George Demeter
{{Short description|Greek American politician and parliamentarian}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = George Demeter
| image = AHEPA_Archives_Supreme_President_George_Demeter_1923-24.jpg
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|3|13}} {{cite web|title=Public officials of Massachusetts|url=https://archive.org/stream/publicofficialso19351936bost/publicofficialso19351936bost_djvu.txt|publisher=The Causeway Print|access-date=28 March 2012}}
| birth_place = Athens, Greece
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| occupation = Lawyer-Parliamentarian
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| alma_mater = Harvard College 1918, Boston University Law School 1924
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George Demeter ({{IPAc-en|d|ɪ|ˈ|m|iː|t|ər}}; 1896–1983) was a Greek American politician, professor of law, and parliamentarian. He was the author of Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure.{{Cite parl|title=DEM}} The second Wednesday in April has been designated as George Demeter Day in Massachusetts.http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1989/1989acts0208.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}
Political involvement
Demeter served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for two terms in 1932 and 1934 representing the Back Bay district.{{cite news|title=Prominent Speakers to Be Heard at Ahepa Banquet|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun/1938-03-23/page-61?tag=george+demeter+ahepa&rtserp=articles/george-demeter-ahepa|access-date=30 March 2012|newspaper=Lowell Sun|date=23 March 1938}}{{cite web |title=St. George Cathedral Community History |url=http://www.stgeorgecath.org/pages/stgeorge_churchhistory.html |access-date=18 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508113614/http://www.stgeorgecath.org/pages/stgeorge_churchhistory.html |archive-date=8 May 2012 }} Demeter was the first Greek-American to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, building on the unsuccessful bid of Greek-American Nicholas G. Veniopoulos Nestor in 1922, who had gained the Republican nomination.
Greek–American involvement
Demeter became involved with the national Greek-American service organization AHEPA soon after it was founded on July 26, 1922. He was President of the Boston Lodge in 1923.{{sfn|Leber|1972|p=162}} After Supreme President H. N. Wells was voted out of office in March 1924, he assumed the role of Supreme President of AHEPA for three months.{{sfn|Leber|1972|p=172}}{{cite book|last=Matsoukas|first=Nick John|title=A Letter from the Southwest|url=http://flps.newberry.org/article/5422062_4_1785/|publisher=Saloniki-Greek Press|date=4 July 1935|access-date=18 April 2012|archive-date=20 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820052930/http://flps.newberry.org/article/5422062_4_1785/|url-status=dead}}
While serving as Supreme President he contributed an editorial to the 1924 convention edition of "The Ahepa" entitled "Why Greek Organizations Fail!"{{sfn|Leber|1972|p=173}} Sometime during this period between 1920 and 1940, Demeter was president of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England.{{cite web |last=Gussis |first=Christopher |title=The Historic Boston Greek Cathedral -- Reliving 100 Years |url=http://www.bostoncathedral.org/pdfs%20&%20docs/The%20Historic%20Boston%20Greek%20Cathedral%20--%20Reliving%20100%20Years.htm |access-date=29 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825021649/http://www.bostoncathedral.org/pdfs%20%26%20docs/The%20Historic%20Boston%20Greek%20Cathedral%20--%20Reliving%20100%20Years.htm |archive-date=25 August 2012 }} At the 27th Supreme Convention in 1949, AHEPA adopted Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure for its own use.{{sfn|Leber|1972|p=371, 375}} Demeter continued to be active in AHEPA as a Past Supreme President. He participated in at least the 47th Supreme Convention in 1969.{{sfn|Leber|1972|p=506}}
Demeter was involved in the decision to include the Greek traditions of a laurel wreath and bronze medal in the Boston Marathon. He crowned the winner of each race and gave them a medal from Greece for each marathon from 1931 to 1947.
Academic work
Demeter was a professor of law at both Boston University and Suffolk University.{{cite news|title=Ahepans Happily Celebrate Greek Independence Anniversary|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun/1938-03-28/page-9?tag=george+demeter&rtserp=articles/george-demeter|access-date=28 March 2012|newspaper=Lowell Sun|date=28 March 1938}}{{cite news|title=Offer Schooling To Legislators|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zs4zAAAAIBAJ&pg=1257%2C1378343|access-date=18 April 2012|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|date=18 December 1936}} He also instructed new members of the Massachusetts Legislature in legislative procedure.
Works
- Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, 2nd edition, 1949
- Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, 3rd revised edition, 1950, Bostonia Press.
- Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, Universal edition, 1953, Bostonia Press.
- Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, Universal Revised, 1961, Bostonia Press.
- Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, Blue Book edition, 1969, Little, Brown and Company.
- How to Master the Rules of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, 1948, Mosher Press.
- Main Motion, 3rd edition, 1943, Bostonia
- Master Parliamentarian, 1948, Bostonia
- Parliamentary Procedure for Boy's State, 1949, Bostonia
- Parliamentary Procedure for Girl's State, 4th edition, 1942, Bostonia
- Ahepa Manual: Official Guide of the Order of Ahepa, Containing Early History and Miscellaneous Fundamentals of the Order, 1926, Boston: Athens Print. Co.
References
{{Reflist}}
;Sources
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book|last=Leber|first=George J.|title=The History of the Order of Ahepa|year=1972|publisher=The Order of Ahepa|location=Washington, D.C.}}
{{refend}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demeter, George}}
Category:Parliamentary authority
Category:Harvard College alumni