CONSTITUTION 
 
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 OF 
 
 “THE INDIGENT WIDOWS’ AND SINGLE WOMEN’S 
 
 SOCIETY 
 
 WITH 
 
 RULES FOR THE REGULATION 
 
 THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, 
 
 AND 
 
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 FOR THE GOVERNMENT 
 
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 PHILADELPHIA: 
 PRINTED BY LYDIA R. BAILEY, 
 No. 10, North Alley. 
 
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 JUN 11 1924 
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 AN ACT 
 
 TO INCORPORATE 
 
 “ THE INDIGENT WIDOWS’ AND SINGLE WOMEN’S 
 SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA.” 
 
 WHEREAS, it is represented to the legislature that a num¬ 
 ber of ladies in the city of Philadelphia have formed an associa¬ 
 tion for the humane and charitable purpose of relieving, assist¬ 
 ing, and supporting widows and single women in a state of indi¬ 
 gence, and are desirous of being incorporated : Therefore, 
 
 Section L. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re¬ 
 presentatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Ge¬ 
 neral Assembly met , and it is hereby enacted by the authority 
 of the same , That all such persons of the female sex as noware 
 or hereafter may become subscribers to the Indigent Widows’ and 
 Single Women’s Society of Philadelphia, in the manner herein¬ 
 after provided, be and they are hereby incorporated into a socie¬ 
 ty by the name of (( The Indigent Widows’ and Single Women’s 
 Society of Philadelphia,” and by that name shall have perpetual 
 succession, with power to have a common seal, and change the 
 same at pleasure, to make contracts relative to the institution, to 
 sue and be sued, and by that name and style be capable in law of 
 purchasing, taking, holding, and conveying any estate real or 
 personal for the use of said corporation. Provided , That the an¬ 
 nual income of such estate shall not exceed in value eight thou¬ 
 sand dollars, nor be applied to any other purposes than those for 
 which this incorporation is formed. And, also , to establish by¬ 
 laws and orders for the regulation of said society, and the preser¬ 
 vation and application of the funds thereof. Provided , The same 
 be not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the United 
 States, or of this commonwealth. 
 
 Sect. 2. And be it further enacted by the authority afore¬ 
 said , That every female who shall subscribe and pay to the funds 
 of the society, the sum of three dollars annually, shall by such 
 subscription and payment become a member of said society, lia¬ 
 ble however to be removed whenever she shall refuse or neglect 
 to pay such annual subscription ; and every female who shall sub¬ 
 scribe and pay the sum of thirty dollars, shall be a member for 
 life. 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 Sect. 3. And be it further enacted, by the authority afore- 
 said , That the society shall meet on the second Thursday of Ja¬ 
 nuary in every year, at which meeting thirteen members shall 
 be competent to transact business: at this meeting shall be chosen 
 twenty-four Managers, in whom shall be vested the management, 
 direction, and disposal of all the concerns of the society; and if 
 any vacancy shall occur by the death, resignation, removal or 
 otherwise of any manager so chosen, the same may be filled for 
 the remainder of the year by such member of the society as the 
 board of managers for the time being shall appoint; and until the 
 election on the second Thursday in January next ensuing the 
 passage of this act, the persons who were elected at the last an¬ 
 nual meeting of said society, shall be the managers. 
 
 Sect. 4. And be it further enacted by the authority afore¬ 
 said ', That the managers shall meet, upon notice from the offici¬ 
 ating secretary of the society, within three days after their elec¬ 
 tion, and shall choose out of their number a first and second di¬ 
 rectress, a secretary, and a treasurer ; that five managers shall be 
 requisite to transact business; that the board of managers may 
 make by-laws for their government, shall make an annual report 
 of their proceedings and of the state of the funds of the society, 
 and give two weeks’ previous notice of the meeting of the so¬ 
 ciety. 
 
 Sect. 5. And be it further enacted by the authority afore¬ 
 said , That if the annual election shall not be made on the stated 
 day, the said corporation shall not thereby be dissolved, but the 
 managers and officers shall continue in office until a new election, ^ 
 
 which shall be made at such time and place, and after such notice, 
 as the board of managers shall prescribe. 
 
 Sect. 6. And be it further enacted by the authority afore¬ 
 said , That the lot of ground, and the buildings which may be 
 thereon erected, for the use of the society, shall be free of tax. 
 
 REESE HILL, 
 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 
 ISAAC WEAVER, 
 
 Speaker of the Senate . 
 
 Approved, March 23d, 1S19. 
 
 WM. FINDLAY. 
 
RULES FOR THE REGULATION 
 
 OP 
 
 THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 
 
 1st. The managers shall meet on the first Thursday of every 
 month, at such time and place as they shall appoint. 
 
 2d. Five of the managers shall form a quorum for the transac¬ 
 tion of all business. 
 
 3d. Every meeting shall be opened with reading a portion of 
 Scripture, succeeded by a pause for mental supplication. 
 
 4th. No person shall be at liberty to withdraw from the board 
 without permission ; and no conversation, but such as relates to 
 business, shall be allowed. 
 
 5th. A fine of twenty-five cents shall be incurred for non-at¬ 
 tendance at each meeting, unless satisfactory reasons be given. 
 
 6th. All reports of committees shall be in writing. 
 
 7th. Business shall commence precisely half an hour after the 
 time appointed for meeting. 
 
 8th. Every motion, when made, shall be stated from the chair; 
 when seconded, the directress shall invite discussion upon the 
 subject ; after which, she shall ask if the members are ready for 
 the question ; which being assented to, the votes shall be taken ; 
 first in the affirmative, and next in the negative. No other busi¬ 
 ness shall be taken up by the board, or discussed by any of the 
 members, until that which has thus been laid before them, be de¬ 
 cided or postponed. 
 
 9th. At the desire of any member of the board, the decision 
 of a new question may he deferred to the meeting succeeding 
 that at which the question was proposed. 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 10th. No former resolution shall be reconsidered, unless call¬ 
 ed for by one of the majority, and shall in all cases be deferred 
 to the next meeting, either special or stated, for decision. 
 
 11th. Upon motion made and seconded, the names of the yeas 
 and nays shall be recorded on the minutes. 
 
 12th. No person shall decline acting on a committee, unless 
 another member, approved by the first directress, shall be willing 
 to serve in her stead. 
 
 13th. The member first named on a committee, shall preside 
 over it, shall give notice of the time and place of meeting, and 
 make the report of their proceedings. 
 
 14th. The first directress shall call extra meetings as often as 
 she may think proper, but shall not be obliged to call them con¬ 
 trary to her own judgment, unless five members of the board 
 shall concur in requesting it. 
 
 15th. The seal of the society shall not be affixed to any paper, 
 without the vote of the board having been taken on it. 
 
 16th. The business of each stated meeting shall commence 
 with the Secretary’s reading the minutes of the preceding meet¬ 
 ing, the Treasurer’s report, and the reports of the committees, 
 which if not presented must be asked for by the Directress. The 
 unfinished business shall then be called up, and any new busi¬ 
 ness brought forward. The weekly committees for the ensuing 
 month shall be named, and the orders on the Treasurer voted. 
 
 17th. The board shall not rise until the time and place of the 
 next meeting be distinctly made known. 
 
 18th. At the first meeting of the board in January, the stand¬ 
 ing committees shall be appointed, viz.; the weekly committees 
 of two, for the year, which shall be inserted by the secretary in 
 the minute book of the committee; the purchasing committee; 
 and the committee for receiving applications for admission. 
 
DUTIES OF THE MANAGERS. 
 
 The First Directress shall preside at the meetings of the ma¬ 
 nagers, preserve order, appoint committees, call special meetings, 
 and in all equal divisions of the board give the casting vote. She 
 shall furnish every new manager with a book, containing in print, 
 the constitution, the rules for the regulation of the board, the 
 duties of the managers, and the rules for the government of the 
 Asylum. When a manager resigns her seat at the board, she is 
 to return this book to the First Directress, who will make it 
 over to her successor. 
 
 In the absence of the First Directress, the Second shall pre¬ 
 side ; and, if both be absent, a person shall be chosen from 
 among the members present, to preside at the meeting. 
 
 The Secretary shall summon the meetings of the managers, 
 keep a fair and correct record of all their proceedings, a register 
 of the inmates of the Asylum, and do all other writing not con¬ 
 nected with the office of the Treasurer, or the business of com¬ 
 mittees. 
 
 The Treasurer shall hold the evidences of property belong¬ 
 ing to the Society, receive all moneys, and deposit the same at a 
 bank, in her name, as treasurer; make payments agreeably to 
 the orders of the managers, keep a fair account of all receipts 
 and expenditures, which account shall at all times be open to the 
 inspection of the managers. She shall furnish a monthly abstract 
 of her receipts and expenditures, and of the balance remaining 
 in her hands, and prepare a statement to be laid before the So¬ 
 ciety at their Annual Meeting. 
 
 The Managers shall be divided into committees of two, who, 
 in weekly rotation, shall superintend the Asylum, under the 
 name of the “ Visiting Committee. ” 
 
 The Visiting Committees shall visit the Asylum not less than 
 three times during their week ; they shall endeavour to be 
 present once at each meal, shall make themselves acquainted 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 with the situation and wants of the inmates, generally direct the 
 concerns of the family, and report their observations in the Mi¬ 
 nute Book; which book, on the last day of their week, is to be 
 sent to the succeeding committee; for which purpose, a list of 
 the committees is to be kept in the book. 
 
 The Purchasing Committee shall make all purchases necessary 
 for the family, pay all bills, and present a monthly account of 
 their proceedings to the board. 
 
 The Committee for receiving Applications.—It shall be the 
 duty of this committee to receive applications, to visit the ap¬ 
 plicants, and inquire into their character and circumstances, and 
 make their report thereon to the board in writing; it shall also 
 be the duty of this committee to keep a register of the names 
 of the applicants, the persons by whom they are recommended, 
 and their place of residence. It will be likewise required, that 
 they keep a book, in which the terms of agreement, entered in¬ 
 to between the committee and the friends of the applicants, be 
 inserted, with their signatures annexed. No person will be ad¬ 
 mitted into the Asylum, without an order from the committee. 
 
 Each manager will be furnished, by the Treasurer, with a list 
 of subscribers, whose contributions she will be expected annual¬ 
 ly to collect. 
 
 The duties of the managers appear to be generally comprised 
 in the foregoing rules, in addition to which, it shall be consider¬ 
 ed the duty of the Visiting Committees at the Asylum, during 
 their stated periods of attendance, not only to inquire into the 
 temporal welfare of its inmates, but to visit them in their seve¬ 
 ral rooms, and endeavour to ascertain their spiritual state, giving 
 them such advice and instruction as may be in their power, and 
 the circumstances of the case may render necessary. 
 
 TERMS OF ADMISSION. 
 
 1st. No persons shall be admitted into the Asylum, but those 
 who bring satisfactory testimonials to the propriety of their con¬ 
 duct, and the respectability of their character. 
 
 2d. When they are pensioners on any benevolent Institution, 
 or Society, it is expected their pensions will be continued, to as- 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 sist in their support; and that their funeral expenses will be de¬ 
 frayed. 
 
 3d. Those who have any property are required to secure the 
 same to the Institution, before they are admitted ; in case of their 
 obtaining property after their admission, if they remain in the 
 Asylum it will also be necessary to make it over to this Insti¬ 
 tution. 
 
 4th. It will be required that any one admitted shall pay 
 $30, and come provided with a good bedstead, bed, bedding, 
 and furniture for a room. If they do not bring furniture with 
 them, $50 must be paid on their admission. 
 
 5th. Furniture and other articles brought into the Asylum 
 are to remain for the benefit of the Institution. 
 
 6th. Persons may be admitted as boarders, but not to the ex¬ 
 clusion of such as are entirely dependent. 
 
 7th. No person shall be admitted as a boarder, unless satis¬ 
 factory security be given for the regular payment of her board, 
 
 8th. The age of persons admitted into the Asylum, whether 
 as hoarders or pensioners, must not be under sixty years. 
 
RULES AND REGULATIONS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 GOVERNMENT OF THE ASYLUM. 
 
 1st. The Superintendent shall have the entire charge of the 
 house, and keep it in neat order, under the direction of the Ma¬ 
 nagers and Visiting Committee ; she is to enforce the rules of 
 the house; to be present at meals, see that they are properly 
 served up, that every thing is on the table before the family sit 
 down ; that suitable nourishment is provided for the sick, proper 
 order is observed at table, and Grace said before and after each 
 meal. She must be respectful and kind to every one in the 
 house, and attentive as their circumstances may require; never 
 let partiality be shown in any instance, but maintain the respect 
 due to her station. If improper conduct is observed in any mem¬ 
 ber of the family, she is to inform the Visiting Committee. A 
 list should be made of whatever supplies are necessary, and 
 given to the Purchasing Committee. It is also expected the Su¬ 
 perintendent will keep a memorandum of every article that is 
 sent to the house, whether purchases or donations, and by whom 
 sent. She will be expected to go through the house, and see the 
 fires and lights extinguished at nine o’clock, with the exception 
 of one lamp, which is to be left burning all night. A constant 
 fire to be kept in the stove in the Hall, from the 15th of No¬ 
 vember to the 1st of April. 
 
 2d. No person shall be admitted into the Asylum, but those 
 who bring satisfactory testimonials to the propriety of their con¬ 
 duct, and the respectability of their character. 
 
 3d. Morning and Evening Prayers to be regularly perform¬ 
 ed at the Asylum ; every inmate will be expected punctually to 
 
attend, except in case of sickness. Notice to be given by ring¬ 
 ing the bell. 
 
 4th. It will be required of those who are capable, to make 
 their own beds, and sweep their rooms, early every morning; 
 those who are not, will have it done by the Assistant, while they 
 are at breakfast. 
 
 5th. It will also be expected, of those who are capable, that 
 they will sew, knit, spin, or render any other service for the be¬ 
 nefit of the Institution. 
 
 6th. All that is necessary for the comfortable support of the 
 inmates of the Asylum, will be furnished from the funds of the 
 Society; no individual, therefore, will, on any account, be per¬ 
 mitted to leave the Institution to solicit assistance, or procure 
 work. 
 
 7th. Breakfast to consist of tea and chocolate, or tea and 
 coffee. Dinner at one o’clock. 
 
 8th. Supper before candlelight—similar to the breakfast. All 
 who are able, will attend at the general table ; those who are 
 more infirm, can take their meals in the sitting room. 
 
 9th. If any of the family are indisposed, a suitable meal will 
 be provided, and sent into their rooms. 
 
 10th. Washing and Ironing, to be done on Mondays and 
 Tuesdays. 
 
 11th. If any inmate of the Asylum feels disposed to visit her 
 friends, she is requested to mention to the Matron where she in¬ 
 tends staying, and the probable length of her visit, that no un¬ 
 easiness may exist on her account; and that, in case of sickness 
 or accident, the Managers may know where she is to be found. 
 
 12th. No stimulants or spirituous liquors to be used in the 
 Asylum, except by order of the Physician ; and, in that case, 
 to be administered by the Matron. 
 
 13th. No person will be permitted to interfere, or find fault 
 with the Superintendent or Assistant; but if any think they 
 have cause for complaint, they must apply to the Managers, who 
 will receive their statement, and take such order thereon as they 
 may think proper. 
 
 14th. It is required that all Visiters be treated with respect 
 and attention, and conducted through any part of the building 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 they may be disposed to visit. Particular attention to be paid to 
 Ministers of the Gospel, and those whose visits are made for re¬ 
 ligious purposes. 
 
 15th. To preserve perfect harmony in the family, the strictest 
 attention must be paid to the Rules of the Asylum. For the first 
 and second violation there will be an admonition; for a third, a 
 complaint will be preferred to the Board ; for the fourth, a re¬ 
 moval from the house. 
 
 THE FORM OF A BEQUEST. 
 
 MONEY LEGACY. 
 
 “ I give and bequeath unto The Indigent Widows’ and Single 
 Women’s Society of Philadelphia , the sum of 
 to be paid to the Treasurer for the time being, for the use of the 
 said Society.” 
 
 DEVISE OP HEAL ESTATE. 
 
 “I give and devise unto The Indigent Widows’ and Sin¬ 
 gle Women’s Society of Philadelphia , [here describe the pro¬ 
 perty or ground rent] together with the appurtenances, in fee 
 simple/’ 
 
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