651 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
grounds must not stop nor be content until 
every portion of our grounds is under per- 
petual care and our cemetery is on a par 
with modern cemeteries where everything 
from the commencement has been sold with 
restrictions. 
In closing let me say that I have here a 
few kernels of corn gathered at the first 
convention, and which as I recall the growth 
of our association and the development of 
the different cemeteries, remind me of 
Psalms 72, 16th verse, "There shall be an 
handful of corn in the earth upon the top 
of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall 
shake like Lebanon; and they of the city 
shall flourish like grass of the earth.” 
T. H. Little, secretary of Mt. Hope 
Cemetery, Chicago, discussed some 
phases of the many sided question of 
Cemetery Advertising in the paper 
which follows ; 
CEMETERY ADVERTISING. 
By T. H. Little, Chicago, 111. 
In discussing the subject of cemetery 
advertising, I will make no attempt to deal 
with the various points of a cemetery suit- 
able to be brought out in advertising, nor 
will I deal with the various forms in which 
they may appear, but will confine myself 
rather to the principles as I see them, un- 
derlying the field, the production and the 
handling. I desire, at the outset, to say 
that this paper was not prepared with any 
idea or hope of converting any one to my 
views or belief in cemetery advertising, or 
with any intention of offending the sense 
of propriety of those of contrary views 
who feel that the ethics of our business 
should compel us to wait in silence for its 
coming. 
As the dignity of an act rests in the 
manner of its performance rather in the act 
itself, I have not found, in dealing with 
the public, any feeling that there was a 
violation of the sacred obligation to society 
which we perform in stating through ad- 
vertising what business we are engaged in. 
The public recognizes that the character, 
quality and stability of the improvements 
and provisions for both present and future 
care of cemeteries are largely, if not abso- 
lutely, contingent upon business success, 
and that if business is necessary to suc- 
cess, that it is but natural to attempt to 
bring purchaser and commodity together 
by legitimate means. All of the improve- 
ments made in the conduct and develop- 
ment of cemeteries, including the idea of the 
lawn plan, are the outgrowth of such study. 
If you or I have sought to throw around 
our cemetery that touch of nature, care 
and peace which lend an influence to soften 
sorrow, it is but another evidence that the 
mind keeps running to the study of influ- 
ence on human nature. Advertising is one 
of the results also of that study in that it 
is a recognition of a principle that touches 
one of the springs of human action — the 
fact that people wishing to buy something 
do not go to some place they never heard 
of for it, and that it is not natural for 
them to do so. 
Bring it home to yourself and the ceme- 
tery business you will probably acknowl- 
edge that in your city, other things being 
equal, the cemeteries which are most widely 
known are doing the most business — -which 
is but the natural effect of a natural cause. 
There are few subjects upon which a city’s 
population is so poorly informed as on 
things pertaining to cemeteries; the names 
of but a few at most are familiar; the loca- 
tions are still less so, and the comparative 
desirability and prices practically not at 
all. To reach a realization of these facts, 
with the absolute knowledge that you can 
never hope to serve those to whom your 
cemetery and the merits it may possess re- 
main unknown, may decide you as to the 
wisdom of leaving such points to chance as 
little as possible. 
There are those doubtless interested, or 
who may become so at some time in un- 
dertaking to introduce their cemetery more 
generally to their community through the 
medium of advertising, who would like 
some one to lay down infallible rules de- 
tailing how it can be done, together with 
what mediums most profitably employed. 
It is not my intention to attempt an im- 
possible task. I shall content myself with 
laying down a few principles gained from 
observation and experience with the hope 
that some one may profit thereby. 
As to mediums applicable to cemetery ad- 
vertising, I am a strong believer in the 
possibility of street car cards and news- 
papers as affording the most profitable that 
can be made to yield a maximum degree 
of efficiency at a minimum cost; but I am 
stronger in my belief that more is de- 
pendent upon efficient handling than the 
medium if reasonable care is exercised in 
its selection. 
Do not imagine from the stress I lay on 
efficient handling that there is any hyp- 
notic influence to be exercised — it simply 
means the ability to realize the full effective- 
ness of advertising by producing complete 
harmony and co-operation between advertis- 
ing and sales end — for the business that ad- 
vertises must live up to its claims or forfeit 
all hope of permanent benefit, and to reap the 
lust results from its advertising, must back 
it up by competency in salesmanship. Both 
successful production and handling of ad- 
vertising seems to me to hinge largely upon 
psychology — not as to ability to read the 
character of specified individuals, but rather 
power to fathom with understanding and 
then present those things that touch the 
general springs of human action. As to 
production, we see a simple illustration of 
that understanding revealed in the presen- 
tation of a thing through an advertisement 
pleasing in design, convincing in thought, 
and distinct in individuality. Attractive in 
design because of recognition that the eye 
is sensitive to favorable impression, and that 
that impression serves as an introduction of 
the thought to the mind. Convincing in 
thought because an introduction of such a 
nature appeals to the intelligence of the in- 
dividual if suggestive of a feature in connec- 
tion with the thing advertised to be desired 
in the thing itself — and makes the adver- 
tising educational, really informative, and 
raises a standard that appeals to intelligence 
and inspires confidence. Distinct in individ- 
uality that it may readily gain remembrance 
and personality. These are principles ap- 
plying to production. 
Successful handling while it is dependent 
upon an advertisement’s productiveness of 
opportunities, its ultimate gauge of success 
will rest on the results of the advantage 
taken of those opportunities, and an adver- 
tisement might almost as well not produce 
.on Inquiry as one the advertiser is not com- 
petent to handle. One must be alive to 
every fair advantage offered for the largest 
rewards are not won by mere advertising, 
but by fairly employed strategy. A good 
many advertisers guess at conditions and 
act on unfounded assumptions, and when 
they fail, wonder at it. Spasmodic adver- 
tising will seldom justify itself. Even the 
things that are best known must be ever- 
lastingly advertised to keep them well 
known. 
Do not enter upon cemetery advertising 
with an expectation of reaping results early 
commensurate with the expenditure. It was 
my belief when I began, and has been my 
experience since, and is a point upon which 
I laid special emphasis when the matter 
came before my Board, that results that 
would justify could not be obtained unless 
they were of. a mind to stick out a fair 
trial, and, further, if they were entering 
upon cemetery advertising with the expecta- 
tion of Its creating sales enough in advance 
of their need to justify the cost of such 
advertising, that they were doomed to al- 
most certain disappointment. Time has 
proven that for every lot sale that has been 
effected in advance of need through adver- 
tising we have reaped as a reward of it 
twenty when necessity compelled the pur- 
chase. 
In conclusion and apart from the general 
principles I have touched upon, I will say 
for the benefit of those who care to know 
that our advertising for the past five years 
has been confined almost entirely to the use 
of car cards, and that, while there may 
have been criticism of it of which we are not 
aware, there have been many compliments 
and good results. 
The Memorial Committee reported as 
follows : 
MEMORIAL COMMITTEE REPORT. 
Your committee reports as follows: 
WHEREAS, It has pleased Almighty God 
to call to their reward two of our long-term 
members, Mr. Levant L. Mason and Mr. 
Timothy McCarthy, during the past year, 
be it 
RESOLVED, That this association show 
its appreciation in an adequate manner, 
both by vote and by incorporation of the 
same with its records, of the more than 
twenty-two years of staunch loyalty and 
unwavering support given both by Mr. Mason 
and Mr. McCarthy. 
As president of "Lakeview,” Jamestown, 
N. T., Mr. Mason was impressed with the 
importance and far-reaching influence of our 
association, and assisted in furthering its 
activities with the strength of a man who 
understands and acts with conviction. 
Mr. McCarthy, the original and artistic 
superintendent of “Swan Point,” Providence, 
R. I., was the magnetic and vigorous leader 
in all our deliberations. Humorous and 
jovial, yet serious in the expression of opin- 
ion, his judgment and advice were of ines- 
timable value to the association. A child 
and a lover of nature, nature loved him 
in return and was bountiful to him, single- 
minded in all things, as we saw and knew 
him, at our meetings, so was he in his offi- 
cial position and under his own roof-tree with 
his family, and though this brilliant light had 
disappeared below our horizon, the afterglow 
remains to mellow, to warm us, and to re- 
mind us of how much there is in such a 
man, over which death has no power and 
the grave no victory. May the remem- 
brance of him be entwined with memories 
as beautiful and enduring as the master- 
piece of his lifework. the incomparable 
boulder wall at ‘‘Swan Point.” 
Wherefore, be it resolved. That a suit- 
ably executed copy of these resolutions be 
sent to the respective families of the de- 
ceased and to the corporations of which 
they were the worthy members. 
J. P. Harrington, George W. Creesy, H. 
Wilson Ross. 
The officers elected for the ensuing 
year are: President, John J. Steph- 
ens, Green Lawn, Columbus, 0. ; vice- 
president, H. M. Turner, Rose Lawn, 
St. Paul, Minn. ; secretary-treasurer, 
Bellett Lawson, Jr., Elmwood, Chicago, 
111 . 
The committee on general resolu- 
tions thanked the executive committee 
for their untiring efforts, and every 
one who in any way contributed to the 
success of this most enjoyable con- 
vention. 
The party went by train from Bristol 
to Morrisville, N. J., where Wm. H. 
Moon and James F. Moon, of the Wm. 
H. Moon Co., nurserymen, were the 
hosts. Big wagons were provided to 
drive the visitors over a portion of the 
extensive nurseries. The inclement 
weather made it necessary to serve 
luncheon in the packing shed. Ever- 
greens are made a special feature here. 
