Good job, Gaye.  I ran into one of "my" former hulks at the grocery store.
He's out of college now and on a local preservation group for fun; working
as a genius computer geek and making tons of money.  He stopped me in the
coffee aisle, I never would have recognized him.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gaye Nayton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 11:01 PM
Subject: Re: Re TT


> Hmm
>
> I agree with the 'get them when young' ploy. I have been doing it for
years.
>
>
> Started at my PhD site when I was excavating an historic site with no
field
> team. Just me, my daughters (who I dragged out of their usual school, high
> jacked to the northwest and stuck in new schools for a couple of months
just
> so I could use them as field crew on the weekends) wandering tourists and
> any local I could talk into coming along. I did a lot of public outreach
at
> schools and local societies just to get bodies to get the site dug.
However
> the up side was right at the start of my career I saw how affective public
> outreach is so I have been doing it ever since. I now regularly do
> archaeological fun days for National Archaeology Week and public outreach
> programs both in and outside the week.
>
> Another upside is that a few years ago the heritage listed archaeological
> town site where I did my research was under threat from the government
> wanting to sell it off for housing. The local response rocked the
government
> and it was all about the impact on tourism and ARCHAEOLOGY (I guess
someone
> was listening all those years ago). I had a nice warm glow moment out of
it
> too when a young guy came to the Perth public comment meeting and was
> spluttering in his intensity to make the government types realise they
just
> could not do that to Cossack, it was too important. Turns out he was one
of
> the kids at one of the schools I gave a talk to 17 years previously and
that
> was why he was in Perth jumping up and down trying to protect the
wonderful
> archaeological site I told him about.
>
> When the bread comes floating back it's not all mould : )
>
> Gaye
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
charles
> alexander
> Sent: Friday, 19 March 2010 11:37 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Re TT
>
> Yes, I certainly did have the classic teenager attitude, that's why the
> analogy works so well, because the attitude is reoccurring generation
after
> generation.
>
>
>
> The sole purpose of my post was to generate discussion on a well-known
> misconception the public has about archaeology in general and illicit some
> proposed solutions to this ongoing problem. Media such as "Indiana Jones"
> and "Time Team" are very appealing to the public, I'm an Indiana Jones Fan
> myself, but they really just entertain, they don't portray why archaeology
> is relevant and more importantly, why the pubic should come out of their
> pockets for it. Archaeological research is to civilization what Biological
> research is to disease. This is the message we ought to be teaching. I
like
> your solution. It's not the only one of course but it is a good start and
I
> plan to implement a version of it locally. The beauty of a mail list such
as
> this is that we can all act locally to solve a problem globally.
>
>
>
>
> Charles Alexander
>
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:43:09 -0800
> > From: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Re TT
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> > Archys dears, and others complaining here...
> >
> > Yes, teenagers have an "attitude" but I'd bet you did too when you were
a
> > teen. I did; I guess, anyway mom says I did, and also she confessed that
> > she did. My dad's mom says he did.
> >
> > The analogy that the public is like a surly know it all teen is quite
> > appropriate. But, as a parent, what is the best way to deal with it?
> > Preaching? Whining? Yelling? Hiding in a hole? (Preferably with nice
> > straight sidewalls?)
> >
> > I don't think so.
> >
> > Popular thought on archaeology, as has been discussed to death, is often
> > skewed towards romanticism, treasure hunting, dinosaurs, and so on. "We"
> as
> > archaeologists "know the reality" and like any profession need to use
our
> > professional training (remember emic and etic?) to see it from "their
> eyes"
> > and explain it in an understandable way to "them."
> >
> > All of this thread has just highlighted once again the extreme
importance
> of
> > courtesy, and the dire need to reach out to the public.
> >
> > Probably one of the best ways to do this is to take a day from your busy
> > schedule and offer to go to high schools during career days. Then do it.
> > Show up in your field clothes, pick the surliest most hulking kid, and
> > criticise their inadequate field garb. Show no mercy for hair styles or
> > fingernails. Then plop on your kerchief, hat, gloves, compass, backpack
> (be
> > sure its heavy and pokes them), and ill fitting dirty shirt, give them a
> > rolled up map, make them hold a pick and shovel, and take their picture.
I
> > guarantee if you do this with gentle humor the class and your victim
will
> > play along and if you give the photo to said hulk she/he will be seen
> later
> > displaying it to friends.
> >
> > And then skewer them with ARPA, pothunting, disgusting critters, vile
clay
> > soils, crappy weather, and other archaeological realities. Bring some
real
> > artifacts and let them handle them. Tell them why you have them (they
were
> > pothunted confiscated and nonprovenienced). And explain that you have a
> > crush on Indy, or his cutie girlfriend, or even both if you want a
laugh,
> > but let them know that's a fairy tale and you are the real Indy or
cutie.
> > Ask if they've seen Time Traveler or History Detectives and Jurassic
Park
> > and Clan of the Cave Bear. Explain what's right or wrong with those
> > depictions. Pass out Archaeology magazines with strict instructions to
be
> > careful. Stomp through the classroom. Point out things you notice as
they
> > rifle through them.
> >
> > And be sure you give them time to ask questions. Occassionally I've had
> > classes that were so stunned they had none. Tell them about your
favorite
> > artifact or site, or dramatize one of your own field or lab experiences.
> >
> > Do you know what you have done if you do this?
> >
> > Educated 30 or more potential voters and their often misinformed
teachers.
> > Had a break from the damned balky computer. Been a star for a day.
> >
> > Then go back to playing in the mud and swatting mosquitos and bitching
> about
> > the weather.
> >
> > But for gods sake lets quit whining about poor misunderstood us and do
> > something constructive about it.
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "charles alexander" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 5:20 PM
> > Subject: Re: Re TT
> >
> >
> > Have you ever tried to explain something or offer advice to a teenage
> child?
> > They often look at you like you are from Mars. They figure you don't
> > understand what they are going through and couldn't possibly help their
> > situation. This is the attitude the general public takes with
Archaeology.
> > Archaeologists are the minority of teenagers who realize that our
> "parents"
> > have been through some of the very same things we are now facing. We
have
> > something to learn about the successes and failures of the people who
> lived
> > before us in the same way a young adult could learn from his parents.
> Human
> > behavior is patterned. Archaeology is not a luxury, without it we are
all
> > doomed to repeat our past mistakes. Isn't there a famous quote
describing
> > that very thing? Most of what Archaeologists learn becomes buried in an
> > archive somewhere or at best, debated within academic circles. The
public
> > has no idea what we are doing or why we are doing it. I believe
> Archaeology
> > is capable of helping to solve many of the problems faced in modern
> society
> > much in the same way we have something to offer our children.
> >
> >
> > Charles Alexander
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:56:15 +0000
> > > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re TT
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > I f there was a referendum on such things most of the people on this
> > > list would be out of a job as many in the public see us as
> > > over-educated, self satisfied leaches frittering their tax dollars on
> > > luxury projects. A touch of populism if it explains anything of why
> > > archaeology is important or interesting does no harm especially in the
> > > current economic climate. Remember hundreds of sites are
currently -this
> > > minute- being bulldozed, plowed (American sp?) out or dug with
> > > inadequate budgets and resources all over the planet.
> > >
> > > pc
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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