People's Educational Camp Soc. v. Commissioner

39 T.C. 756, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 196
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedFebruary 12, 1963
DocketDocket No. 82223
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 39 T.C. 756 (People's Educational Camp Soc. v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People's Educational Camp Soc. v. Commissioner, 39 T.C. 756, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 196 (tax 1963).

Opinion

PieRoe, Judge:

Respondent determined a deficiency of $25,784.43 in the income tax of the above-named petitioner corporation for its fiscal year ended September 30,1956.

The sole issue for decision is whether, for said taxable year, the petitioner corporation is entitled to exemption from Federal income tax under section 501(c) (4) of the 1954 Code. This section, in material part, provides exemption for:

(4) Civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare * * *.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Some of the facts have been stipulated. The written stipulation of facts, including all exhibits made a part thereof, is incorporated herein by reference.

The petitioner, People’s Educational Camp Society, Inc., is a New York membership corporation with principal office in New York, N.Y. It filed a corporation income tax return for the taxable year here involved, with the district director of internal revenue for the Lower Manhattan district of New York.

Facts re Creation of Petitioner, and its Form of Organization.

In 1920 and for several years prior thereto, the American Socialist Society, which was a New York membership corporation, operated a school in New York City that was known as the Rand School of Social Science. (As hereinafter shown, both said American Socialist Society and said school have since ceased to exist.) The Rand School at that time conducted classes for adults, composed principally of wage earners and immigrants; and it also presented lectures and programs related to the development and dissemination of liberal and progressive views pertaining to the so-called labor movement and to socialist principles.

During said year 1920, officials and friends of tbe Band School learned that a tract of 2,196 acres of mountainous and wooded land, located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania near Bushkill, Pike County, Pa., was for sale. This acreage had theretofore been part of a larger tract which, prior to the outbreak of World War I, had served as a summer camp and recreation area for German-Americans; and subsequently, a portion of this larger tract had been acquired by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union as a summer vacation area for its members. The officials of Band School immediately became interested in buying said 2,196 acres, with a view to developing a campsite thereon where its faculty, students, and friends might gather during summer periods, and there carry on their studies and continue their development of the liberal and progressive social programs in which they were interested.

Pursuant to such objective, Bertha Howell Mailly who was the executive secretary of the Band School, thereupon obtained an option to purchase said 2,196 acres for a price of about $21,000. And then on December 6,1920, the petitioner corporation was organized under the Membership Corporation Law of the State of New York, to take title to said property and develop thereon the contemplated summer camp and recreation area. This plan was given effect. The camp was named “Tamiment,” after the name of a lake that adjoined the property.

Petitioner’s certificate of incorporation stated that the objects of the corporation were to be as follows:

To organize, conduct and maintain summer camps and centers for instructive and recreative purposes; to build, purchase, own, lease, manage and operate camps, dormitories, dining balls, recreation rooms, play grounds, reading rooms, halls, and other buildings for the purpose of said corporation as herein set forth; to diffuse 'a general knowledge of literature, art and science through the medium of lectures, publications and dramatic performances; to borrow money for the corporate purposes of the corporation and to issue bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness therefor; to assist other educational, civic, political and economic movements and organizations; to cooperate with such organizations and movements and to initiate such movements, but said purposes shall not extend to those objects for which corporations may be formed pursuant to the Education Law, nor shall any activities of the said corporation be conducted for pecuniary profit to its members.

The latter limitation relating to the Education Law was inserted at the direction of the secretary of state of New York in order to make clear that petitioner had no power or authority to operate a school.

Petitioner, having been organized as a membership corporation, has never issued any shares of stock or had any stockholders. It is controlled by not more than 35 individuals, known as members, who from time to time are elected in accordance with the following provision of its bylaws, as amended:

AETICLE III.
Membership.
Section 1. Any person may be elected to membership in the Society, provided that he has publicly subscribed to the principles of -Socialism for a period of at least two years, and provided that his admission to such membership has been recommended by the Board of Directors acting as Membership Committee and has been approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of all members present and voting at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
*******
Section 3. The membership of the Society shall at no time exceed thirty-five.

The day-to-day operations of petitioner are conducted by a managing director and an associate director, who are hired by a board of five directors. The individuals comprising this board of directors are elected by the members; and said members also elect the officers of petitioner, who are: A president, a vice president, and a secretary and treasurer. None of the officers or directors receive any salary or other compensation for their services; but the managing director, associate director, and other employees do receive salaries.

Petitioner’s bylaws contain the following provision with respect to dissolution of the corporation:

AETICLE XV.
Dissolution.
Section 1. The Society cannot be dissolved as long as there are seven (7) members who desire to maintain the organization.
Section 2. In the event of dissolution of the Society the property of the Society shall revert to the American Socialist Society of New York.

Said American Socialist Society ceased to exist in March 1956; but thereafter, no steps were taken to amend the above provision or to designate how petitioner’s properties will be disposed of in the event of dissolution. No plan for dissolution was ever contemplated.

Facts rc Growth of Tamiment From 1921 to 1956.

Camp Tamiment was opened for occupancy, on a modest scale, in July 1921; and during the 20-year period that followed, the camp experienced a steady though moderate growth.

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People's Educational Camp Soc. v. Commissioner
39 T.C. 756 (U.S. Tax Court, 1963)

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Bluebook (online)
39 T.C. 756, 1963 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 196, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peoples-educational-camp-soc-v-commissioner-tax-1963.