with a few years of experience and the cook will be delighted with the result.” The president derives his title from the fact that he is the presiding officer. This is indeed an important function and the person chosen for this office must have the ability to preside. But the presi- dent has other duties to perform. He is the organ- izer and planner , is ultimately responsible for all the activities of the organization and is the inter- mediary between his parish organization and the parish Council, the Deanery, and the Diocesan Youth Council. These duties are so important that in com- parison with them, the duty of presiding sinks into insignificance. No one has a right to accept an office if he is unwilling or unable to do the work that is necessary to perform his duties properly. 12 OFFICERS MANUAL The president, then, is selected on account of his fitness for his most important duties, regardless of his ability to preside at a meeting of the organiza- tion. Thus, no one would think that the president of a business corporation, or of a college, or the Pastor of a Church, should be chosen for his know- ledge of parliamentary law, or excellence as a pre- siding officer. 1 ) The President as the Presiding Officer The President as the presiding officer is res- ponsible for seeing that the business of the organiza- tion is transacted in proper order and expedited as much as possible ; that order and decorum are always observed; and that the rules of the assembly are always enforced with as little friction as possible. If the meeting is disorderly, in nine cases out of ten, it is the fault of the presiding officer, just as it is the fault of the company commander if there is lack of discipline in a company of soldiers. Sometimes the presiding officer needs to think quickly while on his feet. Two men quarreled about the love of a girl until they finally challenged each other to a duel. One was thin and lanky. The other heavy, broad, and robust. After they were handed the pistols, the robust, broad man began to worry. He said to the thin man: “See here. I just been thinking. This don’t seem fair. No matter how bad a shot you are, you could hardly miss hitting me.” The thin man thought quickly, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” he replied. “I’ll mark with chalk an outline of me on you. Then anything I hit' outside of this line won’t count.” OFFICERS MANUAL 13 The president should always be in the hall a few minutes before the hour set for the opening of the meeting. When the hour arrives, he should step to the platform and, while standing, strike on the table with the gavel, and say : “The meeting will come to order.” One stroke is usually sufficient, and the blow should not be any stronger than is required to attract the attention of everybody in the hall. It is a great mistake for the president to pound on the table as if trying to drown the noise in the hall by making more noise himself. It is the duty of every- one in the hall to be seated immediately and to cease conversation. After calling the meeting to order, the presi- dent should remain standing with his eyes on the members until they are quiet. If members continue talking or standing, he can generally bring them to order by merely keeping his eyes on them and thus drawing the attention of the assembly to them. If this does not suffice, she should say: “The chair is waiting for the members to come to order.” He should avoid speaking any louder than necessary to be heard by the furthermost man in the room, since the more quiet the chairman is the greater the prob- ability of the assembly being quiet. Specific Suggestions For the Presiding Officer 1. He is required to stand when addressing an assembly, and although he may be seated while discussion is in progress, he must listen closely to the speakers. 2. Since the personality of the chair should be subordinate to the office that he holds, he always refers to himself as “the chair.” 3. Courtesy demands that the chairman never 14 OFFICERS MANUAL lose sight of the fact that he is the “first servant” of the assembly, and for this rea- son a spirit of helpfulness toward the mem- bers of the assembly should be his chief characteristic. 4. He must assign the floor to members who desire to speak, and once he has recognized the right of a member to the floor, he must, by maintaining order, protect the right of that member to the floor. 5. He must state all motions that have been correctly moved and seconded, and restate, in the best possible form without changing the meaning, any motion that the proposer has failed to state correctly or clearly. 6. He should realize that one of the most im- portant functions of a chair is to serve as the instrument for making all questions clear to the assembly. Therefore, he should explain what the effect of a motion would be if it is not made clear to every member. 7. He must restrict discussion to such matters as bear directly upon the question before the assembly. 8. He must answer all parliamentary inquiries, and decide points of order and questions of privilege as soon as they arise. 9. When discussion on a question has ceased or has been closed by a motion to that ef- fect, the chairman must restate the exact question upon which the assembly is to vote, take the vote, and announce the result clearly. 10. He must protect the assembly from annoy- OFFICERS MANUAL 15 ance by refusing to recognize motions that are frivolous in character. 11. He is required to sign all acts or orders necessary to carry out the will of the as- sembly. 12. He is expected to act as the representative of the organization to outside persons or to other organized bodies whenever requested. 13. He must avoid “hurrying a motion through” so rapidly that he confuses the assembly, thus allowing members no time to think of points of discussion or of other motions. 2) The President as Organizer and Planner Conducting a successful Catholic Youth Coun- cil is not a “one man job.” There are many people actually working in a properly organized Catholic Youth Council, and it is the president’s duty to select these people, committee chairmen, and then to plan each one’s work. That is what is meant by organiz- ing and planning. To plan means to conserve time. Don Quixote said : “A man prepared has half fought the battle.” We know that in order to achieve results, we must plan for results. NO PLANNING means NO PREPARATION. When I hear of the one man society where the president does all the talking, all the planning, all the reporting, has no committees, it reminds me of the colored soldier who was at target practice. The red flag was over his target, indicating he had been missing it entirely. His superior rushed up to him and said: “Mose, where are you shooting.” Mose 16 OFFICERS MANUAL replied: “Ah don’ know where dese bullets is goin’ but de is leavin’ heah with an awful bang.” Such a president hits no targets. You cannot reach your objective alone. It takes the concerted effort of many minds to hit the bull’s eye of accomp- lishment in organizational leadership. There are many people who work in a properly organized Catholic Youth Council and the work of each must be planned and directed by the president. Duties of the President as Organizer and Planner After the Spiritual Director, the president is the chief executive officer. It is his duty to: 1. Appoint with the approval of the Spiritual Director, the chairmen of the various com- mittees, carefully choosing these people on the basis of their ability to handle the work of each particular committee. 2. Discuss details of the work of his office with last year’s president. This should give him ideas for improvement and assist him to avoid misfakes. 3. Prepare a budget for the organization and have it approved by the Executive Com- mittee which is composed of all officers and committee chairmen. 4. Insure the proper functioning of all elected and appointed officers. He calls all meet- ings of the officers, notices being issued by the secretary upon his instructions. 5. Preside at all meetings of the Executive Board. In his absence the vice-president acts for him. OFFICERS MANUAL 17 6. Hold meetings of the Executive Board no later than ten days after the regular meet- ing of the organization to approve bills for payment, receive a report from the treas- urer, approve further expenditures, and discuss matters of practice and policy, de- tails of the coming meeting, and the accom- plishments or non-accomplishments of the other officers and committee chairmen. 7. Immediately after election and completion of the official family, call a general meeting of this group known as the Executive Board, present each with an outline of duties, and discuss these with them so that they under- stand from the very beginning their definite responsibilities to their fellow officers and the membership. 8. Check with each committee chairman and officer, once each month, to see if any prob- lems have arisen which need discussion, and see that all plans are properly laid and working. 9. Countersign all orders on the treasurer for payment of money of the organization. 10. Radiate enthusiasm and give encouragement to all officers and committee chairmen in order that the best possible job may be done by all. 11. Formulate general plans for the year for the society and set up whatever goals seem advisable. 12. Confer with all committee chairmen as deemed necessary. 13. Make a schedule of dates for all meetings 18 OFFICERS MANUAL for the entire year and give a copy of this schedule to all members. 3) The President is Responsible for All Activities The president is responsible to the membership for all the activities. This is particularly true of those activities which are entrusted to committees. The president will therefore take every measure to secure active and dependable committees. Three Ways to make Committees Work Somebody once said there were two kinds of people necessary for a strong committee—some to make speeches, and some to do the work. Committees have been defined as bodies of men who keep minutes and waste hours. Nevertheless, they are necessary parts of any organized activity. The problem is how to get them to do the task assign- ed to them effectively and enthusiastically. The efficient president will : 1. Pick a good chairman and a close associate for assistant. 2. Prepare clear and written instructions for the committee. 3. Start off with an informal social meeting when possible. U) The President as the Intermediary Between Parish Organization and Diocesan Youth Council It is true that the Diocesan Youth Council is no stronger than its affiliates. And the Parish Youth Councils are no stronger than their officers. But this is particularly true of the president who holds the key position in the relations which exist between Parish Council and Diocesan Council. OFFICERS MANUAL 19 As an intermediary, the president has some specific duties to perform. 1. Consults the Diocesan Council when special problems arise or some special help is need- ed. 2. Informs the Diocesan Council or any new programs which have been planned. Fre- quently these programs can be suggested to other societies. 3. Advises the parish council what services and materials are available through the Diocesan Council.—Lecture Bureau, Lead- ership Schools, Entertainment Plans, Mem- bership and Vigil Committee Plans, Relig- ious Plans, Cultural Plans, Guidance Plans, Hobby Plans, Social Plans, and Athletic Plans, Various Literature and Supplies like attendance cards, record cards, member- ship cards, entry cards, etc. 4. Refers to the Parish Council and takes action on any special activities sponsored by the Diocesan Council. 5. Insists that officers and committee chair- men send the required reports to the Dioc- esan Council and that they send them promptly. 6. Answers promptly all correspondence re- ceived from the Union. 7. Attends all Parish Council, Deanery, and Diocesan Council meetings with proper rep- resentatives. (If the notice for these meet- ings state that action on a special question will be taken at the meeting, refer this matter to your membership so that your 20 OFFICERS MANUAL vote at the meeting will actually express the wishes of your society.) Conclusion While there are many specific duties imposed upon a president of the Catholic Youth Council they can all be summarized by saying that a president must have : 1. Ability 2. Willingness to work and work hard 3. Be able to plan 4. Be willing to learn 5. Be enthusiastic. Chapter 1 1 Mr. and Madam Secretary Next to the president, the secretary is the most important officer of the Catholic Youth Council. To simplify the discussion, the singular form will be adopted, namely THE SECRETARY and the mascu- line personal pronoun used. It is understood that whatever is predicted about the Secretary applies equally to the young men and young women. The many duties which the office imposes upon a secretary, as well as the fact that he must be a competent assistant to the president, indicates that the secretary must be a person of considerable gen- eral ability and specifically possess a great capacity for detail. The secretary actually combines in himself the offices of historian, scribe, record keeper, the signer of documents, and the custodian of supplies. Under each of these titles he has some specific duties to perform. There is some truth in the definition which says that “a secretary is a person who does all the work but allows some one else to take all the credit.” 1) The Historian As the historian, the secretary keeps a careful and authentic record of the proceedings of the or- ganization. These proceedings are called the min- utes of the organization. The secretary takes the minutes of all the meetings. That includes the meetings of the Executive Board, the general busi- ness meeting of the organization, and any special meetings which may be called. The minutes of each 22 OFFICERS MANUAL meeting are read at the subsequent meeting, are approved by the assembly either as written or as corrected, and become an official document only after the president has ordered the secretary to sign the same. The following order prevails in the reading of the minutes: 1. Meeting of Executive Board. The minutes of these meetings are read at the Executive Board meeting and at the general meeting of the society. 2. The general business meeting. The minutes of these meetings are read only at the gen- eral business meeting. 2) How to take Minutes 1. During the meetings, the secretary takes notes on what is happening. He does not attempt to write the actual minutes. 2. As soon after the meeting as possible, the secretary transcribes these notes and pre- pares the minutes. Since these minutes are the official record of the society, they must be prepared with great care, and written neatly and legibly, preferably type- written. The conscientious secretary will prepare a preliminary draft before he at- tempts the official minutes. 3. The minutes are kept in an official minute book. This can be a well-bound record book or better a sturdy loose-leaf binder. The loose-leaf binder is preferable since it per- mits the typewriting of the minutes. The pages of the minute book are numbered consecutively. OFFICERS MANUAL 23 The Contents of Minutes 1. Opening sentence containing the following information : a. A statement on the nature of the meet- ing, a regular, special, or adjoined meet- ing. b. The name of the organization. c. The time, date, and place of the meeting. d. The name of the presiding officer. 2. A conclusion with the phrase “Respectfully submitted”, followed by the name of the secretary. 3. A record of all things done by the organiza- tion. (The record of the details of a dis- cussion is omitted). 4. The personal opinions of the secretary are not recorded in the minutes. Example: “Mr. John Smith gave an interesting and eloquent talk on ‘Filth on our News Stands’.” The ‘interesting’ and ‘eloquent’ are personal opinions. The minutes merely record the fact that Mr. Smith spoke on “Filth on our News Stands”. A summary of his address can be incorporated, but it is not essential to do so. 5. All motions, even if lost, are recorded. The name of the member making the motion is included. The results of the vote are also recorded. 6. Reports made by committee chairmen or officers may be summarized in the minutes but the original report is filed in a special 24 OFFICERS MANUAL record book. The fact that a chairman pre- sented a report and the page on which this report is filed is always mentioned in the minutes. 3) The Scribe As scribe, the secretary conducts the corres- pondence of the organization and prepares and issues all notices. Societies who have more than one secretary assign these duties to the corresponding secretary. As scribe, the secretary performs the following duties: Notices The secretary prepares and sends all notices. These include: 1. Notices for the Executive Board meetings. (Always state date, place, and time for all meetings.) 2. The General Meeting. These notices are sent to the entire membership. The sending is so timed that the notice will reach the members two or three days before the meet- ing date. 3. Appropriate notices for the parish bulletin and other parish publications. 4. The secretary prepares a special notice on the regular meeting and Communion Sun- day and gives the same to the Reverend Pastor so that he may use it, as the basis for his announcements on the Sunday previous to the Communion. 5. The secretary provides the chairman with an order of business and time schedule for OFFICERS MANUAL 25 each meeting. He lists specifically the un- finished business of the society. This is con- tained in the minutes of the previous meet- ing. 6. Frequently, especially in smaller organiza- tions, the duties of publicity chairman are assigned to the secretary. Correspondence The secretary receives all correspondence, even though it may be addressed to another officer. He reads this correspondence at the meetings and an- swers the same. The following procedure should be followed : 1. Read the correspondence privately, under- stand its contents and importance before attempting to read it at a meeting. 2. Correspondence which pertains to matters reserved to the Executive Board is read at their meeting before it is referred to the general meeting. 3. All correspondence is read at the general meeting. If the correspondence calls for specific action by the organization, the sec- retary makes a motion that the action be taken. 4. All correspondence is read in a way that the entire assembly can hear and understand its contents. 5. If the correspondence is lengthy, or the time schedule limited, the secretary may read a synopsis of the various correspondence re- ceived but this must include all the impor- 26 OFFICERS MANUAL tant points contained in the correspondence. Presenting a synopsis should be the excep- tion and not the rule of an organization. 6. The secretary answers all correspondence promptly. U) The Record Keeper The secretary is the official custodian of the records of the organization. Under this title, the secretary performs the following service. Roll Call and Membership Record 1. Keeps a roll of the members. 2. Is prepared to call the roll when necessary. 3. Adds the names of new members to his list, noting the date of reception or transfer from another organization. 4. Gives names of new members to the treasurer for his records. 5. Gives names of new members to the Pastor so that he may insert the name in the offi- cial register. (This is a canonical require- ment for Confraternities). Attendance Record 1. Keeps an accurate record of the attendance and non-attendance of members at Holy Communion. This record is secured by ask- ing the members at the Communion Mass to sign attendance cards. The secretary trans- cribes these records to a master card. 2. Reports the total attendance at Communion and the meeting to the general meeting and the meeting of the Executive Board. OFFICERS MANUAL 27 Other Records 1. The secretary keeps a record of his own minutes as well as those of previous years. While technically these records are always in the possession of the secretary, it is wise, in order to guard against loss, to store the old minutes of the organization in the parish vault. 2. Keeps a copy of the Constitution and By- Laws of the parish and Diocesan Councils and brings a copy of these to all meetings of the organization. 3. Keeps a record of all officers, chairmen, and members of the standing and special com- mittees, and brings a list of these to all meetings. 4. Receives copies of all reports made by the officers and chairmen of the committees and files the same in an official report book. It is suggested that a loose-leaf binder be used. The secretary must produce these records upon demand. The reports of previous years are also in his custody but for safe-keeping it is again suggested that they be stored in the parish vault. 5. Keeps all correspondence received and a copy of all letters sent by the organization. A simple but adequate filing system should be employed. The secretary must take every precaution to guard against the loss or mis- placement of correspondence. 6. At the end of the year, the secretary pre- pares an annual report summarizing all the 28 OFFICERS MANUAL activities, proceedings, and progress of the organization. 7. At the end of his term, the secretary sur- renders all records and files to his successor. 5) The Signer Of Documents In addition to signing his own documents, like minutes, reports, and correspondence, the secretary also signs, with the president, all the official docu- ments, resolutions, and papers of the organization. 6) Custodian Of Supplies The secretary is the official custodian of all supplies and property of the organization. His main duty, as custodian, is to see that ample supplies of materials needed for the meetings are always at hand. This applies primarily to membership appli- cation blanks, membership cards, attendance cards, and record cards. The secretary gives these supplies, as needed, to the officers who are charged with the actual distribution of the same. This hurried review indicates that the office of secretary is an important one. It makes many de- mands and requires real ability. Like all officers of the Catholic Youth Council, the secretary must be willing to work hard, be anxious to learn more about his work, and be enthusiastic. A secretary who ful- fills his obligations thoroughly is indeed the unsung hero of the society. Chapter III Mr. and Madam Treasurer The treasurer is the financial agent of the Cath- olic Youth Council and the custodian of its funds. Whenever possible, a member with experience in financial matters should be chosen for this position. His duties can be classified as Collector of Revenue, Bookkeeper, Paymaster, and Controller. The treas- urer also keeps the organization informed of the manner in which he is performing these several duties. He gives regular accounts of his steward- ship, and this account reflects the financial position of the organization. 1 ) The Collector Of Revenue The treasurer collects and receives all the revenue of the organization. In general, this revenue comes from two sources, the dues and the activities of the organization. The duties which the treasurer performs as collector are : Dues 1. Keeps a record of all members. On this record card, the treasurer writes the amount of dues paid, the date when paid, and the year to which the payment was applied. 2. Issues a receipt in duplicate for the pay- ment of all dues. The original is given to the member and the copy kept by the treasurer. The duplicate is needed for post- ing in the book. 30 OFFICERS MANUAL 3. Send statements to those members who have not paid their dues within a reason- able time. Care should be taken to make the sending of these statements inoffensive. One parish has found that, by giving their members an analysis of how their dues are expended, they are disposed to pay the same more readily. 4. Receives the proceeds from all activities of the society. 5. Deposits all money received in the organiza- tion’s bank account. All money should be deposited as soon as possible. 2) The Bookkeeper 1. The treasurer keeps adequate financial records and books of account, showing all receipts and disbursements of the Catholic Youth Council. These records include the duplicate receipt blanks, invoices, and vouchers as well as the cancelled checks. At the end of his term, the treasurer turns over all records to his successor. 2. The books of the treasurer are audited once each year by an auditing committee. This committee is appointed by the Executive Board. The committee is expected to make a comprehensive and not merely a balance sheet audit. 3) The Paymaster The treasurer pays all the bills and obligations of the organization. In disbursing the funds of the organization, he assumes a grave responsibility. The OFFICERS MANUAL 31 following procedure should be followed in the pay- ment of obligations. The treasurer : 1. Maintains a bank account in the name of the organization in which are deposited all receipts and from which are paid all dis- bursements. 2. Receives all bills, carefully audits the same, and if the original expenditure has been authorized by another officer, he obtains his authorization for payment. 3. Presents all bills against the organization to the executive board meeting and upon their approval and with the authorization of the president he pays the same. 4. All bills should be paid by check. If an or- ganization finds it too burdensome to main- tain a checking account, the treasurer de- mands a receipt for all payments. 5. It is a good policy to set up a petty cash fund for the minor expenses of the secre- tary. This fund is authorized by the Ex- ecutive Board. The secretary keeps a record of the disbursements from this fund. At the end of his term, the secretary gives an accounting of this fund to the treasurer and turns back to him any balance which may remain. U) The Controller An insolvent institution cannot function suc- cessfully. There is nothing which destroys the spirit of an organization so quickly as to be told constant- ly that there is a deficit. It is a very important duty of the treasurer, therefore, to take every precaution 32 OFFICERS MANUAL that expenditures do not exceed income, namely, that the organization remain solvent. A budget is invaluable. This budget imposes additional work upon the treasurer. The treasurer prepares the budget at the beginning of his term of office. The treasurer, in preparing the budget: 1. Determines the probable income of the or- , ganization. 2. Asks the several officers and chairmen to estimate the expense which their work will involve during the new year. 3. Presents the estimated income and expenses to the Executive Board meeting. The Board, after careful consideration, adopts a definite budget. This budget is so arranged that it will provide some addition to surplus at the end of the year. 4. Watches the expenditures so that they do not exceed the budgetary allotments. 5) Reports The treasurer is expected to give an account of his stewardship and to keep the society informed on its financial condition. He presents a report: 1. At each meeting of the Executive Board and at each meeting of the organization. 2. These reports state the receipts and dis- bursements of the organization for the past month as well as the cash balance on hand. 3. At the end of the fiscal year, the treasurer prepares a comprehensive report showing the total receipts and disbursements for the year, the gain or loss for the year, and the assets and liabilities of the organization. OFFICERS MANUAL 33 TREASURER’S REPORT Month of February, 191*0 Receipts Dues $ 8.00 Skating Party 20.00 Total receipts $28.00 Disbursements Postage—statements, etc. ..$ 2.50 Monthly Notices 1.00 Table Tennis Paddles 2.00 Subscription to Catholic Digest 3.00 Total disbursements 8.50 February 1, 1940 Cash Balance $15.00 Receipt’s for February 28.00 $43.00 Disbursements for February 8.50 March 1, 1940 Cash Balance ....$34,50 Submitted by, Treasurer, 1940 Special Problems In addition to the specific duties which the treasurer performs by virtue of his office, he is fre- quently considered the financial adviser of the or- ganization. Special questions and problems are re- ferred to him. A discussion of some of these fol- lows: 34 OFFICERS MANUAL Per Capita The payment of the per capita assessment which is the revenue maintaining the Council some- times causes misunderstanding. The argument is frequently made : “Why should we pay for 100 mem- bers, when only 60 members pay their dues to us?” This question indicates a poorly managed organi- zation and it reveals that the person asking the question does not understand the basis of the per capita assessment. An organization cannot submit an accurate figure on its active membership, unless an accurate record is kept on the Communion attendance. The best way of securing an accurate Communion record is to pass out attendance cards at the Communion Mass and to transcribe these records on a master card. This work should be done by the secretary or attendance committee chairman. Financing the Parish Society The question is frequently asked “How can we finance our organization?” It seems logical to an- swer “By assessing each member a reasonable annual dues.” There are some who object to dues in the Cath- olic Youth Council because as they say “it is a spirit- ual society.” The Catholic Youth Council is indeed a spiritual or better a religious organization, but after all its members are human beings, and so human means are necessary to help encourage these men to realize the spiritual goal of the organization. The Catholic Church is indeed a Spiritual So- ciety and yet the Church has certain definite tem- poral needs in fulfilling Her divine mission. OFFICERS MANUAL 35 Others object to dues in the Catholic Youth Council and allege that it keeps youth away from the organization. This is fiction rather than fact. The average youth who belongs to an organization wants to contribute toward its maintenance and he is very willing to do so if he knows what the money is used for and if the amount is reasonable. One Dollar is most reasonable, and if there are any who cannot afford this small payment, special arrangements can be made to cancel their dues without humiliating the individual. In conclusion, it can be said that a well managed organization faces no financial difficulties. Financial problems are merely an indication of more basic troubles, either inefficient officers or the lack of plan- ning and organization. Chapter IV The Committee Chairman An organization would accomplish very little if all things had to be done and all questions fully dis- cussed by the entire assembly. Experience has proven the wisdom of selecting a few members of an organization and assigning to them a specific task. Such small groups selected for a definite pur- pose are known as committees. Committees are channels through which the work of organizations may be carried on efficiently. There are some very definite advantages to a committee system. The following can be cited: 1. Committees provide a fuller and a more intelligent discussion of a subject since it is presumed that members are assigned to committees on the basis of their qualifica- tions to deal with a specific subject. 2. Committees insure actual performance of the work assigned, since the smaller group under a competent executive is more easily managed than an entire organization. 1 ) Types Of Committees There are two kinds of committees, Standing and Special Committees. Standing Committee is one which is charged with the performance of a permanent work or activ- ity of the society and its establishment is provided for in the Constitution or By-Laws of the society. Its tenure is co-extensive with the tenure of the elective officers. OFFICERS MANUAL 37 Special Committee is one which is appointed to perform some special work of the society. It re- mains active until its work has been accomplished, e.g., a Picnic Committee. 2) Structure Of Committees Every committee should consist of the following personnel : 1. A chairman appointed by the president of the organization. This chairman is the ex- ecutive of the committee. Consequently his choices should be dictated by his executive ability as well as his general interest in and knowledge of the work assigned. 2. A secretary appointed by the chairman of the committee. 3. A group of members. The number of mem- bers appointed to a committee depends upon the nature of the work and the size of the organization. As a general rule enough members should be appointed so that the work can be done efficiently without bur- dening any one member. Duties Of The Chairman 1. Presides at all meetings of the committee. 2. Appoints the members of his committee. 3. Explains the duties of the committee to the members. 4. Assigns specific tasks to each member. 5. Supervises the work. 6. Is responsible to the organization for the actual performance of the work entrusted to the committee. 38 OFFICERS MANUAL 7. Reports to the Executive Board and to the meeting of the society. Method Of Operation 1. Immediately after its appointment, the committee meets to discuss its work and the method in which it will perform the same. The specific assignments are made at this meeting. 2. After the meeting, the committee begins to function. The chairman keeps in close communication with each member to ascer- tain that each is functioning properly. 3. At appointed times, the committee meets to study results achieved and problems en- countered. 4. The secretary takes the minutes of all com- mittee meetings and presents a copy of the same to the chairman. He also notifies the members of the time and place of all com- mittee meetings. 5. The chairman presents a report of the activities of the committee to all meetings of the Executive Board as well as to the general meetings of the society. 3) Some Specific Committees Of The Catholic Youth Council Membership Committee This is the most important committee of the Catholic Youth Council. It is the sales force of the organization. It is charged with the responsibility OFFICERS MANUAL 39 of securing new members as well as with keeping present members active and bringing back to activ- ity such as have become inactive. Membership Recruiting This committee in its recruiting work must study the following facts : 1. Who are members of the organization? To obtain this information it is necessary that an organization maintain an accurate record system. 2. Who are the prospective members? This presumes a survey or census which will re- veal the names of eligible youth. 3. Why are these eligible youth not members? Only two reasons can be assigned for their non-membership. a. They have not been invited to join. b. The purpose, the program and the personal, social, and religious advan- tages of the Catholic Youth Council have not been explained to them. 4. How can the membership of these eligible youth be secured? By the committee mem- bers extending a courteous invitation and explaining to them the story of the Catholic Youth Council. From this it is quite apparent that the mem- bership committee, like any sales force, must be well trained and be able to explain the product, namely, the Catholic Youth Council which it is trying to sell. 40 OFFICERS MANUAL Maintaining Membership In maintaining membership, the committee must know: 1. Who are the inactive members? This again presumes accurate records. It emphasizes, too, that the committee will call upon the delinquent members and invite them back to activity. Activity Committees Every Catholic Youth Council should have a committee for each department of activity, e.g., a Social, Hobby, Cultural, Athletic, and Guidance Committees. Like the membership, these committees are essentially sales forces, selling the present member- ship on a specific activity of the society. These committees do the following: 1. Interest the youth in activities. 2. Secure their participation in specific activi- ties. 3. Assist the director in the conduct of activities. 4. Advise the director on program changes, such as the addition or deletion of activities or the manner in which activities are con- ducted. Conclusion Committees are important officers in a society. Their chairman and members must be chosen on the basis of ability and their qualifications for the specific task assigned. 1812 N 1A S6AC^MT«W*NUE.N.«. WASHttW®" * C