Lake James Research

Working on research for a service learning project is quite different than researching for the family project. Of course, I am more emotionally detached from the service learning, but it doesn't mean it is any less exciting to be working on this. In some ways, it actually makes it easier to work on the research because I don't get as caught up on the "rabbit trails." I know what specific things I'm looking for so I don't tend to become distracted with something else or get off track.

In chapter four, we discussed spaces and how our connection to Lake James is not really there because of not visiting the lake. I think it depends on what part of the project we are each working on to the extent of how important that connection would be. I don't feel that I necessarily need to see the lake, because my greatest connection is with the early maps and early pictures of the lake. The time period I am researching is so early that seeing the lake as it is currently won't be as relevant as it would for some of the other project parts. If I was working on the bands then I would want to see the dance hall because it does provide an additional connection especially to the writing. Having the presentation from Jim and Flaim did help with learning some things about the lake and even seeing the few pictures they had in the presentation helped quite a bit.

My part of the project has very little information from Jim and Flaim. I was given two names of books and one little note on a letter about the name of the surveyor. I was able to find two books, one of which was listed in the folder. I am hoping to find much needed information in the James Riley biography, but I am finding that trying to match up names of places is confusing without some earlier maps. The challenge in this piece is the period of the early 1800s. It is early enough that not much is written on Lake James. The rivers apparently were more important at that time. I found a book that had been written on a different lake and they even had the Indian name for that lake. It would be nice to even find that additional information on Lake James and include that too in the early history of the lake.

Putting together the proposal of what I want to accomplish for the Lake James project has helped me to have some structure for this project. I will keep a running log on resources that I am looking at for information in case anyone later needs to go back for a second look. This will also help prevent duplication on looking for sources of information.

I have been thinking about ideas for the "product" for the LJSP, but it is hard to come up with a commonality at this point with the ten different pieces. Perhaps when we are a little further along and start taking a look at where everyone is at with the pieces, it will be easier to brainstorm some ideas. Right now it sounds like most everyone is organizing the information if there is enough of it, or researching if information is lacking.