May 22. 9 a.m.
( The convention was called to order by chairman Wallber. The follow- ing delegates were absent: Rappaport, Haebe, Miller, Best, and Buck.
Motion Passed: That all committee reports be spread in the minutes of the convention.
The following committee reports were read and received:
REPORT ABOUT PRACTICAL TURN!~m.
The committee added Turn teacher
c.
Anthe.a from Louisv1ll6. This committee presents the following resolutions for ad~ption:Par. 1 Resolved, that the Turn teachers' Seminar should be supported, and continue to function.
Par. 2 Resolved, at the request of many districts that the Turn teachers' Seminar should be changed to the city of New York.
Par. 3 Resolved, that all National Turner Societies should pur- chase the following Turner books:
l. National Turn Book by Rabenstein
2. Textbook for Free-fxercises 3. Exercises of mixed Jumps
4. Women Turnir.1.,r··
by Lion by Lion by Kloss
Par. 4 Reso~vtd, that in exhibitions of Juniors, only oblipatory exercises should be permitted.
Par. 5 Resolved, that by Squad Contests the judges will state into how many parts the main exercise should be divided.
Par. 6 Every rijurner should, in the development of his exercise, state .the inbetween movements.
Par. 7 To recommend to all districts to have leader's courses. The time to consist of a 4 weeks period.
Par. 8 The nomenclature of the various exercises in our Turner language is so varied, we are requesting that the Par. 3 quoted books be used as our (( ',/ .guide. Where these in themselves differ, the Turn
teacher~'
Congress shoulC.decide. The adopted chanres shonld be given to the Vorort and same be added to their Turner book stock which can be purchased by the Societies.
Par. 9 Resolved, to permit thP. prize judges to shorten the obligatory exercises, if there is not sufficient time on hand.
Par. 10 Resolved, that by prize turninr at the National J.'urnfest, 3 judpes should function on every apparatus. They are to decide on the
judge, who is to be responsible for all the judges lists, and in case of a dispute about the exercises of a Turner, he must render the final decision.
Par. 11 Resolved, that the districts are requested to find out the reasot why some societies do not have Turn classes, and to investigate further.
Par. 12 No re~li&r employed Turn teacher is permitted totake part in a Turnfest as a prize Turner. (Turners, who are leaders of Junior classes, although they may receive pay for it, do not come under this ruling.)
Par. 13 Resolved, programs
or
Free exercises and marching tactics which will be used at the National Turnfest must be sent to the Vorort atleast 3 months before.
Par. 14 Resolved, that the J.'urn teachers' Seminar provide, that both men and women can attend in order to prepare women teachers for the women Turners.
Par. 15 Resolved, that in connectio:1 with the Natio··ie.l Turnfest, the prize Turners should have quarters clos€ to the field of competition.
Par. 16 Resolved, .that all resolutions of pri=:.vious conventions which are in consideration of practical turn!nf, and which are not eliminated by
any of the above resoluticms, remain in force and we recomrr~end that tt.ey be carried out to the letter.
H. Metzner, Chairman
C. Steinmetz, Bey, C. Anthes, L. Best, A. Stecher, H. Stumpf.
REPORT OF THE CO:MHITTEE FOR NATIONAL AFFATRS.
The committee recommends to the convention, the followin~ resolutions for adoption:
1. Resolved, through the districts to levy an extra assessment of 5 cents per member, for the purpose of a Eundes fund to assist several
·districts.
2. Resolved, to hold the next Bundes Convention in .Rochester, N. Y.
3. Resolved, to hold the next National Turnfest in Cincinnati, Ohio.
4. Resolved, to have th·~· next Bundes Vorort in the Chicar;o District.
5. Resolved, that all 1'urner Societies should hold, at least once a month some kind of an entertainment by Turners· and Juniors, and the families of same should be invited and receive reserved seats. In such entertainments, recitations, and declamations. Turners and Juniors should take part in the program.
6. Resolved, that all societies, which have saloons, should provide a separate entrance to the gym and to the meeting ha11·ao they·ma.y be
entered without goinf through the saloon.
7. Resolved, that all Turn classes are orderly, and that cleanliness must be carefully observed by all Juniors. Also that classes are to be order- ly dismissed.
8. Resolved, that delegates to convent~.ons should not be bound too closely to instructions, that societies and district should permit same a more free hand.
9. Resolved, to make a practice to use the ~ord you
"Du"
amongTurners; this should be adopted in all 'l'urner Societies.
10. Resolved, that the Vorort be requested to assist the people in the State of Rhode Island, who do not as yet have the voting privilege.
That every effort should be made politically and otherwise to change the injustice.
(;(, 11. Resolved, that the Turnerbund recognizes and endorses the estab- lishment and maintenance of good free schools in tUl. parts of the United States as a foundation for freedom and as the main support for the contin- uation of this republic. Also, every Turner should make it his duty to
agitate for free schools and for an obligatory school law, and fort he intro- duction of our Turner systems in all public schools.
12. Resolved, that the Schultze-Delitsche system of Loan Association cannot be considered as practical. ··However, same is recommended for in- d1v1dnal societies and districts.
13. Resolved, the proposition to obtain reduced fare to the Gennan Turnfest in Bonn, May 4, 5, and 6 of this year, was placed into the hands of the Vorort.
14. Resolved, that a resolution from the Chicago Turngemeinde, that in the year in which a National Turnfest is to be held, that no district Turnfest should be conducted. Thia resolution cannot be enforced and can- not be considered as a partial act.
H.
v.
Langen, Chairman Buck, Seidler, Buehl, and Kimmel.COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXAMIN:NG THE VORORT BOOKS.
The committee examin~d all books and receipts, snd find everything in correct orar.
The Treasury has the amount of $860.34. This is satisfactory if one consiars the small amount of dues the National Treasury receives.
The payments were made promptly by societies and the areas are small and can be considered good.
a) A request of :~:·25 to the Wisconsin District is considered question- able by the district. The qelegates of same should explain so that this question can be settled.
b) The Turn school books brought about a deficit of $450.14, which ( :;should be covered during the next 3 years.
c) The committee finds itself in a position, to state, that more expensive books should not be bought.
d) The Turn teachers' Seminar in Chicago did cost the Bund $390.10.
It seems that the cost will justify that the institution should be given up, unless some more advantageous results can be obtained.
e) In the inventory book, the amount of $200 is listed, which was sent to the Seminary. The com.~1ttee requests an explanation from the Chicago delegates if same are still at hand, or if they were burned.
f) The Statistical Reports were read to the Convention by the Sec- retary ot the Vorort and will be printed.
g) Against Societies who are careless in sending in their report, steps should be taken to compel prompt action, and if necessary they should be expelled from the Bund.
h) The committee stated that the Vorort has a very thrifty and practical management. The Treasurer also was complimented for his clear and efficient
bookkeeping •. We do hope, in the interest of the Bund, that this important branch of managing- the Bund, will always be conti.nued in this bus1.nesslike manner.
John Meinhardt, Henry lfiiller, John Erfert.
The three reports were then takenup separately and each point debated.
About the report on revision:
a) The request for $25 from the Wisconsin District were placed in the lost column.
/
b) and c) was eliminated and 1n its place the following was added:
0by a small.er capital layout for publishing the School books, the financial result can be.considered as very favors.bl~."
d) This passage was eliminated.
( ( J
e) As the Chicago delegates assured the convention that the books were not burned, this passage was also crossed off.f) Adopted.
g) Decid~·-d, to cross off the Savannah District for non-payment of dues and not sending in their report. Decided, that the following Soc-
1eties should be reprimanded for not sending in their statistical report:
•
Terre Haut T.
v.,
Iro~ton T.v.,
Centralia T.v.,
St. Charles T.v.,
Washington, Mo. T.
v.,
Little Rock T.v.,
Sauk City T.v.,
Manayunk T.v.,
Eudora T.
v.,
Chetopa T.v.
h) Unanimomly adopted.
The entire report, was made better by adding and changing and then adopted.
REPORT ON PRACTICAL TURNING.
All paragraphs from l to 17 were adopted.
The following additions were made: ·
Decideda Dtstricts which have a membership of over 200, should make
an effort to send at lea.st one Turner to the Turn teachers' Seminar
to become a teacher. Necessary expenses should be paid out of the district treasury.
Decided: 'l1hat the Vorort is instructed to print all rules and re- gulations pertaining to prize turninp., National, and District Turnfests;
in fact, to collect all rules which are not, as yet, embodied in our Statutes. After printing same, it should be mailed to all districts in
sufficient quantities.
This total report was then adopted as amended.
REPOWP ON NATIO:tAL P.FTA!RS
1. was eliminate~. 2. was adopted.
3. was postponed until a deficit fund is adopted.
4. was adopted.
5. 6., 7., and 8. was tabled.
9., 10., 11., 12., 13. and 14. was adopted.
The following additions were made:
Decided, the Bund finds in the movement to change the National draft- ing by inserting the acknowledgment of one God, one Jesus, and the Bible of our free government as a dangerous effort. We are, therefore, opposed to same and aeainst such a move.
Decided, if a Society, that conducts a National Turnfest has a deficit, the Vorort is then empowered to assess all societies to make up the sum
of $1,000.
Decided, the proposition about Life insurance groups is to be given over to the next Vorort for investigation. All documents in regard· to it are to be placed in the hands of the New Vorort.
After the above motion was passed in regard t·o a deficit by, a Nat-
·1onal Turnfest, article·3 of the Committee's report was also adopted.
The foll:wing cities, aside from Rochester, were voted on as the place for the next convention with the following results: Cleveland 13, Detroit 14, New- Ulm 38, Leavenworth 10, Milwaukee 37.
As to the next National Seat ·of the Turners, aside from ChicaFO, the followinF cities were voted on: St. Louis 35, Milwaukee 75.
As to the city for the Ne.t.ional 'l'urnfest, aside from Cincinnati,
the folb·ing cities received votes& St. Louis 29, Milwaukee 31 and Leaven- wtrth 36.
Motion passed. This convention has a duty, to extend our thanks to all Turners who worked for the h~sh e.~_res of our Turner bund, especially those who made personal secrifices in their effort to carry on.
Also to those who assisted so nobly in the very d'lfficult effort to again unit the civided Turner groups into a National Turner bund, our re-
( i
1spect and thanks are given.Also, last but not least, to all members of the National Vorort who did such a good job in manaeing the affairs of our Bund, ouw sincere
thanks.
Also, in addition, a special comr1endation for the unself'ish and un- tiring effort of our National President Turner
s.
Spitzer, to our faith- ful Secretary H. Metzner and to the watchful e.nd competent Treasurer,H. Merz, our most Sincere the.nlrs.
Their actions gained a friendly remembrance to all Turners of our Turner bund.
Finally the entire report as amended was adopted.
REPORT OF
!!lli
COMMITTEE.Q!
COMPLAINTS ETC.To the convention of the N. A. T. B.
I In the situation of Adolph Frey, who made the appeal to this con- vention, aga1.nst the judgement of the Indianapolis Turner society, the under- signed committee made the following resolution:
1) Because both parties were not represented in the same way during the investig:ation, and because the both, the accuser and the accused made contradictory statements, we, due to the lack of proof about the situation, made the following: suggestion:
We find, if Adolph Frey would admtt all of the guilt, which he will not, then the expulsion from the saiety was too severe e. punishment.
2) Decided, that on account of the above mentioned reasons, and also to be of the same mind, as the decision me.de October 16, 1371 by district Vorort session, wh:ic.·~ was held in Louisville, we believe that the ex-
pulsion of Adolph Frey by the Indianapolis Turner Society should be de- clared null and void. However, we feel that this Turner should be re- primanded by the Indianapolis Society for some of the admitted insulting remarks he made.
( ' I I In regard to the request of the Cincinnati Turngemeinde to have the Cin-
~~nnati Turner district withdraw the reprimand made to ~lrner Louis Buehler,
(
we find that the convention of the Cincinnat-1. T·.irrie.r District in Terre Haut, Ind, had no right to judre a sinrle member o~ a Soctety.
It was therefore decided to repr~~A"10 the acti.o~ of the convention of the Cincinnati Turner District in Terre Haut, Ind. in regard to Turner Louis Buehler.
III On acco~nt of the complaints by the Cincinnati Turngemeinde against the report of the Terre Haut conva1tion, about accusations ani untruth- fullness it was
Decided, because of the offense did not show sufficient proof and there- fore could not be considered, we cannot meet the request to reprimand. We recommend that societies and districts in dealing with missunderstandings and disputes, follow·their rules of business. Also, to obstain from news- paper articles in consideration of settling such situations.
<.~'
tThe Comnittee
Gustav Freygang, Alex Grueneberg, Ph. Stein.
P.
s.
As a member of this Conun1ttee, and as a follower of the ~hitewash of the Convention, e.nd because I toolc part in the appeal of 'l.iurners A. Frey, I wish to state once more that I do not consider the action of the
convention as entirely justified and proper.
Philip Stein.
This report was accepted, discussed and finally adopted unchanred.
J. R. Pellmann, Secretary.
8. s:::~SSI
mI.
May 22. 2 P. M.
:iihe conve·ntion was called to order by chairman Wallber, all deleerates were present.
To the Hational Convention of the Noith American 'J.'urnerbund at Louisville, Kent1..lcky.
Gut E-Ieill
'l'he Com_mi ttee on Platform and Statutes presents the following- as their work:
I PLAT~~ORk
The 'l'urnerbund, by uniting all societies who accept the platform of the National Organization, aim to educate its members to develor strong
bodies and a free, sound mind. It is also a sp~cial duty, to make a sincere effort to use every available means to bring about a clea·r understanding and can assist in bringing about such human benefits which will raise the standards of human rights.
The National Or~anization should be a planning school for revolutionary ideas, which has its origin ina natural plan and for that reason is a ration- al conception of a better worldly view.
For the above reason, the Turners fight against slavery and Nativisms, and especially are against a curtailment of human rifhts, which are opposite to runda.mental human laws, and can11ot be u:-iited with rules for the better- ment or humanity.
In order to defend the principles of the Turnerbund in regard to the American politics at the present time, which on account of the present
party politics may lead to m1ssuse of hu~an rights, every Turner should be on the alert to take a stand arainst all social and human injustice.
1. The Turnerbund c·onsists of united Turner societies of the United States under the name of "North-Ar:erican Turnerbund."
2. The societies form amonf thr>mselves District units and the Orf"an- izations, which are near each other form a District Vorort.
The rules for their manarement should be left with each district. How- ever, no ruling .can be in conflict with our National Statutes.
The Districts must conduct a convention at least once a year.
Districts, who join the National Bund, have to pay dues for one whole year, if they join during the first nine months of the fiscal year. If they
join durin~ the last t.t-iree months, thE dues will be creditled for the next year. Part payments a.re not accepted • .
The same ruling holds good ror. societ1es who plan to join the District.
3. If several societies reside in the same city, they should belong to the same District, in order to work together.
If several organizations from the same city wish to join the district, the district officers must decide. In case of an appeal, the District
convention w111 make decisions.
4. The law-making body of the Bund is the National Convention, which convenes every two years.
5. The National Conve~tion elects the seat of the Bund, ana the dis- trict, the members of the Vorort.
The Vororts district is responsible for the property of the B1.md as well as the management of the next National Convention.
6. The Vorort is the executive part of the Bund and has as its duty, to conduct the business of the Bund in the best possible manner.
It consists of 9 members as follows:
1. Speaker Treasurer,
2. Speaker and four other rrembers
Protocal Secretary, Correspond1ng Secretary All are ele~ted for a period of two years.
The Voro~t should bai1e a sun; of money to pay anc: pay in part so?':'le of these officers who ~ive a lot of time for such off1cf duties. The arnount (, . of money to be used for such purposes will be voted on by the coaention.
·\ l
The Treasurer has to furnish bond. The amount to be stated by the.
Vorort.
If a district has a complaint to make ar.ainst the Vorort, it is placed into the hands of the District Vorort for consideration ano action. If no settlem·-:-nt can be reached to satisfy both parties, a vote must then be taken by the entire Bund membership.
7. The Districts must be represented by the National Convention, and only District delegatE·s can have seat and vote. These delegates are entitled to the entire votes of the district. The number of delegates
makes no difference. Districts, which do not have representation direct or indirect, of if they do not make a satisfactory report, within 4 weeks from tbedate of the convention to the Vorort, will be suspended from the Turner- bund. This action must be published at once in the Turner paper.
a.
The method by which the delegates are elected will be left in the laneof each district.
Any member of a District Turner Society can be elected according to the fashion of the District.
The members of the Vorort cannot represent a~y District at the Conven- tion. They have all the privilefes~other ,;. delegates, but ca~not vote.
9. Every Bundes- District pays a yearly dues of 10 cents for each member. This must be paid during the first half' of the fiscal year, ~.nto
the National treasury.
The year starts in January for both the District and the Bund.
Every District with less than 50 members has one vote. For every additional 50 or a fraction thereof, one extra vote.
10. One ·of the first req11ests for all Turner Societies should be to work for the introduction of our T :rner syster.1 into all public schools.
( \ This is considered as a necesE.ity to
br~nf
up our yo1.1th strong and healthy.11. The Turner Societies are requested to conduct their turning accordinr to a rational principle. Also to see to it that 'l'urn teachers or class leaders, who know our 'l'urner method and are able to instruct classes in this manner, are appointed in school.
12. Societies are also requested fol' the mental adva'.1cement of their members, to have instructive lectures and debates during each month. The
theme for same will be furn~~shed by. the District office. The Societies
are requested to make a report of same within 4 W€P.ks to the District office on a formula sent for that purpose. These reports will be arranged by the District office and mailed to the Vorort. They will publish a total re-
port about this undertaking in the National Turner paper.
It is also the duty of every Turner Society to work in their home
circles for the establishment and completion of good Gennan-English Schools • . The £ollowing subjects should be part of the curriculum: Music, singinp.,
drawing, and turning. These subjects are to receive full consideration