Shumla School Taking Root

By Bill Sontag
bill.sontag@delrionewsherald.com
Staff Writer, Del Rio News-Herald

Reprinted with permission of the Del Rio News-Herald
Published August 15, 2003

A field school focusing on children's understanding of environmental, cultural, social and geopolitical issues of the Rio Grande and Pecos River has finally taken root on the Chihuahuan desert of Jack and Missy Harrington's Shumla Ranch. Situated about five miles north of the Pecos High Bridge along Hwy. 90W, the SHUMLA School is managed by former Texas A&M University professor, Dr. Carolyn Boyd.

The first local teachers' workshop was underway Thursday in a new energy efficient, stucco exterior meeting hall. Seventeen Comstock Independent School District teachers were immersed in interactive training with three professors of environmental education from Southern Illinois University. Mr. Versil Withrow, workshop coordinator, was joined by Dr. Harold R. Hungerford and Dr. Trudi Volk from the Center for Instruction, Staff Development and Evaluation, Carbondale, Ill.

The Comstock teachers were exposed to curriculum integration concepts consistent with Boyd's philosophy behind the SHUMLA School. Boyd and her husband, Dr. Phil Dering, recently abandoned their professorships at Texas A&M University, moved to Comstock, and set about realizing their dream of building bridges between the ancient lifeways of people in this critical confluence area and the youth of today.

Trained, steeped and published in the archeology, anthropology and prehistoric art history of the Lower Pecos region, both Boyd and Dering are clearly committed to the area and to their goals. "This is not so much about archeology and the Pecos River," Boyd explained Thursday, "as it is about helping kids learning to think critically, looking at issues and considering solutions for their community."

Boyd is certain that early development of critical thinking skills is a matter of "empowering kids so that when they're faced with difficult choices, like participation in gangs, they'll have some tools to make better choices." She believes those skills will carry into adult decision points affecting families and communities. And Boyd is certain that the rich and unique archeological, geological and paleontological resources of the Lower Pecos are tools with which to develop and hone those thought processes.

By weaving ancient and contemporary lifestyles and environmental concerns into local school studies, Comstock sixth-grade teachers Stephanie Crane and Susan Hildreth hope to integrate studies such as geology, chemistry, mathematics, language arts and visual arts. Of a possible elective course for Comstock students, Crane affirmed, "We want to use the information from this workshop to incorporate studies of the Rio Grande into the classroom curriculum," adding that learning how to identify and investigate issues has strengthened their team-teaching proposal.

Boyd emphasized that, in addition to teacher workshops, SHUMLA School programs will include "Pecos River Kids" adventure camps and "Shumla Adventures" workshops for all age groups on a wide-ranging menu of interesting topics such as astronomy, railroad history and stone tool technology.

Shumla is about 50 miles north of Del Rio, and was an important depot and station for the old Southern Pacific Railroad. The school recently adopted the name as a convenient acronym (Studying Human Use of Materials, Land, and Art) to simplify public understanding of the former School of Expressive Culture. Boyd emphasizes that many target audiences need to understand the non-profit school's motives.

To date, SHUMLA School has received $30,000 in grants from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Albert and Ethel Herzstein and the Ray C. Fish Foundation. Boyd is also searching for $300,000 to build a library/conference facility and bungalow duplex sleeping quarters for 28 people. In addition, she has a goal of an additional $100,000 for operations, instructor travel, microscopes, computers and supplies.

And Boyd wants educational systems to know SHUMLA School, too. She has already discussed participation by Del Rio teachers and students with Julio Ramos, assistant superintendent for instruction and implementation, and will soon be contacting Interim Superintendant Bobby Fernandez to get acquainted. In addition, Boyd hopes private schools will also show interest, as well as arts and cultural institutions that program for youthful audiences, such as Del Rio Council for the Arts, La Casa De La Cultura and the Boys and Girls Club. She sees many advantages in kids leaving familiar environments for the wilds of SHUMLA School.

And SHUMLA School workshops aren't only headquartered at the Harrington ranch. For example, Friday, the Comstock teachers floated out of the lecture hall and onto an area outdoor classroom, Lake Amistad. National Park Service Education Specialist Lisa Evans took the participants on a morning houseboat tour to witness first-hand the environmental teaching potential of the Rio Grande, Pecos River, Devils River and the reservoir that impounds their confluence.