1G4 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
sire, which has prompted the erection 
of a mausoleum at considerable ex- 
pense should not bring with it also the 
desire to make provisions that the 
structure will be cared for, protected 
and preserved. 
This may be accounted for partially 
by the slowness with which cemeteries 
have realized the importance of the mat- 
ter, coupled with the fact that the own- 
ers were led to believe that no provi- 
sions for care would be required, that 
the structure would stand for ages with- 
out further care. This, we know is ab- 
surd. 
Viewing the question from all sides 
and in a broad sense we must agree that 
cemeteries cannot afford to allow mauso- 
leums built and let them become bur- 
dens in later years for the want of 
money to keep them in repair. 
Their only recourse is in rigid rules 
governing the erection of the buildings 
and then making it compulsory that 
every building be endowed sufficiently 
to keep up repairs- 
If that is not done and it is left dis- 
cretionary with owners or their heirs to 
provide funds voluntarily the cemetery 
will have to expect burdens and com- 
plications of an unpleasant nature on 
their hands in the future. 
There is no reason in my mind why 
legislative aid and support could not be 
obtained to enforce proper rules per- 
taining to the question of future care 
of mausoleums, especially if the State 
Health Authorities are informed, what 
conditions might be expected from un- 
cared for mausoleums in the course of 
time. 
The questions of what items should 
be covered by permanent care and the 
method of arriving at the required 
amount of money necessary for that pur- 
pose cannot be separated. 
No set rule or schedule of rates can 
possibly be figured out that would be 
suitable for all cases; climatic condi- 
tions, materials, methods of construc- 
tion must be considered, when calcula- 
tions are made for the cost of care. 
Probably the wisest and most equit- 
able plan for both owner and cemetery 
is the one under which a contract is 
made suitable to the existing conditions 
of each case. This contract will specify 
what responsibilities the cemetery as- 
sumes, it will set forth what work is 
to be performed and how much each 
item of work will cost. The cost is 
based upon a carefully prepared esti- 
mate, the items of which will be enu- 
merated separately in the contract. 
The amount resulting from this esti- 
mate capitalized at three per cent will 
produce the Repair or Care Fund re- 
quired. The cemetery should be en- 
titled to a small percentage for making 
the proper investments and that, too, 
must be taken into consideration. 
Among the essential and most vital 
items to be covered by care are an an- 
nual cleaning down of the building and 
a thorough inspection and repair of all 
joints on the exterior as well as on the 
interior. The life time of a structure 
depends mainly on the precaution of 
keeping all joints in good condition. 
Provision should also be made for 
frequent janitor service involving sweep- 
ing and dusting, wiping the interior and 
regulating the opening and closing of 
ventilator, etc. 
If mosaic interiors are present they 
need special examination after every 
winter, loose pieces must be reset, etc. 
Glass in windows and doors may be- 
come broken in various ways. Provisions 
should be made for repairs, breakage, 
etc. 
Bronze work, such as doors, grills, 
handles, hangers, rosettes, etc-, must also 
be remembered in the estimate. 
If for any reason the income from 
the fund is not all needed to do the re- 
quired work any one year, the balance 
can be added to the capital so that, if 
in the future extraordinary expenditures 
might become necessary, there will be 
funds on hand to take care of them. 
In conclusion, I desire to say that per- 
sonally I am opposed to laying the dead 
on shelves, either in private or public 
mausoleums, in the present day accepted 
manner, which is devoid of all precau- 
tions in a sanitary way. 
Earth burial or preferably cremation 
are decidedly better. 
Mausoleums, however, have come to 
stay, because the wealthy want them, 
and it remains for cemeteries to protect 
themselves against future legacies, which 
will become heavy burdens unless care 
funds are established. 
Statutes in all states provide that cem- 
eteries must make provisions for the 
permanent care of their lots; why not 
invoke the aid of Legislature also to 
compel cemeteries to formulate and 
enforce rules making it compulsory 
to endow all mausoleums? 
With that accomplished it will be com- 
paratively easy for each cemetery to 
work out a plan best suited for its con- 
ditions. 
WHAT IS REQUIRED OF A CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENT 
An address before the Milwaukee Convention of the Association of American 
Cemetery Superintendents, by J. C. Scorgie, Supt. Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Boston 
The late Julia Ward Howe was cred- 
ited with the saying that to educate a 
child properly and rear it for good cit- 
izenship one must begin with its grand- 
father. To educate a man properly to 
fill the position of superintenednt of a 
cemetery may not require so long a 
preparation, in point of time, but the 
width of the field to be covered is un- 
equalled in any other profession. 
Taking charge of and administering 
the affairs of a modern cemetery in- 
volves the solution of problems of the 
most diverse character, and dealing 
with people, often ill able for the time 
being to meet responsibilities, on an in- 
finite variety of subjects in which prac- 
tical business methods must be modi- 
fied by sympathy and forbearance. And 
here is a paradox. The smaller the 
cemetery; the less extensive its opera- 
tions, and the more contracted its 
finances, in an inverse ratio are extend- 
ed the functions which the superin- 
tendent is called upon to fill. The 
larger corporations require, and can 
afford, specialists in the various fields. 
The superintendent can have under him 
men who are masters of the details of 
the various departments, and may be 
able to get along with a good general 
business training. I say “may” how- 
ever, not “should.” 
The first requirement for the super- 
intendent of a cemetery is Character. 
For that he will have to depend on his 
own endeavors, with the help of the Al- 
mighty, for when one has reached man- 
hood there is very little hope for im- 
provement from other sources. 
Honesty, Truthfulness and Discretion 
are the strong points of character in 
this profession. From the hysteria of 
muck-raking through which we are 
passing one would think that honesty 
had departed from the land, yet from 
the experience of a fairly long busi- 
ness life I see no reason to doubt that 
the great majority of my fellow-men 
have as high ideas of probity as has 
obtained at any time in the world’s his- 
tory, and that good old-fashioned hon- 
esty is still with us. The superintend- 
ent of a cemetery who will maintain his 
character must not only eschew evil, 
but must avoid the appearance of evil. 
Especially must this be so in dealing 
