I'm sorry, I sent this to the wrong person. It was meant for Angela T.
as a comment on her words of widsom to Francis Robinson.
Natalie
On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 21:46:41 -0500 "Natalie F. Robling"
<nrobling(a)juno.com> writes:
AMEN to everything you said. I couldn't have said it better,
concerning
tombstones, repair, and Walt.
Natalie Robling
Vincennes, IN
On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 00:25:48 -0500 "GTielking"
<tielking(a)knightstown.net>
writes:
> Francis,
>
> I just read your comments and I am quite upset. You are probably
not
> on this list anymore, but I still feel I need to get this off my
> chest.
>
> I say this with respect to you because everyone is entitled to an
> opinion. So I give you mine:
>
> I am sorry that you think these precious historic headstones and
> monuments are just "rocks". To me they mean more. So if anyone has
> "lost the big picture", I think it is you. Headstones pay tribute
to
> a person and their life. They have a marker because someone cared.
> They are a historical record -and may be the only record of a
> person's existence.
>
> Our job of restoring these precious monuments is not emergency
room
> work. We should not work fast and just do what good we can do as
> quickly as possible. This would be a waste of time. Why? Then
> someone else would have to follow right behind you to repair it
> properly. Restoration of these markers requires time and patience
to
> get the job done RIGHT the first time. If you want to replace your
> ggg-grandfathers stone with a shiny polished mundane granite one,
go
> ahead. But what a shame. In all likely hood, your grandfather's
> stone could look beautiful again, and you would probably spend
more
> money on the granite marker than restoring the original. As for
the
> qualification program for cemetery restorationists, I think it is
a
> good idea. As for your medic example that you gave, wouldn't you
> want a medic at an emergency to be qualified to work on you?
>
> You are right - we do not own the stones. I believe the people
> buried in those graves own those stones. Their great-great-great
> grandchildren didn't pay for those stones - they did. You have to
> take into account that families moved away or the families died
off.
> Someone needs to care for those stones, so we try to. We are the
> caretakers.
>
> >From just reading your letter, I know for a fact you do not know
> Walt. This is not his hobby. This is his job, And those "rocks",
as
> you call them, are not the only thing that is important to him.
The
> people that rest beneath them are just as important. You tell Walt
> to "get busy and do something". Did you know that he works six,
> sometimes seven days a week in the cemeteries? I have never seen
> anyone work as hard and diligently as he does. What drives him to
> do this? Because he cares. He does share his knowledge with others
> because he cares. I can't even begin to tally the countless hours
> and days and weekends he has spent with me to share that
knowledge.
> He is invaluable to all of us. Walt is the most humble person I
have
> ever met. I have never known a person like him. I don't know if I
> ever will. He is concerned that the restoration of these stones is
> done right. He does it because he cares, enjoys his work and feels
> he is doing the right thing. I respect him because of !
> this.
>
> These historic pioneer cemeteries should be restored to the best
of
> our knowledge. They are historic landmarks and should be treated
as
> such. Some of us consider pioneer cemeteries as outdoor museums. I
> agree with Walt's opinion that these old markers should be treated
> as the historical artifacts that they are. These markers are each
> unique. They are one of a kind. I agree with your statement to "Do
> some good". But to quickly repair one is foolish. So I will go
back
> and continue to use the warm fuzzy statement: Do no harm, and when
> in doubt consult an expert.
>
> Angela Tielking
> tielking(a)knightstown.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Pioneer
> Cemeteries Restoration Project only. Thank you.
>
>
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
"Show me your cemeteries, and I will tell you what kind of people
you have."
Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)