Window to the past: Students dig up 25-year-old time capsule

O'Leary Elementary School students took a peek into the past today when they dug up a time capsule containing items buried a quarter-century ago.

The capsule was brought to the surface as part ofCanada 150 celebrations.

Excited onlookers from the past and present of O'Leary Elementary School gathered in front of the schoolas the the capsule was unearthed.

'I was going to be a hairdresser'

It included old newspapers, class photos and letters written by students to themselves about what they hoped to be doing in 25 years. Holly Betts was a grade 3 student at the school in 1992.

"My predictions was I was going to be an artist or a hairdresser and I'm not any of those things," she shared. "I can't draw anything, but I'm actually still in school, so I'm still teaching and it was kind of nice to come back and be at my former school."

'That excitement in their eyes again'

Also returning to the school was John Rogers, whowas the school's principal when the capsule was put underground in 1992.

"I always enjoyed working with youngsters," he shared. "To see that excitement in their eyes again, that means a lot to me as an educator. It is a reunion, it is wonderful to see the youngsters grown up. It'swonderful to see those familiar faces."

"I enjoyed that year," addedLorraine MacLean, who was a teacher at the school 25 years ago, and continues to teach today. "I love teaching, and I enjoyed that year a lot. It was my first year."

The contents of the capsule were thoroughly examined by the dozens of former students and staff as the day turned into a reunion, of sorts.

"A lot of the students I know as adults, and just to watch their expression when they went through their own items and the laughter, it was very contagious," said O'Leary Elementary School principal Susan Thain-Trail.

"When you watch the faces of the young ladies and gentlemen just laughing about what they wrote and then finding each other's letters or finding a friend's and taking a photo and sending it because they couldn't be here, it was amazing."

Looking to the future

The school is going to do it all over again.

Next week, students and staff will put memorabilia in the same time capsule, re-seal it, and bury it.

It will be dug up in 2042.

"The students are writing letters of what they think will happen in 25 years from now," said Thain-Trail.

"What their life will be like. They're bringing pictures of themselves and their pets, and we will be getting newspapers from today."

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