The objectivity of the archaeological record would present an honest and vivid representation of the life of Brown’s first presidents. Four presidents resided in the original President’s House, and at least one of them owned a slave. Perhaps the relationship between the president’s family and their servants or slaves would be reflected in the foundations and material culture left behind. Questions like this that are as yet unanswered by the written record could be answered through an archaeological excavation of the site. Additionally, excavation in the area of the President’s house could reveal artifacts disposed of or lost during construction of the Carrie Tower, when the ground would have been disturbed. Though the results would be interesting in their probable relationship to construction at the turn of the century, excavating exclusively in the immediate vicinity of the tower would most likely not provide extensive evidence relating to daily life because of the tower’s exclusive role as an aesthetic addition to the Green. Objects lost, dropped, or buried by students over the years may be uncovered in an excavation, but the tower was not the site of many day-to-day activities. An excavation of the area surrounding Hope College would yield material culture from the time of its initial building as well as possibly from the period of renovation in 1891, during which the cellar was dug, or from 1959 when the building was once again reconstructed. Additionally, as with the vicinity of the Carrie Tower, the area surrounding Hope College might contain artifacts dropped by students over the years, especially from the time in which the Quiet Green served as
The objectivity of the archaeological record would present an honest and vivid representation of the life of Brown’s first presidents. Four presidents resided in the original President’s House, and at least one of them owned a slave. Perhaps the relationship between the president’s family and their servants or slaves would be reflected in the foundations and material culture left behind. Questions like this that are as yet unanswered by the written record could be answered through an archaeological excavation of the site. Additionally, excavation in the area of the President’s house could reveal artifacts disposed of or lost during construction of the Carrie Tower, when the ground would have been disturbed. Though the results would be interesting in their probable relationship to construction at the turn of the century, excavating exclusively in the immediate vicinity of the tower would most likely not provide extensive evidence relating to daily life because of the tower’s exclusive role as an aesthetic addition to the Green. Objects lost, dropped, or buried by students over the years may be uncovered in an excavation, but the tower was not the site of many day-to-day activities. An excavation of the area surrounding Hope College would yield material culture from the time of its initial building as well as possibly from the period of renovation in 1891, during which the cellar was dug, or from 1959 when the building was once again reconstructed. Additionally, as with the vicinity of the Carrie Tower, the area surrounding Hope College might contain artifacts dropped by students over the years, especially from the time in which the Quiet Green served as