Caitlin Black

Morris County Heritage Commission

Throughout the summer of 2012, I interned with the Morris County Heritage Commission, the county historic preservation office in Morris County, New Jersey. I was primarily responsible for researching the county's rural schoolhouses, a project that the office had not been able to undertake due to lack of staff. With the information I collected, I wrote an article for the Commission's newsletter, created an online exhibit for the Commission's website, made a digital map of the location of the county’s schoolhouses, put together a presentation for the Commission's fall public program on schoolhouses, and wrote a longer history of rural schoolhouses to be used in the office. Other duties included attending monthly Commission meetings and individual meetings with several Commissioners, answering occasional phone calls, and performing other small tasks associated with the office's daily operation.
 
The internship proved to be an important aspect of my education in preservation.  The classes I took in my first year of the preservation program enhanced my contributions to the organization: I approached the resource I studied in greater depth and more comprehensive terms than I would have without coursework in HISP 611, 655 and 600.  The internship also provided me with greater insight into the concerns and daily functioning of a preservation organization, information that will enhance my future classes and experiences