P A R K 
A N D 
C EM E PER y. 
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anil lot owners had planted according to 
their fancy, the planting- having grown 
rank and the taller plants killing those that 
fould not get to the sunshine. The monu- 
ments were hidden and sod could not grow 
in such dense shade. 
Mr. Strauch recommended at that date 
that “the cemetery should take more the 
character of a park or garden than a coun- 
try graveyard where everything has a 
gloomy and dismal appearance and every 
inch of ground is used for graves.” 
He also recommended that corner lots he 
used for ornamental purposes and for the 
public. 
Owing to the character of the ground 
then owned by the cemetery he recommend- 
ed extensive grading of sections and the 
planting of trees and shrubs, in masses of 
a kind rather than a mixture of many 
varieties. 
He would require monument dealers to 
remove the stone, timbers, etc., within a 
reasonable time in' order that the grass 
would not be killed. 
It is stated with confidence in his report 
that “lots not enclosed are not as much 
trespassed upon as those surrounded by 
stone posts, iron bars, and chains, for there 
really seems to be a disposition in the 
human mind to disregard useless restric- 
tions.” 
“Trees and shrubs could be so arranged 
as to form a background to the monuments 
which should always be at, or about the 
center of each lot.” 
“The dispensing with unsightly fences, 
hedges and foot stones and other useless ap- 
pendages” would make it possible to use 
the money thus saved with a sculptor. 
“Too many monuments on one lot give it 
the appearance of a marble yard where 
they are for sale.” 
Mr. Strauch quotes Washington Irving’s 
query about the cemetery: “Why should we 
thus seek to clothe death with unnecessary 
terrors, and spread horrors around the tomb 
of those we love? The grave should be 
surrounded with everything that might in- 
sure tenderness and veneration. • Can this 
be done by having burial lots enclosed with 
stone posts, iron bars, and chains; the sight 
of which is repulsive in the extreme as it 
conveys the idea of rudeness and confine- 
ment.” 
The iron fence and stone wall are relics 
of the farm graveyard where cattle grazed 
around the burial spot and the fence or wall 
was the only protection. The modern ceme- 
tery has eliminated these relics ^.nd also 
the haphazard planting of individuals. Also 
today stone work is. restricted and plans are 
required to be submitted that the discarded 
stones of old cemeteries may not be recut 
and resold to mar the landscape of the 
cemetery of the future. 
On October 19th and 20th. 1887, the first 
gathering of the American Cemetery Super- 
intendents was held at Cincinnati. There 
were present nineteen superintendents, one 
cemetery president and one secretary. This 
association adopted the following as a part 
of its constitution: “The object of this 
association shall be the advancement of the 
interest and elevation of the character of 
cemeteries in America.” Since this date 
we can trace the cemetery improvement in 
America, the result of the efforts of these 
men and their predecessor, Mr. Strauch. 
Today cemetery making is an art, and 
gradually all things that suggest death, sor- 
row or pain are being eliminated, and we 
may hope to find all the cheap forms of 
stone work eliminated and only works of 
art permitted in cemeteries by the end of 
the next fifty years. I believe that there 
should be few of these to mar the quiet 
resting place of the dead and these only to 
mark the graves of those who have gained 
public notice. 
With land ideal for cemetery purposes, 
located convenient to rapid transit lines and 
a modern plan by which to improve the 
land and rules to protect, also funds to 
maintain the cemetery for all time to come, 
we may expect to see our cemeteries more 
beautiful than our parks. 
Het us now follow the progress in ceme- 
tery work, taking the entrances, drives, sec- 
tions. buildings and planting. 
Our first impression is the lasting one, so 
the cemetery gate, varying as it does from 
two columns and a chain to massive stone 
entrances with its gates, is the feature 
which first impresses the visitor. Therefore 
the careful study of the architectural fea- 
tures and surrounding planting of our en- 
trances is essential and they should convey 
the idea of peace, freedom and beauty. (Sev- 
eral views are shown of gates and en- 
trances.') The form and style of entrances 
are characteristic of the landscape architect 
who designs and plans them and it is here 
that the park idea of a cemetery can be 
best expressed in shelter, office, pergola and 
the planting. (Views of West Hawn Ceme- 
tery entrance, Omaha, Neb.; Highland Park 
Cemetery. Kansas City. Kansas, and Green- 
wood Cemetery, Knoxville, Tenn.) 
The drives leading to the burial sections 
are the next in impressing our visitors. A 
view of the old road system of cemeteries 
may not be amiss here, showing the straight 
lines, poor grades and poor drainage as well 
as the loss of land in useless drives. A re- 
platting of this land made a saving 
of one hundred and thirty-two thou- 
sand dollars in twentj^-five acres re- 
platted, this saving being in land to sell that 
was formerly in roads, the improving and 
maintaining of these useless roads. Let us 
see some of the roads that wohld impress 
one as beautiful with lawns sloping on either 
side and the planting of trees and shrubs. 
(Views from many cemeteries.) 
The lot sections with their graves and 
headstones and monuments and haphazard 
planting (a few views) are giving way to 
more modern ideas with no head markers 
above the level of the ground, all graves 
level or only slightly mounded so that visit- 
ors will not walk over them, trees and 
shrubs giving beauty and fragrance through- 
out the summer season and foliage, fruit 
and ornamental barks to add charm in the 
cold days of winter. (Views of Mt. Hope. 
Joplin, and other grounds.) 
Well kept roads, lawns and choice trees 
and shrubs and herbaceous plants, make a 
cemetery beautiful and I am inclined to 
think that the unused, well planted portion 
of the cemetery gives a better idea of 
what it shuld be than does the section 
where stones of questionable design are 
placed only to mar the natural quiet and 
restful surroundings. (Views of unused por- 
tions, park-like.) 
(Following were many views of choice 
trees and shrubs used in cemetery planting, 
lodges, shelters, chapels, water towers and 
other cemetery buildings.) 
The committee on memorials sub- 
mitted resolutions expressing the con- 
dolence of the Association on the 
death of the members who had passed 
away during the year just closed. 
The committee on the president’s 
address and the recommendations 
made in the secretary's report empha- 
sized the importance of a more judi- 
cious use of shrubbery and plants in 
cemeteries and approved of the ad- 
mission of associate members. Action 
on the latter recommendation was de- 
ferred until the next annual meeting. 
Philadelphia was chosen for the 
next meeting, at a time to be decided 
by the executive committee, probably 
early in October, 1911. 
Officers elected for the ensuing year 
were: President, W. C. Grassau, 
Greenwood Cemtery, Brooklyn, X. 
Y.; vice-president, John J. Stephens, 
Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, O.; 
secretary-treasurer, Bellett Lawson, 
Jr., Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, 
111 . 
Frank Enrich was given a rising 
vote of thanks for his faithful services 
and as a more tangible evidence of 
the appreciation in which he is held, 
an appropriation of not to exceed 
.1:100 was authorized for the purchase 
of a suitable tribute. 
Rev. J. P. Harrington called atten- 
tion to the approaching silver wed- 
ding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. 
Geo. W. Creesy, Salem, Mass., and 
congratulations were extended by a 
rising vote. The anniversary will be 
observed on \Vednesday, October 2(), 
1910. 
Walter Puckett, secretary Elmwood 
Cemetery Corporation, Birmingham, 
Ala., spoke on the subject of abolish- 
ing Sunday funerals, which he thought 
could be done with the assistance of 
city councils. 
F. D. Willis, St. Paul, IMinn., ad- 
vised leaving city councils severely 
alone; in his opinion Sunday funerals 
could be abolished or materially les- 
sened by co-operating with the local 
ministers and undertakers. J. C. Cline, 
Dayton, O.. told how he began dis- 
couraging Sunday funerals several 
years ago. They are now practically 
abolished in Dayton. T. E. Anderson, 
Danville, 111., said Sunday funerals 
were discontinued in that city soon 
after the cemetery adopted rules to 
that effect. J. J. Stephens, Columbus, 
O., paraphrased an old remark on 
how to reform, by saying the way to 
abolish Sunday funerals was to abol- 
ish them. This was done by Green- 
lawn Cemetery some years ago. 
Frank Eurich said the same thing 
was brought about in Detroit through 
the efforts of the teamsters' union. 
There have been no Sunday funerals 
in Trenton. X. J., for ten 3’ears, said 
W. H. Atkinson, as a result of action 
by the coachmen's union. Frederick 
Green, Cleveland, O., gave the credit 
for abolishing Sunday funerals in that 
city to I'ather Houck, who was in 
charge of the Catholic Cemeterj' there 
several years ago. 
Resolutions were adopted express- 
ing the thanks of the association to 
Rev. D. E. Bushnell, the Forest Hills 
Cemeterj' Co., Dr. Kesterson and all 
others, who contributed, to the success 
of this enjoyable convention. ■ 
THE ENTERTAINMENT 
Xo word picture can adequately de- 
scribe, nor any stretch of the imagin- 
ation conceive, the grandeur of the 
