Pedagogical thinking on a short talk about the geography and cultural uses of natural springs in Georgia

By: Paul Black, Georgia State University Masters student, social studies education

One question we might consider as it emerges from the Asaph Perry story concerns the interaction of the people with particular features of the land. Upon reading of the Perry family's visits to Cohutta Springs, I immediately thought of two other springs in Georgia that I knew well- Radium Springs, the state's largest natural spring, near my hometown of Albany, and Warm Springs, near Columbus, where FDR frequently sought relief from polio. Reading more about each of these locations, I quickly discovered that each is cited as historic location for Native American healing rituals as well. As this feature was non-unique, however, I chose to find a fourth spring- the appropriately-named Indian Springs near Jackson, that would enable me to speak about Creek and Cherokee relationships with the land as well.

Researching these areas raised several questions: How were these springs formed? How exactly do some springs become "warm" while others maintain a chilly 68 degree output year round? And, perhaps most importantly, how do they fit into the larger system of waterways in the area? It would have been easy to simply dismiss these questions altogether, and focus exclusively on the historic uses and significance of the four springs in question. And yet, as a native of Southwest Georgia, an area which has been greatly affected by both drought and floods in my lifetime, I felt that these springs could really only be understood within the larger context of our state's physiography and waterway dynamics.

At the conclusion of this lesson, I would expect students to be able to locate and briefly describe the physiographic regions of Georgia (the Appalachian Plateau, Valley & Ridge, Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Coastal Plains regions); to begin to explain how Georgia's geography influences the functioning of its waterways (e.g., Georgia's status as "headwaters" state in which many rivers have their origins, the impact of the Fall Line upon rivers which cross it, etc.). While time constraints would probably not allow me to fully describe the geologic processes behind the formation of each distinct region. I would hope to present this at a point in the school year at which students were already familiar with the physiographic map of the state, and in which it would not be new material, but rather serve as a framework within which these particular geographic features could be better understood. In addition, I would expect each student to be able to locate and describe the historic significance of each of the four springs in question.

Chief William McIntosh, while certainly an influential Georgian, is arguably not a figure of the modern era. And Franklin Delano Roosevelt- while certainly influential in Georgia during the modern era- was never officially a Georgian. And yet, each of these two men clearly had a great impact upon the state. As the signer of the Treaty of 1825, which ceded numerous lands of the Upper Creeks to the state of Georgia, McIntosh opened a new chapter in Creek-settler relations in Georgia. (Given the absence of consent from several Creek leaders, however, it was not a chapter which he would be alive to see unfold.) FDR, as a very prominent frequent visitor to Warm Springs, put both the town on the world stage, and gave generously to endow it as a renowned center of rehabilitative therapy- a legacy which continues this very day. Given the impact of these two men, I would certainly expect each student to be able to describe their relationship the two springs in question (Warm Springs and Indian Springs), and to describe their particular contributions to Georgia's history.

Pedagogically, my first concern is to make the material relevant for my students. My lesson opener, therefore, would be a partial listing of the springs of Georgia. "How many springs do you think are in the state of Georgia?" As it turns out, there are hundreds. It is very likely that most of us who grew up in the state were not more than half an hour's drive from one, which we may have visited on one or more occasions.

Having engaged the students' memories and established the ubiquity of springs in our state, I would quickly move to lay the groundwork for one of my second pedagogical goals, which is that students understand how these springs are part of a larger set of waterways and processes within (and beyond) Georgia. While I would only spend two or three minutes on this portion of my presentation, I believe it would be contextually essential. To focus solely on the springs without reference to the larger picture would be tantamount to describing the consequences of the Great Depression without addressing the economic factors which led to it: it can certainly be omitted. But, to do so only denies students the opportunity to understand the cause/effect relationships and the larger systemic dynamics at play, and thereby leaves them with a very limited understanding of the material.

With regard to main portion of my presentation, which addresses the particular uses and significance of the four springs, I anticipate that much, if not all of this material will be new for the students. And yet, I also believe that it is straightforward enough that it can be presented by direct instruction both efficiently and effectively. However, even if I can assume that they are familiar with the physiographic map of Georgia, I do not assume that they are familiar with any of the springs in question. I would therefore make a deliberate effort to show students where these springs can be located on a state map. Then, I would use additional images gathered using Google's "Image Search" function- in particular, pictures of the springs and, if applicable, of the historical figures involved- to engage the visual learners in my audience and to bring some color- both literally and figuratively- to the presentation. For students to hear that Creeks once referred to Radium Springs as "Skywater" is one thing. For them to see a picture of the blue waters during that mention, however, makes it much more likely to stick with them.

I want students to leave this lesson with more than simply a greater knowledge of Georgia's non-coastal water resources, and of these four springs in particular. I also want to foster in them an increased curiosity about how such resources are being utilized, protected, developed, and debated throughout our state. While of unique historical significance in their own respect, the four springs chosen are also effective departure points from which this larger conversation might begin.

As such, my concluding statements regarding the significance of these springs (as places of spiritual and physical healing, as continuously-replenished sources of both leisure and history, and as key recharge zones for some of our most vital waterways) is designed, again, to encourage students to understand these springs as pieces of larger contexts- both geographic and cultural. For students who do want to inquire further, I do not describe at great length, but do provide a link to one current-day individual, Paul DeLoach, whose passion for diving and professional work as a water-issues authority embody a synthesis of the themes I strove to emphasize as most significant.