School Opens Time Capsule

Wednesday, November 14th 2007, 10:36 am

By: News On 6

Another time capsule was recently discovered buried near the front door of Washington Elementary School in Sapulpa. The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports when the capsule was opened, items from 1903 were found from when the school was originally built.

About 400 students and guests watched as they pulled a time capsule from the cornerstone of Washington Elementary School. They watched eagerly as the capsule was opened. Which is interesting since earlier this year, no one remembered the capsule was in the cornerstone. Some history was being researched when someone saw it mentioned in an old article.

â€œThat was back in January of this year. We decided to just hang on to it," said Washington Principal Bobby Alfred.

They wanted to wait and open it for the Oklahoma Centennial. Principal Bobby Alfred did the play by play as the items were removed from the capsule. They set up a projection screen so everyone could get a better look at the items as they came out.

Washington Elementary School was built in 1903, and then re-built in 1937. There were items in the capsule dating to both events.

â€œI like the newspaper articles and I love the belt,â€ said Joann Chambers, who attended Washington.

The belt, according to the letter attached to it, was made by Babe Harjo at the Euchee Boarding School in Sapulpa in 1936. There were also letters, coins and Masonic emblems.

Muscogee Creek 2nd Chief Alfred Berryhill was particularly interested in a copy of the tribe's constitution. It was printed in the native language. He explained what he was reading dealt with land ownership.

On a table nearby, they're gathering items for a new time capsule to replace the old one. Hopefully 50 years from now, someone will remember it's there.

The contents of the capsule will be stored at the Sapulpa Historical Society until the school decides how and where the items will be displayed permanently.

Watch the video: Time Capsule Opened