High School Participants From NWMO ST., 2005

Introduction:
        Archaeologist, Paul DeBarthe, and Historian, Michael S. Riggs, have been conducting archaeological investigations in Caldwell County, Missouri since 1996. Participants have come from the local community Paul DeBarthe's students (Shawnee Mission East High School and JCCC) and other interested people who have found out about the program through our website: www.FarWestHistory.com. In the Fall 2004 term, Michael S. Riggs was an adjunct instructor at Wentworth J.C. teaching an American history survey course. In addition, Riggs is a Ph.D. student at UMKC and works for Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City as a Cultural Resources Specialist.
    Through their collaboration, DeBarthe and Riggs employ a precise methodological approach to historical-archaeology that positively affirms the use of all available disciplines. Viewed as such, the task of assessing a particular historical site requires an understanding of a "toolbox" of technical fields that might be consulted, such as; history, archaeology, anthropology, geography, sociology, geology, and botany. The intent is not to transform archaeologists into historians or the other way around, it is to teach students how to apply the various disciplines in the toolbox to specific conditions in the field.
    This course will be taught utilizing the inductive method of instruction. The field school will start on Thursday May 25, 2006, at 9AM, at the Far West Temple Site in Caldwell County, Missouri. We will have three hours of orientation lecturing (including visiting other nearby archaeology/historical sites). All other days of the instruction will be conducted at the Haun's Mill archaeological site unless we experience a "rain out" and then other activities will be substituted. The course is 8 hours per day for 8 days in the field where they will excavate and also hear lectures. This is a total of 64 hours of potential class time, but as only 3 credit hours will be granted, this will allow us to provide for two excused absences (an advantage in accommodating student work schedules). Instruction will take place on an actual active archaeological site. [In 2005, the Far West Cultural Center completed the fourth year of an ongoing Phase III archaeological investigation at a site known as Haun's Mill in Caldwell County. This property has yielded thus far both historic and pre-historic artifacts. See www.FarWestHistory.com/arch.asp for more details on the site and the archaeological work being conducted there.] The course will also be augmented by guest professionals (as available) that will visit the field school to lecture and/or will demonstrate various archaeological techniques.
    The base camp for the activity will be Wallace State Park. Students will need to supply their own; meals, water, transportation, tent, sleeping bag, light source, toiletries and folding chair. Other items students should bring are; bug spray, suntan lotion and attire suitable for spring weather in the Midwest.
    This course should help students assess their educational goals if they are considering a career path in or out of the academy and either in archaeology or history by providing them a "real world" experience.

Note: $30.00 per student fee will be charged for camping and payable to MICHAEL, L.L.C. the morning of the first day of class.