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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Andy W" data-source="post: 692766" data-attributes="member: 44106">[ATTACH]305837[/ATTACH]I had never seen anything like this before so I looked it up:Monument unveilings in the South were associated primarily with fraternal, or semifraternal, orders. The most significant organization in the South associated with unveilings was the Woodemen of the World Life Assurance Society (W. O. W.). This semifraternal insurance organization had numerous "camps" scattered across the South, and practically every man belonged. Part of the membership creed supported the concept of a right to the dignity of a marked grave. A policyholder could, therefore, arrange to have a monument engraved with the Woodmen of the World logo erected on his grave, the cost covered by a modest rider on the holder's insurance policy.Woodmen of the World monuments were dedicated and unveiled in formal ceremonies conducted by the local camp, usually on Memorial Day or at a convenient date set by the camp. The unveilings were formal events attended at times by a parade of the camp members to the cemetery and always with a moving eulogy for the deceased member. On Memorial Day flowers would be placed as well on the graves of other camp members. Later changes in the by-laws of the W. O. W. admitted women to the order and they too could have a marker with the W. O. W. logo. By the time women were allowed, however, unveilings had begun to decline precipitously, and no evidence of unveilings for women has been found.</blockquote>

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