The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-02-14
THE CHAIRMAN.
His Duties as They Exist i'm England
Points for the People.

fOuts Tor the feopie.
For the ordinary work of ommittee
or societies, it is by no means necessary
that the chairman should be good
speaker-perhaps the reverse, on tho
whole. A chairman who likes to hear
the sound of his own Voice viii very
soon ruin the committee or meeting
over which he presides, unless steps be
taken promptly to remedy the mischief.
The model chairman should be able to
say his say in a few brief, appropriate
entences when circumstances requires
it-as, for example, in stating the oh.
jects for which meeting is being held;
but usually he has to do more with
controlling the speaking of others.
He must be man of tact, judgment
and an even temper--possessing the
knack of coming if need be, to a
swift and sound decision upon the
spur of the moment. A professional or
business man, of good social standing
in the locality. ought, as a rule, to be
invited to take the chair. He will at
once give an air of substantially to
the committee, stamping it with the
sign and seal of worth. Often enough
the success of a movement or of a So
ciety has been secured forthwith be-
cause a certain particular man has
consented 30 head it. And Cd the
other hand many committee has
failed to make the slightest Roadway
though the object for which it exists
may be unexceptionable = simply be-
cause the cooperation of Mr.. So-and-
so has not been obtained. Though
this may not indicate very cheerful
state of things, tits nevertheless COM
mon experience. A committee or
society having been established, and its
chairman appointed, it becomes incum-
bentupon the latter to attend the meet
ings with unfailing regularity. For his
own comfort and convenience he will do
so, since it must be obvious that the mo-
ment he closes touch with the affairs
of the committee he then and there
labors under a distinct disadvantage,
and his usefulness. moreover, is dimn-
ished. In committee work he will have
due regard to MISUNDERSTANDING
the proceedings at the selected hour.
If he is lacking in this respect, he will
find the members of the committee
soon growing equally remiss-not to
the benefit of the business which calls
them together. In committees it is
customary to permit of good deal of
the conversational style of transacting
affairs, and within well-defined limits
this is unavoidable. But in meeting
on larger scale, public or otherwise,
the chairman must regulate the bust
ness in the strictest possible manner.
Again, Mr.. Chairman must take care
that his meeting does its work Let
him ALWAYS have it we'll in hand. He
! must not allow any one to speak more
| than once or to wander from the sub
ject, or to obtrude upon an unwilling
audience. The only exception to the
first point is made in favor of the
| speaker who introduces a subject, and
who is accorded right of reply
which, however, is usually not ella med
at public meetings. As regards the
| second point, he will call the Grant
orators attention to the irrelevancy of
his remarks, and invite him to discuss
| the matter under consideration, or re-
sumo his seat. And in reference to the
| third, which has not unfrequently
proved itself a thorn in the chairman $
side, should the speaker persist in adj
dressing people who are manifestly re-
luctant to hear him, the chairman will
probably be able to put an end to the
unseemly scene by requesting the audi
| ence to vote as to whether the obstruc-
ZIONIST is to be heard or not In all
| cases the chairman must see that his
ruling is upheld and acted upon. Re-
spect for the chair must be cardinal
principal Cassers Family Maqaziae.