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A Brief History of the Society
Founded in 1994, and re-chartered in 2000*, We are affiliated with The Celtic
Society of the Ozarks, and are chartered under the Burns Federation, an
International organizations of Burns and related societies.
In 2004, the Celtic Society of the Ozarks re-organized as a "pan-Celtic"
umbrella organization, and the Scottish St. Andrew's Society of Springfield
became one of its charter members. The society continues to support the Celtic
Society's new mission of unity of the various local, regional and national
Scottish and Celtic groups, while at the same time promoting and preserving
Scottish and Ulster-Scottish heritage through its annual Burns Dinner, Kirkin'
o' the Tartans and other Scottish events. The Society also supports the
Southwest Missouri Celtic Festival and Highland Games in Buffalo, Missouri,
held the second weekend in September.
The society is governed by a committee made up of a President, Vice-President,
Secretary and Treasurer, as well as the chairs of sub-committees for society
activities and programs. The society holds an Annual General Meeting each
November after the St. Andrews Day Kirkin o the Tartans.
Membership is open to all persons; you do not need Scottish heritage to join,
only an interest in all things Scottish.
What is a St Andrew's Society?
St Andrew's Societies can be found all over the world but primarily in the
English-speaking countries. There is no central organization or "mother
chapter"; each St Andrew's Society is an autonomous organization. While there
are still some St Andrew's Societies which limit themselves to only male
membership, most of the Societies are open to all regardless of gender. Some
Societies also limit their membership to individuals who were either born in
Scotland or who are direct descendants of people born in Scotland (one Society
requires geneological proof). New St Andrew's Societies in the United States
have found that in order to qualify for a tax-exempt status from the IRS, they
must have a non-discriminatory membership policy; in fact the only real
requirement is an interest in the St Andrew's Society!
Most St Andrew's Societies are established as charitable/educational
not-for-profit organizations. To fulfill their charitable/educational mandate,
many Societies give scholarships for university study and for special Scottish
cultural classes (e.g., Highland Dancing, Celtic Harp). Some Societies also
sponsor Scottish Games or at least sponsor trophies at their local Scottish
Games. The Washington DC St Andrew's Society has housed a Scottish family in a
hotel when the father had a heart attack in Washington, DC, truly "relieving
the distressed"!
All St Andrew's Societies that this author is familiar with are also strongly
social groups with regularly scheduled luncheons, quarterly dinners, annual
Tartan Balls, Kirkin of the Tartan, etc. Many have special interest groups with
in them for genealogy, Gaelic language, militaria, and/or history. Some sponsor
their own Pipe Band.
There is some controversy over the origins of the first St Andrew's Society.
According to the St Andrew's Society of Charleston SC a number of gentlemen,
"chiefly natives of Scotland," organize the St. Andrew's Society in 1729, the
first such Scottish organization in the world. Named for the patron Saint of
Scotland, it lends assistance to widows, orphans, and others in need of help.
This author remembers reading of a St Andrew's Society being established in
London during the reign of King James VI/I after he had ascended the English
throne; this would place it between 1603 and 1625. This Society was established
to aid indigent Scots and later also became more of a social club. Their motto
was "Relieve the Distressed" which has become the motto of many St Andrew's
Societies around the world.
-- from http://www.standrewssociety.org/whatis.asp
*The Scottish St. Andrews Society of Springfield would like to thank the Ft.
Scott, Kansas Chapter of the Scottish Knights of St. Andrew, Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry, for their generous donation to our re-chartering efforts!
