CHAPTER XXV
Rules of Order for Clubs
An important element in club life is the training it gives in the management of business in committees and public meetings. It is indispensable that every club should learn how to work under regular rules. Jefferson said that they secure "accuracy in business, economy in time, order, uniformity and impartiality."
I—BOOK OF RULES
As a guide, every club should possess a copy of some accepted book of order, to which to refer in cases of difference of opinion as to proper procedure, and the law of the book should be received as final. Officers and members should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the details of such a manual. "Parliamentary Usage for Woman's Clubs" by Emma A. Fox (Doubleday, Page) is satisfactory and up to date.
II—ORGANIZING
A small preliminary difficulty to some is how to organize an as yet unorganized club. The first step is for any one present to rise and nominate some body for temporary chairman, and when this is seconded, to ask those in favor of the person named to say "aye" and the opposed "no" and to turn over the meeting then to the person named. As it is only a temporary office there is not likely to be any negative vote.
III—VOTING
Persons unfamiliar with club methods sometimes are puzzled as to ways of voting. There are several. The simplest is for the President to put a motion by saying "Will those in favor of the motion say aye," and later, "Will those opposed say no." Then she judges which of the two classes is most numerous. If she cannot decide, she may ask to have the vote repeated by raising the hand or by rising, in which case she puts the motion as before, asking those who favor the motion to raise the right hand or to rise. After having the Secretary or tellers count them, she asks those opposed to do the same and has them counted. In case the vote is taken by voice and a member differs from the President's decision as to which side prevailed, she may request a rising vote. In case of every vote the President should declare the result by saying either "the motion is carried," or "the motion is lost." The President herself does not vote, except when the number of the ayes and that of the noes are even, when she casts the deciding vote. If the vote is by ballot, tellers are appointed who distribute slips of paper upon which the members write yes or no, and the ballots are counted by the Secretary or the tellers, and the result is handed in writing to the President who reads it aloud and declares the result. In voting for new members some clubs use a box with white balls for the affirmative and black balls for the negative. After being placed in the box, these are counted by the Secretary and the result is declared by the President as before.