Volume 6, Number 6 - Winter 1978
Constitution
ARTICLE I - NAME
Section 1. The name of this society shall be: The White River Valley Historical Society.
ARTICLE II- PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1. The purpose of this society shalt be to bring together those people interested in history, and especially the history of the upper reaches of the White River Valley, centering in Taney County, Missouri, and extending into the counties of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas whose tributaries flow into the White River.
Section 2. The society’s major objective shall be to discover and collect any material which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the area. It may collect printed material, manuscripts and museum items pertinent to the history of the area.
Section 3. The society shall disseminate historical information and arouse interest in the past by publishing historical material in the newspapers or otherwise; by holding meetings with pageants, addresses, lectures, papers and discussions; by marking historic buildings, sites, and trails; and, by using the media of radio and television to awaken public interest.
Section 4. The society shall cooperate with the State Historical Society of Missouri to collect and preserve materials of state-wide significance.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active members: Any individual, family, organization, institution, or business firm interested in the purposes and objectives of the society.
Section 2. Honorary members: Any persons whose activities have contributed to the objectives of the society may be awarded at any meeting an honorary membership upon a recommendation of the Board of Directors and a two-thirds vote of the members present.
Section 3. Life members: Any person who contributes a specified cash gift to the society.
ARTICLE IV- OFFICERS AND COUNTY DIRECTORS
Section 1. The elective officers shall be president, vice-president, and historian who shall be elected for a one-year term; a secretary-treasurer and nine county directors who shall be elected for three-year terms.
Section 2. The terms of the county directors shall be staggered with three being elected each year. Section 3. The editor of the quarterly shall be an appointed officer.
ARTICLE V - ELECTIONS
Section 1. The officers and county directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting held in June.
Section 2. Election shall be by ballot unless there is but one nominee for an office, then the election may be viva-voce and a majority of the votes cast shall constitute an election.
Section 3. A nominee for election shall be a dues-paid member and only those members who have consented to serve shall be eligible.
Section 4. A person who has served as a county director for two consecutive terms, or served as an officer for three consecutive terms shall not be eligible to the same office unless there is an interval of one term.
Section 5. Officers and directors shall be installed at the close of the Annual Meeting and shall assume their duties not later than June 30.
Section 6. In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer or county director, except the president, the vacancy shall be filled by the remaining board members for the unexpired part of the term. In case of a presidential vacancy, the vice-president becomes President.
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ARTICLE VI - STATE AFFILATION
Section 1. The White River Valley Historical Society shall hold an auxiliary membership in the State Historical Society of Missouri. (Invitation extended and accepted 10-29-61)
Section 2. The W.R.V.H.S. shall thereby be entitled to a delegate to the annual meeting of the State Historical Society and a complimentary copy of the Missouri Historical Review.
ARTICLE VII- AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of eligible members present and voting, provided notice was given at the previous meeting or printed in the quarterly prior to the meeting.
Section 2. This Constitution may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with previous notice and a two-thirds vote of members present and voting.
Section 3. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section 1. Annual dues for active members shall be five dollars ($5.00) and one vote allowed for each membership paid.
Section 2. Honorary members shall be entitled to all privileges of the society except those of voting and holding office; and shall not be required to pay dues. All privileges shall be granted if honorary member wishes to pay dues.
Section 3. Life membership dues shall be one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) and the member shall be granted all privileges of the society.
Section 4. Dues for the current fiscal year must accompany all applications for membership.
Section 5. Annual dues shall be payable in advance of the first day of July and members in arrear more than three (3) months after payment is due shall be dropped from membership.
ARTICLE II- MEETINGS & QUORUM
Section 1. Regular meetings of the society shall be held quarterly on the second Sunday in September, December, March and June, except when otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors or a 2/3 vote of the society.
Section 2.The regular June meeting shall be the Annual meeting.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the President, Board of Directors or fifteen active members whose request has been submitted to the Board in writing.
Section 4. The Board of Directors shall meet quarterly, if necessary, and four members present shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5. Fifteen active members shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the society.
ARTICLE III - DUES OF OFFICERS & COUNTY DIRECTORS
Section 1. President: It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors; appoint the chairmen of the standing committees; appoint special committees when empowered to do so; give an annual report; and, be ex-officio a member of all committees except the committee on nominations.
Section 2. Vice-president: It shall be the duty of the vice-president to assume the duties of the president in the absence or resignation of the president; and act as program chairman.
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Section 3. Secretary-Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the secretary-treasurer to keep the minutes of the meetings of the Society and Board of Directors; maintain a list of members; conduct the general correspondence of the organization and special communications as directed by the president; prepare the meeting agenda; notify committees of their appointment; collect all dues and other monies; keep an accurate account of all monies received and disbursed; pay mandatory bills promptly and other bills as authorized; submit a quarterly report and an annual report; keep an up-to-the-minute roster in the hands of the circulation manager of the S of 0 Press for mailing the quarterly; and perform all other duties pertaining to this office.
Section 4. Historian: It shall be the duty of the historian to write and keep a permanent history; record the activities of the society; and read the current year’s history at the annual meeting.
Section 5: Editor: It shall be the duty of the editor to compile material and submit copy for publication in the White River Valley Historical Society Quarterly with each issue to be distributed by the first of the month preceding each meeting.
Section 6. County Directors: It shall be the duty of the county directors to act as membership chairmen and promote membership drives in their respective counties.
Section 7. All officers and committee chairmen shall perform the duties specified in the bylaws and other functions as requested by the president; and, prepare a resume of the year’s activities. They shall deliver to the president or the societies office by June 30 all records, papers and/or other property of the society.
ARTICLE IV - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected officers, county directors, the quarterly editor and the chairmen of the standing committees.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall attend to the business of the society between meetings; designate changes, when necessary, of the time and place of meetings, and perform the duties as designated in the bylaws or otherwise assigned to it.
Section 3. The acts and rules of the Board shall not conflict with those of the Society. Section 4. The Board shall render an annual report at the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES AND DUTIES
Section 1. Library: This committee shall be responsible for indexing each issue of the quarterly within three months after publication; and keep a scrapbook composed of newspaper articles, meeting notices, etc. and any other public items pertaining to members. This material may be sent to the secretary who will forward it.
Section 2. Museum: This committee shall be responsible for collecting historical objects to be placed in museums or exhibits and shall cooperate with museum directors in the White River Valley.
Section 3. Publicity: This committee shall be responsible for writing and sending notices to local and area publications concerning meetings and other activities of the society.
Section 4. Historic Sites: This committee shall be responsible for establishing the historic validity for sites proposed for marking; for marking historic sites; and for arranging historical tours.
Section 5. Nominating: This committee shall nominate one candidate for each office to be filled and shall read their report at the meeting previous to the Annual Meeting. .A second reading of the report having been made and nominations allowed from the floor, election shall be as stated in Article V - Sections i and 2 of the Constitution.
ARTICLE VI- FISCAL YEAR
Section 1. The fiscal year for the society shall be from July 1st to June 30th.
ARTICLE VII- PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the proceedings of this society, subject to the rules which have been or may be adopted.
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ARTICLE VIII- AMENDMENT
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended at any regular or adjourned meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided notice has been given at the previous meeting, notification by mail, of published in the quarterly.
Section 2. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.
General revision - adopted at the December 11, 1977, regular meeting
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