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Shrine President Says New Buildings Complement Old Town Architecture; Bill Bray Defends Dig Efforts Following Controversy
This is the site of archaeological dig at St. Ferdinand Shrine by McCluer North students under the direction of teacher/site director Robert Huitt.
BY CAROL ARNETT
Bill Bray, the president of the Board of Directors for Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, addressed the city council about several new happenings in the area around the shrine including the archeological dig
“We have a great sense of community,” Bray said. He cited all the help the shrine has consistently received from the community. He also praised the new fire station for its architecture, saying it was built in a style that fits in to the neighborhood. He also said the new building built by Behlmann and Associates at St. Louis anD St. Ferdinand streets was also built in a style that complements the neighborhood.
The Shrine will be the location for Mark Twain Days and a flee market on Saturday, July 11,.
Bray also mentioned the archeological dig at the Shrine that has caused some controversy. The controversy arose from a letter sent by Lyle Sparkman, president of the Missouri Archeological Society to the Ferguson Florissant School district. In the letter, Sparkman expresses concern over the dig. Since then, other professional archeology groups have also expressed concern.
The Society, and most archaeological groups, require digs to be supervised by an archeologist with an advanced degree in the field and at least one year experience on a dig. The shrine dig is being supervised by teachers from McCluer North and conducted by students at the school. The students are in an honors humanities class.
Because the dig is not using any grant money, and is being conducted on private property, the dig does not need to have the standards set in place by the various archeological groups, Bray pointed out.
“We have the good fortune to work with the Ferguson Florissant School District,” Bray said. “We have a great team of teachers leading the dig.”
Bray said that the teachers supervise the students. “Their number one goal is education,” Bray said. McCluer North Social Studies teacher Robert Huitt is the site director. He has worked at digs in Athens, Greece, and has degree in history and anthropology He also noted that the class in which the students work at the site is an honors class. “These kids are honor students very excited about this dig,” Bray said.
