Constitution of Friends' Historical Association: As of Twelfth Month 1, 1938

CONSTITUTION OF F. H. A.97 CONSTITUTION OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION As of Twelfth Month 1, 1938 Historical Preamble, 1924 Friends' Historical Association was founded Twelfth Month 4, 1873, adopted its Constitution First Month 8, 1874, and was incorporated Ninth Month 25, 1875. Friends' Historical Society of Philadelphia was founded in 1904, and was merged into the older Association in Twelfth Month, 1923. The following Constitution , based upon that of 1874, with certain modifications chiefly from the Constitution of Friends' Historical Society of Philadelphia , is now agreed upon and adopted, Fourth Month 2, 1924. Original Preamble, 1874 "Believing that the Society of Friends has been and is potential for good and that necessity exists to create a Repository for such Books, Manuscripts, or other material as may be secured, wherewith to Elucidate its History; and realizing the importance of social intercourse in enlarging our sympathies, and creating an incentive to action in Kindred pursuits, the undersigned, for the purposes above set forth, do form ourselves into a Society to be known by the name and title of 'Friends' Historical Association'." ARTICLE I Name The name of this Association shall be Friends' Historical Association . ARTICLE II Objects The objects of the Association shall be to collect, preserve, and publish manuscripts and other materials bearing upon the history of the Society of Friends, or Quakers ; to encourage and promote among its members historical reading, research, and writing in this field ; to hold meetings, make historical pilgrimages, preserve and mark places and objects of special significance in Quaker history ; and to cooperate with other individuals and organizations along these lines. 98 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION ARTICLE III Membership Any person interested in the objects of the Association is eligible for membership and may be elected thereto by a majority vote at any meeting of the Directors, or with the approval of the Secretary and one other member of the Association. Honorary or Corresponding Members may be elected to the Association. Honorary membership shall be reserved for those who have done notable research work in the field of history, preferably in the history of the Society of Friends. Honorary and Corresponding Members shall have all the privileges of membership except voting, and shall be exempt from the payment of dues. Upon receipt of any gift or bequest of one thousand dollars or more, the donor or the person in whose memory the fund is given shall be elected to perpetual membership. The names of such members shall be printed in all lists of membership, and if the person is deceased the name shall be followed by the words, "In Memoriam." ARTICLE IV Directors and Officers The fourteen Directors prescribed by the Charter shall be elected annually and they in turn shall elect annually from their number a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall serve as the officers alike of the Association and of the Directors. The Directors may fill vacancies in their number. In addition to the regular officers as above, the Directors are empowered, as they see fit, to elect Honorary Officers from the membership of the Association. ARTICLE V Funds All life membership dues, legacies, bequests, amounts oversubscribed to special funds, and such funds or other amounts as may from time to time be so appropriated by the Directors, shall constitute a Permanent Fund, to be kept invested, and the income therefrom to be used for the general purposes of the Association. The principal of the Permanent Fund may be appropriated for BY-LAWS OF F. H. A.99 other purposes of a substantial and permanent character, if such appropriation is agreed to by two-thirds of the total number of Directors, after one month's prior notice in writing stating the specific purposes proposed. ARTICLE VI Seal The Seal of the Association shall be as impressed in the margin of this Constitution. ARTICLE VII By-Laws The details of the management of the Association shall be provided for in the By-Laws. ARTICLE VIII Amendments This Constitution may be amended at any meeting of the Association, provided that a notice of the intended amendment shall be given in writing, through the Directors to the members...