»»w» au DMtf r mvm i m ^t tem»s3pit«f= Class Book. Copightl^^.. CDEXRIGHT DEPOSm LAW. / >^- <:k>pyright, 1916, by Mrs. Emma Laid Longan. ©aA44594V ^^^ INSTRUCTIONS To the Parliamentarian or I^eader. Stand while you conduct the lesson. Use a blackboard and have colored chalk, red and blue. Prepare it beforehand. (See page i8.*) Allow questions at any time, upon the lesson ; not upon future lessons. Insist upon order and one talking at a time. Impress upon members that to "call to order," or say "out of order," is part of your duty and must be taken good-naturedly. Be sure you are always absolutely just. Do not go before the class unprepared. Tie a string around your thumb so you will not forget it — a R^D STRING if you please. If someone does or says something wrong, thank her for it, and show your tact by using it to illustrate the right and wrong way. Do not call names to answer questions at first. Be gracious and very, very patient. Put your lesson on the board before the lesson begins. The most important point to fix in mind is that motions are high and low — ^geometrically speaking, their altitude. Always impress the reason, that the main question is placed at the bottom of the board because it is the lowest. *A1I pages referred to ia these lessons are pages in "Parliamentary Rules Made Easy." The highest motion will be at the top of the board. The reason a motion is put to vote before one previously made is because it is higher. The question before the house is the last motion made. If it is not higher than one already pending (page 4), it must be ruled out of order. Keep the board as for second lesson till you are through with all the secondary motions. HOW TO USE THE SEVEN THINGS. What motion is the lesson upon? Ans. The Main Question. 1. What is its object? (Page 21.) 2. Does it require a second? Ans. Yes. How do you know it does? Ans. All motions do, except three. This should be thoroughly learned. Every time this question is asked, have the three mo- tions which do NOT require a second repeated, and call them "the blue star motions. " (Page 20.) 3. Is it debatable? Ans. Yes. How do you know it is? Ans. It is a low motion. (Page 20.) 4. Can it be amended? Ans. Yes. A mo- tion that is debatable is amendable. (There are two exceptions to this rule.*) Any motion that can have one amendment can have a second amendment pending. *To Postpone Indefinitely; To Reconsider. 2 5- What motions hold over it? Ans. All, since all are above it, or higher. (Page i8.) 6. What vote is required to carry it? Ans. Majority. All motions require a majority except those on page 19. 7. Can it be reconsidered? Ans. Yes. All motions can be reconsidered that can be. Four can not be. (Page 19.) They are called "the red star motions." READ THIS TO THE SOCIETY. Remember that as much depends upon your active interest as upon your leader. These les- sons have been systematically arranged by an experienced teacher. Every motion known will be taken up in this course. There will be one lesson on committee work and one on election of officers. The lesson proper will be conducted informally. The motions will be studied in their order of precedence, beginning with the lowest. You are asked to give fifteen or twenty minutes' study to the lesson assigned for the next meeting. Don't be indifferent; let us make things "go right" from the start. After the recitation, a drill upon the lesson will follow, in order to clinch it. This will be formal, using strict Parliamentary tactics. You are urged to take part in this, and remember that you learn as much from making motions that are out of order as in order. Cour- age comes by practice. 3 FIRST I^BSSON. BLACKBOARD FOR FIRST LESSON. MOTIONS. Seven things should be known of a motion: First — ^Its object or use. Second — ^Does it require a second? Third— Is it debatable? Fourth— Can it be amended? Fifth— What motions hold over it? Sixth— What vote is required to carry it? Seventh — Can it be reconsidered? FIRST I,B8S0N. Take up the questions of "General Informa- tion." (Pages 10-14.) The "Seven Things" and Number and Clas- sification of Motions. (Page 17.) The Main Question. (Page 21.*) Apply the "Seven Things" to it. Quiz on Main Question. DRILL. Require each one to obtain the floor. (Page II.) Motion: "I move that we buy a carpet for this floor." Second it. (Do not stand to second a motion.) State the motion and call for remarks, which should be very brief. A member is entitled to the floor after the afiirmative vote has been taken and before the negative is put. The afiirmative must then be taken over. Permit a "Question of Privilege" (page 46) during the drill, but not any other motion. ADVANCE ASSIGNMENT. Subsidiary Motions. (Page 22.) Postpone Indefinitely. (Page 22.) Note;. — I consider page 9 in ''Parliamentary Rules Made Easy" one of the most valuable in the book; take time to illustrate how it works. Let someone select a question and have the class find the page that answers it. Do not read the page, only find it. *For illustration, see page 2 of this book. SECOND I/ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR SECOND LESSON. mm^ 1 2 3 4 SECONDARY MOTIONS. 1 To Table or Take from the Table. 2 Previous Question. 3 To Postpone to a Set Time. 4 To Commit or Recommit. 5 To Amend. 6 To Postpone Indefinitely. MAIN QUESTION. SBCOND LBSSON. QUIZ. How many motions are there? Into how many classes are they divided? Name the classes. (Page 17.) Study the subsidiary motions as a whole. (Page 22.) Learn the table by heart. This table con- tains two high motions (undebatable and un- amendable), four low motions, and one which requires a two-thirds vote. Name them. Remember the Main Question is the lowest motion and yields to all others. (Page 18.) "To Postpone Indefinitely" is the lowest sub- sidary motion. It can not be amended; it is not in order if the Main Question has an amend- ment pending (mind I say pending, and this does not mean one that has been carried or lost). The Main Question can not be amended after the motion ''To Postpone Indefinitely" has been made. Quiz on this motion (page 22) by apply- ing the "Seven Things" to it. DRILL. Become formal at once and ask, "What is your pleasure? " Members must obtain the floor. Use the same motion as in first lesson, applying "To Postpone Indefinitely" to it. Note). — Some will want to make amendments. Explain that it will confuse matters to do this before the lesson on amendments has been stud- ied, and do not permit it. ADVANCE ASSIGNMENT. Amendments. (Pages 23-24.) How to amend, (Pages 24-28.) 7 THIRD I^ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR THIRD LESSON. SECONDARY MOTIONS. 1 To Table or Take from the Table. 2 Previous Question. 3 To Postpone to a Set Time. 4 To Commit or Recommit. 5 To Amend. 6 To Postpone Indefinitely, MAIN QUESTION. THIRD I^BSSON. How many motions are there? How many classes? Name them. Study amendments. (Page 23.) Apply the "Seven Things" to an amend- ment. Study "a second amendment." (Page 24.) Ask what an amendment is, and impress the point that it is a motion, a secondary mo- tion, and give its rank. Point out that while it is higher than "To Postpone Indefinitely," it will not apply to it (see 4, page 22), nor can it be used over it for the purpose of amend- ing the Main Question. Have nothing more to say about "To Postpone Indefinitely"; leave it out entirely, and study the five ways of amend- ing. (Page 26.) Have an illustration given of each of the five ways of amending. An amend- ment is a part of the question to be amended and can not be separated from it, except to take a vote on it. A motion and its amendments form one question. Quiz on Amendments. Note). — Do not allow one member to answer all the questions nor make all the motions. DRILL. Become formal. "What is your pleasure?" Use the same motion. Amend it by using red, blue, or green before the word carpet; also by stating the price to be paid and where to be purchased after the amendment about the color has been carried or lost. Do not take up a 9 second amendment in drilling till the first has been thoroughly practiced. The second amendment must do something to the first amendment. It has nothing to do with the Main Question. When two amendments are pending, put them to vote. (Page 25.) Do not try to use the fourth and fifth way of amending till near the close of the lessons. ADVANCE ASSIGNMENT. Refer to a Committee. (Page 29.) Postpone to a Set Time. (Page 31.) 10 Letters asking questions upon this ^'Course of Study" cannot be answered unless at least $i.oo be enclosed, and the number of questions be lim- ited to ten. They must be numbered, and a copy retained by the sender; the answers will be numbered the same as the questions. THE AUTHOR. 11 FOURTH I^ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR FOURTH LESSON. -- 1 2 ^ 4 Orders of the Day, SECONDARY MOTIONS. 1 To Table or Take from the Table. 2 Previous Question, 3 To Postpone to a Set Time, 4 To Commit or Recommit, 5 To Amend, 6 To Postpone Indefinitely, MAIN QUESTION. 12 l^OtTltTH I^ESSON. How many motions? Classify them. Name the secondary motions, from low to high. Take up ''To Refer to a Committee" (page 29), and apply the "Seven Things" to it. Amend it by changing the number of the committee or giving it instructions. "To Commit" is a part of the Main Question, just the same as an amendment is. It has no individuality whatever (lots of peo- ple just like it). But an amendment shuts off debate on the former motion; "To Commit" does not. If a motion is made and then an amendment or even two amendments added to it, a motion to commit can now be made, for the sole purpose of talking on the Main Question. When this is the purpose for which it is used, before closing remarks on the Main Question a desire should be expressed that the motion *'To Commit" be voted down. This lesson is on the motion ''To Commit," and has not touched on "The Work of Commit- tees," which will be another lesson. To Postpone to a Certain or Set Time. (Page 31.) Apply the "Seven Things" to it. This motion differs from "To Commit" in that it has an individuality of its own. It stands alone. It can have the two higher motions (Previous Ques- tion and "To Table") applied to it without af- fecting any other motion which is- pending. It is amendable as to time only. 13 Six motions may now be pending at one time ; namely, Main Question and its two amendments, "To Commit" and its two amendments, "To Postpone to a Set Time" and its two amend- ments. They are all in order. Put the last two amendments to vote; then "To Postpone" as it has been amended. If it carries, that ends all till it comes up again as a main question only (di- vested of the motion ''To Commit"). If it loses, put the amendments to "To Commit" to vote; then "To Commit"; if carried, all goes to a com- mittee ; if lost, vote on the amendments to the Main Question, and lastly the Main Question. The work has now become very complicated, but this is the end of it. No more motions can be amended. We have finished the low motions. (Page i8.) DRILL. Try to illustrate every motion studied thus far. Call for certain motions if they seem to be forgotten. This is permissible. Permit original motions, but insist that they be simple. ADVANCE ASSIGNMENT. Previous Question. (Page 32.) To Table. (Pages 34-35.) 14 MAIN QUESTION. There are eight Main Questions, namely: The motions used to introduce business. The motions to appoint a committee; When a motion has been divided, by amend- ing, into two separate propositions (page 27), each proposition is a Main Question. To Rescind. (Page 54.) Main Question growing out of a Question of Privilege. (Page 47.) To Fix Time to Which to Adjourn. (Page 52.) To Adjourn. (Page 49.) 15 FIFTH LESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR FIFTH LESSON. Question of Privilege. Orders of the Day. SECONDARY MOTIONS. To Table or Take from the^able. Previous Question. To Postpone to a Set Time. To Commit or Recommit. To Amend. To Postpone Indefinitely. MAIN QUESTION. 16 FIFTH I^BSSON, The Previous Question (page 32) is simply a motion to close debate and can be used over any motion that is debatable. When talk on a question has become tiresome^ move the Previous Question. After it is seconded and stated (page 33), take a standing vote. If two-thirds stand (always have those opposed to stand too), the Previous Question is ordered. It now stands like a sentinel over whatever motions were pending when it was called. It forces these motions to a vote at once and allows no further debate or amendments till this is done. DRILL. Use the Previous Question with only a Main Question pending at first, then add on other mo- tions gradually till its use becomes clear, x'hus: Main Question, Previous Question (vote) ; Main Question and two amendments, Previous Ques- tion (vote) ; Main Question, one amendment, "To Commit" with one amendment, Previous Ques- iton (vote). ir SIXTH LESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR SIXTH LESSON. 1 2 To Adjourn. 3 Question of Privilege. 4 Orders of the Day. SECONDARY MOTIONS. To Table or Take from the Table. Previous Question. To Postpone to a Set Time. To Commit or Reconmiit. To Amend. To Postpone Indefinitely. MAIN QUESTION. 18 SIXTH I^BSSON. Number of motions? Number of classes? Repeat table of Secondary Motions. Study "To Table." (Page 35.) This lesson closes the Secondary Motions. Call special attention to notes at foot of page 36. If a Main Question should be introduced and some one moves the Previous Question in order to cut off absolutely all debate upon it, obtain the floor and move to table the Previous Question. This, however, must be done as soon as the Chair says, "Shall the Main Question be now put?" (this is stating the Previous Question), and before it is voted upon. After it has been ordered by that two-thirds vote, it must be put in action and can not be tabled. Mind now, I am speaking of ta- bling the Previous Question, not the Main Ques- tion. The Main Question can be tabled any time after the Previous Question is called or ordered. (See last paragraph under "Previous Question" on page 35.) DRILL. On tabling the Previous Question (nothing else). Then tabling the Whole Question, includ- ing the Previous Question. Practice this thoroughly. 19 SEVENTH I.ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR SEVENTH LESSON. 20 SEVENTH I^BSSON. Take up Privileged Motions first and quiz on them as a whole. Thus: How many motions? How many classes? What class have we just studied? What are Privileged Motions? How many? Name the highest. Name the lowest. Name them from lowest to highest. ORDERS OF THE DAY. (Page 45-) It is a blue star motion. Explain what this means. It is the first motion studied which does not require a second. (Page 20.) Do not try to obtain the floor to make this motion; just rise (with a member talking if necessary) and say, "I move the orders of the day." Apply the "Seven Things" to it and quiz on it. , J • 1 Orders are of two kinds, general and special. (See Page 46.) QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE. (Pages 46-48.) Classify it. Apply the "Seven Things" to it. A question of privilege is one of the privileged motions. It is therefore undebatable and un- amendable. A point of order ranks the same and is made under same circumstances. If a motion should grow out of a question of privilege (page 47) when there is another question before the house, the latter must wait till the motion which grew out of the question of privilege is disposed of by vote. ^ DRILL. By this time the drill should be free and easy and no trouble to conduct it. 21 EIGHTH I^ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR EIGHTH LESSON. PRIVILEGED MOTIONS 1 To Fix the Time to Which Adjourn. 2 To Adjourn, 3 Questions of Privilege. 4 Orders of the Day, SECONDARY MOTIONS. 1 To Table or Take from the Table. 2 Previous Question. 3 To Postpone to a Set Time. 4 To Commit or Recommit. 5 To Amend. 6 To Postpone Indefinitely. MAIN QUESTION. 22 EIGHTH I^BSSON. Number of motions? Classify them. What class is our lesson on now? Name the motions in this class. Take up the motion "To Adjourn." (Page 49.) Apply the "Seven Things" to it and quiz on it. Take pains to correct two erroneous opin- ions about it; namely, that it is the highest mo- tion known, and that it is always in order. Both are false. Show how it can be deprived of its high privilege by qualifying. (Page 51.) When is it out of order? (See page 50.) When can it be renewed? TO FIX THE TIME TO WHICH TO ADJOURN. (Page 52.) Apply the "Seven Things" to it. Be sure to make it clear that it is very different from the motion "To Adjourn." It is the only motion which is amendable that is not debatable. It is the only one that can be made after the negative vote has been taken on the motion to adjourn. Show clearly when it is a Main Question instead of a privileged motion. (Page 53.) DRILL. Have a Main Question; then the motion "To Adjourn"; then "To Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn." Carry the last and lose "To Ad- journ." Now an amendment to the Main Ques- tion. Next a Question of Privilege. (Answer it.) Next amend the amendment. Now move 23 to Postpone Indefinitely (out of ordef).' Ncal "To Adjourn" (vote it down). Now move the Previous Question (carry it). Put last amend- ment to vote (carry it) . Amendment as amended (carry). Now the Main Question as amended (carry). Move to adjourn. By this time members have become accus- tomed to calling their own names in obtaining the floor, calling for the question, and making original motions. The drill should be very in- teresting now. 24 Parliamentary Law is the ethics of organiza- tions. No one has the right to join a society and ignore the rules of good breeding, by which it is, or should be, governed. The sentiment finds an echo in all well-ordered minds that those who belong to organizations should know the etiquette of organizations as embodied in Parliamentary Law. ?5 NINTH I,ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR NINTH LESSON. P Refer to pages 37 and 38 for further information, 26 NINTH I^ESSON. Go back to page 37 and take up the Inci- dental Motions as a whole. Impress the fact that these motions must be used immediately when the emergency arises. If any one of the privileged motions is before the house, an incidental is not in order. When an emergency arises which requires an incidental motion, it is sandwiched in between the privileged and secondary classes. After they have been studied individually, use them in the drill whenever the opportunity can be made. APPEAL. Do not use an appeal to get a correct vote taken. Call for a standing vote, which must be taken. The Chair should make a decision when aske d to do so or when in his or her opinion it is proper. Then say, "It is subject to appeal." This will relieve the Chair of any disagreeable responsibility. OBJECTION TO CONSIDERATION. This is the third blue star motion, does not require a second, and will interrupt a member on the floor. Use it when disagreeable or un- profitable things are introduced. It applies to a main question only. In this one respect it is like "To Postpone Indefinitely." Name the three blue star motions. (Page 20.) 27 READING PAPERS. Refers to newspaper articles, letters or manu- script, or anything out of the ordinary, as well as papers that have to be voted upon, such as reports, resolutions, etc. Many times we are bored by things of this sort in our organizations which are unnecessary and could be quietly and politely disposed of if the Chair would ask, "What is your pleasure in regard to this?" and wait for a motion. If none is made, pass on to the next business. If the paper would prove of interest, the President should say, "The Chair will enter- tain a motion in regard to this," and wait. This motion meets an emergency and is of use only at the time when it arises. TO WITHDRAW A MOTION. (Page 42.) If a motion has been stated by the Chair and the mover wishes to withdraw it, the Chair can not give permission to do so, but can be courteous and ask if there are any objections, in a way which says, "It is all right." If withdrawn, it is not recorded on the minutes, and can be made over any other time. A motion may be of such a nature that is is not desirable to have it on the minutes, and the maker may refuse to withdraw it. Anyone can then move "that the motion be withdrawn"; if this is seconded, it must be put; if carried, the motion is withdrawn, and does not appear on the minutes. 28 SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. (Page 43.) Suspension of the Rules (page 43) applies only to Standing Rules; never to the Constitution or By-Laws, or any part of them. (Page 82.) Study Standing Rules. (Page 83.) This motion simply gives permission to do something once, which could not be done on account of a rule against it. Note.— It will perhaps be necessary to make several lessons out of this one. This would be best. DRILL. Main Question. Amend it (a). Move to Ad- . journ (lost). Remarks on amendment (a). Rise to a Point of Order. Vote on amendment (carry) . Postpone Indefinitely (lost). Refer to Commit- tee. Amend. Amend the Amendment. Move to Adjourn. Move to Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn (carry). Vote on "To Adjourn" (lost). Move Previous Question (carry) . Now vote back thus: On amendment to amend, last made (car- ry). Amendment as amended (carry). Motion to Commit (lost). Main Question as amended. Remember this motion's amendment was carried in the first part of the drill. Note. — The leader will have to tell what ac- tion she desires taken upon each motion (carried or lost), so as to obtain the results intended. TBNTH I^ESSON. BLACKBOARD FOR TENTH LESSON. T wl m .\s r* MISCELLANEOUS MOTIONS. 1 Rescind. (A Main QuestionJ 2 Renew. (Simply a Method.) 3 Reconsider. 30 TENTH I.ESSON. RESCIND, RENEW, RECONSIDER. (Page 54.) Fourth class of motions. To Rescind is a Main Question, subject to every rule of a Main Question. Use it the same way. Study it on page 54. There is no such motion as "Renew." Study Renewal on pages 54-55- Reconsider. (Pages 55-62 .) All motions can be reconsidered except four. They are the red star motions. (Page 20.) Reconsider the vote. This removes it, and the question is then brought before the house again by being stated (exactly as it was before the vote was taken, which vote has now been disposed of by the reconsideration). Call for re- marks, and then vote on it again. It may be carried or lost. 3X EI/EVBNTH I^ESSON, BLACKBOARD FOR ELEVENTH LESSON. COMMITTEEa 1 Committee of the Whole. 2 Standing Committees. 3 Special Committees. 32 BI/BVBNTH I^BSSON. COMMITTEES. (Page 65.) Study the different kinds of committees. Study Committee of the Whole. Let this be given out as one lesson and then quiz on it and practice it. This makes a fine drill, and puts members in the chair. A preamble and what to do with it makes an interesting lesson. (Page 78.) Constitution and By-Laws. The difference between them, and what each should and should not contain, will make one whole lesson. (Pages 79-82.) An organization that wishes to be incorpor- ated should put in its Constitution only those things it will never change, as it can not amend or change it after it has been incorporated. The By-Laws are not considered in incorporation if there is a Constitution. Therefore anything which you may wish to change or amend in the future should be placed in the By-Laws. (Page 90.) Standing Rules may be suspended by a two- thirds vote or rescinded by a majority vote. Standing Rules are the only ones to which the motion "to suspend the rules" ever applies. Nev- er apply it to the Constitution or By-Laws. Study Committee on Credentials (page 83), and do not forget to look up the word alternate. 33 TWEI/PTH LESSON. ELECTIONS. (Page 117.) Proxy votes are not legal unless provided for by special rule. Have members stand and number themselves, the President counting last. Appoint a door- keeper, to report after each ballot if any leave the room or if others come in, as this will affect the election. Appoint three tellers. Instruct them thus: I St. Give out all the ballots at once. 2d. Do not consume time by talking. 3d. Wait until instructed by the Chair be- fore taking up ballots. 4th. Stand facing the members while reading the ballots. 5th. The third teller is to collect the ballots from the President, Secretary, Parliamentarian (if one should be conducting the election), the two tellers, and her own. The third teller is held responsible for six ballots each time. Collect these six (no others) and turn them over to the other tellers. Read ballots aloud and the Secretary must keep tally. (Page 127.) If one receives a ma- jority on the first ballot, the election is settled. Have the Secretary cast the ballot which elects this one. (Page 123.) If no one receives a majority, select the two 34 highest and vote till one does receive a majority. A tie requires the vote to be taken over and over till the tie is broken and one receives a majority. If there should be a tie on two names and then one having a still larger vote, this will give three candidates and perhaps make a plurality vote. (Page no.) Ballot till one receives a majority. The officers must be elected according to the Constitution. Any motion to change this is out of order. If the Constitution does not provide for nomination by ballot, they may be nomin- ated from the floor or by a committee. (Page 1 24.) The tellers should figure out each time how many votes entitled to, how many ballots cast (blanks do not count), and what constitutes a majority, put it on a slip, and hand it to the Chairman, to be read aloud or read by first teller. (Example, page 122.) This "Course" is very complete, and a club may study it over and over. If letters are written me for further infor- mation or explanation, at least |i.oo must be enclosed. Kmma Lard Longan. 35 NOTES, 36