HOW TO ORGANIZE A STORY TELLERS’ LEAGUE
“I have just read an article in the March number of The World’s Work, on the Story Tellers’ League movement, have heard of the Story Tellers’ League, or read a chapter in Mr. Wyche’s book, ‘Some Good Stories and How to Tell Them,’ on the Story Tellers’ League, and should like to organize such a league in my community. How shall I go about it?”
This is a question that comes almost every day to some officer of the Story Tellers’ League.
The method of procedure in organizing a Story Tellers’ League is a very simple one. The first step is to call a meeting of as many prospective members as can be gotten together. A chairman and secretary pro tem should then be elected and the meeting called to order. The organizer should then state the purpose of the meeting, ask for the enrollment of the names and addresses of those who wish to join and have these recorded by the secretary.
The next step is the nomination and election of permanent officers, usually a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. Upon the election of these officers, the chairman and secretary pro tem resign in favor of the elected officers, and the League is then duly organized for business.
The adoption of the Constitution and By-Laws is next in order. The Constitution deals with the name, object, membership, officers, etc., of the League; while the By-Laws provide for the dates of meetings, dues, time and mode of the election of officers, and such other rules and regulations for the conduct of the League as may be deemed desirable. An Executive Committee may then be appointed to look after the general business of the League, such as the arrangement of programmes at the meetings; the planning of entertainments and special exercises, and various other matters of this nature. The officers of the League are usually ex officio members of the Executive Committee.
The League when organized should be reported to the President of the National Story Tellers’ League, with the name and address of its President and Secretary, so that it may be enrolled with similar Leagues throughout the United States.
Some leagues issue Year-books which may be had upon application to the Secretary. The National League will shortly issue a year-book giving general information in regard to the story telling movement, with list of the League’s suggestive programmes.