Community Center Circular No. 1 January, 1919 DEPARTMENT OF THE. INTERIOR BUREAU OF ''EDUCATION * CONSTITUTION A COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION . UNIVERSITY OF CALIFO H, Recommended ly the United States Bureau of Education "\ UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1919 CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, residing in _. in order more perfectly to fulfill the' obligations of our membership in humanity and of our citizenship in this Nation, this State, this county (this city or town), and this local community, and thus to secure the blessings of democracy to ourselves and our posterity, do consti- tute ourselves a Community Association, and, for our use and guidance, do ordain and establish this CON- STITUTION. ARTICLE I. Name. The name of this organization is the ..COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. 98223 19 (3) ARTICLE II. Purpose. Our purpose in this Association is orderly, all-sided, constructive conference upon public questions, and practical cooperation in ths common interest. ARTICLE III. Membership. SECTION 1. Members. All citizens of the United States, 21 years of age or over, both men and women, residing in _. are, by virtue of this national citizenship and this resi- dence, members of this Association, and have full and equal responsibility and right to attend all Community Meetings, to participate in all discussions, and, upon being registered or enrolled, to vote and otherwise share in the proper exercise of citizen authority in and through this Association. SECTION 2. Prospective members. All aliens, 21 years of age or over, both men and women, residing in who have declared their intention to become citizens, are, by virtue of this declaration of intention and this residence, prospective members of this Association, and as such may not vote, hold office, or otherwise share in the exercise of citizen authority in or through this Association. ARTICLE IV. Officers. The officers of this Association are President, Vice President, and Community Secretary. ARTICLE V. Duties of officers. SECTION 1. President. It is the duty of the Presi- dent of this Association to preside at all Community Meetings and to perform such other functions as are hereinafter prescribed. SECTION 2. Vice President. It is the duty of the Vice President of this Association to preside at Com- munity Meetings in the absence, or at the request, of the President. SECTION 3. The Community Secretary. It is the duty of the Community Secretary to serve as the agent of all citizens of the United States residing in this community and constituting the membership of this Association in officially communicating with and receiv- ing official communications from National, State, and county representatives and administrators, and in pre- 6 paring for market and dispatching or ordering and re- ceiving commodities for residents of this community as this Association may direct ; to serve as the clerk in connection with and at such Community Meetings as this Association may direct to be called, inviting and arranging for the coming of such public officials, can didates for public office, or other speakers as the Asso- ciation may desire to hear ; seeing that the school build- ing is open and in readiness for each Community Meet- ing or other gathering arranged by, or under the aus- pices of, this association; being responsible to the board of school directors for assuring the observance of the board's regulations established to forward the rightful and prevent the, improper use of the public- school property; keeping a correct roll of registered members and prospective members, and a complete record of attendance, topics considered, principal speakers, and actions taken at each Community Meet- ing; to serve as custodian of all books, pamphlets, charts, pictures, and other informational or exhibit material belonging to, loaned to, or to be acquired by this Association; cataloguing and arranging the same so as to facilitate its effective and proper use, and mak- ing available for signing such nominating, initiating, or other petitions, subscription rolls, lists of positions vacant, applications for employment, or other lists, forms, or files as the Association may direct or the pub- lie need require to be compiled or kept ; to serve as the executive of this Association in arranging for such oc- casional or special programs, lectures, exhibits, enter- tainments, celebrations, festivals, and commemorations as this Association may direct, in organizing and con- ducting the social and recreational activity of the youth and children of the community as this associa- tion may direct, and in managing whatever tax-main- tained cooperative enterprise or enterprises or local branch of a National, State, or county enterprise or enterprises may be established or authorized to be con- ducted in or in connection with this public-school building; to serve as supervisor of dramatic, literary, or other special-group organizations, societies, clubs, or classes that may be formed under the auspices of this Association, or authorized to meet in this school building; and, at all times and in every way, to seek to assure a proper coordination and harmony between the instructional use of the public-school property for the children and its use by the other members of this community. ARTICLE VI. Election of officers. The election of the officers of this Association shall be by ballot. The officers elected at the time of organiza- tion shall serve until the Annual Community Meeting, to be held in June. Thereafter the term of each office 8 shall be one year. Each officer shall serv3 until his suc- cessor shall have been duly installed. Any officer may be recalled at any regular Community Meeting upon a three-fourths vote of the members present, the Associa- tion having determined by a two-thirds vote at a Com- munity Meeting held at least two weeks before that the question of such officer's recall is to be voted on at such Community Meeting. In the event of the death, resig- nation, or recall of any officer, or in the event of failure on the part of the board of school directors to ratify the citizens' election of Community Secretary and to intrust to the person thus elected the care of the public- school property for its use outside of regular school hours, a special election shall be held upon arrange- ment with the board of school directors, due notice of such special election being given. ARTICLE VII. Committees. There shall be seven standing committees: The Committee on Food Production and Marketing, the Committee on Savings and Investment, the Committee on Health and Sanitation, the Committee on Employ- ment Service, the Committee on Recreation and the In- terests of Youth, the Committee on Child Welfare, and the Executive Committee. Special committees may be appointed from time to time as the Association shall direct. The chairmen of all committees, except the Executive, shall be named by the officers of the Associa- tion, subject to the approval of the Association. The chairman of each committee, except the Executive, shall select the other members of his committee. The duties of the several committees, except the Executive, shall be to cooperate with the Community Secretary in pro- moting understanding and effective action regarding the particular matters indicated by their respective titles and to discharge such other functions as this association may direct. The officers of the Association, together with the chairmen of the several committees, shall constitute the Executive Committee. The presi- dent of the Association shall serve ex officio as chair- man of the Executive Committee. The Executive Com- mittee shall act as advisory council to the Community Secretary, and discharge such other functions as the Association may direct. ARTICLE VIII. Meetings. A regular Community Meeting shall be held in the Schoolhouse on the of each month, beginning at o'clock. Special community meetings may be called at any time by the community secretary. 10 ARTICLE IX. Quorum. members present at any regular Commu- nity Meeting and members present at any special community meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. ARTICLE X. Amendments. This CONSTITUTION may be altered or amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular Community Meeting, the proposal to amend having been submitted in writing at a regular Com- munity Meeting not less than two weeks prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be voted on. ORDER OF BUSINESS. I. Call to order. II. Reading of minutes of previous meeting. III. Correction or approval of minutes of previous meeting. IV. Presentation of proclamations of the President of the United States or other official state- ments or communications from National, State, county, or municipal representatives or administrators. V. Discussion and action regarding matters pre- sented in official communications. VI. Reports of standing committees. ' VII. Reports of special committees. VIII. Presentation of and discussion and action upon unfinished business. IX. Presentation of and discussion and action upon new business. X. Address of evening or other special program. XI. Discussion and action upon matters presented in address of evening. XII. Adjournment. (Music or other entertainment may, of course, pre- cede and social activities follow this regular order of business.) (ID RULES OF PROCEDURE. Rule 1. Parliamentary usage, as set forth in Robert's Rules of Order Revised, and parliamentary courtesy shall be strictly observed in the con- duct of all community meetings. Rule 2. All participation in discussion, whether upon matters presented in official communications, unfinished or new business, or matters set forth in the address of the evening, shall relate directly to questions properly before the meeting at the time and must have the character of orderly, all-sided, constructive conference. Otherwise, it is out of order. Rule 3. In all discussions speakers, except the speaker of the evening, shall be limited to five min- utes each, with extension of time only by unanimous consent. Rule 4. In all discussions no person may speak a sec- ond time until all others who wish to speak have spoken. Rule 5. Before adjournment the speaker of the even- ing shall be given opportunity to sum up, an- swer questions, and close the discussion. The Order of Business may be suspended or changed, and the Rules of Procedure may be altered, amended, or added to by a three-fourths vote of the members present at any regular or special community meeting. (12) O