The Washington herald., 1911-10-08
! NAME 'MORTICIAN'
ISFOUND WANTING
Local UndertakerS nef1Se to
Adopt New COgnOmen.

If an undertaken undertakes taking the
name of ''mortician,' does he cease-in
the public mind, at least-to be an un-
dertaker?
Undertaking Washington is of the
opinion that he does. Notwithstanding
the fact that the New York State Asso-
citation of Embalmers has decided that
a mortician is a much more dignified and
less grewsome person than an under
taker, the Washington embalmers are
opposed almost unanimously to the
word.
Not that they uphold the word under
taker. Perish the thought. An under
taker may he anything, they say. The
task undertaken need not relate purely
10 the formal dehydeing of dear de-
parted" it might with equal facility re-
late to any other form of work A man
might undertake to build a house or a
woodshed.
And funeral director doesn't quite
describe il. either. i man who is a
funeral director isn't necessarily an en-
halmcT. He might he one of the SaddeSt
and most impressive directors in the
business, yet fail utterly in the tech
nique of undertaking.
Doubtful of New Word.
In short, Washington undertakers
don't know what they ought TO be called.
They would like the word ''mortician"
if any living human being might be con-
WINGED on passing their store, that they
were not in tine furniture business. But
they believe Washington doesn't know
''mortician'' from an anthropologist, and
consequently the word is useless.
What is the use of New York under
f.kpTS bpT 1DhpTt9 lPrS using
words that the public cannot get?" de-
manded J. \. Repetti last night. Mr.
Repetti then pointed out the absurdity of
the evolution.
The idea of having the word under
takrr used" he said. is as old as thE
hills, and in spite Of the fact that it
means absolutely nothing, the public has
como to understand it. 1t Is doubtful
whether one-third OF the residents of
Washington would appreciate the word if
they saw it,
nquestionablI the word 'mortician'
is the correct word. 1t is a fine. Orutund
wori full Of meaning and dignity. There
is that touch of morgue or mortuary in
il so necessary to hint at without CraSslN
suggesting the profession. 1t embraces
the fine art of embalminE and the no
less difficult task of directing funerals.
1t is word that lends ultimate dig
nifty and final polish to this historic
from lack Of use. but because it is pre-
mature. Years from now a fad will
bring about the change. and the sense
less. idiotic word undertaken will pass
from mortal view.
\ cheerful gentleman. with the feliCi- |
tous name OF JOY, who is chief embalmer
Of the Gawler undertaking establish /
ment, Coincided in this opinion He did |
not believe in being unnecessarily grew !
some. he said. TIE idea of using a word !
that is spider webhcd with tradition and /
has the same cheerful effect IS the word !
'inquisitiOn" upon the average man. did !
not appeal to him.
Il am an embalmer," said Mr. Joy. !
"and Yet I am not a funeral director.
And what, pray. tell me, do l under /
takeo Is embalming undertaking or un-
dertaking embaiming, or is the idea that |
You undertake to embalm or Underbalm
10 entake. Or
Calls "Mortician" Hopeless.
Well anyhow. the word undertake is
not the word. Mortician is as near as
We can reach to the ideal. and yet the
word is hopeless. suppose the average
man spoke of John Smith, the mortician.
In tn" minds of his hearers there would
Immediately arise the picture of an in
dividual who was a cross between a
plumber and an aShman. The public does
not understand the fine Shadings of the
word. The public must learn; the pub
lie must learn. Time will tell; time will
tell
And time will tell if one is to believe
S. II. Hines. jr., assistant manager of
the Hines undertaking establishment.
Mr. Hines expressed his regret last
night that the mortician was so far in
the future.
For added Mr.. Hines. what We
need are more mOrticians and fewer un-
dertakers. Great strides in the business
and the development in every art teaches
us how uecessaTy 4 new name is. Tn
dertakers is an inadequate word. Nor
ticians is more comprehensive. Yet un-
till the public comes to know what a
mortiCian is supposed to do, the word in
all its beauty must remain in the dust
of ubsoetion and disuse."