[at head of page] The new Constitution of the Athenaean Society transcribed by F.T. Fox

[the transcription is undated. F.T. Fox is Fountain Talbot Fox, Class of 1855]

Preamble

We, a portion of the students of Centre College, appreciating the benefits which result from an organization for mutual literary improvement, do for the purpose of forming such an organization adopt the following Constitution and By-laws, by which we pledge ourselves to be governed.

Constitution

Section 1

The name of this Society shall be the Athenaean Literary Society of Centre College.

The mottoes of this Society shall be “per ardua ad alta” and “mutual sit amicitia.”

This Society shall be strictly secret in all things, except such as the Society deem politic to divulge.

The object of this Society shall be literary improvement and mutual friendship.

Section 2

Article 1

This Society shall consist of regular, irregular, and honorary members, the latter sonsisting of persons who have honorably distinguished themselves.

Article 2

None but students of Centre College who are not members of the Chamberlain or Deinologian societies, and those who having honorable dismissions from said societies, and those students of the Preparatory Department who are over sixteen years of age, can become members of this Society.

Article 3

Any person petitioning the Society for membership not bared by aforesaid restrictions can by a majority vote of the members present become a member of this Society.

Section 3

Article 1

The officers of this Society shall consist of a President, Vice President, Marshall, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, two Critics, and Door Keeper.

Article 2

The officers shall be elected for the term of two months except Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, who shall [hold] their offices five months.

Article 3

The election of officers shall be by ballot. After one ballot has been taken, all candidates shall be dropped except those two who have received the greatest number of votes, and then the ballot shall be taken between them.

Section 4

Article 1

It shall be the duty of the President to be present at all meetings of the Society, to put all motions before the house, except those as he deems to be out of order, to give the casting vote in case of a tie, to enforce all laws, to inflict all penalties except those of suspension and expulsion, and decide upon the merits of the debate after presenting the Society a synopsis of the arguments advanced on both sides of the question under consideration. And his decision shall be final unless overruled by a 2/3 vote of the members present.

Article 2

It shall be the duty of the Vice President to preside in the absence of the President, or when called to the chair by the Society.

Article 3

It shall be the duty of the Marshall [no duties listed].

Article 4

It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep a true and faithful record of all the proceedings of the Society.

Article 5

It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to read all letters and documents before the Society when received, and when necessary, to correspondence in the name of the Society.

Article 6

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep all the money of the Society, to keep a book in which a true and faithful account of all the monies received and expended shall be recorded by him, and at the end of his term the Treasurer-elect shall give a receipt for the amount received from him.

Article 7

It shall be the duty of the Critics to correct all mistakes made in composition read by members, and to criticize them before the Society the meeting succeeding their presentation, also to criticize all the performances before the Society.

Article 8

It shall be the duty of the Door Keeper to guard the door, to take cognizance of the ingress and egress of members, and to permit none to enter the hall who are not members of the Society or candidates for initiation.

Article 9

No member shall be eligible to the same office two successive terms.

Section 5

Article 1

Every member shall have the privilege of voting upon any question which may come before the Society, but no member shall be permitted to speak more than twice upon any one subject, nor longer than 12 minutes in his first and in his last speech, except by special permission from the Society, which shall be given without debate, simply by a vote of the Society.

Article 2

The members of this Society shall whenever deemed politic by a majority of ¾ of the regular members be subject to taxation.

Article 3

The monies of this Society shall be appropriated to [illegible word] all necessary expenses incurred by the Society.

Section 6

This Constitution shall be subject to revision and amendment whenever deemed proper by a majority of 3/4 of the regular members of the Society.