Called History of the American Wilderness, course examines the historical, economic, social, political, and environmental significance of The Adirondack Park, a six million acre state park.

A group of Centenary University students took their education into the wilderness, traveling to upstate New York earlier this summer to explore the historical, economic, social, political, and environmental significance of The Adirondack Park, a six million acre state park. The trip was the culmination of a class called History of the American Wilderness taught by Associate Professor of History Noah Haiduc-Dale, Ph.D.

Dr. Haiduc-Dale’s family has owned a cabin in the region for decades, and he spent summers immersing himself in the rich history and natural beauty of the area. Through the course, he shared his love of the outdoors with his students—some of whom have never hiked, seen a waterfall, or piloted a canoe—and introduced them to the diversity of thought that occurs when the interests of full-time residents, business leaders, environmentalists, and summer visitors collide.

“In places like Yellowstone, there are no private property owners or businesses operating within the park, but in the Adirondacks a lot of constituencies have a stake in the area’s future—and everyone has a different perspective,” Dr. Haiduc-Dale noted. 

The course examined the effects of wealth and development on the region, starting with an infusion of cash in the 1800s when titans of industry with last names like Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Huntington, and Clark began to build summer communities in the Adirondacks to escape the widespread industrialization of cities including Boston and New York. Their presence brought railroads to the area, as well as steamboats to ferry visitors across vast lakes to opulent summer homes. Yet, it also highlighted the deep divide in the economic circumstances between these well-to-do summer visitors and full-time residents.

Within this political and social complexity, Dr. Haiduc-Dale’s students met stakeholders to explore their perspectives, such as an environmental ethicist who works with members of the logging industry on the ethics of logging. The Centenary students, many of whom hail from urban areas, also experienced small-town life, where a high school graduating class may number 10 students and the town has one movie theater—if residents are lucky. 

“The course really got Centenary students to think about other points of view in a very philosophical way,” said Dr. Haiduc-Dale. “To me, that’s what higher education is all about: Learning to appreciate other perspectives. That’s becoming a lost skill in public discourse today.”

Along the way, the Centenary students also explored the natural beauty of the Adirondacks, enjoying hiking, canoeing, and star-gazing in the wilderness. Students like Nick Gorab of Oxford, NJ, and Elizabeth Sandlin of Stewartsville, NJ, say the course opened their eyes to the challenges of daily life in rural areas and, at times, tested their own perseverance. An elementary education major, Sandlin noted the self-reliant lifestyle that residents of the Adirondacks lead: “They have very small towns and when something happens, like a major snowstorm, they can’t rely on other people to help. On our trip, the nearest hospital was 40 minutes away. So when there’s a medical crisis, people there need to know first aid and CPR. You really have to rely on your own abilities.”

 Gorab, who is majoring in education with a concentration in social studies, developed an appreciation for the conflicting needs of the local residents, tourists, environmentalists, and others who frequent the Adirondacks. “Nature is so beautiful when it’s left alone—you see so many butterflies, insects, and animals that you don’t see in New Jersey because we cut everything down,” he said. “There are so many different types of people that visit the Adirondacks , and all of them have different needs and necessities.”

On a daylong canoe trip tracing one of the steamboat routes of the late 1800s, Dr. Haiduc-Dale and his students were approaching the end of their journey when a fierce rainstorm suddenly struck. The Centenary group made it to shore, soaked but safe. Dr. Haiduc-Dale said, “To experience that—paddling across three lakes, portaging (carrying) their canoes between the lakes, and then braving the storm—was totally new for them. Overcoming those challenges was the high point of their trip.”

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY
Centenary University offers extraordinary learning opportunities that empower students to develop intellectually, emotionally, and interculturally—keys to career and personal success. Under the leadership of President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., the University aspires to advance its reputation as a world class institution offering innovative programs, including the world’s first Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, to lift the future for our students and local communities.