Plan of Organization and Traditions
​
Adopted October 19, 1911
Amended October 23, 1914
Amended December 28, 1922
Amended January 28, 1941
Amended June 10, 1980
Amended June 8, 1982
Amended June 3, 1986
Amended June 24, 1997
Amended September 19, 2000
Amended August 19, 2004
​
​
​
1. The name of this organization shall be the Kit-Kat Club.
2. Its object shall be the promotion of social intercourse among congenial men who are interested in literature, art, education and other matters of broad human concern.
3. The active membership of the club shall be limited to thirty-nine, as was the original Kit-Kat Club of London in the early years of the eighteenth century, unless otherwise determined by the members.
4. The spirit sought by the Club is that of Samuel Johnson whose history as a dedicated clubman and his intense interest in language and literature provide a worthy example.
5. The management of the Club shall be entrusted to the Executive Committee of seven members. Two shall be chosen annually for a period of three years. The retiring President of the preceding year shall be the seventh member.
6. The members shall annually elect the officers of the Club, which shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and the Kristopher Kat. The officers of the Club shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee during their terms of service. In the event the position of an officer or a member of the Executive Committee should become vacant, the Executive Committee shall fill the position for the unexpired term. The President shall appoint all standing and special committees.
7. Unless otherwise determined by the Executive Committee, there shall be nine meetings during each Club year. The Club year begins in October.
8. The annual business meeting of the Club shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee. At this meeting officers shall be elected for the succeeding year. Vacancies in the Executive Committee shall also be filled. Other closed meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee to be held at the end of a regular meeting.
9. The May meeting shall be an open meeting at which some distinguished person shall be the speaker and which each member may invite guests (ladies and gentlemen) under such restrictions as to number as may be made. Each member shall pay the cost of entertaining the guests he invites.
10. The guest speaker, unless he be a regular member of the Club, shall be paid such honorarium as the Executive Committee shall determine.
11. Members may invite guests (gentlemen) to all other meetings except the annual business meeting, which shall be closed.
12. To meet the necessary expenses of the Club, there shall be annual dues, the amount of which shall be determined by the Club membership, payable at the beginning of the Club year.
13. Dues from newly elected members shall be payable within thirty days of the date on which they are notified of their election. The dues of new members who come into the Club after a Kit-Kat year is partially completed shall be prorated for the remaining meetings of the Club year.
14. Nominations to active membership shall be the function of a Membership Committee of three members appointed by the president to serve for three years. Appointments shall be arranged that one member’s term expires each year so that each incoming president makes one appointment. The immediate past president of the Club shall be ex-officio a member of the Membership Committee.
15. At least three weeks prior to a closed meeting the Membership Committee shall circulate to all active members the name or a list of nominees, together with vitae. The number of nominees shall not exceed the number of vacancies.
16. Election of new members shall take place at a closed business meeting. Election shall be by three-fourths of those voting. Members unable to attend the meeting may vote by sending a letter which must reach the secretary by the date of the closed meeting. So long as vacancies in the active membership exist, the Membership Committee may present names for a vote by the membership at closed meetings throughout the year.
17. There shall be a non-resident membership list to which active members leaving the city and desiring to retain their relations with the Club may be elected by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall annually establish a non-resident member fee, payment of which is a condition of continued non-resident membership.
18. A person who has been a member for not less than ten years may ask the Executive Committee to grant him associate status. This request will be acted upon at a closed meeting. The Executive Committee shall establish an associate member fee. This fee may be waived by the Executive Committee for any member who has been an active member for twenty years or more. Payment of the established fee is a condition of continued associate membership. Associates attend meetings at their pleasure, paying the guest fee for their meals, but may not vote nor serve as an officer. Members are expected to prepare and present essays approximately every four to five years. Members in good standing for ten years who no longer wish to present essays should move to associate status or emeritus status. Members in good standing for fewer than ten years who no longer wish to present essays should discontinue their membership.
19. Four successive unexcused absences from meetings by an active member shall be regarded as signifying insufficient interest and shall call for resignation or a satisfactory explanation.
20. In addition to the Secretary’s minutes a record of the Club shall consist of its photograph album for which each member is requested to furnish a suitable photograph and vitae.
21. It is the custom that at each regular meeting a member present an essay on a topic other than those associated with his usual occupation. Essay titles are designed to suggest their content without disclosing the subject matter of the essay. It is also a custom for a new member to be invited to present an essay at a program during the Kit-Kat year following his election to membership.
22. The “Plan of Organization and Traditions” may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the active members.