History of the Constitution 71 



ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF 

 THE ASSOCIATION 



History of the Constitution 



When the Association was organized in 1848 it adopted and began opera- 

 tions under "Objects and Rules of the Association," consisting of a state- 

 ment of "Objects" and 20 "Rules" that had been drawn up and presented by 

 a committee appointed for the purpose the preceding year. The "Objects" 

 were almost identical with Article 1 of the present constitution. The supreme 

 power of the Association was vested in the Standing Committee, consisting 

 of the general officers, the chairmen and secretaries of the sections and six 

 other elected members. The annual dues of one dollar per year entitled each 

 member to a copy of the Proceedings of the Association. One of the duties 

 of the Local Committee in each city in which the Association met was to 

 provide funds for paying for publishing the Proceedings of the meeting. 



In 1 85 1 the "Objects and Rules" became a "Constitution" with two 

 amendments, one providing for dropping members who were in arrears on 

 their dues for two years and the other raising the annual dues to two dollars. 



In 1856 a new draft of the Constitution was adopted. There were no By- 

 Laws but certain actions of the Standing Committee were carried under the 

 heading, "Resolutions of a Permanent and Prospective Character." 



After discussions extending over two years a completely revised constitu- 

 tion of 38 articles was adopted in 1874. The committee reporting on the pro- 

 visions of the new constitution said, "The constitutional troubles, which for 

 many years have often caused the meetings to assume the temporary char- 

 acter of a parliamentary body, have finally been disposed of . . ." The annual 

 dues of members were increased from two to three dollars. 



In 1874 the Association was incorporated under the laws of the Common- 

 wealth of Massachusetts. The articles of incorporation gave the Association 

 the right of "receiving, purchasing, holding, and conveying real and personal 

 property, which it now is, or hereafter may be possessed of, with all powers 

 and privileges, and subject to the restrictions, duties and liabilities set forth 

 in the general laws which now or hereafter may be in force and applicable 

 to such corporations." 



The Constitution of the Association was amended in 1881, 1886 and 18S7. 

 In 1887 the Standing Committee was changed to the Council. Occasionally 

 minor amendments to the Constitution were adopted, and several were made 

 in 1899. 



