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 The Annual (established 1972) Fayetteville-Manlius High School Art/Science Up the Creek Clay Dig |
Mr. Eichler, Dr. vonHunke, Ms. Giles, Mr. Osborn-O'brien, and Mr. Pitts
(pictured: October, 1999 trip).
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Over the many years we have been going "up the creek" The weather has been sunny and mild to Snowy and overcast. But usually by the time students and teachers depart by bus from Fayetteville-Manlius High School the sky is clear and sunny. The air "brisk".
The bus drops us off at the edge of a recently harvested cornfield. Earth Science Teachers, share information about the geology of the region. |
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After hiking downstream for about an hour - and 50 million years in geologic history, we pause to learn why the limestone is cracked. It is clear that glaciers are heavy stuff. Along the way we search for clay deposits. Over the more than 30 years of visiting this area we have learned that the clay deposits can be tricky to find. An exposed deposit of clay one year becomes hidden as a result of the spring snow melt, and/or summer storms the next. |
In 1995 a significant clay bed was discovered which we named the Andrea clay deposit after the student from ES-M High School who discovered it. Since then, the clay bed has been buried under gravel, mud, and uprooted trees by the great storm of 1998, and by erosion caused by logging on the steep banks along the stream.
| We continue descending into a gradually widening valley; covering a little over a mile and another 150 million years in geologic time. At this point we come to the main branch of the stream.
Moving a few hundred yards upstream from there we come upon the Paul Laba clay deposit; the source of clay used in the ceramics classes at FM since 1972. Long before then the clay had probably been used at least as early as the 15th Century by the Indians of Chance Phase culture. |
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The clay is extremely fine textured - having the consistency and fine particle size of porcelain. Students work with the clay,testing, feeling and observing how plastic and responsive it is to shaping. This clay will fire to cone 02. The fired color is light tannish/orange. |
After everyone had dug enough clay to bring back to school for their next project, we paused to listen to the trees. Really cool sound if the wind is blowing in, and swaying the tops of the tree.To do this we were taught by Paris P. to press our ear firmly against the trunk of the tree and listen.