Constitution

Adopted February, 1887

In the 1940 history of the Old Cambridge Shakespeare Association it was noted that “In some ways the Constitution is now somewhat differently interpreted from the way it was fifty years ago, but it has never been amended.”

Name.

I. This society shall be called the Old Cambridge Shakespeare Association.

Object.

II. The object of this society is both literary and social; in general to bring together those interested in literary pursuits, and in particular to promote an interest in the writings of Shakespeare.

Membership.

III. There shall be admitted to its membership such persons as shall be approved by the council and elected by a vote of the association.

IV. Candidates for membership shall be proposed to the council by two members in writing. The Secretary shall keep a list of all applications and the council may, not oftener than once a month, approve a name or names from this list to fill vacancies. The names of candidates so approved, with the names of the members proposing them, shall be announced to the association at a regular meeting and the vote shall be taken at the next meeting. All votes shall be by ballot and twenty affirmative votes shall be necessary to elect. Five negative votes shall exclude. Members unable to be present may send their votes, sealed, to the Secretary, who shall deposit them in the ballot box.

VI. All members, who for three successive meetings neither attend nor send excuses to the Secretary, shall be regarded as having withdrawn from the association.

Council.

VII. The officers of the society shall be a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. These officers shall constitute a Council and shall be balloted for at the annual meeting of the association.

VIII. The council shall have power to fill any vacancy in their body for the remaining term of the current year, and to appoint a subsitute, pro tem., for any officer who, by reason of absence or illness, is unable to attend to his or her duties.

Meetings.

IX. The meetings of the association shall be held fortnightly, from the first Tuesday in October until the end of May, at the residences of the different members, as the council may decide.
[Meetings are currently held monthly on the first Tuesday of the month from October through May.]

X. The President, or in his absence either of the Vice-Presidents, shall preside at all meetings of the association. At the annual meeting the President, or some person appointed by him, shall deliver an address on some appropriate subject.

XI. Each member desiring to receive the association shall make known such desire by notifying the council.

XII. The annual meeting shall be held at the first meeting of the association in the month of January, at the house of the President, or at such place as he may appoint.
[The annual meeting is currently held at the May meeting of the association.]

XIII. Persons not members may be invited to attend any meeting of the association by the member at whose residence the meeting is held, — not exceeding ten in number.
[Currently any member may invite guests to meetings without any limit or notice.]

XIV. The hour of meeting shall be half-past seven o'clock, and reading shall begin promptly at eight o'clock.
[Currently readings follow brief announcements, which begin at 7:30.]

Readings.

XV. A committee of three shall report at each meeting a play, with the cast of parts, for the next meeting, and also appoint a new committee of three, who shall prepare a play and report it at the next meeting for the following one.

XVI. The committee shall have power to cut a play or extend it over two readings.

XVII. The committee appointed for any evening shall be at liberty to arrange some literary performance other than the reading of a play, provided it be Shakespearean.

XVIII. Whoever does not send notice to the committee of his or her inability to read, before the fifth day preceding the reading, must provide a substitute.

XIX. If any of the appointed readers are not present at five minutes before eight, the presiding officer shall appoint substitutes to take their places until their arrival, so that the reading may begin promptly at the designated hour.

Assessment.

XX. Each member shall be subject to an annual assessment, not exceeding one dollar, to be collected by the Treasurer at the annual meeting.
[Annual membership dues are currently twenty dollars.]

Amendments to the Constitution.

XXI. Amendments to the constitution may be made at the annual meeting by a three-fourths vote of the members present, and amendments proposed by the council may be made by a like vote at any meeting, after due notice to the members.

cambridgeshakespeare.org

Revised October 10, 2007