Cornerstones reveal hidden time capsules that tell women's history

ElsbethMehrerwent to work Thursday at YW Calgarywondering if her organization's old building might yield up a few secrets.

That's because cutters were scheduled to remove three cornerstones contained in the pedestal in front of the organization's downtown location that were parts of YWCAs from other eras, dating all the way back to its earliest days at the turn of the 20th century.

"As we're a 108-year-old organization, it's important to take some pieces of history with us," said Mehrer, YW Calgary'svice president of engagement and people, in an interview on The Homestretch.

One of the cornerstones came from the original YWCA building, which opened in 1910.

"That building, it's remarkable for so many reasons, not the least of which is [that] it was owned by the Y before women in Albertacould even legally own property," she said.

The cornerstones were being removed, so they could be reassembled at the new location of the YWCA, which opens in 2019.

When the cornerstones were removed,cutters discovered a trio of plastic containers, each containing artifacts from different eras.

There was a 1909 copy of The Calgary Daily Herald in one, that turned out to be a special fundraising edition edited by women from the YW.

'Such an incredible gift'

The discovery of the time capsules elatedMehrer and the rest of the organization.

"It was such an incredible gift yesterday. There was such excitement around our organization to find these little glimpses of history," she said.

The old 1909 July 3 issue of The Calgary Daily Herald carried the headline "Women's Edition of the Daily Herald."

"They took over the section of theHerald and each of the volunteers working with the YWCA had a specific role," said Mehrer. "One was the editor. One was the recipes editor which we think now was just a riot. And they received all of the proceeds [$796.10] from that day's newspaper sales as a contribution to help get that first building built."

The next 50 or 100 years

The time capsules, which Mehrers believes were installed in the cornerstones in 1970, were a little grimy, but otherwise intact.

The plan is to consult with the GlenbowMuseumand find a way to make them a part of the next chapter in the organization's history while possibly unpacking them at the organization's annual general meeting later this month.

"We think we have a duty to carry them into a new container, a new time capsule," Mehrer said. "It seems very intentional that there's material from 1910, and more from 1954 and 1970 so it seems like our foresisters meant it that way and we have to make sure we carry it forward for our new building, which we'll start to occupy in 2019."

And if there's a time capsule involved, there's got to be a secret message, right?

Or maybe it's a pointed reminder of how history gets rewritten.

"I think what it tells us and what we've always known is that women's history is often kind of forgotten," Mehrersaid.

"But clearly it's important to them, and has been important to them and continues to be important to us that we not only support women every day with the social service work that we dobut we also celebrate women and this was a really good reminder for us to do that."

With files from The Homestretch