The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-23
CEMETERIES or THE FUTURE

CEMETERIES OF THE FUTURE
Fences, Curbings and Markers Will be
Banished and Monuments
Will Be Few
BY Howard Evarts Weed
Few people realize that 1t is pos
sible to have beauty In cemeteries.
To most people, Gods acre means a
place Of ugly stones, producing a
dreary and forlorn effect. The ave-
rage cemetery is 50 filled with mark
ers, copings, foot stones, head stones,
and monuments, that 1t is no wonder
such places have come to be associ-
ated with ghosts and that children
fear to 60 near them after dark.
The fact Is that we are still adj
herring to our fourteenth century GUS
toms and superstitions in the burial
Of our dead. In almost any cemetery,
the graves will be found extending
east and west, with the head stones
at the west end. The reason Is found
In the fact that generations ago there
was universal belief In the literal
resurrection of the body, in antici-
patton of which burials were made
with the head of the grave to the
west in order that the body might
greet the rising sun on the resurrec-
ton morn.
1t is time for this custom to be
abandoned, and with it several others
which have to do with the burial of
the dead. Because we feel sad at the
loss of friend or a relative is, for
instance, no reason for funeral ex-
penses which are unnecessary and
can i'll be afforded. Misfortune does
not come singly, it is said, and being
held up by the undertaken is only the
beginning of an expense which burial
practices, rooted in superstition. have
brought to u.s. The monument deal
er follows in due order, and, too
often, succeeds in convincing the
mourner that an expensive monu-
ment or maidstone should be erected.
The fact that mortgage often is
placed on the little home, in order
to pay for such monument, seems to
receive small consideration. Custom
dictates stone, and so stone there
must be. Really, however, when one
comes to think of it, what good do
monuments accomplish? Surely,
they neither aid the departed nor
console the living.
Along with general progress in civ
ilization, common-sense methods in
cemetery construction and manage
ment are surely, although slowely,
being introduced. The newer ceme-
teries are park-like in their aspect
and bear little resemblance to the old
fashioned graveyard. AS time goes
on, our cemeteries will grow more
and more like parks, with green
grass, shrubs and trees taking the
place Of useless stones. This process
Of evolution makes an interesting
study; for in cemeteries, perhaps,
more than anywhere else, is 1t diff
cult to produce radical changes.
AS the older cemeteries were plan
ned, the lots we're laid out with al
eyways on each side, all OF these al
eyways running either north and
south or east and west. Later, the
OTIS were made with the alleyways on
,nly two sides, while in the better
cemeteries of today each lot faces but
single passageway, resulting in
saving of space and proportionately
smaller area to be cared for.
In the cemeteries of the future,
here will be no alleyways at all. This
nay seem like a radical statement,
Ind the reader, no doubt, will ask,
Then how are you to get to lot
Without walking over the graves?"
Well, suppose this does happen? 1t
would not be the first time in his
DRY that such thing has been done,
nd 1t would not hurt the living nor
he dead
After all, however, the most radi-
al mutation now being made in mod
I'm cemeteries has to do with aban-
oning useless stones and monu-
nents. Formerly the graves had both
and foot stones. Now,
My head stones are considered ne
essary, and in the best cemeteries
here are restrictions as to the size
I head-stones, especially as respects
he height above ground. In the
emetery of the future, the head
tones will not appear above the sur
ace at all but will be placed level
18th the ground, even as is now re-
uired in Lakewood Cemetery. in
This is, of course.
a ri limo innovation, h,,t 4, ,.,ao+..,