Little frustrated

You know I love my job. I get to go into places and spend my day looking for things from the past. I don't have to deal with the public, and I am not in any service industry. I love what I do so much I hardly feel like I am working at all. In fact, I do this when I am off as well. Of course I don't work at a university, nor do I work on any academic projects (outside those I wish to work on), I am a shovel bum. I work with some great people doing CRM work here in Indiana. Recently I have become somewhat disillusioned with what I do.

I have come across some real neat things in the past year or so (yes fresh out of school :)). However, I really haven't gotten to save what I think deserves saving. For instance, we were in a southern county were we came across (well it was in our project area so... you know) a school house that dated back to 1895. Given its location, it would have been great to document and come back later (I was interested in knowing more about it since most info was not available during the records check). Since it was at the edge of our project area we photographed it, shovel tested and screened the area in the project area (just like the rest of the project), and mapped it.

As we were leaving the project area we came across the landowners and told them what we were doing and who for, they didn't have a problem with it. We mentioned the school house and what we were going to, ie try to preserve the site. They were more concerned that their land was going to be dug up than the school being disturbed. They intended to tear down the school house anyway. Which I know we can't stop, and its their property but it was kind of a downer.

Another place where a prehistoric occupation site was found in a cave area was documented and recommended for more work, however the landowners (ie the company putting in new facilities) said that they were going to avoid that area. Guess what, no more was done with the site. Which had mortars ground into the sides of the cave, several other stone tools and far more still sitting on the surface, let along features that were there. No one has gone back to see if that company did in fact avoid it, nor did anyone check to see if they disturbed any of the surrounding features and artifacts.

This has happened several times. I know I was a little naive to think I could save much, and I know that CRM is a business. I just get frustrated. I know I am not the only one. I just really love what I do, and put as much as I can into doing it. I don't know. What can one man really do. I just needed to vent a little.