The March meeting will be on the 17th at 6:30 at the Watts House in Laurens.  As described by Commander Watkins below, there has been some shenanigans going on in the SCV leadership at the national level. As this newsletter "goes to press" some more events have occured, this time in favor of those we elected. Here's the gist of it from a message forwarded to me from Robert Roper:

Probably most of you have heard of the removal by a Tennessee chancery court judge of our duly elected leader and Commander in Chief Deanne Sweeney in an unprecended coup d'etat by former CIC's serving on the Executive Committee of the SCV. CIC Sweeney was duly voted on and elected by the MEMBERSHIP of our organization and this move to air our differences at the Court level is quite disturbing. Also removed (without cause) were the Adjutant, the Chaplain and even the Confederate Veteran Magazine editor. Our officers are keeping up with what's happening at the national level and we will try to keep you the members, the heart of our organization, informed. It is now doubly important that we have good representation at our State Convention on April 1 and 2 so as many as can we would invite you to attend. Registration forms are available at the next meeting.

Thursday's meeting will be a slide presentation of the Farley funeral by our own Calvin Owings. We would like to have a good attendance for the meeting so please bring your family and friends.

Also a reminder that a "good old fashioned Southern Ball" will be held on the 19th in Williamston at which our McGowan will perform.

See y'all Thursday.

Cleaning Headstones
Excerpted from "Preserving Historical Cemeteries, Texas Preservation Guidelines" published by the Texas Historical Commission. 

Before cleaning any stone, carefully check its condition. If the surface readily falls away, or you notice other conditions that indicate the stone is brittle or vulnerable, do not clean it. Cleaning may irreparably damage the surface.

The Cleaning Process

1. Use a non-ionic soap. One of the most readily available soaps is Orvus®, commonly used in association with horse and sheep husbandry. It can be found in feed stores. Mix a solution of one heaping tablespoon of Orvus® to one gallon of clean water (it comes in either liquid or paste form).
2. Pre-wet the stone thoroughly with clean water and keep the stone wet during the entire washing process.
3. Thoroughly wash the wet stone using natural bristled, wooden handled brushes of various sizes. The use of plastic handles is not recommended, as color from the handles may leave material on the stone that will be very difficult to remove.
4. Be thorough. Wash all surfaces and rinse thoroughly with lots of clean water.
5. When cleaning marble or limestone, one tablespoon of household ammonia can be added to the above mixture to help remove some greases and oils. Do not use ammonia on or near any bronze or other metal elements.
6. Lichens and algae can be removed by first thoroughly soaking the stone and then using a wooden scraper to gently remove the biological growth. This process may need to be repeated several times.
7. Not all stains can be removed. Do not expect the stones to appear new after cleaning.
8. Do not clean marble, limestone or sandstone more than once every 18 months. Every cleaning removes some of the face of the stone. However, occasionally rinsing with clean water to remove bird droppings and other accretions is acceptable.
9. Keep a simple treatment record of the cleaning, including date of cleaning, materials used and any change in condition since last cleaning (such as missing parts, graffiti and other damage). These records should be kept at a central location where the condition of the stones can be monitored over time.

Developed from data supplied by John R. Dennis, Dallas Museum of Art Conservation Lab.