Section 2. Mission:
The mission of the Horace Mann League, a patriotic and educational organization, is to advance public education. The Horace Mann League will advance public education through the following:

1. Promote the importance of public education for a democracy;
   
2. Support educational leaders in recognizing and confronting issues that are destructive to public education;
   
3. Represent the value and reality of public education to executive, legislative, and judicial bodies; and,
   
4. Recruit and recognize those who advance public education.

Section 3. Offices:
The League's office(s) shall be located in such place(s) as the Board of Directors may find appropriate, necessary, or advisable.

Section 4. Seal:
The corporate seal of the League shall have inscribed the name of the League, the word "Incorporated," and the year of its creation (1922).

Section 5. Meetings:
The League shall hold an annual meeting and such special meetings as its Board of Directors may from time to time determine to be desirable. Fifteen (15) members shall constitute a quorum. The President shall call the annual meeting and such special meetings as the Board of Directors may direct. If the President shall fail to call such a meeting, the Board of Directors may direct the Executive Director to do so.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Eligibility:
Any person shall be eligible to membership who is twenty-one (21) years of age, of good moral character, and who shall give satisfactory evidence of loyalty to the purposes and principles of this League.

Section 2. Invitation:
Membership shall be by invitation only, and shall be extended upon nomination of a member and majority vote of the League, a majority vote of the Board of Directors, or upon the approval of the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall annually inform the Board of Directors of his membership approvals and disapprovals.

Section 3. Dues:
The amount of the annual dues shall be established by the Board of Directors. This amount shall be for the calendar year and shall be paid directly to the Treasurer; provided that any state dues will be paid to the Treasurer of the state chapter, and provided that national dues may be paid through the State chapter, if the chapter so elects.

Section 4. Card:
A membership card will be issued upon payment of dues, showing that the member is in good standing.

Section 5. Special Membership:
A special membership category shall be available for persons who, as members, have given outstanding service to the League and its purposes over a period of years. Such persons may be selected by the Board of Directors, and shall be referred to as Honorary Life Members. These persons shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues.

ARTICLE III - OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1. Officers:
The officers of the League shall be:

• President,
  
• Vice-President,
  
• Past President,
  
• Executive Director, and
  
• President-Elect,

who shall be elected by the vote of a majority of the members present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of the League, and they shall hold office for one year from the close of the Annual Meeting, or until their successors shall be elected and qualified. In case of the death or disability of any officer except the President, the Board of Directors is authorized to appoint a successor to serve for the unexpired term.

Section 2. Board of Directors:
The Board of Directors of the League shall be composed of the Officers as provided for in Section 1, twelve members elected for overlapping three-year terms by the vote of a majority of the members present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, and all living past presidents of the League in good standing.

Section 3. Property:
The Board of Directors shall be responsible for and be charged with the care and custody of all property belonging to the League, and to that end shall be vested with all the powers conferred by Sub-section "d" of Section 3 of the Articles of Incorporation of said League. Provided, however, that the Board of Directors shall not have power of authority to sell, convey, lease, mortgage or otherwise dispose of real property belonging to the League without an affirmative recorded vote of all nine of the members of said Board.

Section 4. Duties:
The Board of Directors shall prescribe the duties of the officers and transact the general business of the League.

Section 5. Planning:
The Board of Directors shall prepare, and cause to be executed, plans to promote the growth and forward the purposes of the League, and shall generally look after its interests and perform such other administrative duties as may be committed to it by the League or as circumstances may require.

Section 6. Meetings:
Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at the call of the President. Meetings shall be called by the President within fifteen (15) days after a written request to do so has been submitted to him by three or more Directors.

Section 7. Quorum:
At any such called meeting a quorum shall consist of five of the Directors. Any business may be transacted that may seem advisable to the Board and that is not reserved solely for the action of the members in an Annual Meeting by these Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President:
The President shall:

1. Be the chief executive officer of the League;
   
2. Preside at all meetings of the members, of the Directors, and of the Executive Committee,
   
3. Shall see that all their properly executed contracts, agreements, orders and resolutions are carried into effect;
   
4. Have general supervision and direction of all the other officers;
   
5. Shall see that their duties are properly performed;
   
6. Appoint committees when directed to do so by the Annual Meeting and may do so when requested by the Board of Directors or when in his or her judgement such action is advisable; and
7. Be an ex-officio member of all such committees.
   

Section 2. Vice President (and President-elect):
The Vice-President and (President-elect) shall:

1. Counsel and cooperate with the President for the promotion of the objectives of the League;
   
2. Represent the President when requested to do so on proper occasions; in his or her absence or disability, shall, in their order, discharge the duties of President; and
   
3. Shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Executive Director:
The Executive Director shall:

1. Collect all dues and other funds for the League, receipt for the same, and deposit them to the credit of THE HORACE MANN LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INC.;
   
2. Make necessary purchases;
3. Employ necessary services;
4. Pay out funds as directed by the League, or its Board of Directors, or on his or her own authority as invoices are received or obligations fall due within the limits of budget approval;
5. Give necessary notices to officers and to members;
6. Conduct official correspondence of the League;
7. Distribute publications, circulars, and supplies as directed and as his judgment dictates;
8. Do any and all other things possible to carry out the purposes of the League and to extend the scope of its influence; Have accounts audited annually;
9. Submit a report of the activities of the League for the fiscal year to the Directors at their first regular meeting in each year, and to the members at the Annual Meeting; and,
10. Shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

To cover expenses and to reimburse the Executive Director for services, he/she shall be paid such sums within the resources of the League as the Board of Directors may authorize.

Section 4. Executive Committee:
The Executive Committee shall include the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Past President, and the Executive Director.

Nominations: The Executive Committee will serve as the nominating committee.

ARTICLE V - STATE CHAPTERS

Section 1. State Chapter:
A State Chapter as a branch of the League, may be organized in any state, territory, or in the District of Columbia or in any of the colonial possessions of the United States by fifteen or more persons qualified for membership, provided no State Chapter exists in such state, territory, or district, or provided a State Chapter formerly existing has become inactive and has for two years or more failed to pay its dues to the League. The admission of such State Chapter shall be by action of the Board of Directors of the League, and after organization and admission, any such State Chapter shall have jurisdiction in the state, territory or district in which it is organized, subject to the provisions of the By-laws.

ARTICLE VI - PERMANENT AND SPECIAL FUNDS
Section 1. Funds:

1. Permanent Fund:There may be created and maintained a Permanent Fund of the League. The income or interest from any such permanent fund shall be placed in the general treasury of the league and shall be available for the general expenses and uses of the League. The principal of the permanent fund shall remain intact and shall be used or diminished only upon unanimous recommendation of the Executive Committee approved by the Board of Directors, and ratified by a vote of nine of the members present at the regular or special meeting to which the recommendation of the Executive Committee shall be submitted.

    

2. Special funds: Special funds for special projects may be established by the Board of Directors and administered by the officers and governing bodies of the League to carry out such projects without reference to the provisions for a Permanent Fund.
   

Section 2. Gifts:
All gifts and legacies for which no different use is specified by the donors and other monies may from time to time be transferred by the Board of Directors from the general fund of the League to the permanent fund.

Section 3. Investments:
The permanent fund shall be invested in interest-bearing securities such as would be approved for that purpose by a reputable and conservative trust company; but this section shall not be construed to prevent the investment of a portion of the permanent fund in suitable real estate to serve as a home or general office for the use of the League.

ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended or altered by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at any regular or special meeting of the members provided notice of the proposed alteration or amendment be contained in the notice of the meeting; or at any meeting of the Board of Directors by a majority vote of the members present, provided notice has been given at a previous meeting or has been sent in writing to each member of the Board so as to be received not less than thirty (30) days before the date of the meeting at which it is proposed to consider such changes or amendments. An item of the By-laws may be suspended at any time upon a three-fourths majority vote at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors.

(Amended 8-5-95) Rev. 8-30-96
(Formatted for WWW, 9/24/96)

Foundations and Corporate Partners (pending)

Pending Guidelines relating to corporate and foundation partnerships (agenda for summer 2004 board meeting).

By Laws on Corporate and Professional Association Partnerships (draft) with the Horace Mann League (the League)

Article VI Corporate and Professional Association Partnerships

1. Endorsements

The Horace Mann League may endorse such programs, products, services, candidates for public, political or professional association offices, and education issues which, in the judgment of the board of directors:

• … related directly to the League's mission
• … support specific League programs
• … contribute to the stature of the League and its members, and
• … contribute to moral, financial, political, or other support to public education.

1.1 Endorsements of corporate programs, products, and services shall be of two categories:

1.21 where there is potential for direct financial benefit to the League membership or the League, and

1.22 where there is potential for direct financial benefit to public education.

1.2 All endorsements will be made by the board of directors in consultation with the executive director.

1.3 The board of directors will review all endorsements at the beginning of each membership year (February). The League reserves the right to withdraw an endorsement when, in the opinion of the board of directors, it is in the best interest of the League to do so.

1.4 Under no circumstances will the League render an endorsement in violation of its mission.

1.5 The status of a Corporate Member in the League shall not, in itself, constitute an endorsement of the program, product, service, or other activities rendered by the Corporate Member.

1.6 Nothing in this policy shall prohibit the executive director from cooperating with Corporate Members with which the League has close mission and philosophical ties.

1.7 All requests for endorsements must be presented to the executive director in writing. Said requests will be forwarded to the board of directors for consideration after it has been determined by the executive director that a sufficient amount of information is available form which to make an informed recommendation, and decision.

1.8 A League endorsement shall not obligate the League to perform any service or action that is not specifically expressed in the request for endorsement.

1.9 A League endorsement shall not restrict the League from endorsement of other companies providing similar programs, products, and services.

1.10 The League is not liable for any misstatements or misrepresentation made by the endorsee with regard to the programs, products, and services.

1.11 Nothing in this by-law shall prohibit the League form accepting advertising revenue from the corporate member, but any such advertising shall not, in and of itself, constitute an endorsement of the program, product, and services.

1.12 The League endorsement shall not be interpreted as a League state of expertise relative to the endorsed programs, products, and services.

1.13 Programs, products and services advertised in League publications shall not constitute an endorsement, nor shall the advertisement constitute a state of expertise on the part of the League.

1.14 Revenues to the League from endorsements may be in the form of commissions, advertising, royalties, or contributions to the general fund, and League Foundations.

1.15 The by-law establishes the right of the League to participate in royalty ventures. A royalty is payment for the use of a valuable right, such as a trademark, name, or copyright. Royalty ventures shall be limited to those categorized as passive in order to insure the tax exempt status of royalty revenues.

1.16 The following list of products and services NOT eligible for the League endorsement are, but not limited to:

• Abortion clinics
• Alcoholic beverages or similar non alcoholic products
• Contraceptive products
• Criminal activity or avoidance detection devices
• Firearms, weapons, ammunition and fireworks
• Gambling and lotteries
• "Head shops" and other establishments whose activities concentrate on drug related paraphernalia
• Motion pictures rated "R' or "X" by the MPA
• Books, videos, and DVDs with a comparable rating to the "R" or "X" of the MPA
• Obscene materials or promotion thereof
• Prescription drugs
• Personal hygiene products
• Religions and religious sponsored activities
• Tobacco products

1.17 The authority to provide official League endorsements, as outline herein, rests solely with the board of directors. League committees and other gatherings of the League members either official or informal do not have the authority to make endorsements in the League's name.

(Adapted from the Illinois Association of School Administrators policy on "Association Policies, Section 1, Part 6)