Emerson Neczek, “Educating Students at Maryland Avenue Montessori School While They Investigate the History of the Property During the 19th Century”
Mentor: Jennifer Haas, Anthropology, Letters & Science (College of)
Oral Presentation 9:45am Union E250
In fall 2024, during construction work for a school greenhouse, human skeletal remains were inadvertently encountered at the Maryland Avenue Montessori school. Preliminary research by UWM’s Archaeological Research Laboratory Center (ARLC) revealed that the discovery relates to a 19th century cemetery and the final resting place for those who were infected and died during the 1849 cholera outbreak. Now the Maryland Avenue Montessori school (K-8) aims to embrace the cemetery and the history of the school property. I am working with the director of ARLC Dr. Jennifer Haas, project manager Jennifer Picard and the administration at Maryland Ave. Montessori. We have set a goal to educate the students about the history of the cholera outbreak and the cemetery. Together we plan to visit the school and host a presentation for grades 4th through 8th, which would be a total of 200 students. They will be able to participate through group discussions as well as a mock archaeological excavation. These activities are structured to deepen students’ understanding about the people who are buried next to the school as well as the importance of archeological research. I plan to film the entire day and structure it in the form of a short documentary film. Working collaboratively with the school’s administration and teachers, we intend to produce a well-structured educational environment that allows students to be more involved and aware of the history of their school. Students will leave with a new awareness of their community and educate others about the cemetery and the outbreak that took place in 1849.