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199402 [2017/01/10 18:30] – [Governing Rules] paul_barton199402 [2017/01/10 18:31] – [Governing Rules] paul_barton
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 Probably about the same time I'd read that "human beings are the only creatures that can weep" (ignoring crocodile tears, of course). I wondered if humans are also the only animals that identify the absurdity of some situations and laugh and decided that, although both grief and joy are normal conditions, there is a good deal to be said for laughter at the right place and time. A wise old owl once said, "Tis sweet to play the fool in season". Probably about the same time I'd read that "human beings are the only creatures that can weep" (ignoring crocodile tears, of course). I wondered if humans are also the only animals that identify the absurdity of some situations and laugh and decided that, although both grief and joy are normal conditions, there is a good deal to be said for laughter at the right place and time. A wise old owl once said, "Tis sweet to play the fool in season".
  
-Even before the "rules for fools" debate someone had called my attention to a rather odd clause in the Constitution then governing Club affairs. It read "Membership shall be open to all persons of both sexes over the age of 16 years" and I was asked if I knew anyone of "both sexes". I suppose at the time I giggled and had no answer. Many years later (why does one always think of the apt retort afterwards ?) Well, of course, that would have been a French army, where the standard of cuisine was presumably much better than any Army tucker I remember. Anyway, the dubious phrase about "both sexes" vanished during the revamp of the Constitution in preparation for becoming an Incorporated Association.+Even before the "rules for fools" debate someone had called my attention to a rather odd clause in the Constitution then governing Club affairs. It read "Membership shall be open to all persons of both sexes over the age of 16 years" and I was asked if I knew anyone of "both sexes". Anyway, the dubious phrase about "both sexes" vanished during the revamp of the Constitution in preparation for becoming an Incorporated Association.
  
 Ours is not the only walkers' Constitution to have contained some ambiguous statements. Not long after I became a member, a girl prospective was on one of the same walks. In addition to SBW, she was also seeking entry to another smaller Club long since defunct and brought on the trip a copy of this other Club's rules, which several of our people read carefully. Now I won't pretend that, after 46 years, I can remember the exact phrasing, but the essence of one clause was "unmarried members of different sexes shall NOT occupy the same tent". Ours is not the only walkers' Constitution to have contained some ambiguous statements. Not long after I became a member, a girl prospective was on one of the same walks. In addition to SBW, she was also seeking entry to another smaller Club long since defunct and brought on the trip a copy of this other Club's rules, which several of our people read carefully. Now I won't pretend that, after 46 years, I can remember the exact phrasing, but the essence of one clause was "unmarried members of different sexes shall NOT occupy the same tent".
199402.txt · Last modified: 2017/01/10 18:41 by paul_barton

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