Sommer and Sommer

Sommer, Robert and Barbara Sommer. A Practical Guide to Behavioral Research Tools and Techniques. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

 

The chapter in the Sommer and Sommer book, on mapping and trace measures, provided both useful and informative research observations. When mapping out areas based on human usage, the most accurate information is not attained all in the same day. In order to get the most accurate information possible, one must research an area at different times through different parts of the week. An observation done at 8:00 on a Monday morning should be redone at say, 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon. This will almost guarantee that different people will be around and different activities will be occurring.

Place-cantered maps and Individual-centered maps provide two different means of research. Place-centered research is to be done using a map and scoring symbols. These symbols allow the researcher a code for their results. The research is spread out among more than one target and is based primarily on location and use. Individual-centered mapping is more directly tied to an individual and their activates throughout the day. It is stated that attaining an individuals trust is key in this procedure, by limiting observations and note taking on the first few days of contact. This research, all though becomes informative, also becomes one sided as you really only see one persons activities in a giving space. Because of this, I feel that overall, the method of place-centered maps is much more accurate as it doesn’t limit the data in a bias manor. Only observing one person becomes much too limited not proving accurate results.

Cognitive maps, as we have discussed before, are another great source of research when trying to understand the usage in a space. The way these maps are constructed, a researcher is able to see the differences in the individual’s interpretation and begin to understand the way a place is seen and used. This can be related back to the horseshoe pit that I was writing about in the sense that everyone in the space will have a different idea of what the pits really are. The emotional or cultural feeling within the pits may give each user a different feel while occupying the space, making them remember it in a different way when asked to diagram the space on paper.

Finally, Sommer and Sommer discussed different methods of trace measures. Trace measures simply means using your ability to read the landscape and being able to decipher what things such as graffiti, or worn out floors mean. When human observations aren’t permitted, trace measures are to me, only sometimes an acceptable alternative. Although many signs are clear, such as the gang membership logos as well as certain symbolic numbers, there are many exceptions that can alter these results. As stated in the end of the chapter, leaking water, and not overuse could have caused things like a worn out floor at a water fountain.

I was very intrigued by this part of the chapter when they wrote about the California forester that discovered the long lost Indian settlement. Just by simple observations of a place, he was able to tell what the previous use of it was for. The location was vital for fishing and had large oak trees that could have been used as a canopy. After scaling the property, he found writing and artifacts from a long gone Indian settlement. This is interesting the way that the open forest was interpreted and in result, lead to the discovery of a piece of history.

Overall I think this chapter will be good in helping me do my research. Although different times of day aren’t really an issue in my paper, these methods of study will be. I

have learned that I should interview people from different backgrounds, different places and different genders. This will allow me a large spread on information making my paper as accurate as it can possibly be. 

Research Plan

Research Statement and Plan

 

The refined topic of my research paper is to look at the effects moving from the suburbs to the city has on young adults. Many individuals move out of their hometowns and into larger cities to pursue dreams of school and work. This change in environment is life altering and has a great effect on ones self image and feeling of involvement. The focus of my study will be on these young adults that come from all over the country for one reason or another. They may be moving into a college dorm, a new house or a high-rise apartment. I will be studying the ages between 18 and 30, both male and female. Studies will be conducted through research and interviews and will be interpreted individually to reduce stereotyping.

 

Questions in the interviews will include but are not limited to:

1. Where did you grow up, and how long have you lived there?
2. How old are you?
3. What is your occupation / concentration in school?
4. Why did you want to move to a bigger city?
5. Do you feel you belong to a group more in the city or in the suburbs?
6. Do you feel grounded in the city?
7. Where do you see yourself living in five years from now?

 

Other questions:

1. Do these experiences differ between male and female
2. Do these experiences differ between career and school (age)
3. Previous lifestyles affect bias opinions.

Bibliography

1. Altman, Irwan and Setha M. Low, ed. Human Behavior and Environment Advances in Theory and Research Volume 12: Place Attachment. New York: Plenum Press, 1992.
1. This book goes into detail about the individuals environment and the effects it has on ones self image. It discusses such issues as; attachment to landscape, place attachment, memories, culture, and demographics. The book will he helpful in understand the backgrounds of individuals and the way they see a space.
2. Helmer, John and Neil A. Eddington. Urbanman, The Psychology of Urban Survival. New York: The Free Press, 1973
1. This book is directed towards understanding the different characteristics of the city and the way they shape the individual user. The city is an unpredictable place and it goes into detail about this and the effects that it has on the “urbanman.” Some of the key discussions in the book include lack of interventions between city dwellers and mental health.
3. Milgram, Stanley. “The Experience of Living in Cities. Adaptations to urban overload create characteristics qualities of city life that can be measured.” Science, (70 Mar)
1. This journal entry discusses the differences between people that live in the city and the suburbs. It is proven the city dwellers are much more independent and not willing to help others. Items such as roll behavior, cognitive capacities, atmosphere and behavior are all discussed in terms of city and suburbs.
4. Proshansky, et.al. H. “Place Identity: Physical World Socialization of the Self.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, no 3: 57-83
1. This article discusses both place-identity and self-identity. It compares the differences between New York City and suburban lifestyles. It also discusses cognitive mapping and the different variables in it relating to place.
5. Sanders, Scott Russell. Staying Put. Making A Home In A Restless World. Boston, MA. Beacon Press, 1993. 19-36
1. This article is about a family that moves out of the city because they can’t find peace in the city. They purchased a house in the suburbs and finally found peace and enjoyment in their living environment.
6. Tuan, Yi-Fu. Cosmos & Hearth, a cosmopolite’s viewpoint. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996.

Research Topic

The topic for my research paper is to look at the effects that moving away from home into a college dorm room has on a young adults sense of self-image. More specifically, I would like to look into the scenario of moving from the suburbs to the urban surround. I think this would be an interesting study because this in my opinion is one of the hardest transformations a person can go through. Not only are you moving away from your friends and family, but you are also leaving the slow paced life of your past. The city is much more active and dangerous, causing many students anxiety and stress for their first year of college. College is stressful enough; moving to a new area, making new friends, sharing a room with someone you don’t know, and resisting the temptation of peer pressure. Studying these factors and adding in the ideas of self-identity due to the home will allow for a successful study in relation to the high school to college transition.

 

Items to consider:

• The study of Suburban spaces
• The study of Urban spaces
• Single family homes
• High-rise apartment buildings
• Media influences
• Needs for privacy
• Self-Identity (Decorations)
• Roommates

 

 

The article by Clare Cooper, The house as a Symbol of the Self, is by far my favorite article we have read this semester. The article goes into a detailed description of the way that we as individuals see our houses as who we are. Cooper discusses how most Americans feel that a high-rise apartment isn’t truly a house because you’re not grounded in a single-family dwelling. The house becomes the protector of ones internal environment and helps to identify who we are as individuals. Although discussing a mobile home, Cooper writes about anyone that lives in a house that moves, probably feels as unstable as the structure they inhabit. I feel this can be related back to the concept of the high-rise apartment buildings saying that those that don’t own their own piece of earth may not feel as grounded as those that do.

In the article, Cooper also discussed different means of decorations and how we portray ourselves to others by how we decorate. She discusses the ways that decorations are placed around the home and how bedrooms are often times more decorated than shared living rooms. Also written in the article, is an explanation of the ways houses are designed in relating to entrance and focal points. Having a single family home or an apartment building are two totally different things making these very important spaces not as important.

I feel this article will give me a good start on my paper because it discusses the differences in building types and the way most people feel about them. Although not the same, the dorm and the high-rise apartment building are quite similar in a sense that you aren’t grounded and you share a lot of space. When moving out of the single family home, your privacy, freedom, and overall self-image must completely change. Although most of us don’t own our homes (our parents do) there is still a small sense of ownership I in our rooms, yards and known neighborhoods. The biggest change I will be looking at is students that are going from a quiet suburban home to an urban dorm room. Media hypes up college and portray an image of what we all think the ideal situations are. However, once we move in we realize it isn’t as perfect as we thought it would be. As Cooper discusses, privacy is impacted in the new situations as well as the freedom to decorate your own home. You now share a space and must respect your other roommates. You eventually learn to adapt to these environments but I am unsure if you are every completely happy until you move out and back to a location you feel completely comfortable in. For me, that’s a single-family house out in the country. 

Power

Power, although not exerted regularly, is always present at the pits. Much similar to my last entry, those that attend the games on Friday’s know where they are and know how to respect their environment. As I wrote previously, we have no real rules, just unspoken house rules. If the pits were located at a public facility, similar to that of the YMCA or even a national park there would be more rules that were dictated by the ‘authority figures.’ However, we don’t have that. It’s simple back yard shoes where everyone whether it be conscious or not, knows they need to respect their peers. We play fair, keep the noise at a reasonable level for the rest of the neighbors, and know better than to leave empty ‘soda’ cans laying around for someone else to clean up. If you litter, we tell you, and you pick it up. I remember one time, probably back about three months now; there was a slight argument at one of the gatherings. A BU student and a Wentworth student started arguing about an interference in the game. We let the argument progress for a few moments until one of their mutual friends stepped in. It was just a bad call made by one of the players and the third person was able to settle the argument. This was the closest we’ve ever come to having a problem here and hopefully was the last. We’re planning on having a Halloween get together at the pits this Friday of 80-100 people. Hopefully we can keep this track record and everyone will have a good time.

 

When it comes to discussing cultural aspects of the pits, I think it can create an interesting booklet of information. Because there is no distinct culture in the woods, everyone brings their own ideas of what it should be. This is even more elevated when you put this into context of who uses the pits; all college and post college students. This means simply, that most everyone has come from a different upbringing, and a different location and we are all merged into one area. Although these students meet almost daily in the same classrooms, or nightly at the same local pubs, their individual cultural differences aren’t as apparent as they are in the pits. Society has taught us to act a certain way in these locations not only to fit in, but also to be respectful of the others around us. As soon as the variable of a monitored space is expelled, each individual has the opportunity to show his or her true side.

 

Nature also has the ability to do this to us. Many of the kids that come over grew up in small towns spread out along the east coast. Although different, they all have similar roots in the country and hanging around outside. However, as soon as it became time to go to college, they decided they wanted to try something new and moved into the big city of Boston. This was great for a while, but then everyone started to realize that they really did miss where they came from. It’s funny because just this Friday, I overheard a conversation between two BU students that said that playing shoes here is like being back home on summer break playing beach volleyball at the local pond. It’s not quite the same sport by any means, but I guess it’s the atmosphere and culture that takes people back. There are a few exceptions to this as a few of our friends grew up in or around Boston. It is extremely fascinating watching them interact with others in this environment.

 

Those that were born and raised in a city have a much different idea of freedom and safety than those of us that grew up in the country. The city dwellers are more into the fast pace life of the city streets. When taking out of this context it seems they get uncomfortable and antsy to get out. These are the people that tend to leave early and stay a far distance away from everyone else. Everyone has a different range in which they don’t mind someone in their personal space. I find that these city dwellers have a much closer range when taking out of their natural culture and put into a more suburban situation. On a good night the pits will have members of many different cultures and it becomes a fascinating location to study and understand the way we interact in a non-controlled environment.

 

The landscape in the pits, although may appear to be natural, is anything but that when it comes down to it. It was pre-meditated and sculpted to fit into the exact location it is in. It feels natural, and it looks natural, however it is no doubtable part of the beta landscape. The grass is trimmed and the pits are kept clean. It is part of our neighbor’s house and it is their self-image when people come over. If the pits were neglected and overgrown they would never get used. The up-keep and the conscious layout of the area are well done and makes for an attractive environment every week…

Membership

It’s Sunday again, but today I couldn’t play shoes. I stayed up late watching the Red Sox win last night and did homework until about 1:00 AM. I got back up at 7:30 to keep doing homework, but I had to leave at noon to go to a wake. I observed the pits from my window when I got home this evening, the sun was going down and they were covered in orange and red leaves. It was like a ghost town outside though. No one was around. Not even on the streets, just some Halloween decorations and a lot of closed up houses trying to keep some heat in. It’s getting pretty cold outside so people are starting to close up their houses for the winter. Although this is one of my favorite times of the year, it is really depressing when you have to close down the windows at night because its too cold to keep them open. I love the foliage though; being from New Hampshire, I am used to the amazing colors every fall.

 

Because of the size of the horseshoe pits as well as the picnic table, the area can become very crowded. Today of course it wasn’t, but I was able to visualize some of those busy days. You know in movies when they have flashbacks and you can see yourself doing something? Well that’s kind of how today was for me. I just over looked the pits and thought about some of the good times that have happened there. The best times are when you can’t even move around the picnic table and there’s not a seat to be found. There is almost never anyone over the age of 26 or 27 at the pits, so we’re all kind of used to being crowded. Besides, we spent most of our college days in bars jammed in as tight as they can get us. While over looking the pits I visualized last Thursday. For some reason, I came home and there were about 25 people hanging out in the pits. I came inside, changed and went out to hop right in with my shoe partner. We both threw an amazing game with 3 ringers and a couple leaners. This was a really good day for us and it was nice to reminisce about it.

 

But today is something different, just sitting inside, looking across the driveway into the neighbor’s back yard. There were no groups of people, no conversations, no laughter… just a cool fall breeze whistling through the trees above. When the pits become active, its amazing how different groups of people both separate and converge together. Normally at the start of the evening, groups of friends separate. It’s an unspoken separation but from a bystander’s point of view, it’s quite amazing. The players normally gather on the grass next to the pits while the ones that come for the social experience sit on the table. It’s not broken up like a traditional crowd of young people, however, broken up more by colleges. It seems each college has its click that comes to hang out, the BC kids, BU, Wentworth, BAC… They all choose their location and claim their ground. It’s an unspoken agreement that you don’t take over another schools location. Whether it is at the table, or beside it, claimed territory is unspoken. Later on into the night this always seems to change. As the games go on, the groups mingle together and form one big society.

 

Anyone is free to bring friends to the pits, but becoming a member of our group takes more than just knowing someone else. We don’t have many rules here but we have no place for cheaters or showoffs. At the pits, it’s all business all the time. We have fun, don’t get me wrong, but we like to have a good honest time. As long as you’re fair and fun, we have no issues with you. Just don’t do anything stupid or you wont be invited back. Although this sounds harsh, it hasn’t had to happen yet. The unspoken rules of the pit are respected by all, which makes for a pleasant gathering every time. Hopefully we have a good group this Friday, I fear that there aren’t many days left this year to play shoes and pretty soon we’ll be doing more indoor activities as the weather gets too cold to spend an evening outdoors. 

I thought I should add an image of this stair case I've been discussing the past few weeks. It's evident that you need to be careful on it and its not a place you want to be lackadaisical. 

Sunday Morning Shoes

The horseshoes are kept in a shed directly next to the picnic table across from the pits. Compared to the rest of the area, this shed is relatively new and doesn’t seem to fit in. It looks nice… but doesn’t fit the natural setting of the pits. Deciding to play shoes isn’t a thought that needs to be pre-meditated. Because the pit is in my neighbor’s back yard, it’s a quick easy walk to enter into the space. Within 45 seconds of deciding I want to play I can be at the shed opening up the door to get the shoes out. I try to get into the pits at least twice a week. I play on Friday afternoon after work and Sunday morning before starting my day. Of course this is weather dependant but I’ve been lucky recently with this beautiful New England weather. I’ve played shoes in the rain before. It’s not as bad as one would think, I mean, a little water never killed anyone did it? The only problem is the pits get muddy, so unless you get a ringer or a direct shot, you have no bounce in the sand at all. This is surprisingly good practice because your shot must be dead on.

 

On sunny days, the pits seem to relax me. Being from the country I enjoy relaxing in the woods and not thinking about the hustle and bustle of the city. The birds singing and the leaves blowing are very peaceful. Especially now, in the autumn. I love this time of year when the leaves are turning colors and the cooler fall breezes are blowing around. Friday afternoons, the sun has been shining all day warming up the air. I drive home with the windows down in my new car and the stereo up. Its such a feeling of freedom knowing that you have two days off from being in the office. Homework is another story but I’m not thinking about that after a full workweek. I find that because of this, I shoot a much better game. My friends are normally around the pits on Fridays so when I get home, I just hop right into the mix.

 

Today is a Sunday though, and the feeling is much different. I worked on homework all day Saturday so I’m pretty tired today. I tried to get up early, but it just didn’t happen for me. I got outside at about 10:15 and stayed out for an hour and a half. My roommates were still sleeping and my neighbors were gone for the weekend, so today I was by myself. On Friday, I was frustrated with my shot so I spent the whole time today working on my shot from the far pit to the near pit. Remember, the near pit is the hardest pit, which causes a wilder bounce. I started to feel more comfortable with this side when my phone rang and I knew I should probably stop anyways. I put the shoes away in the shed and shut the door. I figured I would relax for 10 minutes before I went inside to finish my homework.

 

I sat down on the green plastic picnic table and just relaxed. I ended up day dreaming and thinking about this past summer. The pits do that to me sometimes. I vacationed on the Cape this summer and spent a lot of time at Hampton Beach in my Camaro. I spent two years building my car and finally ‘finished’ it this summer. I spent just about the whole summer in it at the beach (that is as long as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as my car doesn’t see water). Although there was no ocean today, it reminded me of this time because I was so relaxed and free to the grind. This summer was great. I was on vacation the entire three months. I mean, I worked… 40-45 hours a week, but it’s the first summer I didn’t have homework to do in the past three years. This felt good. Every weekend was dedicated to the things that I wanted to do, not the things I had to do. For some reason, I went back there today and for a mere 10 minutes I felt the same way. The emotional feeling of the pits is always pleasant to me.

 

I realized I should spend a few more minutes in the pits and think about place-identity this week. Similar to my last post, I feel that the pits are a very basic layout and simple to remember. I think the discrepancy in the way that people see the place is strictly due to their background and how they grew up. Some like to be in the woods and some don’t. I see the pits as a relaxing place to hang out alone or with friends. Others see it as a scary place that they wouldn’t go to unless there is a large gathering. This seems strange to me, but I know its true because I’ve asked. Even my neighbors, who the pits belong to, don’t use them unless someone else is out there already playing. They come out once they see us, but we never come out to find them there. I asked them about this on Friday of this week and they told me simply, they come out for the social aspect, not the game itself. I thought it was because they were scared of the stone staircase or maybe the woods. I guess I was wrong…

Cognition

Due to its lack of complexity, the horseshoe pit becomes an easily memorable location. Its small size as well as it basic layout allow most all inhabitants to remember exactly what it looks like. Once you enter into the pit, you are faced with two main choices. You can either move to the left and relax on the picnic table, or turn right and enter into the pits. Although there are an infinite amount of possible locations to inhabit in the space, these are your main points of interest. Everyone that enters the space may see these two areas differently, however, they are very distinct. The pits to me feel extremely antique, with the old wooden fence and stone staircase. In my mind, this begins to stick out and forms an immediate image that translates into a memory. On the flip side, to someone else, the space may feel completely different. The old fence and the stone stairway may translate into nothing and they focus their attention on the picnic table and horseshoe pits. If cognitive mapping was to be done in this location by a friend, and myself I would be willing to bet that the maps would be completely different. This theory can be related back to the book “Invisible Cities,” by Italo Calvino. In this book, the main character, Marco Polo describes to a friend his adventures through different cities in the world. However, as the book comes to a conclusion, Polo reveals that all the cities were really the same place. He was just interpreting them differently due to his immediate perception. This is extremely fascinating because he essentially proved the point that cognitive mapping is never the same. Even the same person will most likely never see the same place twice. Every little variable has the ability to completely change your perception of a place and in turn, alter the attitude, experience and memory.

 

When I enter into the pits, I ascend the staircase and proceed directly to the pits. I like to stand on the side closest to the staircase, as overgrown woods obstruct the other side. However, if someone else is already at the pits, I will ‘walk’ to the other side. When one team has to go to the furthest side it is said they must walk. It’s a general term used in all sporting activities, often meaning the losing team. Warm-ups normally last a few tosses and then it’s into the game. Both sides of the pits have a very different feel to them. When throwing to one pit, it is evident that it has much more sand than the other. The shoes seem to hit this pit and dig in very well, causing them to not bounce out. However, throwing to the other pit is much more challenging. This pit has much harder sand and often causes the shoes to bounce around more than you would like. This is another reason as to why I like to stand at the closest pit; this is the hard pit, the soft one is located on the far side. The imagery is also extremely different depending on the side you are throwing from. When at the far end, you have the distractions of people at the picnic table in front of you at all times. Although you are closer to the noise and distractions of the picnic table at the close pit, your back is turned to them allowing you to block them out better. Out of sight, out of mind, right? This experience and these variables allow the pits to give off a different attitude caused by many factors.

 

The attitude in the pits is very much dictated by the weather and the inhabitants. The area can be a bright enlightening location, or a dark gloomy stressful destination. The attitude felt in the space can make the users have an enjoyable time, or not. Attitude can, and probably will be, described differently by all inhabitants. The grounds keeper of the pits might not enjoy them as much as they are constantly mowing the lawn, and keeping weeds out of the sandboxes. I assume there are grounds keepers here. I’m always at work during the day, but when I get home at night and I look over to the pits and the grass is never long, and the sand is often groomed. I would like to ask whomever it is that takes care of the pits to add more sand to the closer pit, but, that’s almost an impossible task with work and school. Being that the pits are used mainly at night and on the weekends, the players don’t need to deal with this hassle and only enjoy them when they want. As with many spaces, the horseshoe pits have the ability to change attitude and change your attitude on a constant basis. Because they are natural, in a natural setting, they can change on a minutely basis. A bad day with the shoes can immediately ruin your mood and mess up the rest of your day or night. Practice helps to minimize these types of days, but nothing can eliminate them. The ringer is worth three points, but if you undershoot by a quarter of an inch... you’re out of luck and only get one. This makes the games drag and the tempers flair.

 

Although the horseshoe pit is clearly meant for one purpose and one purpose only, I can understand how to many, it could be perceived as something different. When you look at studies done by researchers in relating to cognitive mapping, you are able to understand that both age and gender play a large roll in the way someone sees a space. For example, a young child in the pits may see them as a sand box and a place to play with their toys. On the same token, an old lady may see them as a place to garden and to plant flowers. While these are a couple obvious uses for the space, it can clearly be used for many other activities. The choice to play catch with a baseball or football is a valid option in this area. Because it is open and long, playing catch would be possible in the area. I have never seen this happen here, however it is easy to imagine it. I also like to think up scenarios in my mind of if this were to happen. A horseshoe pit is used for horseshoes, not catch. So, if I were to enter into the pits and someone was playing catch would they leave? Would I ask them to leave? I don’t know, I’ve never had to deal with this; however, I contemplate it almost every time I approach that old stone staircase.

 

Once play has ceased, I pick up the shoes and head down the staircase. If you thought going up this pathway was tough, you should try going down it. I’m glad I wasn’t doing a leg exercise up there, as I don’t think I would make it down the stairs…

 

-The Ringer

Brighton Horseshoes

A horseshoe pit, on Mt. Vernon Street in Brighton, MA is to be the focus of my study in this blog. The horseshoe pit is not quite regulation size, however, still provides a tangible playing experience. The stakes are located a mere 27’ apart opposed to the regulation 40’. Although this distance is short, throwing techniques are still learned and perfected here. Understanding the way the horseshoe needs to be spun and how to determine its ending location are the two key aspects in horseshoes. Although you can’t put your full power into your initial shot, the set up and techniques are still the same.

 

Directly behind the pits, is a small concrete area with a relatively new green plastic picnic table. This table provides a location for players to relax, as well as bystanders to watch. It is located a safe distance behind the nearest pit, however, still close enough to view the entire area. This table is separated from the pits by an overgrown walkway, which has dirt and grass coming through it. This describes the tactile environment, which can be considered mostly natural. Besides the plastic table, concrete pad, and the metal pins, the environment is completely natural with grass, trees and sunlight. The overall area is approximately 50’X30’; this includes the pits, walkway and seating area. 

 

The pits are located off the street and up an uneven set of old stone stairs. The entry into the space is an obstacle and immediately sets the tone for your experience here. It feels old and out of place in the city, however, exciting and welcoming. There is also an old wooden fence as well as a metal railing on one side. This helps to frame the space making you feel enclosed and safe. Coinciding with the stairs, the weather holds a strong effect on ones initial feeling upon entering the pits. On two sides of the pits, there are large trees that overhang the far sides. On a cloudy day, these trees provide an eerie shadow that makes your experience much more depressing than on a sunny day. The pits seem gloomy and abandoned on these days when no one is around. However, as soon as the sun comes out, the colors of the trees and the natural environment can make you feel as if you’re in the middle of the country, not three minutes away from busy Chestnut Hill Road and Washington Street.

 

This brings up another interesting point about the pits. Although they are so close to the heart of Brighton, on a summer’s day, you feel as if you’re the only one around. When you are alone, before you start to play you can feel a cool breeze coming from the trees and only hear the sound of birds singing and leaves bustling. Occasionally you can hear a siren or loud horn coming from the surrounding main roads, but besides that the pits remain peaceful. While practicing alone, there are three distinct sounds that occur. You have the sound of the shoe hitting the pit boxes. These boxes are made of wood, and when the metal shoe hits them its makes a deep hollow sound. The second sound is when the shoe hits the sand inside the pits. This makes a dark thud sound as if something was dropped straight down from the sky (as it basically was). And the third sound, the most gratifying sound, is the sound of metal on metal. When the shoe hits the pin, a very distinct clanking occurs. This noise is usually the sound of at least one point if not two or three. A ringer is worth the most points, but its not the only way to score.

 

Being in the space alone can be relaxing and peaceful, however, as soon as more people are added into the equation, the atmosphere becomes completely different. The normal noises at a horseshoe pit continue, but are now much more frequent. With two people on a team, and four people playing at once, the thumps, and clanks happen much more often. There is also a lot of talking that occurs around a horseshoe pit. Its not the fact that horseshoes doesn’t take concentration, but more the fact that while playing, it becomes more of a social occasion with friends and a few beers. Chatter also comes into play when the picnic table fills up with bystanders. These people are often waiting their turn, or just getting off the pits. They discuss horseshoes for the most part, however, it’s not unusual for the topic to move onto other issues.

 

The physical experience at the pit changes quite frequently. Its sometimes-solemn mood is accompanied next time by a much happier experience. The pit provides a get away location to just sit and think, while at the same time, can be used as the location of a gathering of closest friends, and even strangers. There is something about being in the woods that brings people together. It’s a natural bond that you can feel in this space as you become one with nature. 

Horseshoes and their environment

This blog will study a horseshoe pit in Brighton, MA.