Sarah Ritchie uses a metal detector to search for objects along the south wall near the chimney of the "ruins." The detector was purchased with funds donated by the Apple Fest Committee.

Molley McClure holds a perfume bottle, other items are on the ground behind her.

Elliott Hockey holds pieces of plates he found. Photographs by Walter Horylev.

Hilton's Quest students
really dig history

There is little time for lunch when one is on the last day of an archeological dig. That is why Quest School Teacher Darrel Dupra’s class gulped down their sandwiches the afternoon of Tuesday, June 18 as they sat in the grass near Upton Street in Hilton.

The fourth and fifth graders assembled did not let small talk get in their way as they finished lunch, picked up their shovels and headed down to the creek bed to start searching for more artifacts. Working under the hot sun, only a few minutes went by before a student unearthed a relic and took it over to the pile that they would be bringing back to school that afternoon.

Molly McCune, a fifth grader, had been responsible for finding a milk bottle and several different pieces of pottery. Through research done by the entire class, Molly had learned how to approximate how old her pottery was.

"If it is porcelain it is shinier and not as old, but if it is rough then it is older," she said. Discoveries like the pottery, old tools, and a watch have been incorporated into class discussions on what took place at this site many years ago. The examples are clear for students like Molly.

"I liked finding the stuff, but I really liked finding out the history on it," Molly said.

Andrew Waugaman, fifth grader, said he now has a greater appreciation for what he and his family has.

"In the beginning of this dig, our teacher wanted us to explore local history … we have found that what they used to have was okay, but things have definitely gotten better over the years," Andrew said.

For nine years, Dupra’s classes have been learning outside the classroom. Every other year the class does an archeological dig. In between dig years, they do some scientific research using Salmon Creek.

"They remember things in the classroom, but they never forget things like this," Dupra said. Not only don’t they forget, they become active participants in the learning process. In fact, the students found this year’s site while investigating a smoke stack standing among the trees.

Dupra said the kids were under the impression that they had discovered a castle. "Well it isn’t a castle, but it sure is a great landmark," Dupra said.

The landmark is the remains of a sawmill, stave and barrel factory that was built back in the 1800s. The property is now privately owned, so Dupra’s class asked the owner for permission to conduct their research. When permission was granted, the students began researching the site with the help of the Hilton historian and the Parma library to acquire maps of the property and learn more about the factory’s history.

Through the winter they researched and when spring came they mobilized. Students were divided into different departments in charge of first aid, public relations and other necessary duties.

The class was able to uncover a portion of the building’s foundation, and from there pace off the remainder of the dimensions and rope the area into a grid. Every student was assigned a square of the grid to dig within.

Twice a week, the class would march through the village to their site, and return to the classroom with their findings. "We have really raised some eyebrows walking through the village with 30 kids with picks and shovels," Dupra said.

This undertaking has also gotten the attention of the students’ families.

Margaret Ritchie, grandmother of fifth grader Sarah Ritchie, was on hand with her daughter, Wendy, to observe the students’ work.

I think this is a pretty neat idea, getting the kids to build on what they are doing," Margaret said. Sarah’s mother said she is glad to see her daughter enjoying the educational project.

"She comes home and tells me about all of the cool things they found," Wendy said. Wendy has a unique perspective on what is going on because she was a member of the original parent group that helped to form the Quest School. Through projects like this, and teachers like Dupra, Wendy said she is watching their vision become a reality.

"We wanted them to love to learn and this is one of the ways to do that," Wendy said.

As the afternoon moves along and the pile of artifacts to take back gets larger, Dupra wipes his brow and looks at all the work going on around him with a smile.

"We’ve just barely scratched the surface here," Dupra said. But with only a scratch of the surface, these students have learned lessons that they will never forget.