Bylaws

>>Click Here to download a printable version of the HCH Bylaws.<<

Standing Rule No. 1: HCH Guild Structure

As Amended: November 12, 2011

Whereas, the founding statement of the Honourable Company of Horners (HCH), which was adopted at the organizational meeting at the Mercer Museum, March 2, 1996, and published in The Horn Book the same month, reads: “The company shall establish a guild system for the benefit of its members,” and the HCH Bylaws, adopted February 2001, read that one of the purposes of the HCH is “to protect the art and craft of horn working by establishing a guild system for its members,” the following guild system is adopted as the first standing rule for the HCH.

A. The Awards Committee will have oversight of the guild structure for the HCH and entertain all applications for promotion.

1. The committee will keep a permanent record of the rank of all HCH members.
2. The committee will meet each year at the annual meeting and at the summer reception, if held, to judge the applicant’s submitted work.
3. The committee will appoint three guild members of the highest qualification to judge the applicant’s work.
4. A majority vote by the judges will be final.

B. The HCH guild structure will consist of three ranks: Freeman, Journeyman, and Master. These ranks will have no bearing on a member’s voting status in the HCH. A HCH member need not be a Journeyman or Master to serve as Guildmaster, Guildmaster-Elect or any other elected or appointed office in the HCH.

C. All dues paying HCH members will have the rank of Freeman.

D. In order for a Freeman to voluntarily advance to Journeyman, he or she must:

1. Be a dues paying member of the HCH for three consecutive years.
2. Attend a minimum of one annual meeting prior to the meeting where his or her work is juried. The applicant may petition the Awards committee to waive the previous one annual meeting minimum clause in the case of continuing health or disability reasons.
3. Petition the Awards Committee in writing or by electronic mail for advancement prior to the annual meeting.
4. Demonstrate a reasonable proficiency in carving, heating & pressing, turning, and engraving cow horn in a historical manner by submitting five horn objects that display his or her ability in the fore mentioned areas for the Awards Committee to review at the annual meeting.
5. After the Awards Committee reviews the applicant’s work and discusses it with the applicant, a determination shall be made concerning promotion.

E. In order for a Journeyman to voluntarily advance to Master, he or she must:

1. Be a dues paying member of the HCH for five consecutive years.

2. Attend a minimum of two annual meetings prior to the meeting where his or her work is juried.

3. Petition the Awards Committee in writing or by electronic mail for advancement prior to the annual meeting.

4. Demonstrate a superlative level of ability in carving, heating & pressing, turning, engraving, and integrating woods and metals with cow horn by presenting three horn objects that demonstrate his or her ability to the Awards Committee for evaluation at the annual meeting.

5. Before his or her promotion, the Master candidate must give an original written and oral presentation to the HCH at an annual meeting or to another accredited organization on some aspect of horn working or its history. The Master candidate may petition the Awards Committee to allow him or her to submit a manuscript (book) or video/DVD that has a copyright to take the place of their written and oral presentation. The candidate must present a copy of the aforementioned work in advance to the Awards Committee for their inspection and discussion. A short oral description will still be required to be given at the HCH annual meeting before the rank of Master is awarded.

6. After the Awards Committee reviews the applicant’s work and discusses it with the applicant, a determination shall be made concerning promotion.

F. In order for a member of the guild to advance to Collector/Historian, he or she must:

1. Be a dues paying member of the HCH for at least three years.

2. Attend a minimum of two annual meetings prior to the meeting where his/her collection is juried.

3. Petition the Awards Committee in writing or by electronic mail prior to the annual meeting at which their collection will be judged.

4. Show a superlative collection of horn articles presented in a historical context. (i.e. carved powder horns, folk art powder horns, screw tip powder horns, snuff boxes, combs, etc.} to be reviewed by the Awards Committee for evaluation at the annual meeting.

5. That before his/her promotion, the candidate must give an original presentation to the HCH at an annual meeting on the collection. The candidate shall present a hard copy for the study and advancement of current and future guild members. (Written and photo Copy)

G. All those seeking advancement from Freeman to Journeyman and Journeyman to Master, must unconditionally donate one item they are submitting as their workmanship sample to the guild. In turn the HCH will have the option to keep or sell the item at auction to the highest bidder.

Standing Rule No. 2: HCH Ethics

Adopted: March 5, 2005
As Amended: November 12, 2011

1. Members will never knowingly misrepresent a new or contemporary item as an original antique.

2. Members will make every reasonable effort to permanently mark their current work, clearly identifying themselves as the maker with the year of manufacture, to keep the piece from being misrepresented in the future.

3. Members will not misrepresent or mark with their name or logo on any work that is not of their manufacture.

4. Members will always represent their skill level in the Guild in accordance to the regulations set forth in Standing Rule No. 1.

5. Only Current Executive Committee members, the current Guildmaster, or members specifically designated by the current Guildmaster may make official statements of HCH policy.

6. Members will treat all patrons with respect and deal with them fairly and honestly.

7. Whereas, the conduct of one member of the Honourable Company of Horners is a reflection on the guild as a whole, vigilance must be used to avoid situations where the reputation of the HCH is called into question.

8. The Executive Committee will, with just cause, review/investigate any claim of misconduct and determine an appropriate response.

9. Any members found to be misrepresenting their work, conducting themselves in such a manner as to damage the reputation of the guild, and/or conduct or condone dishonest practices may have their membership revoked.

Bylaws of the Honourable Company of Horners

Adopted: March 10, 2001
As Amended: November 12, 2011

Article I: Name.

1. This organization shall be known as The Honourable Company of Horners (hereafter HCH).

Article II: Purpose.

1. To promote and preserve an active interest in horn working in North America.

2. To promote the exchange of ideas and knowledge of the horn working art and craft.

3. To promote the preservation of the history and artifacts of horn work throughout the ages.

4. To protect the art and craft of horn working by establishing a guild system for its members.

Article III: Permanent Address.

1. The permanent address of the HCH shall be:
Art DeCamp
HCH Treasurer
2210 Acorn Circle
Huntingdon, PA 16652-9783

Article IV: A Not for Profit Organization.

1. The HCH shall be a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization.

2. The HCH may not undertake any activity that would cause it to lose its exemption from United States federal taxation as provided by section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, in that section’s present or future form.

3. The HCH may undertake any lawful activity to administer its affairs and attain it objectives, alone or in conjunction with other entities or organizations, except as proscribed in Article IV, Section 2 of these bylaws.

Article V: Membership.

1. Membership shall be limited to horn workers, active and inactive, and those persons interested in the history, technology and collecting of horn work.

2. Application for membership should be made to the Treasurer.

3. Dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

4. A member may be dropped from the rolls because of non-payment of dues.

5. Any member may withdraw or resign from the guild, in which event the resignation shall be effective as soon as it is received on paper by the Treasurer.

6. Those who have withdrawn or resigned from the guild, may be reinstated by payment of dues for the current year.

7. Honorary Lifetime memberships may be awarded by a two-thirds vote of the membership where a quorum of the membership exists.

8. Voting power of the members shall be equal and each member shall be entitled to one vote. Members may vote for officers, bylaw changes, and for such other business that comes before the HCH.

Article VI: Officers.

1. The officers of the HCH shall include the Guildmaster, the Guildmaster Elect, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.

2. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership at the annual meeting.

3. All officers must be in good financial standing with the guild.

4. The Guildmaster shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

A. The Guildmaster shall have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive officer of any organization.

B. The Guildmaster shall chair the general meetings of the HCH.

C. The Guildmaster shall chair the Executive Committee.

D. The Guildmaster shall appoint such committees as needed, both Standing and Special, for the operation of the guild, subject to the approval of the executive committee.

E. The Guild master shall appoint the Chairperson of each Standing or Special Committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

F. The Guildmaster shall see that all books, reports and certificates required by law are properly kept by the HCH.

G. The Guildmaster shall have the authority to direct the Treasurer to make disbursements of up to five hundred dollars U.S. in order to further the objectives of the guild.

H. The Guildmaster may be one of the officers of the guild who may sign checks or drafts of the organization.

I. The Guildmaster must approve or sign all official correspondence from the Guild.

J. In the event that an officer of the guild resigns, the Guildmaster shall appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term, subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee.

K. Should the Guildmaster resign during his term in office and the Guildmaster Elect not be able to assume the office of Guildmaster, the last available Past Guildmaster shall assume the position of Guildmaster, until a general election can be held at the next annual meeting.

5. The Guildmaster Elect shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

A. The Guildmaster Elect shall serve on the Executive Committee.

B. The Guildmaster Elect shall automatically succeed the Guildmaster at the annual business meeting each year when the newly elected officers are installed or whenever the Guildmaster is unable to complete his or her term.

C. The Guildmaster Elect may conduct the business of the annual meeting if the Guildmaster is unable to fulfill his or her responsibilities.

D. The Guildmaster Elect shall chair the Nominating Committee.

6. The Secretary shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

A. The Secretary shall make a record of the business meetings of the HCH and submit a copy of the approved minutes to the Publications Committee Chairperson for dissemination in the newsletter.

B. The Secretary shall maintain an official bound copy of the minutes of the past annual meetings and have it available for reference at the annual meeting.

C. The Secretary shall conduct such correspondence as is necessary to carry out these duties.

D. The Secretary shall serve on the Executive Committee.

7. The Treasurer shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

A. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds and investments of the HCH.

B. The Treasurer shall make routine disbursements and keep, or cause to be kept, full and accurate records and accounts of receipts.

C. The Treasurer shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, the mailing list of members and subscribers together with their mailing addresses and make it available to the various committees of the guild.

D. The Treasurer shall collect all sums due to the guild from any source.

E. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the communication of the financial position of the HCH to the Executive Committee and to present a report of the guilds financial position at the annual meeting.

F. The Treasurer shall serve on the Executive Committee.

G. The Treasurer shall conduct such correspondence as is necessary to carry out these duties.

Article VII: Recall of an Officer.

1. Any member can propose to recall any officer or officers of the guild if the member believes there is just cause to do so. Should such a recall be called for and upon statement of the charges against the officer(s), two-thirds of the member present agree to such, at any meeting attended by a quorum of the membership, the officer(s) may be removed from office.

2. An election must immediately follow a successful vote of recall to replace the recalled officer(s).

Article VIII: Committees.

1. The Standing Committees of the HCH shall include but not be limited to the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Membership Committee, the Meetings Committee, the Education Committee, the Awards Committee, and the Publications Committee.

2. The Chairperson of each committee shall be responsible for selecting active members for service on their committees. These committee members must be guild members in good standing and shall serve by the approval of the Executive Committee.

3. The Executive Committee shall consist of the four officers of the HCH and the last available Past Guildmaster.

A. The Executive Committee shall assume all the responsibilities for, and shall conduct the activities of the guild. The committee shall consider and present to the guild proposals for changes or improvements, and shall transact all business requiring attention and not otherwise assigned.

B. The Executive Committee shall report to the guild annually on its conduct of the guilds business. The report shall include an approval of the Treasurers accounts.

C. The Executive Committee shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a proposed budget for authorization at the annual meeting.

D. The Executive Committee shall hold such meetings as are required to transact the business of the guild during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

E. These meetings shall be called by the Guildmaster who chairs the committee and sets its agenda.

4. The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Guildmaster Elect and consist of no less than three members of the guild. No additional officer(s) of the guild may serve on the committee.

A. The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of candidates for officers of the HCH at the annual meeting. The slate shall be published in the issue of “The Horn Book” immediately preceding the annual meeting.

B. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

C. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

5. The Membership Committee shall consist of no less than three members of the guild.

A. The committee shall be responsible for soliciting new members for the guild.

B. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

C. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

6. The Meetings Committee shall consist of no less than three members of the guild.

A. The committee shall be responsible for selecting the site for the annual meeting, making all arrangements to reserve the selected site, and will work with the Executive and Education committees to assure support for the needs of the business meeting and guest speakers and judging the entries for the horn competition.

B. The committee shall be responsible for making arrangements for the Saturday night banquet at the annual meeting.

C. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

D. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

7. The Education Committee will consist of no less than three members of the guild.

A. The committee shall be responsible for procuring speakers and arranging programs for the annual meeting.

B. The committee shall coordinate the work of the guild in the area of educational programs and resources, audio visual programs and special lectures.

C. The committee shall be responsible for oversight of a traveling horn shop exhibit.

D. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

E. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

8. The Awards Committee will consist of no less than three members of the guild.

A. The committee shall be responsible for presenting awards to guest speakers at the annual meeting and for any other special awards the committee deems appropriate.

B. The committee shall develop awards for displays at the annual meeting.

C. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

D. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

9. The Publications Committee shall consist of no less than three members of the guild.

A. The committee shall be responsible for publishing the guilds newsletter “The Horn Book” three times per year.

1) The annual report of the Treasurer shall appear once a year in “The Horn Book.”

B. The committee, contingent upon a vote from the membership of the guild and the availability of funds, may publish from time to time a journal of the HCH in which presentations of various speakers and writers of the guild are printed.

C. The committee shall offer advice and consent regarding guild publications and internet projects.

D. The committee shall hold such meetings as are required during the year. These meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, telephone, or other methods.

E. The Chair of the committee shall call these meetings and set the agenda.

Article IX: Other Committees.

1. Additional committees, both standing and special, may be appointed by the Guildmaster, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. Their appointment, membership, terms of office, and functions shall be determined and recorded by the Executive Committee.

Article X: Meetings.

1. The HCH Annual Meeting will be held each year at a site to be determined by the Meetings Committee and approved by the Executive Committee. The Annual Meeting shall be scheduled for a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and be open to the general public.

2. The HCH shall have a business meeting at the Annual Meeting.

3. The business meeting shall be chaired by the Guildmaster.

4. The order of business at the business meeting shall be as follows:

A. Reading and approval of minutes.

B. Reading and approval of the Treasurers Report.

C. Presentation by the Guildmaster of a Summary Report on the state of the guild and the work performed by its officers.

D. Committee Reports.

E. Unfinished Business.

F. New Business.

G. Election of new officers.

H. Installation of new officers.

I. Adjournment.

5. The HCH shall adopt Roberts Rules of Order, the most recent edition, as its parliamentary authority in all meetings.

Article XI: Funds.

1. All monies belonging to the HCH shall be deposited in such bank or banks as directed by the Executive Committee.

Article XII: Seals and Logos.

1. A seal for the guild may be decided upon by a general vote of the membership. The seal shall be kept by the secretary who may, in that capacity, affix it to any certificate in respect to guild matters.

2. A logo or logos may be decided upon by a general vote of the membership.

Article XIII: Amendments.

1. Amendments to the bylaws may be initiated by individual members with proposals signed by at least three members of the Executive committee or by at least twenty five members of the guild. The required majority for passing an amendment is three-quarters of returned ballots in the case of a mail ballot vote; in the case of the general meeting, the quorum is half of all members and the required majority is two-thirds of the members present.

Article XIV: Adoption.

1. These bylaws shall take effect when adopted by either of the following majorities: In the case of mail-in ballots, the required majority is two-thirds of all members of the guild; in the case of a general meeting, the required majority is fifty-one percent of the members present.

Article XV: Dissolution.

1. If the HCH should be dissolved or terminated, all its asserts remaining after payment of all arrears shall be transferred by the Executive Committee upon approval by the membership of the guild, to one or more non-profit organizations that have educational and historical purposes similar to the guild.