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NAP Clubs
While the National Association of Parliamentarians moved from a club affiliation structure to a hierarchy of state and local organizations in 1953, two of the original clubs are still active participants in NAP: the Parliamentary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, and the Parliamentary Law Club of Richmond, Virginia.
Parliamentary Club of Missouri
The Parliamentary Club of Missouri, the oldest parliamentary organization in the history of the National Association of Parliamentarians and one of the two remaining clubs in NAP, grew out of a class of parliamentary law taught by Mrs. George B. (Emma Lard) Longan. The interest of the 14 members led them to form a permanent organization June 14, 1898. The first officers were: Mrs. T.L. Deiss, president; Mrs. George T. Murphy, secretary; and Mrs. J.W. Hapson, treasurer. Other members were: Mrs. George B. Longan, Mrs. Fred E. Lee, Mrs. Hickox, Mrs. Kelley, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Kuhn, Mrs. Micheau, Mrs. Stark, Mrs. Wheeler, Miss Ayer and Miss Page. Members included residents of Kansas as well as Missouri; the first luncheon meeting was held at the Grand Hotel in Kansas City, Kansas.
In 1909, Articles of Incorporation were filed for 25 years. In 1935, the club was reincorporated for 50 years, and on January 15, 1985, the charter was amended "that the existence of The Parliamentary Club shall be perpetual."
It was a tribute to its founder when the Parliamentary Club voted to apply for club membership in the National Association of Parliamentarians in 1941. Mrs. Longan envisioned a national association of parliamentarians; however, she died eight years before her vision became a reality.
A unique facet of the Parliamentary Club was the "Parliamentary Service" program—parliamentary study time that was offered to organizations within the community for a fee. This program was offered before lunch, and was open to members of the club as well. The service was inaugurated in December, 1948 with the instruction for these classes always presented by a member who had passed the registration examination of NAP. The Northeast Chapter of War Mothers was the first organization to use the service. Ten organizations currently send representatives to these morning classes—one of which is a social studies class from the Northeast High Law Magnet School of Kansas City, Missouri. All groups are invited to share in the meeting and participate in additional lessons presented in the afternoon.
The "Diamond Jubilee" of the Parliamentary Club was held in 1973 at the Wishbone Restaurant, the former home of Dr. Silas Woodson Longan, son of Emma Longan. Dr. Longan was a writer and one of the founders of NAP. He revised the textbook his mother had written and named it Longan's Parliamentary Rules.
Many of those active in the early years of NAP received their parliamentary training in the Parliamentary Club. Among the early members were Mrs. Jame W. Steele and Mrs. Tom Buckley—each of whom served as president of NAP; Mrs. Fred P. Gilpin and Mrs. Karl Keikert, who served as headquarters secretary; and Mrs. Robert Normandie and Mrs. F.B. Surber, who served as editor of the National Parliamentarian. Others have served NAP as committee chairmen and members, as district directors, and as volunteers in other capacities.
In 1998, the Parliamentary Club celebrated 100 years as a group still serving the public and NAP, with an equal number of years of continuous study of parliamentary law.
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