Angora Club

PREAMBLE

When we reflect upon the character and valor of the men and women who founded our nation, we easily perceive that it was not the courage, the valor or idealism of any one man or group of men, but that it was the sterling character, lofty idealism and sturdy physical strength of all those patriots that made possible the foundation of that civilization which is at once the crowning achievement and hope of mankind.

The Declaration of Independence was not alone the expression of an aspiration or the prayerful hope for the realization of an ideal, it was more than all that; that immortal declaration was in very truth the ordination and the dedication of an accomplished state of liberty, founded on eternal principles taught our revolutionary forefathers, by the mountains, the valleys and the forests in which they labored and lived and endured.

There is a power in Nature, speaking through the sublimity of her illimitable glories which proclaims that deathless spirit of Liberty which is the soul of fraternity, human concord and universal peace. So that he who with Nature hold communion, will ever cherish a love of freedom and a lively interest in the welfare of his fellowman.

The wonderful freedom in Nature points the way for the freedom of mankind from that slavery of the mind and soul which has brought mankind to subjection and long suffering. It is the freedom, that is the glory of the mountain, of the unfettered winds that course over the sea.

That this spirit may be fostered; that fraternity be engendered in the hearts of our people; that the state in which we live may receive the blessings of labor devoted to the public weal; in a word that the spirit of selfishness give way to the universal devotion of our people to promote the general happiness and prosperity of all, we believe that we should found an organization dedicated to the accomplishment of these ends.

In keeping with this spirit, we shall explore the scenic beauties of the great Northwest, and draw therefore the inspiration to do noble things and not dream them all day long; we shall devote our time and our energies to give strength to the bodies, and thereby add to the greater peace and prosperity of our state.

We do now therefore subscribe to and adopt the following constitution as our law.

Adopted Friday November 4th, 1921

(Signed) Joseph Mannix,
Chairman, Committee on
Constitution and By-Laws.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I

Name and Duration

Sec. 1. The name of this organization shall be the ANGORA CLUB of Astoria, and its duration shall be perpetual

ARTICLE II

Membership

Sec. 1.  Any resident of the United States, of eighteen years of age or over, and of good moral character may become and remain a member of the Club, upon being duly elected thereto, and upon compliance with the laws of the Club.

ARTICLE III

Sec. 1.  General power to transact all of the business of the Club, except as hereinafter expressly limited, is vested in a Board of Directors which shall consist of seven members of the Club. The power of the Board of Directors shall be exercised at all times by a majority of the members thereof, and said Board of Directors shall be subject to control in its actions only by a vote or resolution of the members of the Club expressed in a majority decree at a duly and regularly called meeting of the members of the Club, called for that purpose. The President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Guide of the Club shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors, exercising full powers as such, and shall constitute four of the seven members of the Board herein provided for. (Original article and amendment thereof at regular business meeting held in December, 1936).

ARTICLE IV

Sec. 1.  The officers of the Club shall be as follows: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Guide, Historian and Photographer.

Sec. 2.  The President shall be the executive officer of the Club, and shall preside over all meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors. He shall also exercise those powers ordinarily perrtaining to his office. He shall not vote as a member of the Board of Directors, except in case of a tie vote.

Sec. 3.  The Vice-President shall act in all matters, with full powers of the President in all matters pertaining to the Club proper or to the transactions of business by the Board of Directors in case of the absence or disability of the President.

Sec. 4.  The Secretary shall keep an accurate account of all the business, correspondence and finances of the Club. He shall also keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Club, and of the Board of Directors. He shall maintain a roster upon which the names of all members of the Club shall be accurately written. He shall collect all dues, fines and assessments, and carefully account for all moneys received by him on behalf of the Club, and promptly pay over all moneys collected to the Treasurer and obtain and file a receipt for the same. He shall make an annual report

Sec. 5.  The Chief Guide shall be the officer of the Club in charge of all out-of-door exercises and journeys of the members of the Club. He shall have the power to promulgate any rules deemed proper by him for the proper conduct of the member under said circumstances, provided, however, that the Chief Guide shall first print, publish and distribute a schedule of all proposed exercises or journeys at least thirty days in advance of the event.

Sec. 6.  The Historian shall prepare and file a written history of all trips and exercises of the Club and all incidents and matter of general interest which shall transpire at such exercises and journeys.

Sec. 7.  The Photographer shall take or cause to be taken photographs of any places, persons or happenings at any exercises or journeys of the Club, and file and preserve a copy of such photographs in a book of the Club kept for that purpose.

Sec. 8.  The Treasurer shall receive from the Secretary, and all other persons, all moneys belonging to the Club, and shall deposit the same in a bank in the name of the Club. He shall give a receipt to the Secretary and to all others for all moneys received, and shall make a full statement of all moneys received and paid out by him for the current year at the annual meeting of the Club members. He shall pay out money of the Club upon written order from the Board of Directors, and shall preserve said written orders, and submit the same with his report. He shall also give an undertaking in favor of the Club in such an amount as shall be ordered by the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of his duties as Treasurer.

ARTICLE V

Meetings

Sec. 1.  There shall be a regular business meeting of the Club on the first Friday of December in each year for the purpose of election of all the officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Club for the ensuing year at said meeting. All reports from the officers and Board of Directors herein provided for shall be read and acted upon.

ARTICLE VI

Sec. 1.  All officers and members of the Board of Directors shall hold office for one year and until his successor in office is duly qualified and elected.

Sec. 2.  The first day of January shall be the beginning of the fiscal year, and all officers and members of the Board of Directors shall be installed in their respective offices on the first Friday of each January.

ARTICLE VII

This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a majority vote of the members present and voting at such meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose upon due notice thereof given in writing ten days prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

The Treasurer of the Club shall receive from the Secretary, and from all other sources, all moneys belonging to the Club, and shall make a quarterly report to the Board of Directors, and an annual report to the members of the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall give a sufficient bond to the Club to be approved by the Board of Directors, and shall perform all duties generally pertaining to his office. Provided that the office of Treasurer and Secretary may be filled by one member of the Club.

Auditing Committee

The President shall appoint an Auditing Committee at the time of his installation, which shall consist of three members of the Club who are not officers of the Club, and said Committee shall audit all accounts of the Club and report at the annual meeting.

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

Application for Membership

Sec. 1.  No application for membership in the Club shall be received except in the manner herein provided. In case any person announces to a member of the Club, an intention to apply for membership therein, any member of the Club may present the name of such person to the Secretary of the Club. The Secretary will thereupon take the name and address of said applicant, and the name of the member proposing the name, and at the next meeting of the Board of Directors present said name for consideration of the Board of Directors. Upon favorable vote of the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall notify the member who proposed the name of said applicant, and furnish an application blank for membership to be signed by the applicant. Upon said application card being filed with the Secretary, the same shall be presented at the next regular Club meeting for consideration.

ARTICLE II

Procedure on Application for Membership

Sec. 1.  Upon an application for membership being presented by the Secretary, a secret ballot shall be taken thereon and if there is no vote to the contrary, the applicant shall be declared to be elected a member of the Club on probation only, and for the period of six months thereafter.

ARTICLE III

Qualification for full Membership

Sec. 1.  It is the inflexible law of the Club that no applicant for membership and no member on probation shall be finally confirmed a member of the Club until said applicant shall have personally climbed Saddle Mt., and taken at least two other major trips of the Club.

Sec. 2.  Upon proof of the accomplishment of these journeys, and the ascension of Saddle Mountain, the applicant shall be entitled thereupon to receive confirmation of membership and be entitled to the benefits of full membership. Providede that the Board of Directors shall be the sole judge of the facts in the premises and shall have the power to order the Secretary to properly enroll said applicant, subject to initiation.

ARTICLE IV

Sec. 1.  Provided that in the event that any applicant for membership or any member on probation shall fail to complete the ascensions designated in Article III hereof, within six months of the date of the signing of his application, or shall prove unfit for membership because of moral delinquencies or other conduct unbecoming a gentleman or lady, then in such an event, and upon notice of the Board of Directors, the application or membership card of such an applicant or member shall be ordered cancelled and such applicant or member shall no longer be allowed to partake in the journeys or other privileges of the Club.

ARTICLE V

Initiation Fee

The initiation fee for admission to the Club is $5.00, and all applicants for membership in the Club shall at the time of signing application therefore, pay to the Secretary said sum before any application will be presented by the Secretary. Suspended Nov. 1, 1928

ARTICLE VI

Dues

Sec. 1.  The dues of the Club shall be $2.00 per year, and shall be paid by every member to the Secretary on or before the 31st day of December in each year, unless otherwise provided for in these By-Laws.

Sec. 2.  The Secretary shall furnish proper receipt cards to each member at the time of payment of such dues, and such receipt card shall be the only evidence necessary or accepted to show memberships. Provided that it shall be the duty of the Secretary thirty days after said 31st day of December in each year, or as soon thereafter as possible, to read at a regular meeting of the Club, the names of all members who have not paid the dues herein provided for, and upon the reading of said names and without any vote or other action of the Club, the President shall declare the membership of the delinquent members forfeited, and such delinquents shall no longer remain members of the Club.

ARTICLE VII

Re-Instatement

There shall be no power to re-instate a member expelled because of delinquency in the payment of dues, or because of the violation of the laws of the club. The only manner of becoming a member of the Club shall be that designated in Articles II and III herein.

ARTICLE VIII

Duties of Members

Sec. 1.  All members of the Club shall, during the course of every year, beginning with January 1st in each year, join with and complete at least six club journeys.

Sec. 2.  For the purposes of enforcing this law, the Chief Guide shall keep an accurate list of the members attending and completing each journey of the Club, and the report of the Chief Guide shall be prima facie evidence of the correctness thereof.

Sec. 3.  All members shall pay lawful charges incurred and assessed against them on the completion of each journey, or any other assessments promptly, as the same shall become due.

Sec. 4.  All members of the Club on Club journeys shall be subject to the orders of the Chief Guide, and failure of any member to obey any such legal order shall be punished by expulsion from the Club in the manner provided for in Article IX herein.

ARTICLE IX

Grievance Committee

The Board of Directors shall constitute the Grievance Committee of the Club, and all violations of Club laws, except as otherwise provided for in these By-Laws, shall be heard by said Board. The Board upon said hearing shall examine all witnesses, and the accused shall have a right to be heard and to confront the witnesses. The rules of procedure and evidence of the Courts of Oregon shall rule all actions of the Board of Directors in passing upon grievances. The Board of Directors, if satisfied that the charges against the accused are sustained, shall have the power to expel the accused from the Club, and report to the Club at the next regular meeting.

ARTICLE X

Sec. 1.  The Club shall not be liable for any injury suffered by any member of trhe Club while on journeys, trips or under any other circumstances, and each member of the Club shall sign a written waiver in this respect before being allowed by the Chief Guide to proceed on any trip.

Sec. 2.  All members of the Club going on trips shall be under the direction and control of the Chief Guide and shall conform to the rules made by the Chief Guide in all particulars.

ARTICLE XI

Place of Meetings

Sec. 1.  All meetings of the Club, of the Board of Directors, and of any Committee of the Club shall be called by the Secretary, and shall be held at the Club house of the Club.

Sec. 2.  No meeting of the Club and no journey or trip of the Club shall be considered as an authorized meeting, journey or trip unless held at the place and in the manner herein prescribed.

Sec. 3.  Friday evening of each week shall be considered as the regular meeting day of its Club to transact such matters as may come before the Club.

Sec. 4.  All trips announced by the Chief Guide or otherwise, shall be considered as authorized Club trips, for the purpose herein designated in these By-Laws.

ARTICLE XII

Fines and Penalties

Sec. 1.  Every member signing up for a trip or journey shall be liable for his or her proportionate share of the expense of said trip or journey, regardless whether said member actually made the trip or not, provided that the trip or journey was actually made. Any failure of a member to comply with this regulation shall be considered to be in arrears as for the payment of dues of the Club, and be subject to the same penalties as in the case of arrearages herein provided. Adopted Dec. 2, 1921

Sec. 2.  It shall be the duty of all members of the Club to promptly pay all fines and assessments, and failure to do so for a period of 90 days after the same shall become delinquent shall subject the offending member to expulsion from the Club; provided that the Grievance Committee hereinbefore provided for shall have power to act in this respect. Adopted Dec. 2, 1921

ARTICLE XIII

Change of Residence of Members

Sec. 1.  In case a member in good standing and otherwise competent shall change his or her residence from Clatsop County, upon due notice to the Secretary, such member shall not be subject to any other requirements herein, except the payment of Club dues only, and provided that such member shall always be of good moral character. Adopted Dec. 2, 1921.

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

   THE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS OF THE ANGORA CLUB ARE:

  1. That the Charter Members are:

  2. That the Honorary Members are:

  3. That the Life Members are:

Eugene Dowling
Colista Dowling, responsible for making the Angora Shield
            which was first used on Angora stationery.
August Hildebrand
Mary Marxen

  4. That the Angora Club has always held its meetings in the City Park, first in the old log cabin that was a replica of Fort George, and since then in the Community House.

  5. That the gavel now in use was presented by Bill Barth and is made of a piece of Sycamore Tree from the Old Post Office yard.

  6. That "Special" committees of the Angora Club should be known, such as the "Hook and Eye" Committee, Chas. Erickson, Chairman, and Chas. Johnson; and the "Rhododendron" Committee composed of Chas. Hustwick, Bill Barth, Axel Ramvik, John Berry, Albert Remmen, Harold Johnson and Willie Weiss, otherwise known as the "Suicide Seven". The Rhododendrons were brought from Mt. Hood by August Hildebrand.

  7. That Angora buttons and/or emblems are to be worn by members on all hikes. Those forgetting to wear either button or emblem on a scheduled trip are subject to a fine of 10¢, collected by the leader of the trip and added to the hiking fund.

  8. That the regulation shirt is dark blue flannel with white buttons.

  9. That "Coffee an'" is served on regular meeting nights, with everyone contributing to the coffee an' fund, which is used to help defray expenses of social events during the year.

10. That histories of hikes are expected from every member of the Club upon request by the Historian. These histories are to be written promptly and presented at the Club on the Friday following the hike; must contain the name of the trip, the date, hour of starting, name of leader, and names of hikers on the trip.

11. That guests are welcome on all hikes, and that a hiking fee of 10¢ extra must be collected by the leader of the trip.

12. That it is to become a custom to make an award to the man and the woman making the most number of hikes during the year, and an award for the best history.

13. That the standing social activities are:

Homecoming Party, generally held at Valentine time, to welcome
            back old members and friends.
Initiation Party on Hallowe'en.
Thanksgiving Dinner at Marxen's, held the Sunday before
            Thanksgiving.
Christmas Party. It is also customary to remember Mary Marxen
            with a gift at Christmas.
New Year's Party.

            These social affairs are usually limited to members only
            due to limited space and excellent attendance.

14. That it is customary on all trips to bring enough lunch to feed the whole crowd, or at least bring sufficient to give handouts to those with enormous appetites. Coffee is furnished by the Club; all other beverages must be provided by the hiker.

15. That during the Fire Season anyone wishing coffee with his lunch should bring his own in a thermos bottle.

16. That there is a negative voter in the Club who is harmless but persistent.

17. That neophytes are to perform any and all menial tasks, such as washing dishes, etc., as required by members until they are officially initiated.

18. That the Vice-President appoints all social committees.

19. That the Angora Goat is the symbol of the Club, and the voting sign is Baa-aa-aa.

20. That it was moved and carried that each member of the Angora Club be and the same are hereafter known as "Kids" instead of Goats. (April 4, 1921)