Funeral Service Associations

Readings Question #1

• Describe the 2 basic types of associations that were prevalent in 19th Century America.

• “personal service” vocations modeled themselves after professional associations

• funeral establishments were patterned after the “guilds”

Instruments to Assist Associations

• 1) education prerequisites and training institutions

• 2) regulatory system developed by the state

• 1875-1900: tremendous growth of professional and trade associations

Readings Question #2

• Describe the 2 significant socio-cultural movements of the late 19th century. What prompted these initiatives?

Readings Question #3

• Describe the changing role of the funeral director in the late 19th century in America.

• Late 19th century saw the development of strong occupational groups at local, state, and national levels.

Readings Question #4

• Where and when did the first formal organization of American undertakers occur? What was it called? What was the “black book”?

• 1865-1880: undertakers founded associations in most of the major cities for the purposes of mutual protection, dispensing information and setting preliminary trade standards

Readings Question #5

• Who was Allen Durfee? What impact did he have on undertakers on a state and national level?

Readings Question #6

• What were the 3 significant events that took place at the first national convention for undertakers?

Pressures, Interests and Motives

• The late 19th century was a period marked by proliferation and tremendous expansion of associations. (trade, professional, semi-professional)

• Associations and agencies were looking to transact necessary business on a state or national level with funeral directors.

Readings Question #7

• What were the 2 basic motivating factors that impelled funeral directors to form associations?

Readings Question #8

• When and where was the first Code of Ethics created for funeral directors? What did it include?

Communication Within the Trade

• salesman or “drummer”: “travelling salesmen who went from town to town selling their products. Early embalmers often obtained their products and training in this manner.”

• brought news of the trade and other FDs• 1871: first trade paper “The Undertaker”• 1876: “The Casket” ($1/year)• Journals were an important means of

communication.