TD Pipe - a photo on Flickriver

TD Pipe

At the Jay Estate in Rye, we try to make history, which is often perceived as old and dusty, something fresh and relevant. To do this we rely heavily on our partnerships with area schools, other non-profits and corporate grantors like Rye's own Con Edison, all of whom have the vision to think outside the box and outside the classroom. Together, we've created new hands-on opportunities to train the "Founders" of tomorrow and promote civic engagement in a multitude of fields.

Well you can't get much more hands-on than archaeology which is a critical component of environmental review at any landmark site, including our own. So this past month, six Rye Country Day High School volunteers really lived their school's motto of "Not for Self but For Service" and put themselves through a rigorous dirt-under-your-fingernails field experience! Not only did they help uncover and identify cultural resources for JHC but they also helped create a template for mini-archaeology camps that will be offered to younger kids in Westchester later this summer.

In their report to their advisor they explained, "For our senior term project, we elected to help with an archaeological dig at the Jay Heritage Center, assisting Dr. Eugene Boesch in searching for artifacts that might reveal more about John Jay's 1745 colonial farmhouse - the home where he grew up as a child in Rye. Following criteria set by the Department of the Interior, we dug, screened, measured and catalogued 18th century square nails and iridescent glass, an assortment of glazed pottery and creamware, a clay tobacco pipe bowl marked TD and a pipe stem, and pieces of animal bones. But our most exciting find was probably a prehistoric tool or scraper revealing the presence of earlier First Nations encampments on the site. We learned that archaeology is a necessary part of environmental review since our cultural resources are fragile and not renewable. "

While most adults might stereotype kids this age as being glued to the screens on their I-phones, these girls worked diligently and thoughtfully mastering large wooden screens to sift shovelfuls of earth for artifacts. The prize? Holding a prehistoric stone blade in their hands, one they dug up themselves after 3 patient, buggy days in the hot sun. As one girl admitted, it had that "Wow, Indiana Jones" excitement to it but it also made them appreciate that other people "breathed" here.

At the end of the week, the girls cleaned, labeled and photographed their finds. Several asked if they could come back as counselors for the mini-archaeology camp, hoping to witness the same excitement on the faces of a dozen 10 year old summer campers when they make their own awesome discoveries.

It is close partnerships with area schools and corporate grantors like Con Edison that make programs of civic engagement like this possible. Students leave our site with visual and tactile impressions more indelible than looking at any image in a textbook or Smart board. As a result, they are the ones digging even deeper for greater, more visible returns on their hard work when they come back to volunteer again.

Jay Heritage Center
210 Boston Post Road
Rye, NY 10580
(914) 698-9275
Email: jayheritagecenter@gmail.com

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www.jayheritagecenter.org

Taken in: United States / New York / Rye (show map)

Taken on: May 31, 2012

Tags:

archaeology

Jay Heritage Center

Hudson River Valley « less

Sets appears in: • Archaeology and Artifacts • Civic Advocacy & Archaeology May 2012 more » • Treasures from the Locusts- 18th Century Colonial Artifacts found at John Jay's home in Rye « less

Camera: Canon PowerShot G12, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec, 12.1mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon PowerShot G12
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1250)
Focal Length:	12.1mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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