By: Chloe Smith
Most people walk through Southern’s campus without thinking twice about what lies beneath their feet, but one man has taken a closer look at what has been left behind. With a metal detector and a love for discovery, university employee Len Raney has been unearthing pieces of the school’s past one beep at a time.
Raney, who works for Southern’s Plant Services and has lived in Collegedale for 22 years, has been metal detecting since his childhood. In the past two years, his discoveries have expanded to Southern’s 1,300 acres.
“I’ve been all over campus,” he said.
His journey began near one of the university’s oldest landmarks, known as the Doll House.
“I practiced there, because I’ve been told that McKee Foods and Southern people have inundated this whole campus so many times with metal detectors,” he said.
Despite those expressions of doubts, Raney said there are still items to be found for those who pace themselves.
“When I go out and take my time, [I] will find things,” he said.
For Raney, metal detecting is more than a pastime—it is an adventure filled with surprises. Over the years, he has discovered items ranging from vintage coins to old railroad items.
“I found a few 50-cent silvers, some [from the] 1940s and ’50s,” he said. “Many quarters were found, [and] padlocks to old mail bags they used to carry on trains. And some lead seals that they would seal things with and put them on trains to transport.”
According to Raney, every dig is like opening a mystery box.
“It’s like a cracker jack box surprise you might dig out,” he said. “It’s just wondering what you’re going to dig up next.”
When detecting, Raney said that he uses a programmable metal detector that utilizes a number system to read different types of metals.
“It depends on what you’re looking for, but it’s very difficult to program this one,” he said.
Raney explained that he tries to remain respectful and transparent when digging on Southern’s campus. To avoid damage, he said he digs in a cone shape when the ground is wet.
“I talked to someone [in the Plant Services] department about the whole thing and how I was doing it,” he said.
In addition to respecting the grounds, Raney said Campus Safety is aware of his activities.
“People have called and turned me in, I guess,” said Raney. “They say, ‘Somebody’s out there digging.’ But now [Campus Safety] just tells them, ‘Well, that’s probably just Len.’”
In an email to the Accent, Shawn Haas, associate director of Campus Safety, shared the department’s thoughts.
“It is our understanding that he is approved to do this on campus,” the email read. “It is feasible that in the past someone has called this in; however, we would not generate a report unless [an investigation revealed] something unauthorized.”
According to Raney, when he discovers items related to Southern’s history, he turns them in to Alumni Relations.
“When I first started doing it here, I made it a point to take anything that is related or belonged to Southern to Alumni,” he said.
Cheryl Torres, director of Alumni Relations, described her experience with Raney and his discoveries.
“Len Raney came to my office one day with an old Southern commemorative medal he’d found with his metal detector,” she stated. “Any time he finds a little piece of Southern’s history, he brings it to the Alumni Relations office. He’s also brought a token for a quart of milk from the College Dairy that used to be one of Southern’s industries.”
According to Torres, Raney is not the only one who has sent items to Alumni Relations.
“Often, alumni and others who are connected to Southern will bring or send us items from Southern’s past—marketing materials, swag, diaries, and more—and it’s always interesting to see these tiny glimpses of what life was like for the students who came before us,” Torres stated.
Recently, a playground behind the old Collegedale Academy elementary school was in the process of being torn down. Raney took this as an opportunity to look for items that may have been left behind.
“I figured since they were digging up and getting ready to remodel the whole place, it’s a good place to metal detect,” he said. “So far, it’s been pretty good. I got a couple of foreign coins, [and] I found a silver coin.”
Raney explained that he sometimes goes metal detecting with others.
“I just love that there’s a lot of people [and there are] a lot of clubs around here that do it,” he said. “Sometimes we get together with 20 or 30 people and go out and get permission to do a real Civil War site or something.”
Raney also said that he doesn’t mind curious onlookers, especially Southern students.
“There’s been a few students,” he said. “I’m game for them coming up and asking me some questions about what I found. I’m glad to tell them it’s not like what [they] think, like on TV or magazines.”
Karis McConnell, senior archaeology and classical studies major, shared her perspective on Raney’s activities.
“I’m sure the thrill of the hunt, especially so close to our cultural identity as Adventists, can give the common treasure hunter a glimpse into the world of archaeology,” McConnell stated.
Houston Beckworth, a junior archaeology and biblical studies major, can see value in Raney’s exploration efforts.
“It is cool to see history being uncovered on Southern’s campus,” said Beckworth. “It is a difficulty to find the past when the past is constantly being covered up.”
Though most of his finds are small treasures, Raney occasionally comes across items that spark excitement, including a recent discovery.
“I found an 1864 [coin],” said Raney. “It said ‘Confederate States of America’ on a 50-cent piece. That blew my mind. I found out there were only two made.”
Despite this excitement, his discovery was not what he expected.
“Then I had to take it in,” he said. “You’ve got to pay anywhere from $20 to $300 to have it looked at, and it turned out to be a fake. They were so valuable that people were making fake ones.”
Raney said his unusual discoveries continue to grow.
“I found an old homemade pair of shoes [and] an old handmade cowbell,” he said. “I found the whistles that you see in those movies in England where the cops have them around their neck. It was in really good shape.”
To Raney, metal detecting is about curiosity, patience and a love for discovery. With every beep of his metal detector, he is reminded of the history buried beneath our feet, waiting to be uncovered.
