SFA to host workshop about preserving cemeteries and tourism
By: Audrey Spencer
Issue date: 3/11/10 Section: News
SFA will host the Preserve America Workshop, a program discussing cemetery preservation and tourism, today starting at 11 a.m. in Room 2.106 of the BPSC.
The agenda includes speakers, a "field trip" to Laird's Monument Company on North Street and a seminar on headstone identification and maintenance. Speakers' topics include basic cemetery preservation, cemetery access and legal issues, and tourism readiness.
The workshop is funded by the Preserve America Grant from the National Park Service. The grant is to help and assist communities in preservation of cemeteries, according to Dr. Chay Runnels, human sciences assistant professor, said.
"It's a way to get information out to help clean, preserve, identify and promote cemeteries."
Multiple professors in the history, geography, forestry, GIS, hospitality and archeology departments put the workshop together.
"The library has also been very involved," Runnels said. "Folks in the East Texas Research Center have been helping with information of who's buried in cemeteries."
Dr. Perky Beisel, event coordinator from the history department, will speak first, at 11, about cemetery preservation, answering the question "What are the steps to consider to preserve a cemetery?"
Dr. George Avery, from the department of social and cultural analysis, will speak about "the legal things to be aware of," Beisel said, "what you're required to do and not do in cemetery preservation."
Runnels and Dr. Bill Forbes, assistant professor of geography, will cover two sections about historic tourism around rural counties.
"The last section is at Laird Monument Company," Beisel said. "They have agreed to let us visit and see how they make the stones, give information on modern stones and talk about what's recommended for cleaning, The modern stuff is different from historic stuff."
The goal of the workshop is to bring awareness of the importance of historic cemeteries to East Texas to public view, according to Runnels.
"We want to act as a resource base for people really interested in caring for and preserving cemeteries," she said.
Beisel also characterizes the workshop as a networking opportunity.
"People from different cemeteries can get together and get together a larger network of people into this kind of thing," she said.
The workshop is free and open to students and the public.
Runnels said interested persons may include "anybody who may have a cemetery they're interested in preserving or saving, or anyone interested in history."
Beisel encouraged anyone to come and "enjoy themselves."
"They can come to some or all sessions." she said. "Whichever parts they like to. You don't have to be a cemetery person."
For more information, a detailed agenda and directions to Laird's Monument Company, visit www.preserveamericasfa.blogspot.com.
The agenda includes speakers, a "field trip" to Laird's Monument Company on North Street and a seminar on headstone identification and maintenance. Speakers' topics include basic cemetery preservation, cemetery access and legal issues, and tourism readiness.
The workshop is funded by the Preserve America Grant from the National Park Service. The grant is to help and assist communities in preservation of cemeteries, according to Dr. Chay Runnels, human sciences assistant professor, said.
"It's a way to get information out to help clean, preserve, identify and promote cemeteries."
Multiple professors in the history, geography, forestry, GIS, hospitality and archeology departments put the workshop together.
"The library has also been very involved," Runnels said. "Folks in the East Texas Research Center have been helping with information of who's buried in cemeteries."
Dr. Perky Beisel, event coordinator from the history department, will speak first, at 11, about cemetery preservation, answering the question "What are the steps to consider to preserve a cemetery?"
Dr. George Avery, from the department of social and cultural analysis, will speak about "the legal things to be aware of," Beisel said, "what you're required to do and not do in cemetery preservation."
Runnels and Dr. Bill Forbes, assistant professor of geography, will cover two sections about historic tourism around rural counties.
"The last section is at Laird Monument Company," Beisel said. "They have agreed to let us visit and see how they make the stones, give information on modern stones and talk about what's recommended for cleaning, The modern stuff is different from historic stuff."
The goal of the workshop is to bring awareness of the importance of historic cemeteries to East Texas to public view, according to Runnels.
"We want to act as a resource base for people really interested in caring for and preserving cemeteries," she said.
Beisel also characterizes the workshop as a networking opportunity.
"People from different cemeteries can get together and get together a larger network of people into this kind of thing," she said.
The workshop is free and open to students and the public.
Runnels said interested persons may include "anybody who may have a cemetery they're interested in preserving or saving, or anyone interested in history."
Beisel encouraged anyone to come and "enjoy themselves."
"They can come to some or all sessions." she said. "Whichever parts they like to. You don't have to be a cemetery person."
For more information, a detailed agenda and directions to Laird's Monument Company, visit www.preserveamericasfa.blogspot.com.
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