MERIDEN – A Connecticut high school is digging up the past, breaking open a time capsule from more than five decades ago.
In the process of renovations at H.C. Wilcox Technical High School, builders found a cornerstone engraved “1960.”
More than a year after finding it, the school decided to crack it open, unlocking local history.
“I’m glad it wasn’t empty that was my biggest fear,” Principal Joyce Mowery said. “I’m glad we could actually read the things that were in it and now, I think it's a great history project for the kids.”
Mowery said the time capsule was the first-ever capsule in the school’s history.
It included business cards, names and phone numbers, a ticket from a Christmas special, pennies, a key and a newspaper and the Meriden Record from January 24, 1962.
“I thought it was very interesting especially how the phone numbers changed from letters to just numbers we have,” student council treasurer Elizabeth Woods said.
A graduate from 1970, Gene Merlini joined the group of students and staff present for the time capsule opening.
“It’s good for the kids, it’s good for history, it’s good that history not forgotten,” Merlini said.
The Wilcox Class of 2016 made their own history Wednesday night, burying a new time capsule to be opened in 2066.
“Everything that's important to us we wanted other people to see,” Woods said.
It included dozens of items such as a cellphone, pictures, ID cards, all with a description of why they are important to the kids.
Woods, a senior hopes, she’ll be able to return 50 years from now to watch kids do what she did. “I would like to see other people’s reactions to what we had in there, see how things have changed,” she said.
“It's important to leave our place, it's important to leave something behind and remember that there’s somebody after us, that we have a responsibility to them,” Mowery said.
The event also included a complimentary dinner provided by Chick-Fil-A and the Wilfox Family Engagement Team.
