Pittsfield (MA) High School visit -- October 1, 2004

Throughout the Spring, Summer, and early Fall, Beckley Furnace is often the destination of groups interested in all aspects of the historic iron industry of the Upper Housatonic Valley. With sufficient notice, the Friends of Beckley Furnace can usually turn out a number of knowledgeable (and in some cases, expert) guides and lecturers to inform our visitors about the site -- and the historic iron industry.

On October 1, we were pleased to welcome an 11th grade American History class from Pittsfield, MA, High School. They were a great group to work with and genuinely interested in the subject matter -- and quite possibly very happy to spend a beautiful early Autumn day learning American History in the field instead of in the classroom.

Here are some photos from that visit. Click on any of the pictures to see a larger image.

The History teacher introduces the site to the class	One of the experts gives us some ethnological background of the charcoal industry workforce	Yup, it WAS school, and notes WERE taken...	...at least by many of the students.
Now, a demonstration of making charcoal from wood.	We're doing it in a test tube, although in real life it was done in large earth-covered charcoal pits in the woods were the trees were cut	Heating the wood in the absence of oxygen.	The smoke coming out is really a complex of products that, when refined, had a real market value.
And, the smoke is flammable, too.	The class views the casting arch of Beckley Furnace.	Hearing more about the iron making process	When the furnace was running, it was 3000 degrees Fahrenheit in that bosh!
The slag pile was very popular -- and so was the opportunity to take home samples.	Inside the one-time office building for the furnace complex. (Thanks to the students who suggested ways we could improve it!)	More discussion after the tour.	Discussing a salamander with our charcoal expert.

Pittsfield (MA) High School visit -- October 1, 2004

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