Recap of September Program — So Much To Learn In a Cemetery

The September program, “Afternoon Picnic in North Cemetery”, drew a large crowd from Wayland and surrounding communities. The weather was perfect—warm and sunny—and our speaker Susan Tyler, a former Sherborn Cemetery Commissioner, was knowledgeable and engaging.

We learned that in the past, families would gather at the grave site of a beloved relative on a Sunday, bring a picnic, socialize, and enjoy the out of doors. Several attendees did bring picnics and Ms. Tyler provided home-baked cookies.

Most of the time was spent in the central section of the cemetery where, among other things, Ms. Tyler demonstrated: how to determine the difference between a headstone and a footstone (e.g., size, shape, amount of inscription); the differences in the styles of the stones/monuments over the years; types of symbols and inscriptions and carvings that were depicted in various timeframes; types of materials typically used in various timeframes; and special markings depicting those who were soldiers in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. She also shared her research into individuals who had died in other parts of the country in the 1800’s, for example, and whose bodies had been transported to Wayland for burial.

At the end of the program, our own Jane Sciacca pointed out the burial plot of abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Lydia Maria Child. Jane, a former Wayland Historical Society President, Curator and noted historian, has done scholarly research and presentations on Child over the years.