The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-06

| Wa
fronting Cemetery Superintendent /"
was read by G. c. Nailor of Whining
ton, Del, and was as follows:
The subject assigned me by your ex-
ecutive committee namely, THE Diff
culties Confronting a Cemetery Super
| intendent' is one that may be consid-
cred by the uninformed as being COM
posed of such small number of diff
cultles as to be very easy one to dis
cuss, but when deliberated upon by
those who are familiar with its mean
lngs by everyday experience will ad-
init that it is a question Of great mag
nltude and deserving of careful consid-
Grafton in order to make it comprehen-
| s1ble and effective to those whom we de-
| sire to benefit.
| With you all no doubt it will be an
| admissible fact that we all have at va
rlous times some Of the many difficult
ties to contend with alike and the diff
culties that confront some superintend-
ents may not confront others. There
fore in discussing this question it be-
| comes necessary that the one to whom
it has been assigned discuss from his
own surroundings and his own personal
experience. Surroundings and the man.
ner in which we are made it's subjects,
will naturally form and make difficult
ties which we must dispose of to the
best advantage.
The difficulties that confront the GEM
etery superintendent are too numerous
to attempt to enumerate; however, I
would not be doing justice to this hon
orable body If I did not mention a few
OF them. / feel that | can consistently
claim limitation on this broad sub
Ject, and by so doing ! will leave it I'M
trammeled for a more able mind to dis
cuss.
The first that demands our thought
is the formation of difficulties, their
cause and with whom do the RESPONSE
bilities rest.
Superintendent who are fortunate to
control a cemetery that is conducted
strictly on the modern and lawn plan
are not the subjects of difficulties in
comparison with those who have charge
of grounds that have been established
for thirty or sixty years In those
times cemeteries were laid out accord
ing to the ideas that prevailed at that
time, regardless of any particular sys-
tenn to work by; consequently no
thought was given to the demands of
the future Persons who became lot
owners in those days possessed null
titude of various ideas; these ideas were
permitted to be injected into our GEM
eteries until the entire grounds here and
there We're marked with what we term
to-day nuisance. The consequences
are that we are too often compelled to
face the difficulty that was bred by the
cemetery managers in the past and then
cultivated by the patrons of the ceme-
terry. One great difficulty with the GEM
etery superintendent is, How can we
best cultivate or educate the people to
divert from an old accustomed rule and
erase from their minds the desire which
they possess by grasping the modern
idea and substitute the beauties of ma
ture?
Some of us are charged with the care
of old cemeteries consisting of a small
acreage. 1t matters not how anxious
we may be to place our grounds upon
the footing of the average cemetey; we
find ourselves placed in a position where
it is an impossibility to do so; even in
ideas and customs will |
step over the line and become promi-
nent figure. To attempt to eradicate or
ignore these notions brings to the SUI
perintendent difficulties of critical and |
vital nature. Future results of the dis
position of these matters rest entirely |
with him, and it is bound to bring forth
the time wien we will clearly see that
his action in the matter will prove itself /
to be an advantage or disadvantage. |
not only to himself, but to the cemetery
he represents.
At times it is difficult matter for us
to decide which is the best and proper
method to pursue in dealing with our
patrons under general circumstances.
The cemetery superintendent is engage
I'd in a business which compels him to
meet persons under the saddest circum-
stances, and under these sad circum-
stances our duties are far greater than
we Justly imagine. Here the first inn
preston is made upon the mind Of our
customer as our fitness for a cemetery
here we form our flu
.ure relationship with a new acquaint-
ance in the line of our profession. If
We are successful in demonstrating to
hem by our tone of language that our
business is such as to take care of their
lead in a tender, sympathetic manner,
hen we will see all along in the future
he fruits of our work.
Upon the other hand, If we should by
ur manner and conduct make it appear
hat we are only in the business for the
financial feature, it is then, as / have
stated in the first part of this subject,
ormng difficulties that will often pre-
ent themselves to us for proper adjust
nent in the future.
The man or woman who comes to us
With a broken heart on account of death
aiming one of their family is by no
means of the same mind and reasoning
IS they would be under other circum-
tances. Very unreasonable requests
will be made, and sometimes we will be
Considered very unkind if we fail to
rant them, The persons themselves in
short time see their folly in asking | {
hem. 1t is unnecessary for me to say ]
hat due observance of patience and ]
is a prime factor for the {
superintendent to possess while placed |
nder these circumstances. i
1t is custom (and perhaps a relief I
or the bereaved to recite in detail the '
fe and character Of the one for whom |
hey are grieving. This being almost a S
ailv oop1rranoa with l1S if anparapt1v