Today marks the final meeting of the Time Team New England crew. Editorial groups are madly working away on a five-part podcast series that will be shared here, and possibly on another podcast site as well (we’re investigating options). Stay tuned.
In the meantime, the past few weeks have certainly been eventful. To begin, we moved operations indoors to explore archival resources. Students were able to piece together much more about Alonzo Mitchell’s life, his friends, and his family. They learned about what it was like to be a student at UNE during the period under investigation. Finally, they pieced together much more about the story of the Biddeford Pool area from earliest times to the present.
Over the past two weeks, they’ve been interviewing historians, family members, and St. Francis College alums.
Also since my last blog post, our team emerged as local celebrities after being featured on the local television news magazine 207. Okay, so perhaps “celebrity” is pushing matters, but the television station did a lovely job with the story. It was exciting to see our efforts showcased publicly.
All in all, the course was an amazing experience. Speaking for myself, it was energizing. Our editorial meetings represented a shared creative experience, more akin to what I imagine a writers’ meeting in Hollywood might feel like than a class. The archival time was fun, with students calling Arthur and I over frequently to share some new find. And, of course, the archaeological dig was a daily lesson in humility and suspense. Taking part in the dig was a dream realized for me, one I’ve been nursing since childhood. In that moment, I was an archaeologist.
Keep your eyes open for the podcasts!
— Prof. Eric G. E. Zuelow