Adopted November 1, 1947 and amended 1950, 1952, 1958, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1996c 2014, 2019

Article I
Name

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Pennsylvania State Button Society.

Article II
Object

Section 1. The object of this society shall be to encourage and promote interest in collecting buttons for educational and historical purpose, for personal enjoyment and to preserve for future generations all that is beautiful and historical in buttons.

Article III
Government

Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be:

1 – President
2 – First Vice-President
3 – Corresponding Secretary
4 – Recording Secretary
5 – Treasurer

all of whom shall be elected for a term of four general membership meetings, and until their successors elected and qualified.

Section 2. In the event of the loss of the President, the First Vice-President shall become President for the remainder of the term.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall consist of a representative, for the term of one year, from each of the recognized local button clubs in Pennsylvania. Said representative or alternate is to be appointee of the president of each of these clubs. At the present time, the recognized button clubs in Pennsylvania are: 1) Alpha and Omega 2) Keystone, 3) Pennsylvania Dutch, 4) Red Rose, 5) Star, 6) Susquehanna, 7) French Creek Valley Button Club

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, the Board of Directors, and the Editor. This committee is authorized to conduct the business of and make decisions for the Society except where otherwise reserved to the whole membership by the Constitution and By-Laws. All such activity shall be reported to the membership at each general membership meeting.

Section 5. The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings twice a year, at least one of which shall be before the general membership meetings of the society, and special meetings at such other times as may be designated by the president or by any three members. At all regular meetings, a quorum shall consist of not less than five (5) members: at all other meetings not less than a majority of the members of the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Notice of all meetings of the Executive Committee shall be given by the Corresponding Secretary by mail at least two weeks in advance, to each of the members.

Article IV
Membership

Section 1. Membership in this organization shall be open to all individuals who are interested in the hobby of button collecting.

Section 2. There are three classes of membership: Adult Membership, Junior Membership, and Club Membership. Junior membership (under the age of 18) shall be free. However, a Junior member must be sponsored by a paying adult member, and the Junior’s name submitted by the sponsor. Dues are payable at any Pennsylvania Button Society Show, or by mail. Bulletins will not be mailed for the new year until dues are received.

Article V
Amendments

Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws may be amended at a regular meeting of the society if not less than twenty five (25) members are present, if notice of a proposed amendment has been given.

Section 2. Notice of a proposed amendment shall be sufficient if (a) it shall have been read at the regular meeting immediately preceding the general membership meeting when it shall be put to a vote; or (b) if the proposed amendment shall have been published in the PENNSYLVANIA STATE BUTTON BULLETIN at least (30) days prior to this meeting; or (c) if copies of the proposed amendment shall have been emailed or mailed to each member at least (30) days prior to this general membership meeting.

Section 3. The Constitution and the By-Laws are to be reviewed annually by the Executive Committee and the Committee shall recommend changes if necessary.

Article I
Officers

Section 1. All officers of the Pennsylvania State Button Society shall be elected at the fourth general membership meeting of the elected officers.

Section 2. A nominating committee of three (3) shall be appointed by the President and they shall present their report at the fourth general membership meeting of the elected officers. Names of the Directors for the coming year will appear in the first issue of the bulletin for the new year and will be announced to the membership at the next general membership meeting.

Section 3. Vacancies in office, occurring during the year, shall be filled by the President by appointment, which officers shall serve until the next election.

Article II
Duties of Officers

Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings, appoint the chairman of standing committees, and fulfill the office in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order Revised. In absence of both the President and the First Vice President shall preside.

Section 2. The Recording Secretary shall keep a complete record of all proceedings and correspondence. If current policy requires it, the Corresponding Secretary shall send notices of meetings to members and other interested people; keep an accurate classified list of membership of the society, with addresses, and perform the other duties usually appertaining to the office of Secretary.

Section 3. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys, dues, etc., pay all bills so ordered by the president after approval by the society; keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements; and present a written report each meeting.

Article III
Appointments

Section 1. The President shall make the following appointments: (a) Historian; (b) Editor of Pennsylvania State Button Bulletin; (c) Parliamentarian; (d) Chairman of Shut-ins; (e) Chairman of Auditing Committee; (f) Nominating Committee; (g) Budget Committee; (h) Chairman of Judges; (i) Chairman of Awards; (k) Assistant to the Treasurer.

Section 2. The duty of the Historian is to collect and preserve all data pertaining to the formation and actions of the Pennsylvania State Button Society.

Section 3. The Editor of the Pennsylvania State Button Bulletin shall be responsible for the publication of the bulletin and shall be appointed for a term of not less than two years. The Editor shall have the authority to designate one or more assistants to help him/her in carrying out his/her duties.

The Editor shall have the authority to designate one or more assistants to help him/her in carrying out his/her duties.

At the expiration of the Editor’s two years of duty, the Editor shall receive a Life Membership in the Nation Button Society from the Pennsylvania State Button Society, or the equivalent in currency if the Editor is already a Life Member of the National Button Society.

Section 4. The duty of the Parliamentarian, or a substitute, is to be on hand at each meeting to advise on parliamentary procedure.

Section 5. The duty of the Chairman of the Shut-ins to keep in touch with the Shut-ins who are current or past members of the Pennsylvania State Button Society. Directors should forward the names of their shut-ins to the Shut-In Chair, as well as to the President of the Pennsylvania Sate Button Society.

Section 6. The duty of the Auditing Committee of three (3) members shall audit the accounts and report to the society, once a year at the first meeting of the year, checking all items, bank balance, receipts and expenditures according to recognized accounting practices.

Section 7. Duty of the Budget Committee is to prepare a budget to be presented once a year at the first meeting of the year for the next fiscal year.

Section 8. Duty of the Chairman of Judges is to oversee entry of the trays in competition, including but not limited to selection of the judges, hanging of the trays, returning of the trays to the competitors, announcing winners and submitting the winners list to the editor to be published in the bulletin.

Section 9. Duty of the Chairman of Awards is to select awards to be sponsored by PSBS in the NBS competition at the National Show.

Article IV
Membership

Section 1. The qualifications for membership are defined in Article IV of the Constitution.

Section 2. Any member refusing to conform to the Constitution and By-Laws of the society, may, by a two-thirds vote of members present, be expelled; but such member must have thirty days’ written notice from the Secretary of the charges preferred, and the date, hour and place of said meeting. Should the member fail to appear at the place of meeting at which he or she is to be heard, without satisfactory reason when requested, he or she may be expelled.

Section 3. To become an approved dealer at PSBS, a request for this status must be submitted in writing to the President, accompanied by a check for membership if the individual is not already a member. The Executive Board should not act on a dealer request for approval unless dues have been paid.

Section 4. Newly formed clubs wishing to become recognized by the State society shall submit their request in writing to the President, along with the membership dues, to be presented at the next scheduled meeting of the Executive committee. The Executive Committee will vote on acceptance of the new club. Membership will be notified at the next general membership meeting.

Section 5. Recognized clubs wishing to withdraw from membership in the PSBS are requested to notify the Executive Committee in writing, that they are withdrawing. Membership will be notified at the next scheduled general membership meeting.

Article V
Meetings

Section 1. The regular meetings of this society shall be hosted by each local club in rotation by alphabetical order.

Section 2. There shall be one or more meetings a year, during the Spring and/or Fall show. The officers shall be elected at a general membership meeting, when elections are due to be held. The precise date of each meeting shall be established by the host club at or prior to, the preceding meeting, when it shall be announced.  If the next club in the rotation cannot host the meeting, notice should be given to the Executive Committee, no later than one year prior to the meeting date.

Section 3. A Quorum shall consist of not less than twenty-five (25) members.

Section 4. The host club shall arrange for the program.

Section 5. The meeting shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order Revised, which is to be in the custody of the Parliamentarian.