Some years back, I took a seminar in museum administration and we examined
an exhibit set up for urban children in one of the larger cities a museum
labeled "Mysteries in History." The focus was a large blown up photo of a 1950s
vintage alley with a rusted tricycle and various toys scattered around. You
know, things like marbles, tops, and hula hoops. The exhibit cases then
explained how many children in the early 1970s did not have a clue as to what those
rusted and oxidized objects were in their world. I came away with several
observations. First, the title of the exhibit was very catchy and could be used
for just about anything to stop a visitor. Second, "common" objects quickly
get forgotten in the swift flow of time (geezers see time differently than
children, by the way). So, I developed a number of exhibits over the years at the
Naval Submarine Base San Diego in the Bachelor Officers Quarters (which
conveniently is a way station for visiting Congressional leaders and a way to
influence politicians on the value of archaeology). These exhibits varied from
18th century Spanish artifacts to 20th century U.S. Army artifacts and they
were exceedingly popular (until someone remodeled the lounge and our exhibit
got booted). Objects like that stove burner are a case in point that each
generation quickly forgets something common to earlier generations and we can
capitolize on those mysteries in history to capture the hearts and minds of
people who we want to treasure the past.
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
In a message dated 1/23/2008 7:09:14 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Geezer Mark has hit upon a very vital point that we are increasingly
going to confront in public archaeology and archaeological
interpretation, and indeed on helping people to see the importance and
relevance of archaeology. This is also a point that is impacting all of
historical interpretation. Children of today are increasingly
disconnected with the cultures and economies and material cultures of
our collective past in a way that has not been the case previously. In
many ways a child growing up in the 1940s (1960s?), especially growing
up in a rural setting, had more in common with children growing up 200
years earlier than with children growing up today. Things that us
geezers look at and understand simply are not part of the cultural
knowledge of children of today and will not be part of the cultural
knowledge of the adults of tomorrow (and, as we have seen, is not part
of the cultural knowledge of some of the adults of today!).
Our challenge is that we will increasingly have to back up and start our
interpretation by explaining some very basic concepts about the past if
we ever hope to be able to explain the more complex and to us the more
interesting facts that we learn through archaeology and history. The
problem is that in presenting an interpretation to the public there are
a very limited number of topics--five at the very most--that you can
hope they will recall, and we are given only a limited amount of time
and words to explain these five or fewer topics.
To make matters worse is the current trend in education to focus on math
and science and to downplay or ignore social science and
history--children are not even coming away from school with much of a
social or historical context for the interpretations that we hope to
deliver to them.
On a positive note, archaeology education is one of the best avenues
around for getting the attention of teachers and children and to light
their little fires about the past that is ever the more foreign and
increasingly intriguing. Three cheers for public archaeology!!!
William B. Lees, Ph.D., RPA, Executive Director
Florida Public Archaeology Network
University of West Florida
www.flpublicarchaeology.org
Street Address:
207 East Main Street, Pensacola
Mailing address:
PO Box 12486
Pensacola, FL 32591-2486
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 850-595-0051
MOBILE: 850-293-4492
FAX: 850-595-0052
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark
Branstner
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 3:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The perplexing artifact
Hi all,
Just a random thought ...
Having grown up in the 1950s and early 1960s, either in a small
northern Michigan town or visiting my grandparents in the country, I
have been exposed to material culture and lifeways that certainly
extend well back into the latter half the 19th century ... The poor
kids had outhouses, still trapped for spending money, and horses were
still seen in at least limited use on local farms.
There was certain continuity between the past and the present that
was predictable and understandable.
On the other hand, some of the younger members of our fraternity, who
were born roughly coincident with the arrival of the personal
computer, are at a total disconnect with much of the material culture
that many of us take for granted ... Although at 56, I really don't
feel like an "old timer," the increasingly rapid disconnect between
the past and the present is, at best, disconcerting.
So, when one of our younger number presents what to them is a
"perplexing artifact," I promise to check my initial reaction (shock,
smugness) and do my best to responsibly reply with the "vast" store
of knowledge that I apparently retain in my short-term memory :-) ,
when appropriate.
Geezerly yours,
Mark
--
Mark C. Branstner, RPA
Historic Archaeologist
Illinois Transportation
Archaeological Research Program
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax: 217.244.7458
Cell: 517.927.4556
[log in to unmask]
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