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e c a l p f o e s n se by Jill Clerkin
Outdoorsy new course spurs deeper connections to places, people, and the natural world A wild blend of experiential learning, history, ecology, philosophy, and fresh-air fun, Sense of Place was two years in the planning. In September, its seven inaugural students— armed with field notebooks, sneakers, and water bottles—set out to discover what creates “a sense of place” and the many attributes that might make a place worth protecting. Focusing first on the robust history of their 500-acre home away from home, the class later explored local forests, rivers, and ponds as well as human influences and environmental issues. They covered a lot of ground, figuratively and literally, in their 10 hours together each week, meeting with 17 on- and off-campus experts and often walking six or seven miles in a single afternoon. Antonella Menta Fernandez ’15 chose the course because it sounded like “a door to unexpected learning.” She was not disappointed. “It was interdisciplinary in a way I never thought was possible,” she says. Sense of Place was crafted by co-instructors Christine Marshall-Walker, who also teaches biology, and Mark Cutler, who also teaches Spanish and has led Outdoor Pursuits, formerly Search & Rescue, since 2004 (see page 42). “We wanted our students to ‘own’ their journey through a wide variety of disciplines, terrain, and primary sources—and for their hard work to be fueled by personal, relevant appreciations of this place,” says Marshall-Walker. “A sense of place leads ultimately to a responsibility of place,” says Cutler. “These students are future stewards of land, buildings, and history in their home and other communities.”
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“The Andover campus is like a palimpsest —a manuscript that reveals a previous text that was erased and written over.” —Paul V. Turner, Academy Hill
Andover examined—To better understand the human and natural forces that have shaped today’s Phillips Academy, students met with Addison Gallery, Peabody Museum, and Archives and Special Collections educators; traipsed with campus experts through Cochran Sanctuary for evidence of its changing ecology; and talked with various townspeople, including members of the Andover Historical Society. “I am now far more appreciative of PA’s vast history,” says Hanover Vale ’15. A touch of technology—Using HistoryPin, a website that encourages the sharing of local history, students “pinned” archival information to several campus locations, and Rebecca Savord ’15 added a video she created about changes to PA’s “west quadrangle.” (Visit www.historypin.org.)
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Paddling through time—Guided by local conservationist Bob Rauseo, students explored the Shawsheen River and learned about its uses, modifications, and economic impact. Later, on a textile mill tour in nearby Lawrence, students peered down on the convergence of the Shawsheen and Merrimack rivers. “We were shocked by the amount of trash clogging the intersection,” says Kieto Mahaniah ’16. In his notebook, Mahaniah starred these words from Rauseo: “Nature is where we get our wealth as well as where we dump our waste.”
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ON C O U R SE Ladybugs preparing to hibernate
3 Biophilia an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems; a longing to interact with the natural world
Engaging the senses (from Lily Grossbard ’15’s blog)—Met at Bicentennial Elm, picked up Stott Trail, headed through Stanley Reservation and cemetery to Pomp’s. Beautiful walk. Joined by two Andover High students and teacher. At Sand Pit, discussed glaciers and geological structures. Looked for elusive Foster’s Island; found deer tracks and ladybugs. Trudged through significant mud. Discussed man-made dams and how human presence has affected Andover watershed.
Photos by Jill Clerkin, Mark Cutler, Neil Evans, Liana Margolese ’15 & Christine Marshall-Walker
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Curlicue au naturel
Day trip to Cardigan (from Grossbard’s blog)—Bad start: I overslept. Was 30 minutes late and condemned to van’s middle front seat. Goal: to climb Cardigan Mountain in N.H. The drizzle could not deter us, but a torrential downpour and foreboding rumbles suggested retreat to AMC Lodge. When the sky cleared we stopped by the sustainable campsite (built by Sally Manikian ’00), featuring a latrine that self-composts!
Lessons in conservation—Along with two colleagues, John Kimball (left), grandson of the founder of Ward Reservation, met with students in the Log Cabin and later on the trails to talk about the 700-acre reservation’s ecology and history, forest forensics, and the challenges of land preservation. Chair of the Property Committee, Kimball lives in the original Ward home on the reservation. “One might associate a reservation with a piece of land that is kept wild and untouched by humans,” says Xin Wen ’15. “Thus, it might come as a surprise that behind successful land conservation are very deliberate plans and human effort.”
Bittersweet, a common invasive vine in the area
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A view from atop Holt Hill—About two miles from campus, Ward Reservation, once predominantly farmland, now has 10 miles of mostly wooded trails. Kimball and Adam Rollfs (center), caretaker of the Ward for the Trustees of Reservations, explained that they are working to clear trees and restore grassland habitats to encourage the return of early–20th-century bird and butterfly species. A carnivorous pitcher plant— in Andover!
Students were fascinated by the Ward’s rare “quaking bog” ecosystem, which has no soil. The moist, springy ground, which surrounds a glacial pond, is made up entirely of vegetation.
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What inspires? Artist, naturalist, and former Elson Artist-in-Residence James Prosek (above) joined students to talk about the intersections of nature, art, and science. He gave each student 10 minutes to “create art” along the Cochran Sanctuary path using whatever nature provided; the results were surprisingly expressive and varied. At the Log Cabin, home base for Sense of Place, the group took time to do some drawings, paintings, and reflection.
A three-hour hike—On a cold, windy Saturday, Sense of Place students and faculty hiked to an AMC hut for an overnight in the White Mountains. Sally Manikian ’00 (right), assisted by Savord and Owen Corey ’15, led the group through an intense and, students said, highly relevant LNT (Leave No Trace) Trainer course, which teaches outdoor (and life) skill sets and ethics. On Sunday, the group awoke to 30-degree inside temps, sizzling bacon, and new-fallen snow. An AMC backcountry resource conservation manager, Manikian also races dogsleds (see fall 2014 issue).
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