Abstract

This paper presents a case study about a project to establish a public-archaeology programme in Pontiac High School in Western Quebec. In partnership with the schoolboard, the school, the local community development office, the Provincial Government and the municipality of the Village of Shawville, the 'Pontiac High Archaeology Corps' was established to help develop a new 'heritage park' on the grounds of a 19th century brickyard. The students' role was to help conduct the evaluation excavations to determine the extent and nature of any remains, for much of the brickyard had been destroyed through nearly a century of farming. In this paper we present the 'Pontiac High Archaeology Corps' and their on-going activities (which we help supervise) as a model for integrating archaeology into the community, and as a driver for social growth in small rural communities.