Just a quick post about the program that got me into archaeology in the first place.The Boyd Archaeological Field School is a 3 week residential field course, run by the Toronto Conservation Authority (TRCA) and the York Region School Board (YRDSB), that introduces high school students to the basic methods and principles of archaeology. It's now in its 30-somethingth year of operation, I'll have to check my facts to get the actual year it started. It was held at the Boyd Conservation Field Centre in Woodbridge for decades, but is now held at beautiful Claremont Conservation Field Centre north of Pickering, Ontario. During the three weeks, students live in the Centre dorms and participate in a myriad of activities. To list a few:
- introduction to ancient technologies, including flintknapping, basket-weaving, pottery, spear-making, etc.
- introduction to traditional foods: students prepare a Huron-style feast of corn, beans, squash, fish, venison, and various edible herbs and plants collected wild from the forest.
- introduction to archaeological theory
- introduction to artifact identification and analysis
- fun and games
- various expert guest speakers, lecturing on subjects such as forensic sciences, Indigenous history and current issues, blacksmithing, and more.
and last, but definitely not least,
- plenty of excavation on a real archaeological site.
The students (anywhere from 25-40 depending on the year) are paired off and guided through the manual excavation of a real site. They're introduced to shoveling, troweling, screening, artifact ID, mapping, and profiling. The site currently being excavated by the Field School actually sits right on the Claremont property: The Graham House Site is the 19th-century home of a local blacksmith and his family. What remains of the home is a stone foundation beneath the surface of the ground, as well as hundreds if not thousands of metal, glass, and ceramic artifacts.
And at the end of all this, students receive a Grade 12 University-prep credit! A full credit in three weeks! And getting good grades is fun!
I took this course when I was in grade 11, and have had the pleasure and privilege of instructing at the course for the past 2 years. Not only did it give me an interest to follow (I'm now in the 4th year of a BA in anthropology), it gave me direction, maturity, and a great job opportunity. As cliche as it sounds, the course really did change my young life, as it does to many students each year. It offers far more than a regular summer course. It's nerdy and totally cool at the same time.
If anyone reading this has friends, kids, or siblings in high school, tell them about this course. People come from all over Canada, the States, and elsewhere to take the course. The only requirement is that you've graduated grade 10. That, and a good attitude.
