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MINUTES of the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN SQUARE DANCE CLUBS 3 September 1972
The general membership meeting of the European Association of American Square Dance Clubs (EAASDC) was called to order by the Association President Chuck Converse on 3 September 1972 at 1 4.00 hours at the Bürgerhaus in Mörfelden, West Germany. There were 34 clubs present at roll call. Minutes of the last meeting were approved. The treasurer's report was given and approved. Harry Waldbart, the treasurer, stated so far the Round Up had taken in about $ 1,100.00 and had spent about $ 1,253.00, but at all the expenses of the Round Up were not in and accounted.
Leroy Esmy of the Wheelers & Dealers asked if a detailed quarterly treasurer's report could be sent to the clubs. Chuck said that we would send out a treasurer's report with the minutes of the meeting and hope that the new board would do the same. (The treasurer's report was not possible at this time as the treasurer was TDY).
Chuck also mentioned that several clubs had not turned in their bills for expenses they had for the Round Up. He asked if they would please do so as soon as possible.
At the general membership meeting at the Summer Jamboree in July, ECTA presented two proposals to EAASDC. The first proposal stated that ECTA would receive 50 % of all profits from all Jamborees and the annual Round Up for caller's expenses. The second proposal stated that all active ECTA callers would get in free at all Jamborees and the annual Round Up. Chuck stated that EAASDC does not concur with these proposals. He said that every time a caller goes to a dance, he can claim all expenses from his income tax (gas, mileage, hotel expenses, admittance fees). ECTA also has their own source of income, they sponsor two Student Jamborees a year for the purpose of raising money.
On the second proposal, Chuck said that EAASDC does not feel we can require a club sponsoring a Jamboree to admit all callers. This is up to the host club. Also, if a caller is not on the program, he is attending as a dancer, not a caller.
Chuck mentioned that the method of presenting the proposals was not the best. They would have been negotiated between the two executive councils and presented to the general membership.
Chuck then asked if a representative of the Mannheim Mixers could give a report on the Winter Jamboree. Mary Salts of the club said they are working on the program. The Jamboree will be on 1, 2 and 3 December at the Elementary School in Benjamin Franklin Village in Mannh eim. The club would have the program in a week or so.
Rudi Pohl said that the ECTA constitution states that ECTA must have the program on the last meeting before the Jamboree to check the dates and look over the program.
Mary Salts said there club was not aware of this. Chuck asked how if the club prepare a preliminary program that afternoon and give it to ECTA. Mary said they would.
There were three clubs requesting membership in EAASDC. Egon Metzler of the Tamburin Stuttgart stated that this club dances at Robinson Barracks each Monday from 7.30 to 10.30. They have 48 members both German and American and the club dances squares and rounds. Chuck had a copy of their constitution. This club was voted in and welcomed to EAASDC.
Ray Baker of the Golden Arrow Squarelers said this club dances on Tuesday at the Elementary School in Bad Kreuznach from 8.00 to 10.00. This club was starting a class on 20 September. Chuck had a copy of their constitution. This club was voted in and welcomed to EAASDC.
Chuck had a letter with a check for the dues and a copy of the constitution for the Midnight Sundowners, a club of Kevlavick, Iceland. This club was voted in and welcomed to EAASDC.
Chuck mentioned that the association had grown from 52 clubs a year ago to 62 clubs at the present time. The clubs range all the way from Iceland to Saudi Arabia.
Chuck asked for bids for the Spring Jamboree. There were none and chuck said that if there were no bids now, it would have to be bid at the Winter Jamboree and that was not enough time for planning a jamboree. It was decided to come back to this later.
There were 24 Friendship Badge forms turned in to be presented with Friendship Badges. These people have earned their Friendship Badge: Shirley and Ted Duffin, Barbara and Tom Hargreaves, Judith and Robert Taggert all from the Beaux & Belles; Tina and Frank Macura, Beth and Charles Smith from the Kuntry Kuzins; Doc Panholzer of the Munich Dip-n-Divers; Willie Mae and Mac McClain of the Button & Bows; Fred Mattox of the Heidelberg Hoedowners; Norbert Maezke of the Swinging Stars; Connie and Bob Gaskin of the Stuttgart Strutters; Tom Waldera from the Bavarian Stompers; Jean and Jim Cholmondeley from ECTA. Congratulations to these people.
Peter Schensick from Berlin asked if someone earned a second or third Friendship Badge, if it would be gold for the second and diamond for the third. He said that for those badges the people should have been awarded in places like Berlin or Bremerhaven. Chuck said he had discussed having the second one in gold.
ECTA had their general membership meeting and elected these new officers for the coming year: Al Albertson President / RD Coordinator Jim Johann Vice President Missy Cooper Secretary Jim Cholmondeley Treasurer / Membership Chairman Bob Falconi Training / Program Director Cleve Cooper EAASDC Liaison
ECTA will sponsor the Student Jamboree on 9 December and they need a host club for this event. There were no bids for the Student Jamboree.
Marv Leibowitz said that he was really disappointed that out of 62 member clubs surely one could host a Student Jamboree. He also said that students really enjoy these dances, meeting dancers and finding out what is going on with square dancing.
Jim Hinkle of the Paws & Taws asked what did it involve for a club to sponsor a Student Jamboree? Chuck said that ECTA provides the refreshments and the host club provides the hall and sells coffee and sodas. Jim asked how large the hall and Chuck said the last Student Jamboree there were about 60 squares. Beth Smith said the Kuntry Kuzins hosted it last time and it was very easy. Someone asked who paid for the hall if one could not be had for free. Rudi said if ECTA had to pay for a hall the price for the dance would have to be higher. Chuck said we would take a break in a few minutes and you should discuss this in your own club.
Chuck reminded everyone it is time to pay membership dues again.
Chuck said that we would now hear the nominees for President of EAASDC that were presented at the Summer Jamboree. In alphabetic order, we would have Vern Hoover first. Vern said that he is President of the Heidelberg Hoedowners, started dancing in 1959 and has been dancing since, is an associated member of ECTA and is calling for the Mainz Masters. He said that if he is elected, the loyalty would be first to EAASDC and second to ECTA.
Bill Cooke of the Growing Squares asked how he could be an officer in EAASDC and still be a member of ECTA? Chuck said that our constitution does not prohibit anyone being a member of ECTA. Vern again stated that his loyalty would be first to EAASDC and there would be no conflict between the two organizations, but that there should be a bond between them. There was some arguing between Vern and Bill Cooke until Chuck asked them to direct their remarks to the chairs and not to each other.
Vern said if he was elected, at the Winter Jamboree he would present a proposal which incorporate what ECTA desires, but doesn't feel the original proposal is just. Bill asked if he was trying to force this on EAASDC because he was a member of ECTA. Vern said if he wasn't elected, he would still present his proposal.
Jim Hinkle of the Paws & Taws said that when he was here before, he was a member of EAASDC and ECTA. He said that the two boards used to work together more to have a better Jamboree and Round Up. Jim felt it is wrong to say this association is doing this and that association is doing that. He is tired of clubs and callers in conflict when they should be working together for the good of square dancing.
Chuck introduced Bob Raush of the Wagon Wheels. Bob said that he has been dancing for a year and a half and never enjoyed any form of entertainment more. He is delighted to have been asked to serve square dancers in their highest capacity, and would do his best if elected.
Marv Leibowitz said he agreed that a caller being a leader in the dancers association would be difficult. There are a number of times where callers and dancers do not see eye to eye. Can a caller look at things, ideas and goals from the dancers viewpoint? The goals may be the same, but sometimes we go about these goals in a different way.
Andy Anderson of the Berlin Twirlaways said that because a group feels one way does not mean that everyone in that group feels that way. A small group of callers may disagree with the majority of the callers. We should pick the man himself, not the group he is in.
Jim Hinkle of the Paws & Taws said that he feels one of the reasons it is so hard to get clubs to bid on a jamboree is that there are so many special dances between Jamborees and the Round Up. It seems like jamborees are just another special dance, but they should be special, more than a special dance.
Dave Ostrander of the Bavarian Stompers asked if clubs could bid two jamborees of time for planning purposes. He said that most military places do not have a place large enough for a jamboree and when you have to go on the economy, it takes more time. You need to know further in advance to get good places.
Chuck said that full requirements for sponsoring a Jamboree should be made known to all clubs. Chuck said that information packets had been sent out over a year ago and this information was included in the packet.
Tom Hargreaves of the Beaux & Belles said that perhaps EAASDC or ECTA could list all the requirements for jamborees and sent them out. Tom also wanted to know if the meeting agenda could be send out ahead of time.
Chuck again stated that the information for jamborees was in the packets sent out. He said he does not fully know the meeting agenda until a week or so before the meeting when he calls Mac and Betty to type it and there is not enough time to mail it out.
At this time we took a short break.
After the break, Chuck asked for bids for the Spring Jamboree. John Zuniga of the Stuttgart Strutters bid for the jamboree. Detlef Junker of the Wuerzburg Whirlers also bid for the jamboree. Chuck asked if either club had any plans ready on such a short notice. John said that Stuttgart had a hall at Ludwigsburg. Detlef said that Wuerzburg would have a western show and Bavarian dancers. The voting as held and Stuttgart will have the Spring Jamboree.
Three clubs expressed an interest in bidding for the Summer Jamboree, but Chuck said they would have to wait until the Winter Jamboree to bid. Chuck thanked the two clubs for bidding on the Spring Jamboree on such short notice.
Vic Chiolak of the Gateway Twirlers put in a tentative bid for the Student Jamboree. The Mainz Masters and the Golden Arrow Squarelers combined bid for the Student Jamboree. Also Tamburin Stuttgart bid for this. Chuck said since there were two definite bids for the Student Jamboree, this would preamp the tentative bid from the Gateway Twirlers. It was voted on and the Mainz Masters and Golden Arrow clubs will host the Student Jamboree.
Chuck mentioned that square dance week is 10 thru 16 September. Clubs should get out and dance at NCO and Officer Clubs, and other activities to promote square dancing.
Chuck told club representatives to use the voting cards to their vote for the new President on. While the votes were being counted, we had a calendar review. Chuck said the new board is going to be awfully busy travelling to all these special dances. A listing of dances coming up is in the Chatterbox.
The votes were counted and Vern Hoover is the new President. His board is: Rainer Scheiblich Vice President Marylin Smith Secretary Harry Waldbart treasurer Val Fuerst Publicity Director Phil Irwin Project director
Vern thanked everyone for their support and said he would do the best he could.
Chuck thanked everyone for their support during the past year. He announced the next meeting would be at the Winter Jamboree and that Vern would receive bids for the Summer Jamboree at that time.
Vern took this time to thank Chuck and his board for a job well done.
Doc Karls of the Kuntry Kuzins said that in the future the presidents of EAASDC and ECTA should get together and move the Student Jamboree further away from the first week in December since this is when the Winter Jamboree is normally held.
Lynn Sandstrom said at the ECTA meeting they discussed this. They had a choice of two dates, 25 November or 9 December. Since the Student Jamboree is mainly for Students, they decided on the 9th of December. This would also give the callers a full 10 week of lessons.
John Hildebrand of the Hahn Hicks & Chicks made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Vern Hoover seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned at 15.30 hours.
Betty McGown EAASDC Secretary
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