through, then and now —Past and present attractions and amusements associated with the Waterworks These videos could be accessed directly from YouTube or from our website, and links to them could be sent to other relevant historical or educational organizations, who would hopefully post them to their own websites. For instance, the video dealing with the labor history of the Croton Waterworks could be sent to an organization like the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which might be interested in publicizing the video because of its treatment of nineteenth-century immigrant issues. In such ways, awareness of the Croton Waterworks could be expanded to an audience of people who might not have discovered it while staying within their own spheres of interest. It should also be noted that the subject of the Croton Waterworks presents a particularly compelling subject for a featurelength documentary film, similar to those that run regularly on public television stations. The considerable efficacy of the medium of video lies in its adaptability to the background and interests of the viewer. A single video can be packed with enough hard data to inform serious historians, while at the same time conveying several simple, broad statements to the layperson who stumbles across it. Everyone walks away with something. We recommend that any future interpretive effort for the Croton Waterworks take advantage of the potentialities of this powerful medium. Educational Videos Educational Videos Section 4: Interpretation Interpretation through Education 83 Section 4: Interpretation Educational Videos This Page: Stills from the educational film Introduction to the Croton Waterworks Facing Page: Stills from the educational films A Social and Cultural History of the Croton Waterworks, Parts 1 and 2 84 85 Education is integral to our efforts to preserve and interpret the Croton Waterworks, as we aim to increase public knowledge of the system’s historical, architectural, engineering, and cultural significance. In order to secure the legacy of the Waterworks, we believe that students should become informed about the history of their surroundings and conscious of the infrastructure that has changed the way society lives. To introduce students to these stories, both inside and outside of the classroom, is to educate future stewards of the built environment. 86 Meeting Educational Standards Teachers might fear that, given set curricular requirements, they lack the amount of time that Oechsner devoted to teaching his students about the Croton Waterworks. However, the layered history of the Waterworks—from its functionality as a water system to the social implications of its construction—can be taught in adaptive ways that fulfill educational standards. Following are some of the New York Science: Grade 8, Unit 4: How does human consumption of resources impact the environment and our health? Environmental concerns: acquisition and depletion of resources, waste disposal, land use and urban growth, water pollution High School Earth Science, Unit 4: Water cycle, Hydrology (stream mechanics, ground water) Social studies: K-8 Thematic Strands: The importance of understanding the past; the complex relationship between human beings and the environment; the role of resources/their production and use Kindergarten, Unit 4: How do neighborhoods meet our needs? Neighborhood walks and maps, special features, landmarks and monuments, neighborhood design/boundaries/ architecture Grade 1, Unit 3/4: There are important places in communities; there are natural and manmade resources in communities; communities meet people’s needs Grade 2, Unit 1/2: How does geography influence where people choose to live and why? How and why did New York City change over time? Grade 4, Unit 5: What was the effect of industrial growth and increased immigration on New York? Elementary School Standard 1: History of the United States and New York Elementary School Standard 3: Geography Middle School Standard 1: History of the United States and New York Middle School Standard 3: Geography High School Thematic Strands: The importance of understanding the past; the complex relationship between human beings and the environment; the role of resources/their production and use Grade 9, Unit 1/2: Is geography the most pivotal factor in human development? How does progress change a society’s/civilization’s wants and needs? Grade 9, Unit 1/2: Geographical issues today Grade 11, Unit 3: Adjusting society to industrialism; urban growth/problems: slums, inadequate water and sanitation services High School Standard 1: History of the United States and New York High School Standard 3: Geography Sample Curriculum Ideas If teachers in New York City are still not convinced that they would have the time to take their students to commune with the Croton Waterworks in Westchester County, there is no need to forgo the experiential aspect of introducing students to the system. While bringing the Waterworks’ story into the classroom will effectively broaden students’ consciousness of historic infrastructure even sans field trips, it is possible for teachers to bring the class to the Waterworks without leaving the city. The following curricular idea would ideally feature a