College Relations

Commencement address delivered by Emerson W. Baker, II, Chair, History Department, Salem State College on the occasion of the Graduate Commencement of Salem State College, May 19, 2005.

As I thought about this address, I wondered what I, an archaeologist and historian, could say that would be really meaningful to you. After, all you are not here to listen to me, but to get one of these diplomas. When I threatened to talk about archaeology, one so called friend said my goal must be to bore you all, so you would be happy you never had me as a student or studied archaeology. However, it seems to me that the liberal arts provide you with important skills and a frame of reference you will use all your life. And, the more I thought about it, the more I realized archaeology is one part art, one part science, and one part magic, and it seems to me that this is also really what life is all about. So, I want to share with you some advice for life I have learned from archaeology. I call my talk, "Life is the Pits, or Everything I Need to Know I Learned on the Archaeology Site."

First, finding the archaeology site is more than half the battle. Archaeologists sometimes spend years just trying to find where to dig. I suspect that many of you spent much of your youth wondering what you wanted to be when you grew up. I know I sometimes I still have those thoughts myself. The receipt of a graduate degree means you have indeed found your personal archaeology site - that place you want to be. I congratulate you on reaching this goal. If you have not already done so, dig in!

Furthermore, remember, digging an archaeology site is the only job where you start at the top. So, unless you are an archaeologist, prepare to pay your dues. Actually, like everyone else, archaeologists have to be willing to roll up their sleeves, and get to work if you want to make the big find. So I urge you all to be willing to get dirty.

Indeed, the deeper you dig, the richer the reward. Usually the most important features on an archaeology site - tombs, wells, cellar holes - yes even smelly old privies - are deeply buried in many strata, or layers of soil. It takes care, hard work, commitment, and sometimes even courage to be willing to get in, quite literally, well over your head. Graduate school is like that - a chance to dig deeply into something that you love, and to thoughtfully peel back the layers of knowledge, one at a time. I urge you to continue to dig deeply, and pursue your passion the rest of your lives.

As you do this be sure to make your own luck. I have made some pretty amazing archaeological discoveries. So much so that I am often called a "lucky archaeologist." I take that as a true compliment. It takes a lot of knowledge and work to be lucky: to choose the right place to dig, and even to recognize the importance of what you find.

Now occasionally, luck is not enough, In those cases, don't be afraid to fail or be wrong. Every summer at the start of the excavation, I make interpretations of what we have found in the past and predictions of what will turn up. Usually, within a few days, our excavations have proven me absolutely, totally, completely wrong! Still, we learn from trying those ideas out, even the ones that don't work. So, I am back the next summer with modified theories and new ideas - that will probably be proven wrong too. However, it is only by trying and failing that I am going to eventually get it right!

As you strive to get it right, please do sweat the small stuff (Yes I know this is contradicts other advice guides you may have read). Archaeology, and life itself, is really like putting a jig saw puzzle together, however a lot of the pieces are missing or broken. We have excavated over 40,000 artifacts on my current site. Each piece, each detail, has to be studied if we want to see the big picture.

And think about the stuff you find, for as they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Or, as archaeologist James Deetz put it, we are in the business of digging up other people's garbage. Everything archaeologists discover was left behind - usually deliberately, by people in the past. So, it is important to realize that people have different desires, goals, values, and ways of looking at things.

Most important work is not glamorous, or particularly fun. People associate archaeology with the thrill of the dig, or the spectacular discoveries of people who supposedly resemble Indiana Jones. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. I don't even own a bullwhip or a pistol, and as you can see, I refrained from wearing my fedora hat today. Rather, archaeology is often made up of insect bites, sunburn, poison ivy, and back ache. Furthermore, I'd say 80 percent of archaeology takes place in the laboratory after the excitement of the dig has ended. Artifacts have to be washed, analyzed, catalogued, and conserved, and reports have to be written. This tends not to be glorious work, and sometimes it can be outright tedious and dull, but this is where most of the real discoveries are made.

Don't feel you have to dig the whole site once you find it. I am reminded of the story of the nineteenth century archaeologist, John Henry Cartland. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, and given a short time to live, he retired to Pemaquid, on the coast of Maine. There he discovered a wonderful archaeology site. This apparently improved his health a bit, for he managed to live long enough to write the book "My Ten Years at Pemaquid." Amazingly, even wrote a sequel, "My Twenty Years at Pemaquid." Despite the miracle cure of archaeology, Cartland could not do it all - one hundred years later, archaeologists are still exploring Colonial Pemaquid. You are incredibly busy people. You have my utmost respect and admiration for your ability to juggle graduate school, with work and family, and the various curveballs life throws our way. So, just because you did not dig the entire site, does not mean you did not do your job, and do it well.

Indeed, archeologists deliberately leave part of a site for future generations to explore. After all, they will have better techniques and technologies available to them. DNA analysis has recently revolutionized archaeology - not to mention crime show television series. Just imagine what advances the future holds, and leave some discoveries for the next generation to enjoy.

Finally, you have to know when to stop digging. Though digging deep is usually fruitful, you always reach a point where the site ends, and you are left with nothing but sterile subsoil that has not been disturbed since the last ice age or longer. Digging beyond this point is useless. So, you need to recognize when it is time to stop, and to go find the next site.

As a matter of fact, it appears that I am beginning to hit sterile subsoil. So I will close by saying that on behalf of all the faculty at Salem State College, congratulations to the graduates and their families. We are incredibly proud of you, and are excited for you. Remember, no matter how far away you go on explorations and expeditions, you will still be a part of our family here at Salem State. Happy digging!