Digging Up The Past

We've been spending some time at a nearby archaeological dig over the past few weeks. It's not a dinosaur dig . . . or a classical archaeological dig, but it's exciting, nonetheless.

The dig is the site of a local Presbyterian minister, David Caldwell (1725-1824), who also started an academy for young men. He was a devoted husband and father. He doctored the sick and wounded British and American soldiers after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. He was a farmer. And as a statesman, he served at local, state and national levels. David Caldwell was obviously an outstanding leader and role-model for the people of his time . . . but also of our time.

The kids and I literally stumbled upon the dig a few weeks ago. We were having a picnic in this particular park. After our lunch, we were ambling around the park, reading the historic posts about David Caldwell and his "log cabin" academy. When our walk took us to the dig site, the archaeology team was just coming back from lunch.

"There's some helpers," the lead archaeologist, Ken Robinson, said to us as we approached.

I looked at them like they were crazy . . . I was sure this mother and her four children had been mistakenly recognized as a trained team of archaeologists.

"Come on over" he encouraged.

After seven years of homeschooling, I've learned that when someone is offering to help you literally use the world as your classroom, you don't ask questions . . . you put your bag down, roll up your sleeves, remind the children to behave and "dig in."

So far, we've been back four times . . . and we'll certainly be back again

Photo: Sieving at the David Caldwell dig.