Vol. LXVI. No. 3008. 
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 21, 1907. 
WEEKLY, #1.00 PEII YEAR. 
CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL 
CEMETERIES. 
The Work of Grange and Farmers' Club. 
Id Michigan, in jbefcember, 1904, an effort was made 
to arouse interest in the betterment of rural Cemeteries 
through the influence of the State Association Of 
Fahilers’ Clubs and State Grange. Both of these 
organizations, in session at the same time, adopted a 
resolution recommending that September 30 of each 
year be known as “Mcmdry Day.” 'This was done at 
the instigation of J. T. Daniells; of Clinton County, 
the death of whose wife had attracted his attention to 
the wretchedly deplorable conditions prevalent in most 
country cemeteries. The next legislature by act so 
designated this day, asking that it be devoted to the 
improving and beautifying of rural cemeteries and 
graves of friends and kindred. In the State Grange 
this new line of country improvement work was put in 
charge of its Committee on Woman’s Work, which 
works in conjunction with similar committees in the 
750 Subordinate Granges of the State. The office of 
these committees is to lead in the betterment of schools, 
intendehts Of the State, who says that his association 
stands ready to assist in this work in rural cemeteries. 
It has printed matter that will give helpful suggestions 
arid individual members will, he is confident, be open 
to consultation as to plans and methods of developing 
and Caring for any particular grounds. In scattered 
localities F find cemetery improvement an organized 
work, separate from other societies and usually headed 
by women. The following is a good sample of what 
and how they arc doing this ; 
We began in a small way. We called a meeting and in¬ 
vited all interested to meet with us. An organization was 
formed and officers elected. We bad several bees and got a 
nice lot of work done in that wa.v. The bushes find weeds 
were dug out, the Stones straightened, a gravel drive made 
and a wire fence put around the whole. The front fence 
is not so high, and is a little more fancy. A lady Who was 
interested left us !f20'0 in her will ; besides we have about 
$S0 that wo raised at monthly sociafs. We worked this 
way for two or three years, but nbw are incorporated under 
State law and are in shape to assess whatever is necessary. 
After cleaning up a very badly neglected ground and fencing 
it. we bought an additional acre. 
I have learned of frequent ladies’ aid societies that 
improve the local cemeteries as a part of their home 
many headstones and high markers are objected to, 
and in some cases prohibited, in the modern cemeteries. 
Country cemeteries should be made as easy to care for 
as possible by copying these methods. Old cemeteries, 
where each grave is marked by a separate head and 
foot-stone, are now to all intents and purposes simply 
‘'stone-yards,” overrun by briars, weeds and small 
animals. 1 he uneven surfaces and cumbering stones 
make it impossible decently to care for them without 
immense labor and expense. Level, lawn-like surfaces, 
low markers and not more than one stone to a lot, 
help very materially to make easier the care of a 
cemetery. 
1 o excite interest in this work, first arouse by 
personal solicitation and talk. Read “Park and Ceme- 
tcr'y,’ published in Chicago, Ill., to see what others are 
doing along this line. Secure the further agitation of 
the question. by getting it on the programmes of 
farmers’ clubs, institutes, Granges and women's clubs. 
Influence also by example. One well-kept lot T know 
of in a wild northern locality is working like leaven 
on the neighborhood. Money has been voted for a 
windmill, tanks and piping, and the woman who largely 
A RURAL CEMETERY IN MICHIGAN AFTER “MEMORY DAY.” Fig. 340. 
social conditions, fresh air charities, improvement of 
dooryards, roadsides, school yards, etc., of their re¬ 
spective communities. Thus the care and improvement 
of rural cemeteries, in this instance, fell into the hands 
of interested parties already organized for work. At 
the Grange meeting notice is given of the desire to 
improve the local cemetery, a call is made for volun¬ 
teer helpers, and the work begins. I saw, within this 
week, one such cemetery in which a Grange began its 
renovation last Spring by clearing away an old fence, 
cutting out briars and brush and grading a knoll into 
a muddy hollow. Plans are just now suspended for 
the harvest season, but are to be resumed later. On 
Memory Day it will receive its Autumn decoration of 
cut flowers, etc. In another neighborhood 50 or 00 
men with teams from two Granges, that use the same 
cemetery, combined in a “bee” and made great changes 
in the place; meanwhile, their wives served a hot dinner 
and otherwise assisted. 
Although Memory Day is a new idea, yet already the 
interest and visible results attained promise that the 
observance will in time do for the country cemeteries 
in the Autumn what Memorial Day observance does 
in the Spring. The movement meets with the approval 
of the President of the Association of Cemetery Super¬ 
mission work. The secret of success in such efforts 
seems to lie in the “woman in it.” One young woman 
in reporting such work in her neighborhood makes this 
significant comment: “You should have Mother P- 
with you. She would succeed where most people fail.” 
At a meeting of the American Cemetery Superin¬ 
tendents held in Detroit a year ago, a man from a rich 
farming section of this State gave this experience; 
I hree years before, he was asked to read a paper at 
a farmers’ institute on “Beautifying of Homes.” Among 
other homes he included churchyards, schoolyards and 
homes of the dead. He gave some plain facts, brief 
rules and regulations, tools necessary, what trees and 
shrubs to set out and suggested ways to raise money 
to do it all with. The result surprised him; not only 
did it stimulate the care of the cemetery in his own 
locality b”t it called forth inquiries from distant points. 
SUGGESTIONS.—The most pi casing cemetery is 
the most like a park. Few country communities have 
parks; all have cemeteries, but few of them are park¬ 
like. 1 hey might be so with less care and expense than 
will now put most rural burial grounds into fit con¬ 
dition. In a park grass and trees predominate, well 
cared for. Whatever hinders their care mars their 
beauty. This is why raised lots, mounded graves. 
brought it about writes, “Everyone is anxious to see 
it done.” Her own lot was redeemed from roots, 
stumps and grubs and is now level, nicely seeded, and 
adorned by a group of shrubs and day lilies. She 
started some planting for the cemetery also by setting 
out more than 20 trees and others are doing the same. 
“From what we have observed,” she says, “it only 
needs some one with some tact to agitate the matter 
and take the lead to have a nicely kept cemetery.” 
JENNIE BUELL. 
Public Work in Iowa. 
An Iowa reader recently asked how rural cemeteries may 
he cleaned and kept in order. As all know, some of these 
“cities of the dead” are in horrible condition. We are re¬ 
ceiving a good many suggestions. The following comes from 
central New York. We agree with our correspondent that it 
is a public duty tc keep in decent order the places where 
the pioneers rest after their years of toil which meant so 
much for their country. 
1 here is absolutely no excuse for an ill-kept cemetery 
in the State of Iowa. The 1897 Code, Sec. 585, gives 
the township trustees power to condemn or purchase 
any land in townships for a cemetery. Code Sup., 
Sec. 586 gives them power to levy a tax for their 
maintenance and improvement, and even do the same 
for cemeteries established in adjoining townships if 
